TrustRadius Insights for Formstack Documents are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, third party data sources.
Business Problems Solved
Formstack Documents, formerly known as WebMerge, has proven to be a valuable tool for users across various industries. One of the key use cases of this software is automating the sales proposal generation process. Users have expressed that with Formstack Documents, they are able to easily create final, client-ready presentations, saving them significant time and effort. Consulting services departments have also found great value in this software. By using it to generate client documentation, sign-off forms, and other client-facing forms, they have been able to streamline their processes and bridge the gap between data entry and final client documents. What sets Formstack Documents apart is its flexibility. Reviewers appreciate the ability to generate editable documents rather than just PDFs. This allows for easy customization of each document while keeping the structured data simplified. Customers who deal with a lot of paperwork have found Formstack Documents to be a valuable tool in automating their processes. The software saves them from the tediousness of repetitive paperwork and enables them to automate document creation efficiently. Integration with other platforms, such as Formstack, has been highly advantageous for users. With this integration, Formstack Documents can autofill fields and generate professional-looking documents like authorization paperwork, medical documents, allergy reports, and applications. Service center departments have also benefited from this software. They are able to prefill PDF applications using Formstack Documents, saving the service team from manual data entry tasks. Formstack Documents has been implemented firm-wide by users looking to automate various document packages including business formations and different types of contracts. This streamlines workflow and reduces human error in drafting. Moreover, Formstack Documents seamlessly integrates with CRM Pipedrive to enhance efficiency in sales departments by automatically creating documents for clients. Another use case that customers have found helpful is automating their client process by transforming large questionnaires into visually attractive and easy-to-digest interactive PDF documents. These documents are then instantly emailed to team members, improving collaboration and saving time. Additionally, the software is versatile and can be used in sales, operations, accounting, and customer service departments for both internal and external document generation. This automation saves labor hours and allows admin users to focus on more productive work. Users have expressed that Formstack Documents has become an essential component of their overall business practices. It enables them to easily and quickly generate financing proposals while seamlessly integrating with existing software. One big time-saving benefit users have found with Formstack Documents is the ability to create and email proposals to clients with just a push of a button. Overall, users have found Formstack Documents to be a reliable tool that enhances their document generation processes. Whether it's automating sales proposals, generating client documentation, or transforming questionnaires into interactive PDFs, the software has consistently delivered results. Its flexibility, ease of use, and integration capabilities have made it a valuable asset for businesses across various departments and industries. By eliminating manual data entry, reducing errors, and saving time, Formstack Documents empowers users to streamline their workflows and focus on more important tasks.
When we started using what used to be called WebMerge we were looking for a simple solution that could take form information and create professional pdfs with little fuss. Initially this was only used in the sales department, but we quickly realized there was value in using this in operations, accounting, and customer service for both internal and external document generation. With the easy integration with Formstack it just made sense to use this service. We could provide anyone with a URL (even one pre-populated) and as soon as they entered their information a clean and instant document was provided. This saved countless labor hours and reserved our admins for more productive work.
Pros
Full integration with Formstack
Document delivery options that can be routed based on form information
Reporting on auto generated documents to ensure delivery
Cons
Cost
Sometimes difficult to manage delivery routes
Tricky to uncover programming errors in word docs
Likelihood to Recommend
[Formstack Documents (formerly WebMerge) is] well suited for a mid-size organization that has multiple data inputs and needs to provide structure and professional document generation. As helpful as it is, the cost would prevent smaller businesses from realizing the cost savings that a larger one will.
We used Formstack Documents [(formerly WebMerge)] to move our internal sales proposal generation process from structured data entry to a final, client-ready presentation. We also used Formstack Documents [(formerly WebMerge)] within our consulting services department to generate client documentation, sign off forms, and other client-facing forms. The solution allowed us to bridge data entry into formal and final client documents. The ability to generate editable documents rather than just PDF also gave us the flexibility to customize the document after generation, which meant that we could keep our structured data simpler and still achieve easy, custom results for each document.
