Should you use a template or a form?

Okay, when is the right time to use forms? And should you use templates or forms? Where did all of these fit into your systems game into your business? Game? This is an interesting question.

And it's something that you need to think about.

When do you use forms? Templates? How do they fit together in your systems? Now? What I first want you to consider is the question, What did these things have in common? Because you might not think of a form and as a template, you might not think they're the same thing.

But in my mind, they are.

Why is that? Well, the result that they produce, the end result that comes out of a template, or comes out of a form, to me is the same, you're going to see typically a question and then an answer, and then a question and then an answer, and then a question and then answer.

And that could be done through a form that could be done through copying a template.

So to my mind, these things are the same, because the result is the same.

And then that comes to the question, well, why would you use this? Why would you want to use a form if it's the same as a template? Surely you just copy the template? Well, the interesting thing is that forms may have a very powerful place in your business already, you may be using some kind of form software, or Google Forms are whatever you're using.

And it's got in there, and it's plugged in on your web page, and you gather data through that.

And if this is the case, and you're already paying for that software, then there's a very strong case to be said, for, hey, use your form software in your back end as well.

Use it in your systems, wherever you've got a template right now, replace that with your form software.

And why is that? Well, it eliminates a small amount of time might be 10 seconds might be 15 seconds, instead of having to open the template, copy the template, rename the template, move the template, and then link to that form that template, all you need to do is to click the link and boom, you straight into the form.

And the production out of that form type will be a link in itself, just grab that link and stick it into your system board, wherever you're tracking your results.

And it might not be many 1015 seconds, maybe 30 seconds.

But if you've got a lot of templates that you're using in your business, or even if you don't, there's still another case for that.

And that is the elimination of error, the reduction in error.

If your procedure, your SOP just says click this link and fill in the form.

That is easier.

For the vast majority of people under time pressure, under work stress, under distraction to go or you're just going to click the link, it's going to take me to the form, I fill it in as opposed to achieving the same result by going to a template, duplicating the template, moving the template renaming the template, and then copying in that link for that template, it's a lot more work just to get started.

So you've got number one, less work number two less chance of error.

These are the reasons to go for it now.

Should you do it? Well, I think if you've already got form software of some description, and if you're using Google Drive, then you will have that if you're using type form if you're using jot form for your business already, you will have access to this.

And therefore, you can take the templates that you're using right now and load them up into that software, they're ready to go.

Also, you make a change in the form of software, great, it all propagates through.

Now, this is the same in the template.

There's no doubt about that.

But it is easier for perhaps control as well.

Perhaps you are seeking the ability if you've got lots of people in your team to lock down and say, Hey, I don't want anyone changing this template.

I don't want anyone changing this form.

Don't mess with it.

It's working.

We know what the outcomes are.

We know that this is the data that we require.

Therefore, hey, keep it locked down.

Don't allow anybody to change it just people who have the access rights to it.

You're not going to get that with Google Docs or with Microsoft Word.

So there are insignificant advantages if you are at that level, where you need to control how your templates are being managed.

Alright, I hope you got some value out of this.

Remember that your templates should always be part of your standard operating procedures, no orphan templates.

Otherwise, who are people going to? When do we use this? They'll forget where it is.

They won't use them and you'll be ending up with a whole bunch of templates distributed through your business.

No one using the right ones, you'll have no control over the whole thing a sock stick many processes, and therefore they will always be tracked.

I hope you got a lot of value out of today's episodes.

Just a short one.

Beautiful sunset behind me.

You guys are a little bit late to the party, but that whole cloud cover was laid up in a beautiful pink and purple.

But that is that is all I've got for you today.

Thanks so much for tuning in.

Look forward to seeing you on the next episode where we continue this journey into the power of systems to create results.

See you then.