Creating an online form can be challenging. Even if you know what you're doing, and you have the fields laid out correctly, changes might be required later. Then there is the potential issue of sharing and distribution, collecting the data… it can get messy.
The team behind OnlyOffice seems to have an answer. A new type of online form, the OFORM, has been developed to aid in form creation, collaboration, and completion.
Why Online Forms Are Increasingly Important
There is a good chance that you have completed a form online in the past. This might have been embedded in a webpage or presented to you to sign---perhaps a contract---on a website, desktop computer, or mobile device.
Online forms can be used for a variety of tasks. Data collection, data submission, and providing a signature for permission or agreement. Loan applications, insurance, mortgage contracts, employment contracts, HP deals---documentation for all of these and more have transferred to digital since 2020.
With online forms increasingly prevalent, their underlying technology needs to become more flexible. That's were the OFORM format comes in.
OFORM: Designed Specifically for Creating Fillable Forms
An OFORM relies on a form made using DOCXF format template. With a name derived from the term "online form," OFORMs combine Microsoft Office content control features with support for Adobe forms. OFORMs are open source and can be hosted online.
They're almost indistinguishable from forms you will have filled in before, but have a more streamlined and collaborative creation. All types of standard documents can be developed with OFORMs, with the results ready to be stored on supported cloud platforms, such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Nextcloud, etc.
Forms can be created using OnlyOffice in your browser, on the desktop, or in whichever mobile app is appropriate for your hardware. Real-time collaboration features support comments, mentions, reviewing and track changes, and version checking, with built-in chat. For mobile working, there is a plugin for the Telegram chat app.
Think about it this way: standard formats don't support flexible form design. In many cases, the desire for data collection outweighs the need for a form that is usable.
9 Reasons to Use OFORMs
Need further convincing? Here are some particularly compelling reasons to create all future online forms with OFORMs.
- Form fields can be defined as almost anything
- Fields can be grouped for easier arrangement and manipulation
- Fields can be defined as required, with support for text fields, combination function boxes, drop-downs, checkboxes, radio buttons, and images
- Border, background images, and highlight/emphasis colors can be tweaked
- Forms can be previewed at every stage
- Collaborators can work together or remotely to develop new forms
- OFORMs can be shared online, exported as documents or PDF
- Forms can be completed locally, online, or on a mobile device
- As with all OnlyOffice documents, OFORMs are compatible with Microsoft Office formats
You can also get started with OnlyOffice and OFORMs with just a Google, Facebook, or LinkedIn account. It's that easy.
How To Create a Form With OFORMs
Creating an OFORM in OnlyOffice is as simple as creating a form with any other software. The difference is, an OFORM form has greater flexibility.
- To get started, you can create a form template in the DOCXF format from blank, use an existing document, or download a template from the OnlyOffice library.
- With the template open, add the fields as required. Your choices here will of course depend on the intent of the form.
-
As you proceed through the form creation process, ensure you have set the properties for each field. These should encourage and enable the person completing the form to submit the information you wish to collect.
- You can preview the form during creation to see how it looks, making further changes if required. When happy, it can be saved in OFORM format.
- The form is then ready to share, and can be distributed, completed, and returned in DOCX or PDF format.
Creating an OFORM form is straightforward, fuss free, and if necessary, can be reviewed and revised by a collaborator.
You Can Even Sell Your Forms in the OnlyOffice Library
Incredibly, OFORMs can even make you money.
While the OnlyOffice library features a wealth of pre-designed and free forms (and other documents), these are the tip of the iceberg of what is possible with OFORMs. There is a very good chance that you create a form that hasn't already been done. If this is the case, then the OFORM can be uploaded to the OnlyOffice library.
Once available for other users to download, your OFORM submission can generate income! If this interests you, or you're looking for form-based inspiration, the OnlyOffice library already has several forms ready for you to download. You can view them in your browser at oforms.onlyoffice.com.
OnlyOffice OFORMs Could Change Expectations of Online Forms
Standard online forms are functional and serve their purpose, but they miss out on flexibility. OnlyOffice has created a new form format that has a good chance of changing how we use online forms.
With more versatility at the design and collaboration stage, OFORMs are compatible with Microsoft Office content control features, Adobe forms, can be used online, and are even open source.
Real-time collaboration, online sharing, and the ability for end users to submit forms on any suitable platform or device are just some of the features on offer. Most importantly, OFORM boasts enough to potentially define how we build and distribute online forms for the foreseeable future.