Form Data Management

[h2worldwide]

I've got a question for small business owners and managers out there.

What is your experience for managing the data that you receive via forms on your website? I've found that a lot of small businesses will have their web manager create a form (to request more info, to contact...) on the back-end and then whenever someone fills it out, the manager will receive an email with all of the data. Is this an easy way to manage your data, or would you prefer to have a simpler way of creating forms and then storing and managing your form data?

I'd also be interested in knowing about other technological problems small businesses run into, if anyone feels like sharing.

Thanks!

Daniel

[BeTheBest]

Hi h2worldwide!

Welcome aboard! I think it would be better if you offered a little more detail about the business or industry. As an example, some industries only require a little bit of info to better understand the problem and the visitor. Others need to know a lot.

However, we basically transpose that data into another database type software, of course, depending on the form and the requirements.

I think you could go broke attempting to develop a system (online) to manage it. I would suggest you start by getting the information. Then worry about how you can handle it better. Even a spread sheet type format would be a good start to help organize your info.

Hope this helps! I might have more to say if you can better define what you're traying to get at.

[h2worldwide]

Ok - so take for example the form on this page: http://nsa.edu/camps/

This data has to go somewhere, and be stored somewhere so that the administrator can come in and look at it, and take from it what he or she wants.

From what I can tell, a lot of small businesses who have this type of form (that takes basic information that businesses can then put into their system and contact at a later point) have it set up to where they get an email everytime someone or some spam bot comes by with all of the data from the form.

My question is whether or not small businesses have an easy way to deal with this problem of form-data management or what they'd like to see done with it.

Thanks.

[Logan]

Hi Daniel, I think you'll find different answers to your question from different businesses. I do see a lot of businesses just having it sent via email, a large portion probably. Other options usually involve a custom programmed admin, but typically from a development standpoint things do not usually get to that point the first time around to keep costs down with developing a website. At least based on my experiences.

I think there is some area to improve things, although you may run into some resistance related to confidentiality.

A good question you can answer for a small business owner is "how was this person directed to the website, in order to fill out the form". Tracking sources of a lead/contact is something missing, but most biz owners don't consider that. Was it an online campaign via adwords, a radio ad, word of mouth referral - if so who.

[NobleRiver]

Use an AutoResponder.

1) They can give you the code to put on your webpage.
2) The data goes directly into a database hosted by the provider.
3) You can either see who has entered or you can send emails directly from the database.
4) No management issues on your part.

Hope this helps.

Deep Janardhanan
Marketing Coach From 0 to 7 figures.

[h2worldwide]

Here's another related set of questions, directed to small business owners and employees.

1. What are some of the problems that you run into as a small business?
2. What are some things that you wish you could do better as a small business that could be aided by technology?
3. Do you collect a lot of data via online forms on your website?
4. Do you have a way to collect that data simply and manage it easily?
5. Is it a simple setup, or does it involve doing a lot of editing on the backend of the site?

[Logan]

3. yes
4. yes but could be better
5. its not rocket science, and once it is set up time is minimal. but again could be better

[jamesparker100]

Originally Posted by h2worldwide

I've got a question for small business owners and managers out there.

What is your experience for managing the data that you receive via forms on your website? I've found that a lot of small businesses will have their web manager create a form (to request more info, to contact...) on the back-end and then whenever someone fills it out, the manager will receive an email with all of the data. Is this an easy way to manage your data, or would you prefer to have a simpler way of creating forms and then storing and managing your form data?

I'd also be interested in knowing about other technological problems small businesses run into, if anyone feels like sharing.

Thanks!

Daniel

I have worked as a web developer. I made a development for a website which was static website or not so much a big website. They want that if any person come on their website after filling the form the information will be emailed to the concerned person,... So as far as form data is concern for a small website its pretty fine but when you have a large website dyamic website in which database interaction is there , you need to store that form data in to the database.

Regards

[james786]

It's very useful info about small business. I think data is most important part of out business. With the help of this data we can easily access to any part of business. Data management is a important part of business.

[h2worldwide]

Ok, here's what I'm talking about: www.simplistore.com

The idea is to organize data for small businesses who already have forms, but who don't want to get emails full of data and would like to have all of their "entries" or "participants" or "registrants" all in one online spreadsheet. It's simple and easy.

We're still working on this and looking for feedback from small businesses, so if you'd like to try it, feel free. Or, we can set it up for you.