Business Operations

Free Construction Change Order Forms and Templates

Posted on by Danny Kanev

Free Construction Change Order Forms and Templates

| |

What is a change order form?

Change order forms are used in the construction industry when changes to the contract are required. Change orders happen when a client or contractor decides that changes are needed to the initial agreement. This could be to add time and material costs or other similar changes to the overall scope of work. 

Change orders happen on almost every construction project to account for additional work that is needed along the way. This article summarizes the purpose of construction change order forms and provides several free templates that can be used by contractors for different types of change orders in construction.

What are the causes of a change order?

Companies do their best to avoid change orders, but there are many circumstances in which change orders become necessary in a construction project. Some common reasons include:

  • Ambiguities in the original contract or design drawings
  • Unforeseen circumstances that could not have been known
  • Challenges with materials or supply chain issues
  • Poor project management 

Regardless of the reason to initiate a change order, it’s important that all parties involved have clear documentation included in the construction change order form.

What to include in a construction change order form

The construction change order form will be different depending on the company and project needs. Here are some of the basic types of information included in many scenarios:

  • Project-specific details. All of the basic information needed to know about the project.
  • Changes to be made. Detailed changes to the scope of work and any justification for the changes to be made.
  • Updated timeline and pricing. Change orders usually cause changes to the initial pricing and timeline, so clearly documenting expectations is needed in the change order.
  • Line for signatures. Most change orders will require signatures as proof that both parties agreed to the updated agreements.

While most of this can be captured using paper forms, there are some clear benefits to managing the process with digital forms and apps for change orders.

Key Benefits of Using Digital Forms Rather than Paper

Changes to the scope of work can cause delays and overruns on budget, so it’s important to have clear documentation for record-keeping. Should litigation arise, it’s important to have these documents available.

Instead of using paper forms or one-off Word documents or PDF documents, companies are starting to leverage mobile app platforms to provide secure, digital forms for change orders. This benefits construction firms and clients in a number of ways:

  • Increased efficiency. Instead of employees traveling between the office and job location to submit paperwork, all of this can be managed digitally. With construction change order forms managed through a mobile device or tablet, changes can be made from anywhere and digital signatures can all be collected through one platform.
  • Increased visibility in the field. Digital construction change order forms allow you to instantly transfer in-progress change orders from one person to another to review, approve, or reject then sync to the cloud for easy access. PDF copies and reports can be generated in real-time and shared with the appropriate parties via email or notification. 
  • Avoid expensive storage volume, costs, and searchability. Store all of your completed change orders in the cloud for easy access from anywhere, anytime. 
  • Avoid damaged or lost paperwork. Electronic submissions eliminate the risk of damaged and lost paperwork. Access your data anytime from anywhere from a mobile device. Solutions for digital forms can prevent data loss and avoid version control issues that create confusion.

Getting Started with Construction Change Order Forms on GoCanvas

GoCanvas is a mobile platform that makes it simple for businesses to automate how work is done, replacing outdated processes and expensive paperwork. The GoCanvas App works on smartphones and tablets, helping companies easily collect information across their organization, share it instantly with others, and gain real-time insight into their business. Construction firms and contractors rely on GoCanvas to increase productivity, streamline business operations, and create a competitive advantage.  

Below you will find some of our most popular templates that can be used for digital change order forms for construction firms and contractors. You can get started for free using our templates and customize them to fit you specific business requirements.

Construction Change Order Form Templates and Examples

Construction Change Order Form

Change orders happen on almost every construction project to account for additional work that is needed along the way.  Whether you have small changes to the construction project’s estimated costs or need to scope out the overhead costs for more substantial work, this construction change order form template can quickly generate the form for you. 

change order form template

 

Subcontractor Change Order Form

The subcontractor change order form is similar to the basic change order that tracks the running changes to the project. However, this template is designed to be used solely between a contractor and subcontractor. This template can be used when there is a change to a subcontract purchase order that would require a change to the scope of work and updated documents.

subcontractor change order template

Time & Materials Change Order Form

When extra work is needed on a construction project, the general contractor or construction manager can create a change order form using this time and materials change order form. Change orders are often done on a time and materials (T&M) basis, even if the original contract is fixed-fee. It’s faster and easier than calculating all the materials and their cost, estimating the labor, then adding overhead and profit. 

time and materials change order template

Change Order Log

As a general contractor in construction management, this construction change order log will help you save time, work, and money on every owner-contractor agreement. When everyone has access to the same construction documents, you can avoid breach of contract terms, contract disputes, and construction disputes so you can keep the project on schedule.

change order log template

Electrical Contractors Change Order

The electrical contractors change order is designed to prevent work delays on electrical projects. Efficiently process change requests from your smartphone or tablet. Perfect for use by project managers or general contractors who need to manage change orders for their electrical sub-contractors.

electrical contractors changer order template

Looking for additional templates?

GoCanvas has hundreds of pre-built forms with a variety of features to fit all of your business needs. Discover more construction change order forms that are available in our Application Store.

schedule a demo
Back to Top

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

Three inspection workers on job site.

The Ultimate Guide to Quality Control Inspections

Managing a construction project is a complex and stressful process. Among other things, you have to coordinate project team members, materials, and equipment and ensure that contractors are not afflicted by the potential risks and hazards present at the construction site. That said, quality means different things to different people which is why you should…

Read the blog
A man using GoCanvas for the digital transformation of his workflow.

Constructions Digital Transformation

Your competition is finding faster ways to capture data and get critical insights from the field into their existing systems. In short, they’re not going bigger, they’re getting smarter. In this 15-minute broadcast on the construction industry’s digital transformation, find out why the trend is to modernize workflows – and how you can stay ahead of the curve…

see for yourself
A electrician inspecting equipment.

See how VIP Lighting optimized efficiency with GoCanvas

VIP Lighting is a retail lighting and electrical maintenance business that services over 10,000 retail locations all over Australia and New Zealand. Before GoCanvas, VIP Lighting had two separate systems that were impossible to integrate, leading to inefficiencies. GoCanvas made it easy to integrate their systems into single, centralized platform…

read their story

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

Getting Started with Land Survey Apps

Posted on by Danny Kanev

Getting Started with Land Survey Apps

| |

Land surveyors are tasked on job sites with making precise measurements to determine the physical property boundaries. They provide all of the relevant data needed to understand the shape and contour of the Earth’s surface for engineering, mapmaking, and construction projects, according to the Department of Labor.

Is there an app for land surveying?

While much of a land surveyor’s work is recorded using specific instruments designed for the job, there are also mobile apps that can be used for land surveying. These apps are designed to help with collecting and consolidating information in the field during the land survey and used for reporting purposes. Mobile apps available on iPhone, Android, and other mobile devices in the field can be used to capture data and automatically generate the report to save time for land surveyors.

