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Editorial Type: Opinion     Date: 03-2015    Views: 3511      







Vijay Magon of CCube Solutions explains how eForms are becoming far more than just a data collection tool

With the growing rise in on-line business and e-commerce, organisations need a simple, cost effective way to capture and track transactions through the various processes, to successful conclusion. Online electronic forms solutions provide the ability to design, capture and workflow intelligent business forms which are completely compatible with any application and any industry. Best of all, such forms are very easy to setup and use - the user simply fills out drop down lists, check-boxes, radio buttons, and text fields that can be validated in real time. As the users fill the forms, data is collected behind the scenes and on completion, is used to generate an actual form in a read-only format, together with the full data set which can be used to automate back-end business processes.

But eForms should not be seen in isolation from a planned information strategy. An eForms Framework helps to define a business strategy - simply deploying an eForm will not deliver that strategy. Such a strategy should include the following key components:

• Requirements Analyses - data should be keyed in once
• Development - use software designed to build electronic forms
• Deployment - via business intranets or Internet (or both)
• End User Experience - end-to-end form filling with a point and click interface
• Output Management - automate and drive the business process
• Reporting - how the forms are being used, and metrics on the business processes
• Support - training to build good quality forms that enhance the end user experience

Integrated eForms are essentially structured data entry screens used for collecting data which can be used to feed any number of front and back-end systems used in business processes, for example, HR and ERP applications, reporting tools, letter generation, etc. But these forms must not be seen as simply tools for data collection - this is just the start!

The essential functionality must include:

• Ability to use a form that interactively changes according to the needs of each individual user's session. The user simply fills out drop down lists, and depending on one answer, different choices are given for the next questions - intelligent navigation. The user must be allowed to suspend the form filling and resume at a later time.
• The forms link to supporting documents of all types
• System administrators have the ability to change the way the form presents itself
• The form design must not involve programming although it is understood that more complex forms will require some IT input - users who understands the business process are ideally placed to design forms.
• The eForms system is independent of any back-end business system, although it can be integrated; consequently, it can be used to collect data for any back-end system, including centralised information repository systems.
• Upon completion, the form is automatically saved and integrated into a back-end repository, which allows users to access and search for the form based on data populated in the form, directly from the information repository. Receipt of the completed forms may trigger back end workflow applications.
• eForms must be detached from any front-end application, to avoid counting eForm users as concurrent users, eliminating any licensing implications. The system must support un-limited access by internal and external users.

EXAMPLE 1: EXPENSES MANAGED
A London based publishing company recognised the benefits of using electronic forms to manage company-wide employee expense claims online. Operating a paper-based system was inefficient, slow and costly as paperwork had to be couriered between buildings or sent in the internal post which often resulted in delays or lost forms. With a paper system, staff would receive monthly credit card statements and have to manually enter all items and attached receipts - a laborious process for some who had 60 to 70 purchases to input per month.

The business wanted to resolve these issues by introducing an online claims solution to save time and make processing quicker. The project goals were:

• Improve the efficiency of the whole process;
• Make claims quicker for staff, particularly sales people so they could focus on selling;
• Provide a direct feed into the accounting system to avoid manual input;
• Provide more accurate recording of expenditure by staff - first time - without AP staff involvement.



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