In today’s increasingly digital business environment, the way organizations manage and share information has evolved dramatically. One key tool in this shift is the digital form, a modern, streamlined solution to outdated paper-based processes. Whether you’re handling internal HR workflows, client intake forms, or essential documentation for highly regulated industries, digital forms allow for fast, accurate data collection and processing.
Unlike traditional paperwork, digital forms can be easily shared, automated, and integrated into broader workflow software. This combination ensures greater efficiency and fewer errors, as digital form workflows automatically assign tasks, manage approvals, and track completion. With digital forms, not only can businesses capture the exact data they need, but they can also maintain visibility and control over every step of the process—key for industries like healthcare, finance, and legal services, where compliance is critical.
Throughout this article, we’ll explore a variety of digital form examples, their functionality, and how they can enhance your operations. From creating a form to understanding the different types of forms available, this guide will equip you with practical knowledge on leveraging digital forms and workflow software effectively within your business.
What is considered a digital form
A digital form is an electronic tool used to capture, manage, and store data efficiently, often replacing traditional paper forms. Whether it’s for collecting client details, processing payments, or managing HR tasks, digital form examples can be used in virtually every aspect of business. These forms can be filled out on any device, shared instantly, and integrated into workflow software, allowing businesses to streamline their processes and reduce manual input.
Common electronic form examples include online surveys, job application forms, and compliance checklists. These forms are versatile, often containing fields for text, checkboxes, signatures, and file uploads, making them ideal for industries that require secure and accurate data collection, such as healthcare and finance. For instance, a digital form example in healthcare could be used to capture patient information securely, while in finance, forms are used to ensure regulatory compliance by tracking client data and approvals.
In addition to simplifying data collection, electronic forms are often integrated with workflow software, which automates tasks like document approvals and audit tracking. This seamless integration reduces the likelihood of errors, speeds up processing times, and helps businesses maintain full visibility over their workflows.
Overall, any form that allows data to be input, validated, and stored electronically can be considered a digital form, providing businesses with a powerful tool for enhancing efficiency and accuracy.
What is an example of a digital form
There are countless digital form examples that businesses use every day to streamline their operations. These forms eliminate the need for paper-based processes and can be easily integrated with workflow software, improving overall efficiency. Below are some of the most common examples of digital forms across various industries:
- HR Onboarding Forms: Used to collect new hire information such as personal details, tax information, and benefits selections. These forms often include fields for signatures, making the onboarding process smoother and quicker.
- Client Intake Forms: Common in industries like law and finance, these forms capture essential client details, ensuring that businesses can maintain compliance and accurately track customer interactions.
- Customer Feedback Forms: Found on websites, these forms allow companies to gather feedback from customers about their products or services. The data can be automatically directed to the right departments for action.
- Expense Reimbursement Forms: Digital expense forms allow employees to submit claims for reimbursements quickly. These forms can also be set up to automatically route to the finance department for approval.
- Compliance Checklists: Used in highly regulated industries, these digital forms ensure that every step in a compliance process is followed and documented. They can be tied into workflow software to automate approvals and audits.
These electronic form examples illustrate the flexibility and power of digital forms in different business contexts. By replacing paper forms with digital versions, businesses can automate workflows, reduce errors, and speed up their processes.
How do digital forms work
Digital forms operate by collecting, validating, and storing information electronically, often automating manual tasks and streamlining business operations. Unlike traditional paper forms, digital forms are powered by form builder tools that allow users to create custom forms tailored to specific needs. Once created, these forms can be shared electronically, filled out on any device, and seamlessly integrated into broader workflow software.
Here’s how digital forms typically work:
- Form Creation: Using a form builder, users can design forms with fields for text input, checkboxes, drop-down menus, and even file uploads. These forms can also be configured to validate entries, ensuring the data collected is accurate.
- Data Submission: Once the form is completed, the data is submitted electronically and immediately processed. This can include forwarding the information to specific departments, triggering a task or approval in workflow software, or storing the data securely in a cloud system.
- Automated Workflows: After data submission, digital forms often tie into automated workflows. For example, when an employee submits a digital expense form, it might automatically route to a manager for approval and then to the finance department for processing. These workflows are managed by integrated form builder tools, making the entire process faster and more efficient.