Top Benefits of Using Land Survey Apps

Using a mobile app for land surveys is designed to eliminate the use of paper sheets for recording information in the field. Instead of paper sheets, data is recording into a mobile app specifically for the land survey process and stored securely in the cloud. Digitizing information is beneficial for businesses in several ways:

  • Ensure Accuracy.Using a mobile app for land surveys ensures that the data collected on site is recorded in real-time, for the most accurate recollection of details on site.
  • Create Standardization. Companies also benefit from having standadized templates and required fields on mobile forms help to ensure that all of the required information is collected properly.
  • Increase Efficiency. Instead of spending hours manually creating a report after the site survey, mobile apps are designed to automatically generate a formatted report to save time and effort for employees.
  • Scale Operations. For complex organizations with large field operations, software and mobile apps can help scale processes and ensure consistency across different sites and teams.
  • Avoid Risk. While paper sheets can be misplaced or destroyed by mistake, digital records that are automatically backed up in the cloud will ensure that documentation is always available when it’s needed.

What to look for in a land survey app

There are several key things to look for when implementing mobile forms and apps used by land surveyors. 

Field data capture and report generation

At a very basic level, land survey apps will be designed for field data capture and report generation. This allows the land surveyor to capture information in the field and record it on the mobile device, so that a PDF report can be generated when all of the data is collected. Once a report has been generated, mobile apps can be designed to send a report via email to the appropriate parties.

Customizable templates

Most mobile app providers will give companies the ability to start from a template for a land survey and other similar jobs on site. Templates are often used as a starting point and companies will customize the templates based on the specific type of survey.

For example, a mine surveyor would have a different template than a construction site surveyor, with different fields being captured based on the specific use case. 

No-code or low-code platforms

When selecting a mobile app for land surveying, ease-of-use for non-technical users is an important feature to look for. No-code or low-code platforms allow you to deploy apps for field workers, without any help from IT or advanced technical knowledge. This allows any business type to implement the technology and use a drag-and-drop editor for mobile app development.

 

Key Features of a Land Survey App

When comparing apps for land surveys, there are a number of features that would be useful for capturing data in the field. This includes things like:

  • Signature Capture. Allows individuals to sign off and officially sign documents directly from the field and sent to any other required parties.
  • Image Capture. Using native functionality of mobile devices allows users to collect images to be included in the land survey.
  • Offline Capabilities. With remote job sites that do not have access to internet, mobile apps can allow you to digitally collect data and then have it be saved offline and synced to the cloud when an internet connection is available again.
  • Reference Data. Integrate other data sources into the mobile app to streamline the forms with any relevant information that can be pre-populated to simplify data collection.
  • Dispatch. Manage the process online to schedule and dispatch the right worker to perform the land survey.
  • GPS Monitoring. Leverage GPS functionality of a mobile device to have a digital record of the physical location of the job site where work was performed.
  • Integrations and APIs. Sync any information seamlessly between the apps in the field and other cloud-based platforms your business uses.

Free Land Survey App for iPhone and Android Mobile Devices

Get started for free with GoCanvas using our land survey app available on iPhone and Android mobile devices. This template can be used for many different types of land surveys and gives businesses the flexibility to customize the app to fit their specific need. Construction firms and land surveyors find that by using GoCanvas for field data collection and reporting, they’re able to save time and money by digitizing these processes in a mobile app platform.

Back to Top

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

Three inspection workers on job site.

The Ultimate Guide to Quality Control Inspections

Managing a construction project is a complex and stressful process. Among other things, you have to coordinate project team members, materials, and equipment and ensure that contractors are not afflicted by the potential risks and hazards present at the construction site. That said, quality means different things to different people which is why you should…

Read the blog
A man using GoCanvas for the digital transformation of his workflow.

Constructions Digital Transformation

Your competition is finding faster ways to capture data and get critical insights from the field into their existing systems. In short, they’re not going bigger, they’re getting smarter. In this 15-minute broadcast on the construction industry’s digital transformation, find out why the trend is to modernize workflows – and how you can stay ahead of the curve…

see for yourself
A electrician inspecting equipment.

See how VIP Lighting optimized efficiency with GoCanvas

VIP Lighting is a retail lighting and electrical maintenance business that services over 10,000 retail locations all over Australia and New Zealand. Before GoCanvas, VIP Lighting had two separate systems that were impossible to integrate, leading to inefficiencies. GoCanvas made it easy to integrate their systems into single, centralized platform…

read their story

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

JFN Integrated Solutions Takes Their Business Paperless

Man in oil and gas industry using digital forms on tablet.

How JFN Integrated Solutions Took Their Business Paperless

Overview 

JFN Integrated Solutions, headquartered in Preston, is a family-owned company that was established in 2016. They specialize in the design, installation, and maintenance of Fire, Life Safety, Security and Communication systems across the UK. JFN prides themselves on their ability to meet specific requirements and providing a high standard of customer service.

The company was at its beginning stages when Chris Keeny, one of the directors at JFN, came across GoCanvas. He knew from the very beginning that JFN didn’t want to use paper in their process, however, they had “many and lots” of forms that were going to need to be filled out. When asked why he was looking into a solution like GoCanvas, he responded, “to ensure no paper was being used, we were looking for an innovative online solution.”

Creating Their Data Collection Process with a Digital Solution

JFN came to GoCanvas knowing they wanted to avoid paperwork altogether and start their business processes off with a digital solution. They already had multiple forms they needed to automate including job dockets, compliance certificates, and specialist bespoke reports. 

Since they were beginning this process without a paper form proof of concept, they needed to build out these forms from scratch. They were able to use the easy drag-and-drop GoCanvas App Builder to create their ideal forms. With just a few mouse clicks, they could test and move fields around to ensure the data being collected was organized in the most efficient way.  

JFN has always been tech-savvy by using other CRM systems that are critical for business continuity and standardization. So when it came to the data collection process, it only made sense to digitize it. “We do most of our reporting on GoCanvas because it’s so easy to use, an absolute dream to write special reports,” said Chris. He also mentioned that features, such as photo capture, submission downloads, and the ability to distribute data easily, have been much more robust than anything he saw from other solutions.

The Benefits of GoCanvas

Since JFN started their company journey digitizing their key forms and processes with GoCanvas and never even used paperwork, they immediately were able to reap the rewards from collecting data digitally. Chris mentioned, “our biggest benefit is the service we give to a vast amount of customers who want reports within a short time frame.” 

