LeanForms VS Microsoft

Choose the right tool for more efficient business processes

Process optimization is nowadays indispensable for an organization to remain efficient and keep up with the market. Digital tools and smart use of data help tremendously in this regard. Especially with the emergence of countless no-code apps, digitization seems accessible to everyone. But precisely because of the enormous range of apps, their use can also become unintentionally complex or uncontrolled. Something as simple as the naming of an app can lead a potential user group astray. A good exploration before starting process optimization and software tools is therefore always advisable.

We therefore take a closer look at comparing LeanForms’ generic no-code application with two possible alternatives from the Microsoft Office 365 suite: Microsoft Forms and Microsoft Power Automate.

LeanForms: optimization of information flows

LeanForms was developed for process optimization of business processes and is therefore not a specific LEAN tool. However, with LeanForms we want to prevent the well-known LEAN wastes in the field of information management in organizations. Think of waiting for information, wrong information or double storage of information. Smart digital forms allow business processes to be modeled so that they can be executed and monitored completely digitally. The whole thing is supported by a powerful workflow system so that information flows past the relevant officers. This shortens turnaround times and provides better quality information for decisions to be made during the execution of work.

Because all information is stored centrally, it is also available for reporting and further analysis. Exchange of data from LeanForms with Microsoft products such as ERP Dynamics or Power BI is easy to realize with a one-time configuration. LeanForms can be used very widely in the organization. Examples include quality controls, release of incoming goods, work permits and audit forms. Many more examples can be found in the template library and many customer case studies.

Microsoft Office 365: Optimization of specific tasks

Of course, you can also look at opportunities with the wide range of Microsoft apps included in the Office 365 suite. The apps within the Microsoft 365 suite are developed for one specific task and thus can be highly targeted.

Microsoft Forms

For example, Microsoft Forms is an app for creating surveys, polls and quizzes. Here, Forms refers to the form that can be sent out to collect data. Follow-up steps (workflow management) and more complex dependencies within the query are missing. Thus, the form cannot be further edited or completed in a follow-up step. However, the questionnaire can be sent out and the collected data can be reported using Excel, among other tools. Microsoft Forms does not offer extensive workflow support, making it less suitable for complex business processes. It is almost identical to Google Forms, but without a subscription.

Microsoft Power Automate

Another frequently mentioned app from the Office 365 suite is Microsoft Power Automate (Flow). This app is specifically designed to automate frequent repetitive activities. For example, you can use this app to automatically archive emails in certain folders on the network. But you can also use Power Automate, for example, to gather the data collected with the Microsoft Forms app into an overarching Excel file. You can also link multiple tasks to build a workflow. However, this quickly becomes complex, which is why there are many helpers (read: consultants) on the Internet to help make this happen. App functionality is often limited. There is also a (paid) market for add-ons that extend the functions of specific apps.