Construction job sites require workers to use heavy equipment, tools, and other important assets. Keeping track of your equipment is an essential part of the job and having processes in place helps ensure equipment is well managed.
Some companies choose to manage this process with simple equipment checkout forms on site using paper. But paper forms are not always ideal for growing businesses that need to establish documented processes for tracking equipment and inventory checkout. Instead of relying on paper forms, construction firms can use mobile apps and forms for easier management and visibility into job site operations.
Continue reading this article to learn how mobile forms can be used for managing the equipment checkout process.
Why do you need a digital equipment checkout form?
Printable checkout forms using paper have a few disadvantages. Here are some of the top reasons to consider going paperless:
Paper forms can be easily lost or corrupted
Unfortunately it can be very easy to misplace or lose important forms when using paper. When managing assets like equipment, issues with paper work can lead to valuable things potentially becoming lost or misplaced.
Companies looking to simplify inventory management and asset tracking have gone the way of digital apps that make it easy to keep track of checkout and equipment forms. Since records are stored digitally to the cloud (even without an internet connection), you can be sure that forms are never lost and are easily accessible from anywhere.
The other downside with paper forms is that sometimes information is not filled out entirely, leaving off important details on the form. This can require you to track down the information later on or deal with incomplete data. Mobile apps help to ensure that data is filled out correctly every time, with required fields, drop-down lists, GPS tracking, and other features that promote standardized data.
Printable forms provide limited visibility in real-time
Digital apps also provide a better system to work between job site and office. While paper forms tend to become siloed, information stored to the cloud is easy to report on and track from anywhere.
For equipment management, this means your team has greater visibility across multiple job sites and information can be tracked in real-time. This can save time for everyone involved and provide a better solution for documenting and reporting on equipment being used for construction projects. Bringing information online can help to streamline tasks and improve workflows between disparate teams and locations.
GoCanvas Equipment Checkout Form Templates – Start Your Free Trial
GoCanvas is a leader provider of mobile apps for the construction industry, helping contractors worldwide to streamline their operations. Our mobile forms are completely customizable to your business needs, providing an easy-to-use platform for managing how work gets done. GoCanvas offers many pre-built form templates for the construction industry, like our equipment checkout form.
Key benefits of this app:
Equipment log that is designed to keep track of tools and other assets securely from a centralized platform for contractors
Ensure you know where heavy equipment and rentals are being used, helping to avoid lost tools and costly replacements
Customize what information is collected, from name of the tool, serial number, date and time, condition of the equipment, and more.
Collect digital signatures to provide an electronic record
Sync to analytics and reporting tools to easily run reports or export them to PDFs to share via email.
Sign up for a free trial to see how mobile forms can simplify tasks like equipment checkout, inspections, work orders, and much more. Looking for something else? Search thousands of pre-built form templates on the GoCanvas App Store.
GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers.
Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.
Check out even more resources
Gown Your Business with GoCanvas Partner Program
Join our Partner Program and gain instant access to our global network of thought leaders and industry experts enjoying shared collaboration and collective success.
Explore how Forte Supply Chain Solutions partnered with GoCanvas, combining in-house industry expertise with our white-label mobile forms to revolutionize their processes.
Providing the best possible customer experience is a top priority for companies in the service industry. Embracing digital technology like apps and software is one way to create a competitive advantage and modernize your field operations.
The field service industry encompasses many different types of companies, from residential service providers, utility businesses, transportation and logistics companies, and much more.
All of these companies rely on a segment of their workforce that operates in the field. Because employees are dispersed across different locations, it creates unique business and operational challenges to manage.
The category of field service management software has grown in popularity for companies that need to improve workflows and share information between the field and office. In this article, we will cover how field service software works and how it can help enable data-driven decision-making. Don’t miss out on our upcoming virtual discussion in January, where we will cover this topic in more detail and share real-world examples of how data analytics can impact your business operations.
Building a Business Case for Field Service Management Software
Building a business case to invest in software always means changing from the status quo. Historically, companies have relied on paper-based forms, Excel spreadsheets, and other types of manual processes to capture information from the field.
Because of how time-consuming these processes can be for everyone involved, it’s easy for operational leaders to recognize the need for investment in technology and make the business case for software solutions. For field service companies, building a business case is typically tied to these two operational challenges:
Difficult to scale and grow with manual processes
Most companies realize they need field service management software when they reach a level of business growth where it becomes too difficult or costly to scale efficiently. For example, a field services company is poised for growth but is, unfortunately, running into several common challenges like:
Time-consuming paperwork or manual processes done in spreadsheets and email
Inefficient scheduling and challenges assigning work
Slow billing cycles
Difficulty collaborating between field and office
All of these issues can become a drain on productivity and can even impact the customer experience negatively. When the paperwork and manual processes become too difficult to manage, companies look to software to help automate how work gets done.