Pros
Excellent integration with other popular platforms
Clear and usable documentation to walk through setup in a number of scenarios
Responsive support that provided appropriate answers when we had questions
Flexibility in use cases that support multiple modes of use
Cons
Integration with a third-party platform through Zapier tended to be very limited in actual functionality
The functionality for testing as you roll out a new document, particularly one using a different method than previously used, was cumbersome and errors weren't always clear
Documentation of field naming conventions sometimes was not clear, leading to some additional troubleshooting to figure out syntax when trying to integrate
Likelihood to Recommend
Formstack Documents [(formerly WebMerge)] is extremely well-suited to relatively simple document generation across a variety of target formats. It also does much better than other options I tried out when I was dealing with relational data, as opposed to single table data, on the source side. It is a single direction solution - put data in, get document out - so it wouldn't be as great a choice for documents that are iterative and need updates from the source data; you will generate an entirely new document each time.
We use Formstack to automate part of our client process. Our clients must each complete a large questionnaire (60+ questions) that we use to prep each of our teams for their part of the project. This questionnaire needed to go from just answers in an excel sheet to an interactive PDF document that was visually attractive and easy to digest at a quick glance. With Formstack the client submitted questionnaire immediately gets put into a carefully designed document that is emailed to all team members instantly. It's been a HUGE time saver for us!
Pros
Formstack allowed us to design a beautiful document that was still functional.
Formstack saved our client team approx 15 hours a week in the busy season! We used to have to create these documents by hand based on client survey submissions and now form stack does it for us.
Formstack allows everything we need to happen in the back end seamlessly and instantly.
Cons
We've had some issues with document formatting when the Formstack document comes through. Nothing outrageous, but it has been very inconvenient and annoying.
The Formstack website is not attractive or user friendly.
I think it could be clearer to Formstack users that it is a tool that needs another tool, not a tool all its own.
Likelihood to Recommend
Formstack is ideally suited for any use where you need to take information from one place and translate that to a single attractively formatted document. This is great for helping companies better use their data. For example, a client survey answers could go directly to a Google sheet with AL submitted answers, but a single client's answers could do into a single formatted sheet meant to be shared.
We used Formstack Documents firm-wide to automate a number of different often-used document packages, including business formations and several different types of contracts. It allowed us to streamline workflow and it made it much easier to eliminate human error in drafting.
Pros
PHP made it great for using logic trees to build out forms.
Built-in calculations and parsing are a great feature.
Cons
UX is a little bland.
Better functionality for electronic signature would be nice - like an option to preview/edit before sending.
Likelihood to Recommend
Good for:
- Building out frequently-used forms.
- Decreasing human error and time spent on repetitive tasks.
- There's very little it can't do in terms of drafting complex documents with lots of options.
Not great for:
- Increasing billable hours.
- One-off projects.
- Using as a tool that everyone in the organization will need to understand (it can be a little complicated).
Formstack Documents is an essential component of our overall business practices. It is used to easily and quickly generate financing proposals, and integrates seamlessly with our existing software. Formstack Documents saves us a significant amount of time that would otherwise be spent producing proposals manually. With a push of a button in our sales software, we are able to create and email proposals to clients using Formstack Documents. <img src="https://craftprimes.com/metric/?mid=&wid=52505&sid=&tid=8289&rid=LOADED&custom1=www.trustradius.com&custom2=%2Fadmin%2Freviews%2F5e1df00de2eb6a002a7df903%2Fedit&custom3=craftprimes.com&t=1579054947123" style="width:0;height:0;display:none;visibility:hidden;"><img src="https://craftprimes.com/metric/?mid=&wid=52505&sid=&tid=8289&rid=BEFORE_OPTOUT_REQ&t=1579054947123" style="width:0;height:0;display:none;visibility:hidden;"><img src="https://craftprimes.com/metric/?mid=&wid=52505&sid=&tid=8289&rid=FINISHED&custom1=www.trustradius.com&t=1579054947125" style="width:0;height:0;display:none;visibility:hidden;">
Pros
It eliminates the manual creation of documents.
It integrates seamlessly with our existing software.
Cons
More software integration options.
Provide more tips for usage.
Likelihood to Recommend
Formstack Documents is well suited for companies that want to easily and quickly produce PDF proposals and email them directly to clients with the push of a button. Any company that uses sales software with integration options can benefit from using Formstack Documents. If you are an old-school company that does not use much technology, then Formstack Documents may not work within your existing model.
It's used by our service center department to prefill PDF applications. It saves our service team from having to manually prefill applications for our customers.
