In some instances, businesses can eliminate paper forms and replace them with electronic forms, or e-forms, using the Internet for unprecedented data capture and customer service opportunities.

Two obvious benefits of e-forms are the reduced cost of handling paper and the improved efficiency of not needing to rekey information. But these are the tip of the iceberg. The greatest value in e-forms comes when forms applications are centralized into a collaborative framework.

When we think of paper business forms, we typically envision a grid-like template of "boxes" that await entered data. But electronic forms can be defined as any content that contains both static and variable information. In other words, an e-form is any computerized template that might change based on the situation, user, or circumstance.

Examples of electronic forms are leave requests, purchase requisitions, benefits enrollment forms, insurance applications, permits- the list goes on. In each case, the forms contain a template for the layout of the document along with variable text associated with the person or transaction.

If all you are doing is taking a paper form and making it available online, then you are only utilizing a fraction of the many benefits of e-forms. Effective collaboration with e-forms must include notifications and reminders, a detailed audit trail, pre-population of form data, authentication and security, and integration with your other valuable systems. The form serves as historical reference to a business process and acts as a snapshot in time of the associated business circumstances that resulted in a decision.


Expand Your Thinking about new applications within your collaborative processes.  It's not surprising if that's the case. As often occurs with many information technologies, when you expand your thinking about how a technology can be used (often with the help of a little outside stimulation), all kinds of new applications can result.