Limited visibility into business operations
Another challenge for companies becomes the lack of visibility into their business operations. When data is difficult to access, it can become a labor-intensive process to roll information up for reporting.
Missing or incomplete data is common in these scenarios when data is not collected in a standardized fashion, resulting in data quality concerns. Getting to useful reporting may take days or even weeks to pull together, making it difficult to inform decisions on time.
Field service management software solves these challenges by ensuring best practices are followed for data capture and then providing the tools needed for data integration and business analytics. Continue reading to learn how GoCanvas works both in the field and in the office.
How GoCanvas Works for Field Service Management
Companies are moving to field service management software to set their business up for success. Here is a brief explanation of how software tools like GoCanvas help the field service industry:
Quality data capture in the field
GoCanvas allows field service companies to design mobile forms that can be completed from a tablet or phone by technicians on job sites. Since no internet connection is required, employees can easily open the GoCanvas app and see the tasks they have been assigned and the forms they need to complete. Other key features include:
Image capture to document photos and include them in reports
Signature capture to digitally sign off on work and collect customer approvals
Automatic calculations to ensure math is performed correctly for billing
GPS locations to confirm the exact locations of technicians and job sites
Barcode scanning to look up inventory or equipment
Mobile payments to seamlessly integrate payment functionality
Data integrations to pre-populate information from other databases, like a CRM system
GoCanvas helps with data capture by making sure quality data is captured and stored securely as digital records to the cloud. This saves time in the field and enables teams in the office to have real-time visibility.
Workflow tools for the office
Data collection is one component of using field service software. The other component is providing tools to help streamline processes for employees in the office with features designed to improve workflows and data sharing.
With GoCanvas, managers in the office can easily build custom forms, assign work to be completed by employees, and report on information using analytics. Here are some of the key features:
No-code app builder to easily create and edit mobile forms with a drag-and-drop builder
Branded reports that are generated automatically and can be emailed as PDF documents
Dispatch features to assign work and tasks to employees in the field
Workflow tools when approvals are required or multiple people need to collaborate on the same form submission
Data integrations to connect information from GoCanvas with the many other cloud-based systems your business already uses
Analytics to build custom dashboards and reports within GoCanvas
GoCanvas provides the workflow tools needed to simplify how work is accomplished in the field. By connecting the field and the office using software, information is easily accessible for reporting purposes.
GoCanvas helps organizations operationalize their data. Instead of siloed data in spreadsheets or paper forms, information is available to be summarized into trends that inform decisions. Continue reading for an example of how one GoCanvas customer leverages the software in action to save their business time and money.
Software in Action – How TE3CO Saves Time and Money
TE3CO provides mission-critical pressure relief technology and services to customers across the oil & gas industry. They employ a highly-trained and capable workforce of field technicians and engineers.
Before working with GoCanvas, TE3CO relied on spreadsheets and emails to manage their ticketing process but found the system difficult and time-consuming to track. They partnered with GoCanvas to ultimately help them:
Minimize rework & ensure accuracy by automating data entry
Streamline data collection through one database
Identify bottlenecks & improve process efficiency with data analytics
Spend less time on reactive admin tasks, allowing more time to focus on proactive growth strategy
Now that TE3CO has implemented GoCanvas to help with field operations and management, they’re able to save time and money by eliminating manual processes and having data that’s accessible for decision-making.
John Kovac, Technology Integration Manager at TE3CO, explained that “there’s so much that you can do when you have the proper information to know that you’re running your company properly and that you’re charging properly and taking care of your customers properly.” Leveraging software built for the field, TE3CO has found they’re able to:
Free up 20-30 man-hours/month
Save ~$60,000/year in resource efficiency
Identify leading indicators in 10 minutes vs. three days
Track tickets in real-time
Reduce billing time
Software for the field service industry has the potential to make a significant impact on overall efficiency and productivity. Ensuring data is consistent, standard, and accessible can enable organizations to make more informed decisions.
To learn more about field service software and to hear from TE3CO, make sure to register for the upcoming discussion on January 13th at 1 pm ET. We will dive deeper into the topics covered in this article, and there will be time for you to ask questions during the live Q&A. Follow this link for more information and a link to register.
GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers.
Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.
Check out even more resources
Gown Your Business with GoCanvas Partner Program
Join our Partner Program and gain instant access to our global network of thought leaders and industry experts enjoying shared collaboration and collective success.
Explore how Forte Supply Chain Solutions partnered with GoCanvas, combining in-house industry expertise with our white-label mobile forms to revolutionize their processes.
Work orders are used by field service organizations to manage work that needs to be performed for a client or on a job site. This guide explains everything you need to know about work orders and how your business can use them to operate more efficiently.
