Digital form

Digital forms are forms that can be filled out electronically and were previously available on paper. In field service, digital forms are primarily checklists, logs, or report forms that a technician fills out on their mobile device. Examples include a service or maintenance report, a test log with checkboxes, an installation report with measurements, a safety check, or an acceptance report with a signature field.

The Innosoft FSM software enables the creation and use of such forms via the Digital Form (DGF) module. These forms can be filled out on a tablet or laptop using web technologies. In practice, this means that instead of a paper form, the technician has exactly the screen they need on their tablet. They can fill in text fields, select options, insert photos, and at the end obtain a digital signature from the customer directly on the touchscreen. A signature on a touchscreen or signature pad is common practice here.

Examples of digital forms in everyday FSM include a maintenance checklist in which items such as “oil level checked,” “filter cleaned,” etc. must be ticked off step by step. Or a service report that automatically contains the order data and is only supplemented by the technician with a description of the work performed, working hours, and material consumption. Travel expense reports can also be implemented as digital forms.

The benefits of digital forms are enormous. They eliminate media breaks (no transfer of handwritten notes), reduce errors (mandatory fields ensure that nothing important is missing), and speed up the flow of information. As soon as the technician submits their form, it is available to the office staff, including all data for reporting and billing.

The Innosoft solution allows forms to be customized and adapted to the corporate design, and the form data to be evaluated. Photos or sketches can also be integrated, which was difficult to do with paper.

For service management, the use of digital forms means higher process quality: standards are adhered to, documentation is complete and immediately archived digitally. In the event of audits or quality certifications (e.g., ISO certifications), the completed checklists can be presented seamlessly from the database. Overall, digital forms are an important component of digitalization in service, making work easier for both technicians in the field and the back office.