GoCanvas gave JFN the ability to not only communicate with their staff quicker, but to also expedite communication with their customers. This has enabled JFN to build customer loyalty and retention, beyond what they would have seen by using slow paperwork. Today JFN uses GoCanvas for over 20 forms, and they have had over 6,500 submissions within their account. They hope to one day be able to integrate GoCanvas with their CRM systems in the future to better automate their full data collection process from start to end.

JFN Integrated Solutions from GoCanvas

Ready to Rethink How You Work?

GoCanvas has helped a variety of businesses across multiple industries transform their safety processes and rethink their efficiency, ultimately saving them money. Why not do the same? Reach out to one of our experts today to kickstart your process revolution.

Schedule a demo

What Is a Timesheet?

Posted on by Danny Kanev

What Is a Timesheet?

A timesheet is a data table that allows you to report the time worked on a job. Instead of using a simple punch card to clock in and clock out, companies will use timesheets for tracking time and related information about the job. Paper or excel spreadsheets are simple methods for time tracking, but many companies prefer to instead use digital technology like mobile apps and software for timesheets.

Much of what’s included on a timesheet is up to the company’s unique needs, so the ability for customization is important when choosing a tool. For example, some organizations may need their employees to fill out timesheets at a determined frequency — like a monthly timesheet, a bi-weekly or weekly timesheet, or a daily timesheet. Companies may also need more detail than a simple time-in/time-out line, so the digital timesheet can be customized to include more detailed information about the particular job site or client information.

Pros and Cons of Different Types of Timesheets

There are definitely some pros and cons when it comes to choosing a tool for timesheets.

Paper timesheets and excel files are basic tools that are simple and not very expensive upfront. The downside with these options is that there tend to be costs in the long-term due to inaccuracies with work hours and inefficiencies for processing the data. 

Inaccuracies can happen when an excel file or document is modified or changed by mistake, due to a human error. It’s possible that employees can delete or corrupt data that creates additional work later on trying to reconcile these issues. For processing the information, paper sheets or excel sheets can create additional work that is often manual and time-consuming. For example, an accounting team may be required to spend additional work processing payroll because the data lives in a spreadsheet on someone’s computer or on a paper sheet that needs to be digitized manually.

To avoid these issues, companies have found that mobile apps and software for timesheets are a better alternative. Timesheet software and apps allow employees to fill in their time and any additional information into a digital form.

Digital timesheets are very useful when employees need to use a timesheet in the field. Simply using a mobile application on a phone, employees can digitize the information and set the company up for success. While there may be a small cost involved with mobile apps and software, companies have found that the efficiency, accuracy, and insights gained are able to offset any of the upfront investment. No matter the size of your organization, there are many great reasons to move your business over from paper or excel sheets, into a more reliable business application that is specifically designed to improve the timesheet processes for your operations.

Why are timesheets necessary?

Timesheets are necessary because they create a record of the time that team members or employees spent working. 

Companies can also use timesheets for more advanced purposes. For example, project managers may want to use timesheets to understand if projects are progressing on time and budget. Another example is lawyers or professional services teams that need to record their billable hours and detailed information about services rendered to the client. Timesheets are necessary for keeping an accurate record of this information, both for invoicing purposes and documentation. 

Many companies also find that timesheets give them greater insight into the work being performed. By understanding how employees, freelancers, and contractors use their time, companies can execute business processes and personnel changes to improve efficiency and revenue. Having this information stored digitally helps to enable companies to easily report on the information that is collected. 

Should exempt employees fill out timesheets?

A question that comes up regularly is whether or not exempt employees who are salaried need to fill out timesheets. 

For employees who do not get paid on an hourly basis, timesheets can still be valuable tools. A daily timesheet can help these types of employees understand how they are using their time and help determine an effective hourly rate. Knowing the effort required to perform work can help determine fair salaries, award additional time off, and determine appropriate pricing for any services those employees provide.

Another benefit to exempt, salaried employees filling out timesheets is for human resources and record-keeping purposes. A timesheet creates a valuable record for noting when a worker is present and when they are using PTO or sick leave. 

How do timesheet apps improve time tracking?

Timesheet software and timesheet mobile apps can help organizations of all sizes and with multiple employees or worker types. Here are some of the key benefits of these technologies:

  • Real-time tracking: An advanced feature with apps is that they can utilize GPS data, worker activity, and more to automatically maintain a record of time. 
  • Field data-collection: Timesheet apps are available on iOS or Android devices, so employees can submit information in the field with ease. 
  • Consistent and trusted information: Apps are designed to standardize how the data is collected, helping to avoid human error and mistakes that are common with paper sheets or excel.
  • Streamlined business processes: Staff members save valuable time when the information is digitized and the data can be used to automate other related tasks or workflows. For example, apps can be integrated with payroll software or HR software to streamline how your teams work.

Timesheet apps and software are simple but very effective for tracking time and any related information to the job. Paper forms and spreadsheets may be a simple option to start, but ultimately these tools will lead to data issues later on that are not ideal for your business. Consider switching to a mobile app for time tracking to eliminate these issues and to gain the operational efficiencies that help your business work smarter.

Back to Top

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

business people discussing project

Gown Your Business with GoCanvas Partner Program

Join our Partner Program and gain instant access to our global network of thought leaders and industry experts enjoying shared collaboration and collective success.

Learn more
Forte Supply Chain Solutions Partner Video

Partner Snapshot: Forte Supply Chain Solutions

Explore how Forte Supply Chain Solutions partnered with GoCanvas, combining in-house industry expertise with our white-label mobile forms to revolutionize their processes.

Watch VIDEO
Closeup of a handshake.

GoCanvas Integrations: Streamline your Workflow

Integrate with over 1,000 software applications. Enhance your GoCanvas experience by syncing real-time data to one or all of your business tools.

View integrations

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

Getting Started with Health Screening Apps

Posted on by Danny Kanev

Getting Started with Health Screening Apps

|

Health screening is an essential undertaking for many businesses and workplaces to promote public health. The COVID-19 pandemic has raised the importance of health screening and it has become a necessary component for many companies and organizations to continue their operations today. 

Some of the actions that fall into this category are the daily screening of employees, health checks of visitors, health questionnaires, and regular logging of visitors for contract tracing purposes.

Many businesses are turning to health screening apps like GoCanvas to keep their customers and employees safe with digital tools that are designed to protect everyone’s best interests. Continue reading this article to learn how these apps work and additional resources to get you started.

How health screening apps improve businesses and work environments

Health screening apps are powerful tools that can help to promote the health and wellness of the general public, including your employees and customers. These tools are designed to support new processes and procedures that are needed for your business to stay open and to ensure that you stay in compliance with regulations and maintain safety protocols for everyone.

