Forms automation software can be used by businesses to reduce the amount of time their employees spend on managing paperwork, while enabling them to store, track, and record vital data in an improved manner. You can use this solution to create digital versions of your company’s paper forms including documents such as invoices, financial reports, work orders, contracts, surveys, and applications. Show moreAutomate forms so that you don’t need to write down anything. Simply create the form on your mobile device or computer and fill it out electronically. The main advantage is it requires much less time and work to create computerized versions of forms, and you can also store them securely and search for the ones you need quickly and easily. Start by checking our leader TrueContext, and other recommended solutions in this category.Show less
To come up with this list of best Form Automation Tools we have analyzed trending apps currently available on the market, comparing their features, ease-of-use, customer support, offered integrations as well as mobile device support using our unique SmartScoreTM rating system. This list has been prepared by Louie Andre, our SaaS authority responsible for the Form Automation Tools category.
Form automation tools provide companies with means to make their operations paperless. It also allows users to store sensitive information via documents and forms securely. These tools usually come with a powerful search engine that you can use to easily find the right forms. And, they allow admins to grant the proper access authorizations to the right users. As these tools are now quite common, most of them come with comprehensive feature sets and have high out-of-the-box usability. Hence, choosing can be very difficult. And, we aim to help you with this. In this buyer’s guide, we will provide you with key details and important considerations in selecting the software with the best form automation tools that best fit your needs. In this way, you can cut down on your product research time and get on to shortlisting the best platforms out there.
The best way to find out which product fits your needs best is to get a first-hand experience of the system. And, this is what savvy software hunters do. They sign up for free trials or demos to get a feel of their shortlisted products. In this way, they get a chance to see for themselves software features and the potential benefits that these form tools would afford them. And, we recommend that you do so as well. So, to start you off, you can try out these top online form tools: KiSSFLOW, ProntoForms, FORM.com, Pardot, and Jotform. From among the web form tools that our experts reviewed, these offer the most comprehensive features and have garnered the best usability ratings so far.
There are different types of form automation tools on offer today. The main type, however, is the enterprise forms automation solution that provides a company-wide platform for information collection and dissemination such as surveys and electronic contracts. Typically, form automation software platforms are very flexible. So, users can really make it their own. Here, however, are the most common types based on primary use:
There are many reasons for and benefits to keeping yourself updated with the latest trends and developments in the forms automation software market. However, there are two main reasons. Firstly, you will have a better idea of which platforms and tools that not only optimize your workflows but also extend their capabilities. Secondly, you will get to know industry best practices. This is because having the best platform is not enough. It should be paired with a good operational understanding of techniques and a spirit of innovation to get the best out of the form automation tool. To wit, here are the overarching trends in form automation technology and practice.
Forms have rich content
Forms don’t have to be boring. Rich content such as interactive modules, animations, and other media make them more engaging and understandable. This improves user experience and also lowers the risk of abandonment. And, this also increases the chance for the adoption of form-based apps created by workflow builders. Also, this leverages new technology by allowing the sharing of digital media for remote teams such as those in sales and maintenance.
Increased usage of mobile forms
Today, mobile forms are ubiquitous across digital touchpoints. They can be found in customer-facing channels such as ecommerce platforms and social media. Plus, they are also rampantly used for in-house company processes such as employee onboarding, field service apps, employee surveys, workflows, and many more. This is because, now, they can handle more complex logic rules and integrate with various platforms. They are not only for data entry anymore. Mobile forms can be used for managing projects, tasks, and other key business functions.
Selecting overly-complex software
Sometimes, software hunters tend to choose the “best” software with the most comprehensive and powerful features available. So, they tend to end up getting a platform with more features and capabilities than they actually need. Moreover, this could also tempt users to overcomplicate procedures like including more workflow junctions or fields than needed. And, they can spend more time creating custom reports with unnecessary details. So, look for the best fit and not simply for “the best.”
Overconcentration on single-use
It is good to note that form automation tools are very flexible. This means that they have tons of use cases. They can be deployed as simple survey solutions or used as complex app builders. So, it is best to be creative on how you can use them to benefit your organization. You can use it for marketing, IT case management, employee onboarding, and many more.
There are different deployment options available for form automation tools. So, you need to consider which deployment type suites you best. However, we recommend that you choose a tool that supports multiple ones including offline access. Here are the two most common types:
As there are different types of form automation tools available today, you should consider not only which one fits your need but also which type suits you. Here are a few important considerations:
Order by:
Choosing a an apt SaaS program from the numerous good quality platforms out there can be a complex task. To assist you, we have created this quick primer. Find out if the SaaS provider offers the following advantages:
Reduced Cost: Most SaaS solutions are pay as you go, and you don’t have to worry about additional investments for system maintenance or IT resources, upfront licensing fees, or in-house IT employees.
Fast Set-up Time and Minimized Risk: You should be able to deploy the SaaS system quickly and easily. Make use of the free trial to learn if the app fits your needs. If you select a wrong solution, you can bail out easily with minimum losses.
