How to Reduce Data Entry Errors with Auto-Populated Form Fields
Eliminate opportunities for human error, misspellings, and forgotten data, with automatically populated form fields
Paper forms and basic PDF fillers leave far too much room for error. When relying on paper forms and manual data capture tools, illegible handwriting, spelling errors, and miscalculations result in problematic, often costly data entry errors. PDF fillers are often riddled with similar errors, providing few safeguards against inaccurate data collection.
Digital forms provide a simple solution to these manual data entry woes. Your digital form fields can be easily equipped with a variety of powerful features to simplify the input and processing of data, including Automatic Calculations (providing users with instant totals), Conditional Logic (guiding data entry), and even Automatically Populated form fields, which allow users to populate relevant fields with highly accurate data, based on field selections, data entry, and more.
How can I Automatically Populate form fields with information?
There are several ways to instantly populate relevant form fields with information, including:
Scanning a Barcode that references a Data Source
Selecting a Drop Down menu item that references a Data Source
Setting the Default Value for a form field, instructing it to populate with the user’s current information (their name, the date or time, their location, etc.) when they generate a form
Let’s walk through how Automatically Populated form fields can help your operation reduce data entry errors and standardize captured data:
Eliminate illegible handwriting and spelling errors
Messy handwriting can make it impossible to reference or process a completed form. Fortunately, with digital forms, this is no longer an issue. Further improving data entry, Automatically Populated fields can immediately fill relevant form fields with highly accurate data, eliminating opportunities for spelling errors. By eliminating misspellings, your operation can further standardize its data capture, ensuring that only the most accurate information can be submitted and uploaded to connected databases and applications.
Eliminate redundant data entry
Redundant data entry not only wastes time but also can result in inaccurate duplicates that can hinder analysis. For example, if a user were to misspell the name of a client who already exists within their operation’s databases, a duplicate record might be created within a connected system using the alternative spelling of the client’s name. This means that data associated with the misspelled client name might not reach reports run for the client’s actual name, muddying results.
Your digital forms can easily remedy this predicament by referencing Data Source and automatically populating corresponding fields with information. For example, if a Data Source were used to populate the form fields referenced in our previous example, a user could select a client’s name from a Drop Down menu and instantly populate their contact information, order number, location, and more. This use case ensures that data referenced within forms is sanitized and highly accurate – while saving the end user time!
To learn how to get started using this powerful feature, check out these blog posts:
