Mobile Inspection Software for Electrical Utilities

Sho-Me Power owns 1,663 miles of transmission line, and is responsible for inspection and maintenance of the transmission line. Sho-Me power works directly with power suppliers to help transmit power to rural areas. Sho-Me Power provides services for 131 customer delivery points in 125 distribution and transmission substations.

Sho-Me Power used paper forms to perform inspections of transmission lines in rural areas, which resulted in many challenges. Inspections were performed twice per year, once in the fall and again in the spring, transmission line poles and pole attachments were inspected for damage. Areas surrounding the transmission line were also inspected for overgrown trees and undergrowth to determine trimming needs if necessary. Many inspections were done during poor weather conditions which made it difficult to collect data, juggle necessary paperwork, and caused lost or smudged paperwork because of weather conditions. The paper forms were also time consuming to fill out, hard to collect from the field inspectors (as forms were often lost or misplaced), and required office personnel to re-enter data at the home office.

“It took a long time to fill out all of the paperwork in the field, and we ended up with so much paper that it was almost impossible to use all of the information we spent so much time collecting,” said Andy Meyers, GIS administrator at Sho-Me Power. “We knew we needed a better system for collecting and organizing our data.”

MobileDataforce worked closely with Sho-Me Power to integrate all necessary field inspection forms into one enterprise class mobility software application. The application allowed the field inspectors to sort inspections by region, completed structures, and uncompleted structures. All inspections were time stamped to keep record of when the inspection was completed, which allowed for Sho-Me Power to provide proof of inspection and track results for future inspections. The data collected was integrated into small world GIS.

Sho-Me Power selected a Trimble Recon handheld device, equipped with a GPS receiver for data collection. The mobile application utilized the GPS receivers to specifically identify the location of utility poles. This gave Sho-Me Power greater asset visibility, and made it easier for field inspectors to locate transmission poles in rural areas.

By using a mobile application rather than paper forms, Sho-Me Power was able to:

· Save administrative data entry time
· Increase asset visibility
· Wirelessly synchronize from the field
· Save fuel costs and driving time delivering paper forms
· Provide near real-time visibility to inspections in the field
· Ensure data accuracy through the use of data validation features
· Save inspection time with easy to use software

The PointSync Mobility Platform is an enterprise class mobile software platform used to rapidly design, develop, and deploy mobile applications. It is architected to provide database centric mobile applications with bi-directional synchronization, connectivity, security, and enterprise database integration all within one product suite.

MobileDataforce is a global leader in the development of enterprise class and business critical software solutions. MobileDataforce software can be used on most mobile handheld computers including Smart Phones, Tablet PCs, PDAs, and laptops. MobileDataforce has offices in Europe, North America, and Australia to support our ever expanding customer base and sales channels. Privately held, MobileDataforce has been mobilizing business solutions since 2000.

Conclusion:
Through the use of the PointSync mobility platform Sho-Me Power was able to save time and money. Sho-Me Power was also able to gain greater visibility of assets and inspection points, and track them by GPS location.

“This system is saving us at every step in the process. We’re saving time in the field collecting information and just as much time back in the office processing it,” Meyers said. “The hours we used to spend collating paper alone is a huge savings to us, and time that can now be spent on other, more productive work.”

MobileDataforce has assisted many organizations around the world design, develop, and deploy mobile applications for field data collection. For additional information please visit our website at www.mobiledataforce.com

Visibility - Mobile Software on PDAs & Handheld Computers

My PSO (professional services organization) team has been assisting several organizations around the world this month on projects with a common theme - visibility. Let me explain:

Managers are often responsible for field work in locations where they are not physically present. They are personally accountable for the work delivered, but often have limited visibility into it. This is ALWAYS a challenge and a big risk.

In the last few days we have been working on mobile solutions that provide the following benefits:

• Help a large Paintless Dent Repair franchiser track the quality of work through mobile and onsite customer surveys, work orders and inspections
• Track the shipping and delivery of medicine throughout Africa and South America using mobile handheld computers that synchronize to a central database
• Help a construction manager document construction project inspections for many projects in different geographies, log each issue, assign a contractor to fix the work, reinspect and document
• Help a pharmaceutical company monitor their customers and any change of conditions in the USA and Canada
• Help a service company track their work orders, the time each service ticket takes to resolve, and the location of every service technician
• Help a shuttle service dispatch vans and track pick-ups and deliveries

Each of these examples demonstrate how companies that have work locations distributed over wide geographic areas can have better visibility into the work being done in the field.