- Data Storage and Access: The data collected from digital forms is stored securely and can be accessed at any time. Businesses can pull reports, analyze data trends, or ensure compliance with industry regulations.
By incorporating digital forms into workflow software, businesses reduce manual errors, save time, and increase overall efficiency.
What is in digital form
A digital form can capture a wide range of data types, making it a highly versatile tool for businesses across various industries. These forms often serve as the electronic form of documents, replacing traditional paper forms with streamlined, automated solutions. Here are some common elements that can be included in a digital form example:
- Text Fields: Used to capture essential data such as names, addresses, or detailed responses. These fields can be formatted to ensure accuracy, such as requiring proper email formats or phone numbers.
- Checkboxes and Radio Buttons: Ideal for collecting multiple-choice responses or confirmations, such as agreeing to terms and conditions, or selecting options like departments or preferences.
- Digital Signatures: One of the most valuable components of an electronic form of documents, digital signatures make it easy to securely collect approvals for contracts, agreements, and compliance paperwork.
- Date and Time Fields: Automatically recording the date and time of form submissions ensures that time-sensitive processes, such as project deadlines or audits, are documented accurately.
- File Uploads: Digital forms often allow for attachments, such as resumes, invoices, or identification documents, providing a complete solution for data collection.
- Drop-down Menus: These structured options simplify the form-filling process, letting users select from predefined lists instead of typing responses manually.
By incorporating these data types, businesses can use electronic forms of documents to automate workflows and reduce errors. When integrated with workflow software, digital forms become even more powerful, as they can trigger specific tasks or approvals based on the data collected.
How can I create a digital form
Creating a digital form has become an accessible and straightforward process, especially with the help of modern tools. Whether you’re looking to streamline internal workflows or collect customer data, a digital forms app or an online form builder allows businesses to create forms tailored to their specific needs without requiring advanced technical skills.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating a digital form:
- Choose a Digital Forms Tool: Start by selecting a reliable platform. An online form builder free unlimited tool is a great option if you’re looking for flexibility without the constraints of limited submissions. This type of builder allows you to create and distribute as many forms as you need, without incurring additional costs.
- Start with a Template or Build from Scratch: Many form-building tools offer templates to jumpstart your design process, but you can also create your own from scratch. Customizing fields and design elements ensures the form is tailored to your exact requirements.
- Add Relevant Fields: Include fields for text input, checkboxes, drop-down menus, or file uploads, depending on the type of data you need to collect. This customization ensures your form captures precise and relevant information.
- Integrate with Workflow Software: After the form is created, integrate it with your workflow software to automate processes like approvals, notifications, or data routing, improving operational efficiency.
- Test and Publish: Before deploying your form, test it to ensure functionality. Once everything is confirmed, share the form via email, your website, or internal platforms.
Using beSlick, businesses can go beyond just creating forms. With beSlick’s workflow software, you can capture and automate your processes, assign tasks, track progress, and ensure compliance. Its form-building capabilities are seamlessly integrated into broader workflows, making it easy to manage everything from onboarding to audit trails—all within a single platform. This combination of form creation and task automation enables businesses to reduce manual errors, speed up processes, and gain full visibility into operations.
How do I create a digital form for free
If you’re looking to create digital forms free, there are many accessible tools that allow businesses to build and manage forms without any upfront cost. These platforms are ideal for collecting data, streamlining workflows, or managing client information—whether you’re a small business or a larger organization aiming to reduce manual tasks.
Here’s how you can create digital forms free using readily available tools:
- Select a Free Digital Form Builder: To get started, choose a platform that offers a free version of its digital forms app. These options provide the ability to create digital forms free, often without any limits on form creation but may have caps on submissions or advanced features. Be sure to pick one that suits your basic requirements.
- Utilize Pre-made Templates or Build Your Own: Many free form builders provide a variety of templates that cover common needs such as feedback forms, employee onboarding, or surveys. You can either use these templates to save time or build your own custom form to meet specific business needs.
- Customize Your Form: Once your form is set up, you can add custom fields like text boxes, checkboxes, drop-down menus, or file uploads. Even when you create digital forms free, these tools offer enough flexibility to capture the precise information you need.
- Test and Verify: Before sharing the form, test it to make sure everything functions correctly. Ensure that the form flows as expected, and the data is stored and processed securely.