GoCanvas health screening tools are deployed as mobile apps, where people can work on iPhones, Androids, or desktop applications to submit the required information. Mobile technologies today are widely adopted by the general public, making them easy to adopt and providing a secure platform that is HIPPA compliant. The result is a comprehensive screening solution that gives you the tools you need to protect your business and promote safety.

What are the different kinds of health screening apps?

There are many types of health screening apps available, some that target a specific virus like COVID-19 and others that are more generalized. Typically you will see that health screening apps include things like questionnaires, checklists, logs, risk assessment, screening forms, self-assessments, and other forms used as screening solutions. 

Primarily, health screening apps are used by corporate offices or businesses. They’re also being used by government agencies, schools, restaurants, and other similar types of commercial environments. Since GoCanvas’ platform is HIPAA compliant, these apps are also viable options for healthcare providers and medical offices, in addition to commercial organizations.  

For more information on different kinds of apps, you can search in the GoCanvas app store to see the various types of health and infectious disease-related apps that are available to get started with for free.

Uses for health screening apps

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the primary use case today for health screening apps is to identify exposure and detect potential coronavirus symptoms for people entering public spaces or businesses.

In addition to screening, these apps can also have automation built-in for notifications. These features can help to notify other employees about a potential exposure if they have been near someone who reports a positive test, symptoms, or exposure.

The pandemic has made screening apps necessary for resuming many activities in our daily lives, and the public has become increasingly aware of the need to comply with screening to promote public health. 

Beyond COVID-19, health screening apps can be applied for similar health and public safety scenarios that would require an organization to perform this type of check.

Using health screening apps for COVID-19 screening

Many businesses have been relying on health screening apps during the COVID-19 pandemic to reopen safely and in compliance with state and federal mandates. Health screening apps help slow the spread of COVID-19, enable contact tracing for visitors, and encourage employees who are not feeling well to stay home rather than coming to work while potentially ill.

As vaccines become more available to the general public, using these apps can also provide an effective screening solution for companies that need to have a vaccination log. 

This gives companies the ability to limit entry to spaces for people who are either fully vaccinated or those who can pass specific screening measures such as temperature checks or COVID-19 symptom self-assessments. Ultimately, it’s up to businesses and individuals to stay in compliance with any of the regulations in their states and health screening apps are designed to empower organizations with tools that are needed for this purpose.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way that we approach daily health monitoring. Businesses and human resources departments are deciding how to implement new employee health screening procedures to take temperatures, evaluate symptoms, and identify close contact or exposures.

Many types of organizations will want to implement health screening apps for things like religious ceremonies, gatherings at educational institutions, concerts and venues, events, and more. These apps for real-time health monitoring can help provide the needed tools to perform contact tracing, symptom self-reporting, and temperature checks.

Businesses are closely monitoring the situation in their states and will continue to rely on health screening apps to prevent further spread of the disease and to promote the health and safety of their employees and customers.

Back to Top

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

Three people in hard hats looking at a tablet.

Smarter, Faster, Safer: Improving Safety Compliance with Mobile Technology

Compliance, there are many ways we talk about it. A necessary evil, a chore, a struggle, or a critically important part of business. We all know how crucial it is, helping save…

Read the eBook
Woman reviewing information on a tablet.

Your Guide to Waiver Forms — Examples and Templates

Waiver forms are a type of legal protection used by businesses to reduce their liability and risk. This type of agreement between a business and its customers is used…

Read the Blog
Closeup of a handshake.

Duotank Transforms Business Processes with GoCanvas

Duotank is a bag-in-tank alternative to the traditional keg beer system. The aseptic tank environment enables breweries to maintain the quality of their beer after it leaves…

Read their Story

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

4 Reasons Your Business Needs Time Card Apps

Posted on by Danny Kanev

4 Reasons Your Business Needs Time Card Apps

| |

Time card apps present an opportunity for you to increase your team’s efficiency and streamline time-tracking workflows for your business operations.

These types of applications are widely used to help hourly workers or contractors track their time digitally so they can be paid based on hours worked.

So when does it make sense to switch from manual time cards and punch clocks to digital apps? Continue reading this article for a look at some of the top reasons for using time card apps and how to know when it makes sense for your business to switch.

Benefits of time card apps vs. time clocks and paper timesheets

Using paper sheets to track employees’ time can be inefficient and error-prone. Paper sheets tend to get lost over time, manual work is required to process the paperwork, and mistakes are often made by employees or required information can be missing from the document.

Time card apps, time clock apps, and time tracking apps provide flexibility in how your business can track time and work hours for employees, contractors, freelancers, and more. When you think about the time spent on mobile devices today, it makes sense that workers should be able to use an app on their iOS devices such as iPhones, iPads, or Android mobile devices.

The data collected in apps are then available for office administrators or workers to access on a desktop, as needed. Here are 4 business reasons to switch to time card apps instead of paper or spreadsheets:

1. Need for secure and reliable cloud applications

Paper time cards are error-prone and subject to being lost by employees or HR departments before being submitted for payroll or invoicing. 

But with time card apps, work is tracked in real-time and the data is automatically stored securely in the cloud or locally to the device. This reliability makes mobile time tracking apps and time clock apps ideal for small businesses and enterprise-level companies to ensure that accurate records are kept. 

Time card apps are more secure than traditional paper timesheets or even online timesheets, giving your workers the ability to manage the entire process from their mobile devices. 

If security and reliability are top priorities for your business and you can’t afford to lose data, then it definitely makes sense to have your time card processes moved over to a secure cloud application that can provide peace of mind.

2. Need for automation and workflows

Time card apps also allow you to introduce simple automation rules that can change the way your teams operate. For example, using time tracking software or time management software in conjunction with a time card app, companies can automatically submit employee hours to payroll platforms such as ADP, QuickBooks, Xero, Workday, Paychex, and other payroll services. This streamlines processes for your teams and makes the entire process seamless, freeing up valuable time that can be spent elsewhere.

If productivity is a challenge and you need to free up time for your staff, consider using apps that can modernize your process and automate tasks that would otherwise be manual and time-consuming.

3. Need for GPS tracking and geofencing

If your business needs to verify that work has been performed on-site, the GPS functionality of a mobile app can provide a way to verify the exact location. For this use case, businesses are using time card apps on mobile devices that tap into GPS location features to identify when workers enter a job site and when they leave a job site in real-time. 

This practice is often referred to as “geofencing,” where companies draw a digital boundary around a specific area. As users’ devices enter or exit that area, a time tracker can kick in to track billable hours.

If your business relies on a distributed or field workforce, then there is a strong business case for implementing mobile apps that are designed to simplify field operations management.