Here are some of the tools that mobile handheld computers provide to help remote managers better track the work:

• GPS - vehicle and technician tracking
• Date and time stamps integrated with GPS to show the time a vehicle or technician was at a specific location
• GPS/Date & Time Stamp/Connected to Work Order or service ticket to provide evidence of work completed at a location and time
• Onsite customer survey - get real-time customer feedback on the quality of work performed so issues can be resolved immediately
• Digital images of before, during and after work performed. Photographic evidence associated with digital signatures, customer feedback and GPS coordinates are powerful tools for remote managers
• Inspections - upload and synchronize inspection data to the remote manager. The remote manager can then assign people/organizations to fix issues discovered on the inspection and monitor the repairs. This enables remote managers to effectively have "eyes and ears" at the jobsite and manage resolutions.

In summary, the collection of field data through human input on mobile handheld computers, plus technology like GPS, digital photography, mobile synchronization, digital signatures, mobile forms and shared websites to show real-time reports enable talented and experienced managers to effectively manage their areas of responsibilities remotely. This reduces risk, promotes field accountability, quality work and peace of mind for the managers and their companies. The ability to use and scale the talent and experience of your best managers over more projects located in more areas is a huge asset.

These are the kinds of mobile solutions MobileDataforce helps companies design, develop, deploy and support worldwide every day. If you would like to brainstorm about how a mobile solution might help your project or company please email us or call 208-384-1200.

38 Reasons to Mobilize Your Business

1. Eliminate time spent in the re-typing data collected in the field.
2. Reduce time spent on the phone dispatching service tickets , rather dispatch direct from your office computer to the mobile handheld computer in the field.
3. Send driving directions in the mobile work order to save driving time and fuel costs.
4. Save driving time by wirelessly synchronizing work orders with the office.
5. Reduce fuel costs by minimizing the need to drive back and forth to the office to deliver paper work.
6. Provide better customer service by accessing their account information via wireless connectivity on your handheld computer.
7. Improve the efficiency of field data collection by using barcode scanners or RFID readers for rapid asset tracking.
8. Improve the quality of work by providing real-time management visibility to work being done in the field.
9. Create and schedule service tickets direct from the field. Reduces the need for an administrative intermediary.
10. Immediate invoicing for faster collections and cash management by synchronizing with the office accounting system or by using a mobile printer and credit card swipe machine on the handheld computer.
11. Proof of work – GPS audit trail of work with date and time stamp documents location and time of work. Reduces invoicing disputes.
12. Reduce introductions of human errors with automated business processes and systems integration. Move electronic data from the field to your database applications without human intervention.
13. Ensure complete data is sent from the field – incomplete data wastes time tracking down later.
14. Avoid handwriting and translation errors by pre-populating electronic form information.
15. Validate answers on mobile handheld PDA forms – to ensure data accuracy.
16. Take digital images to document work and avoid invoicing disputes
    Push data to the handheld and avoid time communicating information on the phone.
17. GPS tracking for reduced travel time and lower fuel consumption.
18. Compute and analyze data on the handheld in the field – programmed analytics can help field users make quicker and better decisions.
19. Automated business processes - your mobile application can be configured to perform all kinds of automated business functions, queries, computations, analytics and many more time consuming features automatically based on data input or buttons pushed.
20. Enforce business processes for efficiency and best practices - mobile software solutions can be configured to ensure the field user follows the appropriate business processes.
21. Avoid lost data —capture data immediately and sync to headquarters.
22. Avoid undocumented inventory usage and unbilled time due to forgetfulness. Enforce real time data entry at point of work.
23. Require clock in and clock out at jobsites to document the accuracy of work/time estimates.
24. Train new service technicians and inspectors with audio memos or video clips.
25. Capture digital signature for proof-of-delivery and proof of work on handheld computers.
26. Query for available inventory in nearby work vans to save travel time, inventory and fuel cost.
27. Use product and services information on handheld computers to up-sell.
28. Query latest shipping status and/or inventory levels via handheld computer while onsite with customer.
29. Document work and inspections time and dates to limit liability and disputes
    Use mobile technologies as a competitive advantage and show instant visibility to work.
30. Demonstrate to potential customers the advantages of including GPS, time and date stamps, digital images, audio memos and more to document work and synchronize with the office using your handheld computer.
31. Download product warranty information to the handheld computer for review at point of work.
32. Using rugged handhelds are often easier to carry around at job sites and are more durable than using laptops—lower ownership costs.
33. Mobile handheld computers with barcode scanners capture data quicker than typing on a laptop.
34. Combine your phone, GPS device, laptop, digital camera, paper forms and barcode scanner all on one mobile handheld device to save money, weight and support costs.
35. Combine job estimates, inspections, work orders, mobile inventory, time sheets all on one mobile application and one synchronization platform to mobilize and automate the entire business.
36. Scale your business by lowering administrative costs and the administrative work required to run the business.
37. Improve profits by analyzing real-time data collection on handhelds to understand the amount of time each task takes—so better scheduling and estimates can be implemented.
38. Push data to the handheld and avoid time communicating information on the phone.
    
