Effective Form Control: Streamlining Business Processes
Signs You Need Better Form Control
There are signs indicating the need to establish control of your business forms. These include:
- Forms designed by hand and photocopied.
- Authorization forms with unclear instructions.
- Omission of important details needed to process information, such as date or transaction initiator.
- Lack of pre-numbering.
- Forms with limited or unsuitable space.
- Errors in filled-in forms due to poor field explanations.
- Uncoded forms.
- Poor form design aesthetics.
- Forms lacking business identification.
Key Areas and Applicable Forms
Consider the main areas of a company and the forms applicable to each:
- Effective Area: (Presumably this refers to operational efficiency – clarify for better results)
- Purchasing and Inventory Area
- Personnel Area (Human Resources)
- Distribution and Marketing Area
Cash Flow Control Forms
Some commonly used forms to control cash inflows and outflows include:
- Gift Certificates
- Petty Cash Receipts
- Fixed Fund Replacements
- Purchase Orders
- Fixed Asset Inventory
- Payroll Deposits
- Returned Check Notices
- Daily Cash Movement Reports
Effective management controls are required to prevent fraud or unauthorized provisions.
Cash deposits consist of amounts received by a company for different purposes.
Cash outflows consist of all necessary outlays for the purchase of goods or services.
Purchasing and Inventory Form Objectives
The objectives of a control system for purchasing and inventory forms must be:
- Ensure purchases are made in the precise amounts, with the right quality, and at the required time.
- Make only required purchases, avoiding excess.
- Take advantage of available supplier discounts.
Purchasing and inventory management should enable the company to determine the best conditions for procuring goods and services.
Main Purchasing and Inventory Forms
The main forms applicable for purchases and inventory management are:
- Material Requisitions
- Purchase Orders
- Store Tickets
- Inventory Cards
- Goods Delivery Notes
- Receiving Reports (capture information relating to goods or services received and their compliance)
Human Resources (Personnel) Forms
The primary aims of forms in the human resources or personnel area are to:
- Collect all information relating to personal data.
- Process staff receipts and expenditures.
- Control expenditures resulting from payments to staff.
- Manage recruitment, selection, evaluation, and career design activities.
The personnel area manages and controls company personnel data, qualifications, assessments, and related activities.
Types of Personnel Forms
In the process of personnel management and control, the following types of forms can be identified:
- Job Application
- Worker Registration
- Payment Receipt
- Vacation Planning
- Work Contract
- Personnel Assessment
- Personnel Requisition
- Benefits Payment
- Attendance Check
- Time Card
Distribution and Marketing Forms
Forms designed for the distribution and marketing area must meet the following objectives:
- Check incoming and outgoing inventory for sales operations.
- Control the billing process.
- Follow up on customer orders.
- Comply with inventory management policies.
The distribution and marketing area is related to the entire sales process.
Examples of Distribution and Marketing Forms
Examples of forms used in this area include:
- Goods Delivery Note
- Invoice/Bill
- Order Form
- Warehouse Transfer Form
- Rate Sheet
- Salesperson Report
- Bill of Lading