4. Growing business complexity

If you have a complex business with different categories of workers, it can be beneficial to use time card apps and timesheet apps to manage this process. The apps can handle the hours submitted by full-time employees, part-time employees, freelancers, and contractors differently. 

Some of these workers may have different pricing levels. Others may require the withholding of taxes, and others may require payment through various hiring platforms. All of these differentiators are trackable with proper time management tools.

When you are getting to this level of complexity with managing time, there’s definitely a clear advantage to time card apps and the amount of time saved through simplified processes.

Templates to build your own time management apps 

Every business is unique, with different people, processes, and technologies in place. Two important considerations when selecting a time management solution are ease of use and level of customization.

Given all of the nuances of your business, you need the ability to customize an app to fit your requirements. But at the same time, it shouldn’t require an advanced level of technical expertise or a big budget to achieve that customization.

Organizations have found that GoCanvas provides the ideal balance between customization and ease of use. Using our drag-and-drop app builder requires no coding to publish custom apps for your specific business needs.

The simplicity of the product and the extensive library of templates gives you the ability to very quickly build advanced apps, for time cards and many other common business cases.   

Navigate to the GoCanvas app store to view all of the time card apps that we have pre-built as templates. Make sure to use the search feature to find other examples and templates specific to your industry or use case.

Back to Top

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

business people discussing project

Gown Your Business with GoCanvas Partner Program

Join our Partner Program and gain instant access to our global network of thought leaders and industry experts enjoying shared collaboration and collective success.

Learn more
Forte Supply Chain Solutions Partner Video

Partner Snapshot: Forte Supply Chain Solutions

Explore how Forte Supply Chain Solutions partnered with GoCanvas, combining in-house industry expertise with our white-label mobile forms to revolutionize their processes.

Watch VIDEO
Closeup of a handshake.

GoCanvas Integrations: Streamline your Workflow

Integrate with over 1,000 software applications. Enhance your GoCanvas experience by syncing real-time data to one or all of your business tools.

View integrations

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

A Beginner’s Guide to Checklist Apps

Posted on by Danny Kanev

A Beginner’s Guide to Checklist Apps

| |

Checklists are essential for keeping your team or yourself organized. They are most often used for task management, project management, or workflow optimization.

If jobs at your workplace rely on checklists for the completion of tasks, investing in checklist apps can be a game-changer for increasing your productivity. At a very high level, this means that your staff is leveraging mobile devices (iOS/Apple or Android devices) that have customizable checklists for specific business purposes.

Most apps allow you to start from checklist templates and customize them to fit your needs. You can input due dates, create subtasks, collaborate with co-workers, automate tasks, and take advantage of the other types of advanced features that are included. In a business scenario, there are many benefits to using a mobile application rather than relying on a simple piece of paper.

Continue reading this article for an introduction to checklist best practices, key benefits of using an app for checklists, industry examples, and some free templates to get you started. 

What are the best practices in making a checklist?

To create a well-crafted checklist app, it all starts with making a good checklist. Any time you are collecting data, it’s important to give careful thought to how things are organized and to give specific direction on what’s required. Here are some of the best practices to consider when creating an effective checklist:

Identify your intent  

Clearly defining your intent is helpful for framing the checklist to reflect your specific needs. For example, the checklist may be used as a to-do list, an inspection checklist, a step-by-step guide, a task manager, or a tool to provide you with reminders.

Start with broad categories

It’s helpful to use broad categories when putting together your checklist or task list since there can be a variety of items that need to be included. Within each of those broad categories, checklist items can focus on basic tasks, subtasks, and other items that advance the checklist’s purpose.

Don’t be afraid to get granular

While broad items are an excellent way to start, getting granular in a checklist ensures that people address the specific items or steps when they go to complete the checklist. This level of granularity will help to avoid missing items and making mistakes.

Keep it simple

You should always keep checklists as simple as possible to ensure that your checklists are easy to use for anyone that needs to fill them out. Some use cases will require technical knowledge, but it’s important to remember that the purpose of a checklist is to make it easy for staff to complete. 

Consider extra space for note-taking

Sometimes it makes sense to have extra space on a checklist to add optional notes. This is helpful when people need to provide additional context to a checklist item. For example, people may need to explain why they couldn’t complete an item on the list, they may need to flag something for follow-up, or they may need to flag that a new task item needs to be added in the future. 

Create separate checklists when appropriate 

It’s sometimes tempting to include related lists together. But you should consider keeping separate lists for different purposes, so teams are always using the correct checklist for the right scenario.

What are the benefits of a checklist app?

Now that you have a framework for creating an effective and user-friendly checklist, it’s helpful to understand why a checklist app may be a better option for your business, rather than a regular paper checklist.

Checklist apps and platforms have various functionalities that improve the way teams work. Here are some of the top benefits of using checklist apps for business: 

Availability across multiple devices

With the rise in popularity of mobile devices, everyone is familiar with how to use apps on their phone, and this makes them incredibly convenient for people to access from anywhere.

Checklist apps today are available as mobile apps on both iOS and Android operating systems and through desktop software or web-based platforms. All of the data is securely stored in the cloud, giving teams the ability to work from any device that’s preferred.

Easy to customize

Non-technical staff can easily build and customize their checklist apps, leveraging a familiar drag and drop functionality that doesn’t require help from IT or programmers. You can quickly build checklists and use the drag and drop feature to reorganize the layout based on your preferences. For businesses that want to embrace digital technologies but have limited technical resources, mobile apps are accessible and seriously easy to build for organizations and teams of all sizes.

Advanced features available

Another benefit to apps is that they allow you to incorporate many exciting and advanced features to boost your productivity. This includes things like adding different types of fields into checklists such as calendars, time stamps, required text fields, signature capture, image capture, and much more.

More advanced checklist apps and systems also allow for automating workflows. For example, if a checklist notes a malfunction or problem during that inspection, an organization can send an automated dispatch request to the proper team member. You can see how checklist apps are great for businesses that need to work more efficiently and really streamline their processes.

Access to templates

Not everyone wants to build a checklist from scratch. That’s why checklist apps come with pre-built templates that are put together for specific use cases and they are designed to be customized to fit your unique needs. Some providers of checklist apps will also work with you during onboarding to build the app to your needs, giving you the exact templates your business needs to get started.

Integrations to improve workflows

Another benefit is the ability to leverage integrations to other applications you already use today. This is done by using a pre-built integration, a custom integration using an API, or a connection to a platform like Zapier that allows you to connect with thousands of other cloud apps. This can truly change the way your business operates and checklist items can trigger various automated actions to occur in other platforms.