    

Using Mobile Software Applications & Handheld Computers for Inspections

I often get asked what markets we focus on with our mobile software applications. My first reaction is to say only the markets that have money, but that is not true...we are particular...we prefer Euros now days! The real answer is that inspection services is very big for us.



In the inspections services market nearly every customer has unique data collection requirements. They can not simply go to Office Depot and find a handheld PDA software application that meets their unique inspection service needs. What is required is the ability to cost effectively customize a mobile inspection solution in a relatively short period of time. We developed the PointSync Mobility Platform for that purpose.



Most inspections follow a common process. From a high level software technology perspective an inspection looks like this:

1. Create and upload an electronic inspection form to a handheld computer
2. Capture data
3. Synchronize data and integrate data with the office database application

When you drill down a bit deeper it looks like:

1. Development tools for creating electronic inspection forms quickly


2. Add pick lists and drop down menus of items to inspect (to speed up inspections)


3. Add the measuring scale for inspections (i.e. excellent/good/fair/poor)


4. Add data validation to ensure quality data is capture


5. Add business rules to the handheld inspection form (i.e. the answer is invalid if it says the VW can carry 76 passengers)


6. Configure connectivity preferences (i.e. wireless, wifi, cable, satellite, etc.)


7. Configure the synchronization process


8. Configure the security settings


9. Configure integration of data with the designated database


10. Manage application updates and versions


11. Manage mobile users


12. Manage a large variety of unique mobile applications


13. Manage mobile devices

Two of the key words above are "Configure" and "Manage". You don't want to be required to program or code these items. It takes far too long and is far too expensive. You need a rapid application development tool for mobile inspections. You want to be able to design, develop and deploy new custom inspections quickly and cost effectively.

Some of our biggest mobile inspection customers are electrical utilities, food processing companies, electrical contractors, government agencies, construction engineering firms, etc. The common theme is a huge amount of data needs to flow easily and cost effectively between the field and the office over handheld computers, laptops or Tablet PCs.

If you would like to brainstorm about how to mobilize your inspection processes please contact us.

Insurance Inspector & Mobile Handheld Software Applications

Our team in the UK has been busy working with a number of insurance companies on mobilizing their inspection processes. Automobiles that are damaged must be inspected by representatives of the insurance company in order to value the car and appraise the damage.

The inspections take place at the location of the car - so rather than travel to the location, fill out a paper form, submit the paper form to the administration staff to type into a computer - the inspector fills out an electronic inspection form on a handheld computer and submits it wirelessly to the enterprise computer system for immediate processing.

Mobilized inspection processes make so much sense and are very easy to justify on the merits of reduced expenses, reduced errors and better customer service.

Electric & Water Utilities and Mobile Inspection Software

In the past week MobileDataforce has been contacted by over 20 electrical and water utilities. It seems mobile inspection software from MobileDataforce fills a significant need for them. Here are just a few of the inspections and other mobile applications that are common in the electrical industry:

Power Plant Inspections
Asset Management - Conditional Assessment
Meter Repair & Maintenance
Line & Pole Inspections
Stray Voltage Inspections
Health and Safety Inspections
Pole Inspections
Weld Tracking
Construction Management
Health & Safety
Facilities Management
Substation Inspections
GIS and mobile applications

Inspections on Handheld PDAs

Across the globe MobileDataforce's mobile inspection solutions are used in a wide variety of situations and environments. Let me list a few:

• Food Processing Plants


• Bridge construction


• Residential water usage


• Vehicle inspections for resale


• End-of-lease auto inspections


• Mold inspections


• Roof inspections


• Heavy equipment auctions


• Street sign inspections


• many more...

Yesterday I was involved in learning all about the following:

• Eddy Current Inspections
• Non-destructive Testing
• Tube Plugging Tests
• Corrosion Tests
• Ultrasonic Testing
• Concrete Testing
• Soil & Water Testing
• Leak Testing

Our PointSync Mobility Platform is the foundation for all of these inspections. It is a software platform that supports quickly designing, developing and deploying a wide variety of mobile inspections in a quick and cost effective manner.

Mobile Inspections and the Web

Inspections are of little value if the data is not shared, analyzed and provides relevant information necessary for making solid business decisions. We have worked with several customers who have reported that historic data from field inspections simply got placed in paper file folders and stored. The data was not accessed or viewed by any decision makers!!!

