Digital Forms: The Evolution of Paperwork

Who hasn’t spent way too much time franticly searching for a misplaced form? Public safety agencies require a plethora of forms for rig checks, shift logs, drug inventories, etc. Many of these agencies are still using paper forms and losing out on many key benefits digital forms offer. It’s time to bring your agency into the 21st century by digitizing your paperwork.  

The Aladtec workforce management system can recreate any form that you currently use while providing additional benefits over traditional paperwork, including easy access to reports and submission notifications. Tim Bailey, a firefighter at New Albany (IN) Fire Department, noticed an immediate impact after his organization started using Aladtec, “We not only took our scheduling online, but we were also able to eliminate 95 percent of our paperwork by utilizing the forms section of the program.” 

Digital Forms Provide Mobile Access  

Digital forms are stored in the cloud and can always be accessed without the fear of being misplaced. Each form in the Aladtec system has its own set of permissions so you can control which forms everyone can submit and which forms can be modified after they’ve been submitted. Cloud storage gives extra flexibility, as forms can be accessed on the go from any smartphone or tablet, perfect for vehicle maintenance forms, drug inventories or activity logs. 

Better Track Form Submissions By Going Digital 

When a form is submitted, the Aladtec system will record who submitted it and the time of submission. Knowing who submitted forms can help you figure out which members still need to do so, which is especially useful when it comes to timesheets, performance reviews and health screenings. Wabasha County (MN) Sheriff’s Department had a problem with staff not reporting their monthly mileage for the squad cars. They now add a reminder to the Aladtec schedule and staff can go from viewing the schedule to the form with just one click.   

Easily Create Form Reports 

Form reports help you quickly view information from past form submissions. Run a report for your daily rig check forms at the end of the week or compare a members current performance review to their previous one. The Aladtec system can be configured to allow control over who can view reports. Hearing how other departments were having issues with rail frames rotting out on their fire engines, Central Stickney (IL) Fire Protection District created a vehicle maintenance report to track usage of their newly purchased undercarriage washer. In the future, if a defect is found for any of their engines this report can be shared with the manufacturer to show it was not caused by negligent use.  

Digital Forms Send Submission Notifications 

With paper forms, you may not always know when a form has been submitted and is ready for administrative action. Aladtec allows you to alert select personnel when a form is submitted or based on specific field selections. For example, HR can be notified every time an expense report is filled out, but your mechanic and IT personnel only need to be informed if a ‘needs repair’ option was selected on equipment checklists. 

Learn more about Aladtec forms by viewing The Many Benefits of Using Aladtec Forms webinar or sign up for a free trial, and test digital forms for yourself.