Many checklist platforms also integrate with commonly used work productivity tools such as Google Workspaces (e.g., Google Keep, Google Tasks, Google Sheets, Google Calendar, and Gmail), Microsoft Exchange, Trello, Slack, Asana, and more.

Collaboration with co-workers

Many businesses need to use checklists that are filled out collaboratively by different team members. Apps allow co-workers to collaborate and share their checklist app submissions in real-time so everyone can be on the same page. This type of syncing capability helps workers and businesses be more productive and spend less time on manual processes.

What industries use checklist apps?

Checklist apps are used by many companies across a number of different industries. Here are some of the top use cases by industry:

  • Construction, Repair, and Improvement companies use checklist apps as components of building inspections, safety inspections, punch lists, maintenance checks, site inspections, compliance checks, and more. 
  • Transportation & Warehousing companies use checklist apps to improve the safety of drivers and vehicles on the road, with apps like the pre-trip driver checklist.  Inspection checklist apps are also used to ensure the longevity of machinery and equipment. 
  • Field Service Providers use checklist apps for contractors and employees that are performing work in the field and they need to ensure consistency with services being provided. These companies also have field service projects that use checklists to perform routine safety checks on jobsites.
  • Manufacturing industry operators use checklist apps to significantly improve workflows, efficiency, and manufacturing outputs. They’re also used to help improve worker safety and the safety of end-users of products. For example, food manufacturers use checklist apps that are geared towards food safety.

GoCanvas checklist apps

Creating a checklist on paper forms often leads to incomplete, inaccurate, or inconsistent data that’s hard for businesses to manage. A better way to manage checklists for your business is to use a mobile app that guides your staff on how to fill in all of the required information correctly. 

GoCanvas is an easy-to-use and powerful platform that enables businesses to create new checklist apps from scratch or take existing checklist templates in the GoCanvas store and tailor them to meet specific use cases. GoCanvas apps can integrate easily with a wide range of third-party providers and tools to increase your workflow efficiency and create opportunities to automate your business processes. The world of technology is easier than its ever been for businesses of all types to leverage these types of cloud applications to work smarter and be more productive at work.

Back to Top

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

Two people in an office looking at a tablet.

Improving Your Operations with Field Service Management Software

Whether you have two or 200 employees, your business’ success depends on their hard work. Passionate, motivated team players are the difference between…

Read the Blog
Two people in hard hats looking off camera.

Should You Connect Field Service Management Software with QuickBooks?

Field service management software has shown to increase productivity both for employees in the field and operations teams in the office. You may be wondering how field service…

Read the Blog
Person in safety vest smiling.

How the Best Field Services Businesses Use Mobile Apps

Mobility and field service: the talk has been happening forever. The idea that real-time information improves customer service and boosts technician productivity is changing…

Read the eBook

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

How Digital Construction Inspections Improve Safety

Posted on by Danny Kanev

How Digital Construction Inspections Improve Safety

| |

Why are construction inspections required?

Construction inspections are performed during all phases of a project to ensure that health and safety standards are being met. Employee health and safety is a top priority for construction companies and there are regulations in place set by OSHA to ensure compliance.

In addition to the inspections that companies perform, OSHA also performs their own inspections of construction sites that can happen at any time to review compliance and issue any penalties or fines.

With the sheer volume of construction sites, it means that OSHA has to prioritize where they are performing inspections. According to the OSHA fact sheet on inspections, they prioritize based on a specific set of criteria:

  • When they hear of imminent danger situations
  • When severe injuries and illnesses are reported
  • When workers complain anonymously
  • When various agencies or organizations refer potential hazards
  • When workplaces are known historically to be high hazard
  • When they are performing a follow-up inspection

The prioritization of inspections is effective to incentivize employers that follow the rules and implement health and safety best practices. The goal is to have thorough construction inspection processes in place so that you are identifying issues, or your employees feel like they can come to you first with their concerns, and issues can be appropriately addressed. Having these processes in place is good for your employees’ health and safety, as well as your company’s productivity and bottom line.

Benefits of Using Mobile Apps for Construction Inspections

The traditional method for performing a construction inspection has been on paper forms. But anyone who has dealt with paper forms knows how inefficient that process can be. Some of the pitfalls of paper forms include:

  • Lost or misplaced forms buried in filing cabinets
  • Human error when filling out the form
  • Incomplete or inaccurate data that causes issues later
  • Sustainability concerns with heavy usage of paper

The current shift in the construction industry is a move toward digital transformation, where documents live as secure files in the cloud and can be filled out via mobile devices on construction sites. 

You can see how this type of solution solves the challenge of paper forms, ensuring that documents are easy to find, are filled out properly, and are in line with sustainable practices, reducing paper usage. 

With all of this information now available in real-time, another win for construction companies is the ability to analyze the data to understand safety trends and to have the necessary reports available when they are needed most.

Data and analytics have been slow for adoption in the construction industry, but data analytics is quickly becoming one of the greatest assets for improving productivity, ensuring safety and compliance, and tracking and reporting on key elements of business operations.

The Top 10 OSHA Violations in 2021

A recent article from Health and Safety magazine cited data from OSHA that summarizes their annual report of the top 10 health and safety violations. Below is a summary of the data for the construction industry violations in FY 2021:

  1.     Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501): 5,295 violations
  2.     Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 2,527 violations
  3.     Ladders (1926.1053): 2,026 violations
  4.     Scaffolding (1926.451): 1,948 violations
  5.     Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 1,947 violations
  6.     Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 1,698 violations
  7.     Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503): 1,666 violations
  8.     Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1,452 violations
  9.     Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 1,420 violations
  10.     Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,113 violations

OSHA reveals this data to create awareness around the top hazards in the workplace so that employers can proactively address health and safety issues that are very much preventable. In the next section, we will cover how you can improve construction health and safety programs with digital construction inspections that can help to minimize your risk from the top 10 violations cited by OSHA.

Apps and Templates for Construction Inspections

Leveraging digital technologies and the use of mobile apps can help you formalize your safety management programs. It will help you store inspection and training records in case you need to show documentation, helping you to stay compliant and avoid fines.

A benefit of using GoCanvas for your safety management program is that we have hundreds of pre-built construction inspection templates, checklists, and incident reports that your company can leverage and customize to fit your unique needs.

To minimize the most common OSHA violations, check out our list of construction inspection apps and templates that we have compiled for you to get started.

Construction Inspection apps and templates:

Additional templates for construction inspections

In addition to this list on health and safety, there are other types of construction inspections that your organization should be aware of, including ones for quality control, building inspections, and much more. The top 10 list is a great place to start, but if you are looking for additional construction inspections, checklists, or reports, you can find them through the GoCanvas application store.