Most if not all of the field inspection applications that MobileDataforce have worked on synchronize data from mobile handheld computers to a database back at the office. Often we are asked to create web interfaces to this data so project participants and management can quickly login and review the collected inspection data from anywhere in the world via a web browser. We customize a series of reports that display the data in relevant and helpful formats for quick and efficient viewing and understanding.

Mobile Inspection Software

Mobile inspection software solutions are the topic of the week. Why? Many of MobileDataforce's largest global customers are in the inspection services business. In addition, rarely are inspections done in an office cubicle. They are most often completed somewhere away from the office and often out-of-doors. My engineering team has been developing and enhancing the PointSync Mobility Platform for many years specifically for companies that have a need to use a wide variety of different inspection applications and other mobile applications in the field.



The image in the upper right corner of this blog - is a screen shot of the PointSync Developer. This is the application companies use to develop each customized inspection. Once the mobile application is designed, developed and deployed the work can begin.

Because the inspection services industry covers such a wide variety of inspections, MobileDataforce created a mobile inspection platform to support the requirements for quickly changing them. Here is a list of a few of the common inspection applications:

• Building Inspections
• Power Pole Inspections
• Substation Inspections
• Stray Voltage Inspections
• Power Generation Plant Inspections
• Pipeline Inspections
• Health & Safety Inspections
• Scaffold Inspections
• Mold Inspections
• Fire Safety Inspections
• Conditional Assessment Inspections
• Auto Inspections
• End of lease vehicle inspections
• Quality Assurance Inspections
• etc...

The list is endless. No one would buy a separate mobile application for each of the thousands of different possible inspections. Companies want an mobile inspection platform that can support all of these possible scenarios. That solution is the PointSync Mobility Platform for Inspections.

Mobile Inspection Applications

MobileDataforce works with many inspection services companies. Our PointSync Mobility Platform enables companies that provide a wide variety of inspection services the ability to rapidly develop new and cost effective mobile inspection applications. The "rapid" part is very important since many inspections are project based, and you can't spend 6 months developing a mobile solution.

Some of our customers use the same mobile inspection application routinely, while others do contract work for electrical companies and other large organizations that require customized inspection services based upon the needs of the project. The PointSync Mobility Platform works well for both environments.

Toilets and Handheld PDAs

This is a first - MobileDataforce is developing a solution for inspecting toilets. Our team in Newcastle, England is working on a project called WaterSmart. This application is for Water Utility companies to use to help homeowners conserve water and save money.

This is how it works:

1. Inspectors swarm into a homeowner's bathrooms and start flushing their toilets, using their showers and filling their bath tubs.
2. They measure outputs, water pressure, and the overall water use of a house.
3. They use handheld PDA applications to collect all of this data and synchronize it back to headquarters
4. The data collected results in recommendations for the installation of water conservation equipment in the home, which kicks-off a work order process
5. The work order is dispatched to a service technician that travels out to the home and installs things like; balloons in the toilet to reduce the water in the tank, shower heads that reduce water volume to a dribble and many other clever things...

Inspection Failure & Handheld PDAs

NON-COMPLIANCE! REJECTION! There are so many different ways to fail an inspection. If you could see the stacks of inspection forms that sit on the desks of my professional services teams you could barely sleep at night! Have you ever thought about how many different ways you could fail an inspection?

If you were an elevator in Broward County, Florida - you could fail the following inspections: 7010, 7900, 7020, 7040, 7060, 7030, 7050, 7070, 7090

And believe me...you don't want to fail 7070.

In each of these inspections - you could end up in violation in so many different ways. You could receive "Danger Sign", "Ascending Car Over Speed", "Alarm Bell", and "Door Closing Speed" violations.

If you were a commercial establishment that sells medical narcotics legally, there are inspections completed by the State Board of Pharmacy. If you are a commercial establishment that sells narcotics illegally, then you have other problems to worry about.

In a juvenile corrections facility you could fail the nightly bed check inspection.

If you are a pest, you could fail a huge list of different inspections.

Termites, mold, water, soil, food, vehicle, safety, OSHA, fire equipment - there are thousands of different inspections you could likely fail at any point during the day.

In the electrical utility industry you could fail the following inspections before lunch:

Padmount transformer inspection
Manhole inspection
Pothead inspection (don't ask)
Vault (Substation) inspections
Station inspections
Padmount station inspections
Pole inspections
As-built data collection
Line patrol inspections
Ground rod inspections
Underground Splice inspections
Network secondary transformer inspections
Underground secondary network inspections
Customer equipment inspections
Sub-transmission insulator inspections
Switching center inspections
Farm metering inspection

The thing all these inspections have in common is that you can fail them all on a handheld PDA, and the failure can be synchronized wirelessly back to the central database where your wife can immediately be notified.