How to create and collect online consent forms

Online consent forms can reduce the time it takes to acquire signatures and initials. A consent form outlines the informed consent of an individual to participate in an activity or opt in to some other agreement. Some consent forms require sensitive information that many professionals may feel uncomfortable disseminating electronically due to security concerns. 

But when you’re utilising online forms with the right experience management platform, participants can take confidence in knowing that their information is secure. Online consent forms allow you to create and distribute consent forms easily and have all your data saved in one place.

Consent forms are used to protect companies against any events that come with the risk of doing business or activities with other entities. It also gives companies the right to initiate any legal actions within the terms of the agreement. Online consent forms are recommended because they provide a central document for all parties to work from. 

Unlike a paper form, online consent forms are easy to manage and keep data on hand for easy retrieval later.

Another benefit of using online consent forms is accessibility. The ability to retrieve a consent form online allows you to expedite the terms within your business agreement. It also serves as a tool to keep you more organised. The online capability can help you create a consent form template, which will improve your planning for future events. 

Online consent forms are convenient because:

Integrations of consent forms offer real-time reporting with universal visibility for all administrative users. This approach is a great way to streamline processes and increase workflow efficiency, resulting in greater productivity. You can easily store and retrieve your data to reference or build a template and connect your data to other software systems to maximise efficiency. Integrations also help reduce errors. 

Here’s a short list of how integrations are beneficial to your business:

Online consent forms are useful for almost every type of business. They are especially helpful for enforcing social distancing and expediting any onboarding process. You can sign online consent forms at home from your desktop or mobile device. Online consent forms are useful for establishing rules or a code of conduct for beauty and cosmetic services and regulating terms within the media and entertainment industry. 

Whether you're hiring a new employee or starting a business, establishing a baseline of conduct can be outlined in a consent form. As your company grows, utilising an online form offers an effortless way to distribute important information and can serve as a master form for updates and revisions. For example, SurveyMonkey’s experience software management system helps you keep track of the parties involved who have signed and initialled your agreement, including amendments. 

In a workplace or other group, consent forms can be used to mark agreement with a set of rules or a policy change. Using an online form makes it easy to get the form in front of all the involved parties and have an easy record of who has or hasn’t agreed.

Online consent forms can be used in the beauty and cosmetic industry for invasive procedures such as surgery, Botox or tattooing. But you can also use consent forms for other beauty aesthetic services, such as laser hair removal, waxing services, cool body sculpting and more. You can create a tattoo consent form or a lash consent form using SurveyMonkey consent form templates. 

Consent forms for this industry can protect the customer and the business. Online consent forms can be emailed to customers or customers can be directed to your website to complete the form as a part of your booking process. This will allow them to register before the appointment, which will reduce the registration time and enable the business to take more customers.

The entertainment industry involves various forms of art that you can use interchangeably on a single project. Without a consent form, determining who gets credit and is remunerated for the art can become confusing. The use of an online consent form offers directors and producers the convenience of acquiring the rights to an artist's work, as well as their permission, while also protecting the artist. This may also apply to a photographer or director filming promotional material so the materials can then be used in an ad campaign.

Let's get started with how to write a consent form. The first step is to understand the type of agreement needed and be specific when writing it. Additionally, both parties should be clear about what they're consenting to. You'll also need to be transparent about your intentions for any sensitive information provided in the form. 

When creating a consent form, ensure that both parties understand their agreement. A consent form involves both parties getting something they want from the contract, but it also usually involves a compromise. All of these stipulations need to be clearly outlined in the agreement.

Here are some tips to think about when drafting your consent form: 

Be as specific as possible when it comes to the consent of activity. This is the basis for informed consent. It's recommended that you state any risks involved. By doing this, everyone involved in the contract fully understands the agreement. If you think you might be being too specific, the general rule is to keep it in the form. Remember that consent forms are about establishing rules and protecting each party involved. 

Although detail is important in a consent form, clarity is equally essential. All parties must understand the wording in the consent form. Avoid jargon and keep the language simple so that all parties involved in the contract fully comprehend the terms. For instance, if you are a cosmetic industry expert and are constructing a consent form for a customer, try to avoid using words that you may use with a colleague. On the other hand, if you're getting into a business relationship with a colleague, then business-related jargon may be more appropriate. 

Being clear on consent can also be useful for something like a photo release, to ensure that there aren’t issues with using digital materials in the future.

When submitting online consent forms, reassure every party involved about your experience management software's data protection practices. You can state these practices upfront or include a link that takes users directly to your privacy notices. Establish this immediately so that people are comfortable divulging their information to you. Always be clear about what you will be doing with this personal information and how it will be protected.

TIP: Learn how to protect data collected in online consent forms and surveys. 

Using existing templates and survey questions can streamline the process of creating any form. Users can leverage many free form and survey templates by SurveyMonkey. SurveyMonkey templates offer a variety of industry-specific terminology. You can modify them for consistency with your own business' terminology and brand them with your logo and signature business colours. 

SurveyMonkey provides a template to create an online consent form for media and entertainment, beauty and cosmetics, and other services, from photo release to tattoo consent forms. Choose a plan today that best suits your business budget.