With the current competitive landscape of construction and the tight margins that exist, every company should prioritize ways to keep their workforce productive. Leveraging technologies like GoCanvas to improve your health and safety programs will lead to lower risk to your company and greater profit margins over time.

Try GoCanvas for free today
Back to Top

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

Three people in hard hats looking at a tablet.

Smarter, Faster, Safer: Improving Safety Compliance with Mobile Technology

Compliance, there are many ways we talk about it. A necessary evil, a chore, a struggle, or a critically important part of business. We all know how crucial it is, helping save…

Read the eBook
Woman reviewing information on a tablet.

Your Guide to Waiver Forms — Examples and Templates

Waiver forms are a type of legal protection used by businesses to reduce their liability and risk. This type of agreement between a business and its customers is used…

Read the Blog
Closeup of a handshake.

Duotank Transforms Business Processes with GoCanvas

Duotank is a bag-in-tank alternative to the traditional keg beer system. The aseptic tank environment enables breweries to maintain the quality of their beer after it leaves…

Read their Story

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

16 Construction Safety Stats to Know in 2021

Posted on by Danny Kanev

16 Construction Safety Stats to Know in 2021

|

Why is construction safety important?

The construction industry tops the list when it comes to workplace injuries and fatalities, even with tightened safety regulations over the years. It’s important for companies to prioritize construction safety to minimize these risks and keep employees safe. When employees are safe, it strengthens your company’s reputation, and it leads to greater employee satisfaction and retention over time.

Here are some key stats that put into perspective the importance of construction safety:

  1. About 20% of worker fatalities per year in private industry were in construction – accounting for one in five worker deaths for the year
  2. More than half of the fatalities resulted from what OSHA calls the “Fatal Four” (falls, being struck by an object, electrocutions, and getting caught in or between equipment or objects)
  3. Eliminating construction industry deaths from the “Fatal Four” could save more than 582 U.S. workers’ lives every year, given that the death toll stems largely from non-compliance with safety regulations
  4. Businesses spend $170 billion a year on costs associated with occupational injuries and illnesses — expenditures that come straight out of company profits

How daily construction safety meetings can help

Safety meetings and training will help you keep in compliance with OSHA standards that require employers to talk to employees about safety. Many construction companies are holding daily safety meetings, also known as toolbox talks, that cover the key areas that employees need to be trained on.

By implementing regular safety meetings on different topics, you’ll likely see a decrease in the number of accidents on site. Here are some key findings on how these daily meetings can help:

  1. Companies that host safety meetings once a month have a total recordable incident rate (TRIR, a statistic you can calculate and compare to industry averages) four times higher than those that hold them daily
  1. Holding daily toolbox talks reduces a company’s DART (days away, restricted, or transferred) rate by 66 percent compared to monthly talks.
  2. Implementing a safety program can reduce injury and illness costs by 20-40%.

How construction safety impacts productivity

Prioritizing safety leads to greater productivity in the construction industry. Given the state of the construction industry in 2021, companies will need to maximize their productivity in order to stay competitive and ensure projects are completed on schedule for customers.

Here are some key findings on the impact of safety on productivity:

  1. The productivity lost from workplace injuries and illnesses costs an additional $60 billion yearly
  2. The median number of days away from work because of a job-related injury or illness in construction is 10 days.
  3. Companies with good health and safety programs outperformed the S&P/ASX 200 index in Australia by 24.9 percent. Companies that didn’t have those programs underperformed.

Ensure compliance and avoid costly fines

The construction industry is one of the most frequently inspected by OSHA and they can visit a worksite at any time for an inspection. Employers that have strong safety management programs in place ensure that they are in compliance with OSHA standards, and they are less likely to be fined.

Here are some important stats on OSHA violations and fines:

  1. OSHA’s maximum penalty for a “serious” violation is $13,653 per violation
  2. The OSHA fine for a “willful or repeated violation” is $136,532 per violation
  3. The fine for a violation that causes an injury but not a death (what OSHA defines as an “other than serious” violation) is $13,653. In the tragic event that an employee’s life is lost, violations become criminal offenses and can carry fines of up to half a million dollars.

Impact of safety on insurance premiums

Another benefit of focusing on safety is that you avoid more accidents, which in turn can lower your company’s insurance costs. Workers’ compensation premiums are calculated by taking the rate that is set based on the class of employee and multiplying it by an experience modification rating (EMR). The EMR adjusts premiums based on your previous three years of injury records.

Lowering the number of incidents will help to keep your costs down, and here are a few noteworthy stats about insurance premiums in the construction industry:

  1. Employers in the construction industry spend about $1 per hour per employee on workers’ comp, compared to the national average of $.45 per hour per employee for all other industries
  2. Employers pay almost $1 billion a week in workers’ compensation costs alone
  3. A small improvement in your EMR can translate into a 10-20% reduction in insurance premiums.

There are also many indirect costs of claims, including lost productivity, cost to hire replacement workers, and administrative costs to handle the claims.

Comprehensive safety management for construction

The data makes it very clear that construction companies and their employees benefit when the organization is invested in safety programs. Investing in a solution like GoCanvas makes it easy for companies to track and report on their safety programs in near real-time.

Our safety management solution is customizable to meet your business needs and it includes several pre-built safety forms, including Toolbox Talks, Incident Reports, and Job Safety Analysis.

One interesting (and final) stat to share is that GoCanvas customers report reducing their risk and liability by 18%. You can get started for free with GoCanvas to see how mobile apps and forms can make your safety program more effective.

Back to Top

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

Three people in hard hats looking at a tablet.

Smarter, Faster, Safer: Improving Safety Compliance with Mobile Technology

Compliance, there are many ways we talk about it. A necessary evil, a chore, a struggle, or a critically important part of business. We all know how crucial it is, helping save…

Read the eBook
Woman reviewing information on a tablet.

Your Guide to Waiver Forms — Examples and Templates

Waiver forms are a type of legal protection used by businesses to reduce their liability and risk. This type of agreement between a business and its customers is used…

Read the Blog
Closeup of a handshake.

Duotank Transforms Business Processes with GoCanvas

Duotank is a bag-in-tank alternative to the traditional keg beer system. The aseptic tank environment enables breweries to maintain the quality of their beer after it leaves…

Read their Story

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

Form Builders and Templates – What You Need to Know

Posted on by Danny Kanev

Form Builders and Templates – What You Need to Know

| |

Forms can be complex and many times they can be more nuanced than you might expect. But with properly designed layouts, you can improve workflows, facilitate automation, and enable your business to customize and enhance its data collection practices. Continue reading this blog post for:

  • Information about forms
  • A summary of different types of forms on the market today
  • Examples of industry use cases for forms

What is a form?