- Share and Collect Responses: After testing, publish the form and share it with your audience via email, website, or social media. Free tools typically make sharing easy and straightforward.
While free tools allow you to create digital forms free, using platforms like beSlick can help take your processes further. With beSlick, you can integrate forms directly into workflows, automatically assign tasks, track progress, and ensure all parts of the process are completed efficiently, making it a powerful solution for businesses looking to optimize their operations.
How to make a PDF into a digital form
Turning a PDF into a digital form is a simple and efficient way to modernize your data collection process. Whether you’re handling contracts, applications, or compliance documents, converting PDFs into fillable forms streamlines the user experience and reduces manual data entry. Here’s a step-by-step guide to transforming your PDF into a digital form using a form builder:
- Choose a Form Builder Tool: Start by selecting a form builder that supports PDF conversion. Many tools allow you to upload a PDF and then add interactive fields, turning it into a fillable digital form. Look for platforms that allow easy integration into your workflow processes.
- Upload the PDF: Once you have your form builder in place, upload the PDF you want to convert. The software will scan the document, identifying areas where fields can be placed, such as text inputs, checkboxes, or signature fields.
- Add Interactive Fields: After the PDF is uploaded, you can begin adding the necessary fields to make it interactive. This includes text boxes for user input, checkboxes for selections, and even digital signature fields, making the PDF a fully functional digital form.
- Customize for Automation: If your digital form is part of a broader business process, consider integrating it with your workflow software. This will allow the form to trigger automated tasks like sending notifications, generating reports, or starting approval processes.
- Save and Share: Once your PDF has been successfully converted into a digital form, test it to ensure it functions properly. When ready, distribute the form via email or embed it on your website.
By converting PDFs into digital forms, businesses can eliminate manual data entry and streamline how they gather and process information. Additionally, using platforms like beSlick, you can embed these forms into workflows, automate tasks, and ensure compliance with minimal effort, all while maintaining full visibility over the process.
Are forms templates free
Many platforms offer digital form templates for free, allowing businesses to create and customize forms without the need for extensive design work. These digital form free templates provide a starting point for a wide variety of use cases, from customer feedback surveys to compliance checklists, saving you both time and effort.
Here are a few ways you can access and use digital form free templates:
- Form Builders with Free Templates: Many online form builders come with a library of free templates. These can range from simple contact forms to more complex use cases like job applications or customer satisfaction surveys. Templates are designed to cover common business needs and can often be easily customized with your branding and specific fields.
- Customizing Free Templates: Free templates offer flexibility. You can modify fields, add branding elements, or integrate additional features like file uploads or electronic signatures. Even if the template is free, you can make it your own by tweaking it to suit your exact requirements.
- Industries that Benefit from Free Templates: Industries like healthcare, finance, and education often use free digital form templates to streamline their processes. For example, a healthcare provider may use a pre-built patient intake form, while a financial firm might benefit from free compliance checklists that simplify data collection and regulatory documentation.
- Integration with Workflow Software: Free templates can also be incorporated into workflow software, automating tasks like approvals, notifications, and data storage. This ensures that even simple, template-based forms become part of a larger, more efficient process.
With platforms like beSlick, not only can you access free templates, but you can also integrate them into workflows that ensure your processes are tracked, automated, and optimized. By combining free templates with workflow automation, businesses can save time and reduce errors while maintaining full control over their operations.
Unlock the Power of Digital Forms with Seamless Workflows
Digital forms are transforming how businesses collect, manage, and automate data. From simplifying data collection to reducing manual errors, the benefits are clear. By integrating your digital form examples into workflow software, you not only streamline tasks but ensure visibility, compliance, and efficiency across the board. Whether you’re using free templates or custom-built forms, the potential to optimize your operations is immense.
Ready to enhance your workflows? Explore how beSlick can help you create, manage, and automate digital forms, driving better performance and fewer mistakes.
Try beSlick today to transform your workflows and get started with digital forms.
Alister Esam, Author of The Dirty Word and CEO at beSlick
Alister Esam is a successful entrepreneur and investor, having bootstrapped his fintech software business eShare to international status operating in over 40 countries and servicing 20,000 board directors, before successfully exiting to a multibillion-dollar organisation in 2018. He now invests in a variety of startups and on a global mission to make work, work.