Stop Sending Word Docs. Use a Form.

take it easy... make it easy

You just heard about a fabulous event. You’re thrilled when the host emails you to gather some information. And then you see they’ve attached… a Word doc. With questions, and underlined areas to fill in the answers. You start typing and the formatting immediately falls apart. If you’re on your phone, forget it, you won’t be completing anything until you can sit down at a computer. In a parking lot? Good luck.

​It’s pretty obvious that whoever designed that form did not have the recipient’s experience in mind. They did what was easiest for them. Turns out, the technology caught up with the frustration.

Allow Me to Introduce You to… the Form Builder
There are now all sorts of free platforms to create forms, forms that make both the recipient’s and sender’s lives easier. Form builders have templates and a simple drag-and-drop design, making setup a breeze. Many include advanced features like third-party app integrations, analytics and reporting tools, and conditional logic that adapts based on user responses.

Digital forms are an easy and painless way to enhance customer experience; whether your “customer” is an event guest, patient, staff member, club member, or anyone else you need information from.

The sender benefits too. Digital forms reduce errors and save time through automated data entry and validation. You can make certain questions required, so no one can submit the form until they’ve answered everything you actually need. No more chasing people down for missing information.

Free Tools to Get You Started
There are plenty of form builders to choose from, with varying features and pricing. Here are a few with free plans:

• Google Forms: for simple data collection
• Microsoft Forms: for Microsoft 365 users
• Jotform: for automating the survey process
• Typeform: for a conversational style with advanced conditional logic

Not All Forms Are Created Equal
Once you decide to build a form, a little thought upfront goes a long way. First rule: only ask questions you actually need the answer to. The more questions there are, the more likely someone will say forget about it and abandon the form. Then ask yourself:​

• Are the questions easy to understand? Be clear and concise. If there’s any chance of misinterpretation, add a short note explaining exactly what you’re looking for.
• Are any questions worded in a way that might bias the response?
• Can I make the questions easier to answer? Choosing the right question type makes a big difference.

Question types and when to use them:

• Short answer: Best for specific, brief responses like a name or email. Pro tip: split “name” into “first name” and “last name.” You’d be surprised how differently people interpret a single field. Someone out there has typed “N/A” into a middle name field more times than they’d like to admit. Don’t be the reason.
• Paragraph: Use when you need a longer, more detailed response.
• Multiple choice: Perfect for single answers from a set of options. Include an “Other” option when your list might not cover everything.
• Checkboxes: Use when multiple answers are possible. A quick note saying “multiple selections allowed” helps.
• Dropdown: Similar to checkboxes but better for longer lists.
• Linear scale: Great for rating satisfaction or agreement. Always clarify what the numbers mean, like “5 = strongly agree.”
• Date and time: Always use a dedicated date/time field rather than a short answer. If someone types 5/7/90, you have no idea if they mean May 7th or July 5th — different regions format dates differently.

A Few More Things Worth Considering

• Ask for email twice. It’s a simple safeguard against typos.
• Consider asking for pronouns. This is an easy way to be inclusive. Use a short answer or dropdown with an “Other” option, and make it optional because not everyone will want to answer.
• Think about conditional logic. For example: if you ask whether a gift card should be sent by mail or email, follow-up questions should adjust accordingly. It doesn’t make sense to ask for a mailing address when they chose email.

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Next time you’re about to attach a Word doc, ask yourself if you’d want to receive it. Then close the doc. Open a browser. Build a form. You’re welcome. ​📋