Introduction

For every organization that completed its digital transformation long ago, there are others that have yet to benefit from moving part or all of their workflows online.

The truth is, digital workflows have revolutionized paper-based processes similar to the way
smartphones changed how we communicate. They’ve paved the way for never before seen levels of efficiency and productivity, whether you’re working in an office, at home, or on the go.

And more times than not, the tipping point for any digital workflow is an online form.

What are the benefits of online forms? Why have they had such a positive impact on all of our
workflows?

Maybe let’s try to get at this question in a more visual way.

At Jotform, we pride ourselves on inspiring the "creative" potential of online forms.

Put another way, we believe online forms should be the keys that unlock a world of automation
solutions that are tailor-made for your workflow. The sky’s the limit.

How online forms unlock your creative potential

Not only can online forms save you valuable time, but they can also unlock your creativity. Let’s
explore how you can think differently about getting things done and make a positive impact on your business or service in the process.

Online forms can collect solicited or unsolicited information to meet your organization’s needs and further its growth. Groups you may want to gather information from include

• Customers 
• Students
• Donors 
• Citizens
• Patients 
• Peers
• Employees 
• Contractors 
• And more

In practical terms, organizations need a smart and flexible way to keep a record of the orders,
feedback, and data that come their way. The best way to do that is through a templated form that works on any device and streamlines your workflow (which often requires some back and forth) in an organized way.

You may be wondering what we mean by streamlining a workflow in an organized way. Well, data is only as good as how you put it into practice. Whether you’re gathering customer orders, scientific research, or anything in between, you need to determine the larger trends the data is telling you so you can act on it.

A robust platform allows your entire organization to organize, analyze, engage with, and easily report on the data you gather via online forms. This holistic approach to using forms allows you to take advantage of your data in creative ways. Here are just a few suggestions:

• Use summarized data to improve internal product development, workflows, sales processes, or customer service.
• Share data with your customers in engaging ways that simultaneously build trust and create organizational transparency.
• Analyze your data to better understand who your users are and adjust your approach to welcome and meet the needs of unanticipated groups and demographics.

For example, Jotform users achieve the insights mentioned above by automating their data through organically connected solutions.

Top uses for online forms across type and industry

There are probably as many uses for online forms as there are stars in the sky (well, maybe not quite that many).

Even with so many forms — and form needs — some familiar patterns emerge when it comes to thekinds of forms that are most heavily used and the industries that use them.

Let’s dig into the forms first so you have a better idea how to maximize them to work for you and your goals.

Top form uses

Top industry uses

Now let’s take a look at how Jotform helped one organization.

Through personal tutoring and classroom instruction, Literacy Pittsburgh paves the way for a variety of adult learners to earn a high school credential, learn English, obtain U.S. citizenship, and improve their writing or math skills, all free of charge. As a result, the organization helps create a better future for its students and the communities where they live.  

Literacy Pittsburgh details
Industry: Nonprofit	Organization size: Medium
Use cases: Client intake forms, converting paper forms to online PDFs, and an employee collaboration app

Improving digital literacy plays a part in the organization’s vision of creating a more productive community. So it’s no surprise Literacy Pittsburgh turned to Jotform to digitize what was formerly a lengthy analog process of onboarding new clients. 

Along with creating an intake process that eliminates redundant data entry, the team used Jotform to build an app that helps increase collaboration. This app acts as a central hub where the team can access program maintenance, onboarding, and client-related documentation and needs.   

Paper-based processes put a hold on productivity 

“We had a somewhat lengthy and intensive intake process that required all students to be in person,” says Dow. “Staff had to meet those students (in person) to explain the forms and conduct an intake interview.”

Despite the in-person meetings, the paper form process would sometimes result in errors and missing information the team needed for review and compliance. This meant staff was doing duplicate (or even triplicate) data entry, which impeded productivity.   

Literacy Pittsburgh works with both American- and foreign-born students who have varying backgrounds. To meet all of these needs, the intake forms were filled with detailed questions that didn’t apply to everyone, resulting in a lot of extra paper and potential waste. 

An online PDF and new app lead to better business outcomes 

As with many organizations, the pandemic was a key turning point for Literacy Pittsburgh. Remote work mandated a transition to a new, digital intake process. So, on the recommendation of a coworker who had previous experience with the platform, Dow tried Jotform. 

He discovered that online forms could power an efficient process that prioritized getting new students through the door. A determining factor in choosing Jotform was what he saw as the platform’s unique ability to convert the elaborate paper intake form into an online PDF. 

The PDF form conversion allowed him to create the conditional logic branches necessary for the organization’s two tracks of students — those whose primary education is from other countries and those who came up in the K–12 system here in the United States. 

As Dow tells it, “We have different questions we want to ask depending on [the students’] backgrounds, so the conditional logic lets us architect those questions to ensure a more consistent experience for our students and our intake staff. I’m really impressed with how easy it is to use and figure out. Every year (the conditional logic feature) seems like it gets better and more intuitive.”   

In addition to fast-tracking student intake, adaptations necessitated by COVID heightened the need to keep staff on the same page. So instead of asking staff to juggle multiple digital logins and all the applications they were responsible for, Dow tied it all together with Jotform Apps. The app he built serves as a centralized hub of forms, resources, and other information.  

“The simplicity of building the Jotform app made things easy. And it was great to have a centralized place to make those (form) updates,” he says. 

“It really helps onboard new staff as well when you can point to one app and say, ‘Remember this,’ rather than hoping they remember 20 disparate websites. The feedback from staff on using the app has been really positive.”

Automation opens the door to organizational efficiency

Literacy Pittsburgh helps people in the area gain the knowledge they need to create a more secure future for themselves and their children. By making a difference for individuals, families, the workforce, and the greater Pittsburgh region — the organization is enabling greater prosperity for all.

“Streamlining the (intake) process frees up staff to focus less on manual entry and more on placement and student support. Additionally, by removing the paper form, we have more flexibility to meet with students in the manner they need,” Dow says. 

“Many of our students need one-on-one support. So we can more effectively and efficiently collect data depending on the student’s skill and comfort levels. [Jotform] gives our intake staff more tools in their tool kit.”    

Together with Literacy Pittsburgh, Jotform is proud to play a small part in the effort to improve lives through learning.