A form is a tool that has fields where individuals can write text or select from various options. The end use of forms can vary significantly, but most often they function to register for something, fill out a statement, create a request, or submit an order.

Forms may also be multi-purpose by design, and they can even lead end-users to different outcomes based on how they respond to the form fields.  While most forms are provided blank, some form designers may also leverage placeholder content in digital forms that can prompt users to provide certain types of data.

Forms can also have advanced features like dynamically populating content using data that is being referenced from a database, often referred to as reference data. Reference data can help pre-populate form fields, simplifying the process for people filling out the form by leveraging data that is already known.

The benefit of using forms to collect data is that they help to make data consistent and uniform for storing, processing, and analyzing the data. One common example of using forms is when businesses need to collect data from their customers to store inside a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.

Integrating the form with the CRM database allows a business to dynamically populate the form fields based on the data they already have from the customer. It then allows them to collect a standard set of data fields from customers, ensuring that they are bringing in consistent and standard data that can be used when creating reports and performing analysis.

What are the different form builders on the market, and how are they used?

There are different types of form builders available to the market today. Some of these form-building tools have more niche-specific uses, while others have a broad set of use cases. Here’s a quick overview of some of the different form builders on the market today:

Mobile App Forms

Mobile app forms are specialized forms that function as mobile apps. GoCanvas is a leading firm in developing mobile app forms for data collection and sharing. Users can access the form builder to create custom apps that can be used on tablets and smartphones or through a desktop app available on Windows and Apple computers. 

The data from these forms is stored in the cloud and it can help businesses reduce their paper usage. The functional capabilities of GoCanvas apps include GPS location capture, photos, custom form fields, signature capture, and reference data, among others. Users can share form submissions through a .csv file or a PDF report. 

GoCanvas also integrates with a wide range of platforms, including Quickbooks, Salesforce, Dropbox, Google Drive, PulseM, Netsuite, Zendesk, and much more. Through Zapier, GoCanvas can integrate with over 3,000 apps to automate workflows and increase workplace productivity.

WordPress Plugins

There are countless WordPress plugins available that form writers can use to develop and deploy forms accessible from websites. Some of the most popular ones include Gravity Forms, Formidable Forms, WPForms, Jetpack Forms, and others. These form builders are drag-and-drop plugins that are dynamic in their applications. It is relatively easy to embed these forms directly into websites designed on the WordPress CMS. 

Most often, people use these types of forms as a contact form, registration form, or marketing form to collect information for email marketing campaigns. These forms can also function as a submission tool for file uploads or a payment authorization tool that can integrate with PayPal or Stripe systems.

Form data collected through these plugins are typically accessible in various formats, including an online dashboard or exportable format through .csv or XML format. Users can customize these forms by using more advanced CSS or HTML code to define specific looks and functionality.

Email Marketing Forms

Most email marketing campaigns will use lead capture systems and CRMs for marketing and sales purposes. Some of the most well-known email marketing providers include Hubspot, Mailchimp, and Constant Contact – all of which have forms that can integrate with various types of websites, mobile apps, or through stand-alone systems.

In general, these forms are somewhat limited in their capabilities, although it is possible to automate workflows based on inputs and conditional logic. Most commonly, these types of forms are meant to collect basic information that can inform marketing and sales teams about interested customers or prospective customers.

Survey Tools

Google Forms and SurveyMonkey are two popular tools for sending out free or low-cost surveys.  These types of forms can be built with conditional logic, automation, and other capabilities to collect data from groups of all sizes.

Reporting dashboards are also available in these platforms so that users can generate actionable and insightful data from results. Google Forms integrates directly with Google Sheets so that these forms can quickly aggregate data into a cloud-based Google Sheet.

Use cases for different form builders

Given the various types of form builders available to the market, it may be helpful to compare the different uses for each form builders we’ve covered in this article. Here’s a quick summary:

  • Mobile App Forms are helpful tools for businesses that require checklists, reports, data collection tools, evaluations, guidelines, and other tools for recording, reporting, or sharing information.
  • WordPress Plugins can be used in various use cases but are often deployed for contact capture purposes, as registration forms, contact forms, and other somewhat simplistic use cases. 
  • Email Marketing Forms are niche purpose forms, mostly related to capturing contact information for users. 
  • Survey tools are great for collecting responses from respondents and aggregating data into easy-to-understand insights such as charts and graphics. 

How different industries can use forms effectively

Nearly every industry today uses forms to improve its business processes and outcomes. Here are some of the innovative ways that companies are using mobile forms to streamline their operations:

  • Work orders for companies in the construction, repair, and improvement industry may be generated through a form builder to integrate with systems such as Quickbooks so that accounting departments can approve expenditures or authorize work quickly. 
  • Building inspection forms can utilize conditional logic and automation to rapidly dispatch the correct maintenance personnel depending on the nature of an issue during the inspection.
  • Estimate sheets can be used to help businesses to bid effectively on projects, using calculations that can be performed automatically through the form.
  • Time tracking can be automated for staff when companies may leverage GPS capabilities integrated into forms to ensure that inspectors are at the correct job site at the right time
  • Field service reports can streamline communications between workers and their offices, ultimately minimizing miscommunications and improving service outcomes. Field service technicians can use technical service orders to automatically request specialized service types while including pertinent details such as images of problem areas, GPS coordinates of where a problem is, and much more.
  • Forms for Human Resources departments to effectively track employees’ time, ensure proper training sessions are attended, or even authorize vacation and time-off requests with ease.
  • Compliance and safety management for organizations that need to comply with OSHA requirements. These companies use forms for inspection checklists to maintain employee health and safety by ensuring that facilities are in compliance and that proper safety inspections are occurring regularly.

Mobile apps and forms can make an impact on businesses of all types and sizes. If you are looking for other types of forms to use for your business, GoCanvas has done the work for you already – we have over 20,000 mobile app forms that are pre-built for many different industries and use cases to help you get started for free.

Back to Top

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

business people discussing project

Gown Your Business with GoCanvas Partner Program

Join our Partner Program and gain instant access to our global network of thought leaders and industry experts enjoying shared collaboration and collective success.

Learn more
Forte Supply Chain Solutions Partner Video

Partner Snapshot: Forte Supply Chain Solutions

Explore how Forte Supply Chain Solutions partnered with GoCanvas, combining in-house industry expertise with our white-label mobile forms to revolutionize their processes.

Watch VIDEO
Closeup of a handshake.

GoCanvas Integrations: Streamline your Workflow

Integrate with over 1,000 software applications. Enhance your GoCanvas experience by syncing real-time data to one or all of your business tools.

View integrations

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together
>