QuickFacts

Organisations with a field workforce (sales, technicians, researchers etc.) create huge wastage in workflow between the office and the field.  Optimising the business processes of a field workforce can reduce paper trails, reduce unnecessary travel, improve management of resources, reduce time delays and increase customer service levels through empowering the workforce with information.

QuickFacts is a tool to assist organisations who deploy a workforce in the field.  The solution provides for the acquisition and dissemination of information by and to any mobile workforce in a simple and effective manner.  Mobile workforces, be they sales, research, or technical in nature are able to work more efficiently with information at their fingertips.  Eliminating the need for paper based forms and unnecessary travel to the office reduces the carbon footprint of your workforce and improves business efficiency.

Simplifying daily reporting processes not only makes field staff more effective, but when linked to mapping technology also enables the organisation to better understand territory coverage and identify gaps and overlaps.

It allows business information templates to be defined centrally and then published to mobile devices ensuring the integrity of the collected information as well as managing the workflow process.  This information is available in any standard relational database from where it can be easily analysed and processed according to the organisational needs.  QuickFacts can run on a desktop, laptop or PDA device.

Data interrogation and synchronisation

A search facility enables one to search, edit and update data in the field.  The updated record will have an audit trail available through a logging facility.  Synchronisation uploads the data onto the server and also allows it to be available on the device in the field.

Real time form distribution

New forms, or existing forms that have been updated, and registered for use, can be downloaded to the device.

Work in progress and data transfer success

Completed records including logs are sent without data capture intervention to any one or more databases.  If the record does not reach the server intact, the record will be stored on the device for transmission once connection has been re-established.  Should the capture process be interrupted, resulting in the field worker being unable to complete a record successfully, the facility exists to recover work in progress.  The fieldworker has the ability to store a draft if necessary.  This draft can then be reviewed and completed before transmitting the record to the server.  Only when the server sends confirmation to the device that data transfer is complete, does the device delete the record.

Scheduling and Reminders

One is able to schedule meetings or reminders utilising Microsoft calendar on the device.

Optional GPS functionality

Full GPS support for personal routing, including navigation to destination optimises travel.

SERVER/ADMINISTRATOR FEATURES

Multi-page forms and page navigation

The administrator uses simple logic to determine which page should be used next, dependent on the response to a particular question.  The forms can branch and loop back to previous pages if necessary.

Validation of data input

There is wide applicability of rules to display warning messages or error messages that explain terms during field evaluation.

Manage Logging

It is possible to track device, user, date, time and record in the database selected for logging to create an audit trail for each record, particularly in cases where editing of records is taking place.

Setup Searches

It is possible to search the server-side of the database for data related to the record being captured for validation purposes or to inform the researcher.  This facility is selectable by the Administrator who needs only to specify which field in which table is searchable.  The search facility can be enabled or disabled.

Setup Previews

The administrator can preview how each form will look on the various devices used for capture to improve the look and feel of the questionnaire.  The screen size of the device needs to be specified by the Administrator to preview each device type.

GPS Integration

The Administrator can turn the GPS coordinate capture on or off depending on the need and this can be done with or without the knowledge of the sales person.  The latitude and longitudes can be stored in any appropriate database to which they have been linked.

Linking Data

The Administrator can link the captured data fields or the searched data fields to any one or more of a variety of registered databases.  Each field must be linked to the database field into which it must be stored on the server hosting that database.

Database Management

The Administrator can use pre-defined tables to capture the data or allow QuickFacts to create the tables automatically.  These tables can be edited as the project progresses to allow changes in the questionnaire and the resultant saved data, as long as the edited questionnaire is published.

User and Device Management

The ability to create and manage user profiles, roles and device registration is available.  Devices can be registered to specific users for tracing purposes.

Publish Projects

To provide more flexibility for the Administrator in the preparation of the form, upon finalisation the publishing facility makes it available for distribution.

Call Reports

Provides both the company and the field person with reports which enables them to understand their territory better and manage their performance.

In summary, key features include:

• Runs on a desktop, a laptop, a tablet, or a PDA
• Download new forms via GPRS
• Unique identifiers for captured records
• Send saved records automatically
• Search, edit and update previously captured and sent records
• Resume unfinished work if data collection is interrupted
• Save working record as a draft
• Advanced administrator tool
• Multi-page forms can be created
• Manage logging
• Authorise specific searches
• GPS integration
• Link data to a variety of registered databases
• Database management with predefined or automatically created tables
• User profiles and device management to create user
• Publish projects to make them available for distribution