Forms are documents, digital or physical, that are used to collect data about an individual by recording their information , so that it can later be managed and processed more easily. These are generally made up of questions, followed by blank spaces that are designated to pose the requested information.
There are electronic and paper forms. Both have the same objective of collecting data and information from a person, throwing data such as their identification, way of life, preferences, customs and more. Forms are a fundamental tool in managing and obtaining information .
If you want to know more information about the characteristics, types and uses of forms, be sure to read the article below.
Index
Parts of a form
The forms have a previously established structure, which allows the person who performs it to have a good understanding of the information requested in it. The parts of a form can be listed as follows:
1. Header
It is the part that shows the main information , generally what the form is about. It constitutes the upper part of the form and it includes all the initial data, such as:
- Qualification.
- Identification of the organization.
- Name of the form.
- Code.
- Date.
In this part of the form you will find the introduction to the topics and contents to be developed in its body. You can see in this header certain elements that remain fixed in the format, and that do not generate any change in the records.
2. Instructions for implementation
In order to ensure a better understanding, the instructions are the part of the form where the way in which it should be completed is indicated.
3. Body of the form
This part contains all the information that is required in the form, being the most important of it , since without it it cannot carry out its main objective.
In the body of the form there is the largest amount of data, where the purpose of the form is centered, according to the information that is desired to be obtained and the use of the form that has been used. At this point, the data is distributed starting from a logical sequence when analyzing the decisions.
4. Conclusion
The conclusion is the part of the form structure that is the bottom end. Here are all the different data that give validation to the content of the document. In it, all the information dedicated to concluding the topics covered in its body is placed. It is made up of different elements, such as:
- Stamp.
- Company.
- Registration code.
- Fixed elements.
Uses of the forms
Everyone at some point in their life has filled out a form, either to register for a medical consultation or to apply for a job. These are an excellent tool to help convey information from one person to another, and they serve a ton of purposes. Here are some of the different uses of the forms:
Forms for education
The use of forms in the area of education is a very useful tool, because apart from its use as an evaluation element, it also allows the institution to keep abreast of teachers, students and representatives, through a record of their activity .
At the time of student enrollment, a form is used, in which the student’s representative provides the respective data, with the presentation of various documents.
Health Forms
It is necessary for patients to fill out a series of special forms to be able to enjoy the services offered by clinics, hospitals or other facilities related to the health area. In these documents they provide basic patient data such as:
- Full name.
- Sex.
- Date of birth.
- Age.
- Phone number.
- Emergency contact.
- They usually also include important questions such as the health status of the individual to be cared for.
Forms for administration
The forms in the administration of a company are very useful to record the data referring to the commercial transactions carried out by the same. In order for these documents to be considered and to achieve a better administration, they must include the date they were issued, as well as a signature or seal that gives it the necessary validity.
Forms on the internet
We can find a wide variety of web pages that offer us certain advantages or services if we make a subscription, and for this registration process it is required to complete a form in most cases. These forms on the internet require user information such as:
- Name.
- Date of birth.
- Email address.
- Phone number.
- Selecting a username with your secret password.
Role of electronic forms
Electronic forms have the same purpose as conventional forms, which is the collection of information in a simple way for its subsequent administration and synthesis. The completion of forms on the Internet offers a variety of benefits to users when completing them, characteristics that the traditional printed format does not have. These benefits are:
- They save time in accessing information.
- They have an error detection system : the forms can include this useful tool to automatically verify the data entered and guarantee the fewest possible errors.
- Easy upgrade.
- They do not present problems due to errors in the information or problems in the legibility of the writing.
- They offer innovative programming techniques, which allow generating intelligent behavior when managing information.
When making electronic formats in which personal data is collected, a privacy notice must be included by law, so that in this way to let users know how their information will be used and guarantee its correct protection.
Application forms
Application forms are necessary when an institution offers a job, academic scholarship, study abroad opportunity , among many more possibilities. The person who wishes to apply must fill out this form so that the designated team can communicate with him if he is nominated. This document must include personal data such as:
- Full name.
- Photo.
- Detailed description of skills.
- Study grade.
- Work experiences.
- Aspects that describe the capabilities and profile of the individual.
Forms for proof
Se puede dejar constancia de las acciones de una organización o persona específica con la ayuda de formularios especiales. Un ejemplo de la utilidad de este tipo de formularios, ocurre en la situación donde un paciente tiene que llenar un formulario para ingresar en un hospital, el mismo le sirve como garantía de que fue ingresado en la institución en una fecha y hora específica.
Características de los formularios
Entre olas características de los formularios podemos destacar las siguientes:
- Son de estructura sencilla, solicitando los datos e información en orden secuencial.
- Son diseñados para procedimientos en específico.
- Deben contar con un diseño adecuado.
- They present enough space to correctly supply the requested information.
- They are coded under some scheme
- Its writing is specially designed for greater understanding to avoid and reduce errors when filling in the format.
- They are identified with the emblem or logo of the organization that requires the requested information.
- You must comply with the requirements of the Federal Law on Protection of Personal Data, if the requested data is of a personal nature.
- The information is organized graphically .
Types of forms
The forms can be classified according to their structure, from simple documents with easy competition to more elaborate worksheets with a greater number of questions. These are the main types of forms:
- Simple forms: These types of forms contain few questions and are usually completed on a single sheet. In this there is no one record below another and they are organized in a similar way to that of a chip book.
- Compound Forms: These are forms that have more than one sheet and have a previously defined format. These are arranged in rows, and each record can occupy approximately one line, as in a table.
There are forms where it is requested to attach documents proving the answers given. These documents may consist of those that function to identify users as citizens of a country, such as the official identification or the birth certificate of the same.
Importance of forms
Forms are very useful tools for companies, since having this important method offers a solution for the processing of large amounts of documents, because this is relatively easier when done using the computer. Thanks to the use of forms, the processing of information can be optimized, to save and manage data within private companies that handle a lot of information flow.
Conclusion about the forms
We can conclude that forms are an extremely important tool in different activities of daily life, which allow the handling of a large flow of information in a simpler and more organized way.
Whether in its digital or physical presentation, the forms are used to validate specific data, conduct surveys, register users and other methods. If you want to know what many more interesting tools and elements are for, do not hesitate to continue on our page and leave us your comment.
Dr. Samantha Robson ( CRN: 0510146-5) is a nutritionist and website content reviewer related to her area of expertise. With a postgraduate degree in Nutrition from The University of Arizona, she is a specialist in Sports Nutrition from Oxford University and is also a member of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.