12 steps to taking your manual data intake process digital

So, you've decided to convert your paper or PDF forms into digital journeys - that's fantastic! But where should you begin?

Here are 12 essential steps to get you started on your data transformation journey:

1. Define your goals and objectives.

What do you hope to achieve by digitizing your data intake process? Improved efficiency? Fewer data entry errors? A better user experience for your customers or employees? Clearly defining your goals will help you choose the right technology and solution for your needs.

One size does not fit all when it comes to data transformation – so make sure you select a solution that's right for you.

2. Understand your current process.

Map out your current data intake process from start to finish. Who collects the data? How is it entered into your system? What data validation and verification steps are in place?

Understanding your current process will help you identify inefficiencies and potential improvements. It will also give you a baseline to measure the success of your digital data transformation journey.

Another important question is who will be using your forms? Employees? Customers? Vendors? Each type of user has different needs, so it's important to understand their expectations regarding data entry.

3. Identify data entry pain points

What are the biggest pain points in your data entry process? Do you have a lot of data that needs to be manually entered? Are there data validation or verification steps that slow down data entry?

Identifying data entry pain points will help you prioritize which forms to digitize first. It will also give you insights into how best to design your digital data intake forms.

4. Map your customer journey

Take some time to map out all the data you currently collect on your forms. What data points are essential? Which ones could be optional? What data do you need to collect in order to achieve your goals?

Organizing your data in this way will help you create digital data intake forms that are streamlined and easy to use.

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5. Map your workflow

Now that you understand your data, it's time to map out how it flows through your organization. Who is responsible for collecting it? Who needs to access it? How is it currently being stored and shared? Answering these questions will give you a better idea of where digital data transformation can have the biggest impact.

Automation requires data to flow freely between different systems – so it's important to understand the dependencies involved in your current workflow.

6. Set up data validation and verification

Data entry errors can have a major impact on your business, so it's important to put data validation and verification in place. This may involve setting up data entry rules, using data cleansing tools, or integrating with third-party data validation services.

Decide in advance how errors will be handled – will users be able to correct them on their own, or will they need to contact someone for help?

7. UX/UI design considerations

Now it's time to start designing your digital forms. Keep your form users in mind as you determine the layout, fields, and data validation rules. Pay attention to the overall user experience, and make sure your forms are accessible on all devices.

There are a lot of intricate details involved in designing digital data intake forms. But if you keep your users front and center, you'll be off to a good start.

8. Implement your solution

Now it's time to put your plan into action. Code your forms from scratch, or use a no-code platform to quickly build them out.

Two crucial factors to consider are timeline and budget.

Coding from scratch will give you the most flexibility, but it will also take the longest to implement. A no-code platform will be faster and easier to use, but you may have to sacrifice some flexibility. The key is to find the right balance for your organization.

9. Integrate your forms

Once your forms are designed, you'll need to integrate them with the rest of your data ecosystem. This may involve connecting to third-party data sources, setting up data syncing or real-time data updates, or integrating with other business applications such as CRM or claims processing software.

Two-way integration is essential for data entry efficiency – otherwise, data will need to be manually entered into multiple systems.

10. Launch and test your forms

Before you go live with your digital data intake forms, it's important to test them out first. Make sure all the data fields are mapping correctly, and that data is flowing smoothly between different systems.

11. Train your users

If you're rolling out digital forms to employees who are used to paper forms, they'll need some training on how to use the new system. Make sure you provide clear instructions and allow plenty of time for questions. You may also want to consider offering incentives for early adopters.

Adoption rates will be higher if users feel confident and comfortable with the new system.

12. Monitor and optimize your data intake process

Once your digital data intake process is up and running, it's important to monitor it continuously. Pay attention to data entry errors, user satisfaction levels, and overall data quality. Track data entry rates, error rates, and overall satisfaction levels. Adjust your forms as needed to improve the user experience. And don't forget to celebrate your data transformation success!