Customization and Integration: Choose a vendor that offers a wide range of software packages and modules. You should be able to pay only for the functionality you use to meet the current requirements of your organization.
Security and Control: The system should provide robust security. Choose a vendor whose databanks are more secure than those in your office to maximize the benefits.
The Infrastructure: The vendor should provide the required infrastructure so that you need not host anything in-house or require the assistance of internal IT resources.
Web Access: Your staff members should be able to access data anywhere, anytime. To help them be productive on the go, choose a provider that offers mobile apps that are compatible with leading operating systems.
Consider all the six important factors mentioned above to pick the right system for your requirements.
The best form automation tool today is KiSSFLOW. This is because it is not your typical form automation platform. It is a forms-based app and workflow builder. With this, users will be able to create custom apps and workflows using complex logic, triggers, and pipelines. And, it is easy to use, thanks to its unique 5-step app wizard. You can use this to create forms and build apps from scratch. Plus, it has built-in templates for different functions including the management of purchase orders, vendor payment, and employee onboarding among many others. Key features include progress tracking, hands-off workflows, and advanced reporting tools.
Moreover, you can access KiSSFLOW via its mobile applications for both Android and iOS devices. It integrates seamlessly with other applications including QuickBooks, Gmail Actions, JIRA, Basecamp, and many more. Additionally, it offers APIs and webhooks that you can use to integrate the platform with other solutions. Lastly, pricing starts at a very affordable $9 per user per month.
Here are the general benefits afforded to users by form automation tools:
Improved workflows: Automation features allow businesses not only to save valuable time spent on clerical processes.
Custom forms: Users will be able to build custom forms for different needs. These can range from surveys to field service task requirements.
Cost savings: By going paperless, businesses can save on hardcopy-related costs like printing, postage, and storing.
Standardized records: These tools allow users to standardize data entry and records management policies.
Single source of truth: With form automation tools, users will be able to store information collected via forms and make them easily searchable.
Optimized data entry: Form automation platforms allow users to make data entry more accurate and more efficient. Moreover, the best ones have capture technology that can convert paper forms into interactive digital counterparts.
Make better data-driven decisions: Companies will be able to generate automatic reports on various aspects of their operations from user behavior to productivity. Also, the best platforms allow users to perform custom analytics and generate custom reports to help them make better data-driven decisions.
Common features offered by form automation tools include:
Form design and creation: This allows users to build and design forms from scratch or customize pre-built templates. Also, they allow companies to create new forms by converting hard copies to digital versions via scanning.
Centralized storage: These platforms store information, templates, and created forms in one secure database, making them easily searchable and accessible.
Autofill: This simplifies the form completion processes by narrowing down choices, auto-filling details, and autocompleting entries.
Workflow automation: The feature accelerates business processes by automating clerical functions. This also reduces human error and inefficiencies.
Digital signature: With this, companies can make contracts legally binding very easily. It can be used for sales orders or even hiring.
Inspection and audit: These features allow users to perform audits and inspect data and activities on form-related and workflow information.
Offline access: The best web-based form automation tools offer offline access. This is useful for companies with field service teams.
User permissions: This allows administrators to provide granular access to documents and other media only to authorized personnel according to roles and other parameters.
Here are the easiest-to-use form automation tools available:
KiSSFLOW. This web-based form-based workflow and app creation solution provides users with intuitive customization controls. Users can easily build forms, workflows, and apps using drag-and-drop controls. And, it also provides customizable pre-built apps. Also, it integrates seamlessly with other business solutions.
ProntoForms. This is one of the best mobile form automation tools for creating workflows for field service teams. It is known for its high out-of-the-box usability, thanks to its intuitive user interface reminiscent of the level of intuitiveness of popular social media apps.
FORM.com. A widely-popular forms automation software tool, this provides extensive customizability tools. It is known for its flexibility and its set of productivity tools. These include task management, workflow management, inspections management, and field operations management.
Other than completely free offerings, many software providers offer free versions of their form automation tools. Here are the three best free ones.
JotForm. Its Starter Plan supports five forms with 100 fields per form and 100 monthly submissions. However, it also allows users to receive up to 10 payments via their online forms. This makes it a popular solution for small businesses and freelancers.
Zoho Forms. Its Free Plan supports three forms and 500 submissions per month. The web-based offering also includes 200MB file storage and allows users to generate unlimited reports.
TypeForm. This form-based survey software solution offers a free plan with great basic features and capabilities. It supports an unlimited number of mobile-ready forms and provides built-in templates.
Updated
FinancesOnline is available for free for all business professionals interested in an efficient way to find top-notch SaaS solutions. We are able to keep our service free of charge thanks to cooperation with some of the vendors, who are willing to pay us for traffic and sales opportunities provided by our website. Please note, that FinancesOnline lists all vendors, we’re not limited only to the ones that pay us, and all software providers have an equal opportunity to get featured in our rankings and comparisons, win awards, gather user reviews, all in our effort to give you reliable advice that will enable you to make well-informed purchase decisions.