iPad app for field sales visits announced

A new forms creation app from Digital Field Solutions can cut order completion time in half by eliminating the need for paper forms and enabling sales reps to send completed and signed forms directly to the office system straight from their iPad.

The new ‘Formworks’ app enables businesses to easily create their own mobile forms that can even capture and convert handwriting to text, backed up by remote support so forms can instantly be sent back to the office with a simple touch of the screen. Reducing the burden of paperwork frees up valuable sales staff to focus on their core task, reduces the potential for errors and allows estimates, quotes and orders to be processed quicker.

“We developed Formworks to make the data collection process more efficient for every business or organisation that needs to capture information remotely,” explains director Tim Howard. “We found that many data capture products were fiddly to use and actually made life more difficult for the user. We sought to design electronic forms that are even simpler to use and more efficient than paper forms, and with its intuitive handwriting recognition technology we are confident that Formworks delivers on that goal.”

Formworks gives organisations greater control over their data capture process in a fraction of the time it takes to use traditional pen and paper, making it easier for sales and field staff to record information and have it authorised on the spot.

Sales staff are often a company’s most valuable asset, and Formworks has been specifically designed to make their life easier and their time more productive. It can be used by anyone who collects and records important information remotely and securely, including: sales reps, surveyors, health professionals, social workers, claims handlers and site inspectors to name but a few.

“Formworks uses simple drag and drop tools with easy navigation in a familiar web-based environment so it is really easy to create your own customised forms in minutes, and with minimal training – no programming is required,” continues Tim. Forms can be personalised with the company logo and include the option of typing or writing using the best handwriting recognition technology available. They can also be remotely updated by the administrator to ensure entire sales teams are all using the correct and up-to-date forms.

Using Formworks will save time and cut errors by reducing the amount of manual data re-keying. For example, existing client information can be automatically added to the form prior to a meeting, and once a form has been completed the field worker simply uploads it to a central server where it is outputted directly to the company’s own database or forwarded wherever required in an email as a PDF report, spreadsheet or XML file.

In most cases Formworks can completely eliminate the need for paper forms as it allows users to upload text, photographs, drawings and handwritten signatures straight into their office system. It is not only sustainable, it is secure too: information captured via the Formworks app is processed on the Digital Field Solutions server and immediately outputted to the client. The forms are password protected and all information is automatically deleted from the iPad once it has been sent to the office. In addition, administrators can remove users remotely and block their access to the system at any time. Updating electronic forms is also much quicker than updating paper forms, as field staff can automatically receive updates from head office direct to their iPad while on the move.