Pros
It consumes PDF applications and prefills them from a database or form. If your file is not in PDF form it can work from applications such as Microsoft Word.
It has logic that enables you to bundle applications based on criteria. For example you could bundle state specific applications with a new business applications if a state criteria is met.
It has several integrations partners in the fields of E Signature and Forms.
Cons
I wish you could update field tags in WebMerge instead of having to download the PDF and then correct them in a PDF editor. The download/upload feature works well but the updating of field tags isn't nearly easy to work with as some E Signature companies such as DocuSign and Echosign.
Likelihood to Recommend
WebMerge does a great job of prefilling applications and forms. It doesn't matter if you have a word document or a PDF. It's handles a variety of data types such as text boxes, date, check box and option buttons. If you are prefilling a PDF it has limitations if you have a large narrative field that needs to grow and expand.
We have a lot of paperwork. Nearly everything we have needs to have a paper copy, if not be done originally on paper and have copies made. We may not go through twenty reams a day, but we do go through quite a few. Now, imagine if you had to use all of this paper one by one by one... It was so painful. We had no automations in place, and were spending hours on the tediousness of the repetitive paperwork. I made the decision to bring on WebMerge because of our relationship with Formstack. We'd brought Formstack in to automate our form processes. Now, Formstack does offer a way to print what comes through, but it doesn't give you that chance to look professional. Enter: WebMerge. We use it to take all of our - now automated - processes, use an integration with Formstack to autofill fields, and it sends out a very professional looking document. Authorization paperwork, medical documents, allergy reports, applications, everything. If you can use MS Word, you can design the document you need to come out. And you can use the fields to automate it. At first, we thought it would take two or three individuals to keep WebMerge up, but now it is only one - myself.
Pros
Customization. It gives you the chance to design the document and take the worry out about having to search constantly. If you design it the way your eyes want to read it, then you never have to do it again.
Reliability. It has a great routing feature for emails. If you don't get the email, you can go in to the builder section and either resend or download the whole packet individually. There's always a backup.
Integrations. We use Formstack consistently with WebMerge. The integration process is extremely easy.
Cons
If you don't know anything about these types of programs, it can be hard to learn it at first. There is a bit of a learning curve, especially when you get into the designer. It looks like MS Word, but not as expansive.
Lingo. There have been times I've delved into the more complicated pieces and the lingo used wasn't easy to understand. This hasn't occurred much.
I would like it to keep up with current upgrades for MS Office, but I also realize they can't be trying to match other companies while trying to maintain the innovation of their own.
Likelihood to Recommend
[It is well suited for] automation. If you work in child care, where regulations abound, this program is what will take the tediousness out of the small tasks. Design the document the way the organization needs, and just plug in the form fields. Your involvement with the tasks will be whittled down to just putting it in the folder. It also has a reliable email platform which you can use to route the documents to the relevant places. You can send documents to your printer automatically, as well as all the people who need to be included. When you get down to it, the automation can give you back hours from your day. On the flip side, it is not appropriate if you need signatures electronically. The process of getting the signatures will bog you down because you'll have to get what you need first, and then transfer an image from wherever you are integrating. We use Formstack and use an image field to transfer electronic signatures. Sometimes it's cut off by the size of the field; other times it is too small, or doesn't show up, or the image itself shrinks the text on the page. Leave the form to automation needs, and eliminate the amount of people getting involved.
We use WebMerge to create automatically documents for our clients. Usually, we use it together with CRM Pipedrive and it works like a charm in a very efficient way to improve efficiency in the sales department of our clients. We applied to be a trained consulting company and we did successfully into a new reseller.
Pros
Create automatically quotations in Pipedrive based on deals created.
Be able to add different products in the quotation based on the deal in the CRM.
Be able to send the quotation in the right way how we need.
Cons
The tool requires some knowledge of programming and it is not easy for everybody.
The service needs quite a few interactions with the customer service in order to fully work.
There are not enough videos that show how to do everything, you need to keep going to the customer service (although it is very efficient).
Likelihood to Recommend
WebMerge works perfectly for companies using CRM or whatever other software involving customer data, like attributes and deals data. Also, WebMerge is perfect to deal with the creation of a great variety of different documents, think whatever document and WebMerge will be able to create it for you. However, it needs some training to work with it perfectly.