What is the Meaning of Work Order?
Companies that rely on field services need work orders to assign jobs and tasks. A common example could be an HVAC business with field technicians going into a customer’s home to perform repairs or maintenance. The work order is generated from the office and assigned to an employee in the field.
Having work orders ensures that jobs are assigned to the right team member and there is a clear understanding of the scope of work to be performed once on site. More companies are moving toward digital work orders and field service management software to help simplify the process for operations teams and business owners.
What is the Difference Between a Work Order and a Purchase Order?
Work orders and purchase orders serve different business functions. A work order authorizes internal or contracted labor to complete specific tasks, repairs, or maintenance activities. Purchase orders authorize the buying of goods or services from external vendors. Work orders focus on labor and task completion, while purchase orders handle procurement and inventory management. Companies often use both documents together when a job requires both materials (purchase order) and labor (work order) to complete.
What are the 5 Most Common Types of Work Orders?
Since work orders are used by many different industries, there are countless variations of a work order that can exist. Here are some of the most common types of work orders to give you a good idea of what work orders look like in practice:
Residential Services
An example of a work order for a residential services company could be pest control or landscaping project management. This type of work is generated by a customer who needs a service performed on the house, as part of a standing contract or routine home maintenance. Typically, a technician is dispatched to a client site and given a description of the client request and instructions for the job.
Contractors and Construction
An example of a work order for contractors could be a handyman business that is doing repairs or upkeep on homes. This type of work is requested by the client, and the contractor assigns employees to a client site or job site with the tools and equipment needed to complete the work. Another example might be a painting contractor with teams in the field that are assigned locally to a paint job.
Preventative Maintenance
Preventative maintenance work orders schedule routine upkeep to prevent equipment failures and extend asset life. These work orders assign technicians to inspect, clean, lubricate, and replace components on predetermined schedules. Examples include monthly HVAC filter changes, quarterly elevator inspections, or annual fire extinguisher testing. Preventative work orders reduce emergency repairs, minimize downtime, and help companies comply with safety regulations. Manufacturing facilities use these work orders to maintain production equipment, while property management companies schedule them for building systems like elevators, fire safety equipment, and HVAC systems.
Inspection Services
An example of an inspection service work order could be for a home inspection business or building inspections. These types of services are assigned to inspectors in the field who use checklists and create a report on the condition of a property for home owners, property managers, and real estate transactions.
Utilities Work
An example of a work order for a utilities business could be for an oil and gas company with production repairs taking place in the field. This type of work order is typically an internal request so that utilities companies can easily assign maintenance jobs to the right workers in the field.
What is the Procedure for Filling Out a Work Order?
Now that you know some common examples of work orders in action, this section covers some best practices on how to write a work order. Although there are many different use cases for work orders, here is our list of the most common items to include when writing a work order:
Address and location information: Providing the job location is critical so teams know where the work needs to be performed.
Designated contact information: It’s important to have the designated person’s contact information, in case there is an expected delay in arrival for performing the work or if questions happen to arise in connection with that work order. This contact may also be different from the requestor if there happens to be a facility manager or other worker that is present instead.
Due date: Having a due date for a work order is important for preventing a backlog of work, and it gives you the ability to predict downtime due to maintenance or repair work going on.
Request date: You will want to keep track of when requests were submitted, and including a date helps to ensure that work requests don’t fall through the cracks.
Requestor information: It’s possible that a different person will be present than the person who actually submitted the request for work or maintenance service. It can be helpful to have the requestor’s information to reference, in case there are questions related to the request.
Assigned field technicians or maintenance team: Work orders should always contain information about the teams that are assigned to fulfill the order. This helps companies track work being performed and helps to ensure that the correct individuals are responding to the request.
Instructions for work to be carried out: Work orders should always include detailed instructions to avoid any ambiguity about the required work.
By following these best practices and including all of these elements in your work order requests, your team will encounter fewer issues when carrying out maintenance tasks, and this will help your teams maximize its efficiency.
What is the difference between work orders and invoices?
Field service companies are set up with various forms to complete work and document information for the client. This is often referred to as a quote-to-cash process, and here are some key terms to understand and differentiate between.
Quotes and estimates. Typically, a bid, a quote, or an estimate is sent for review to the client. The client may want to review different companies and assess which option is best suited for their needs. Once a decision has been made, an approval is given by the client, and this will typically kick off the work order.
Work order. As we have covered in this article, the work order is generated and dispatched with the appropriate information to the field service team, who performs the work.
Invoice. Once the work order has been completed, typically, this initiates the invoice process. Invoices and work orders are not the same thing, but the invoice will mirror closely the work order with the job details and scope of work performed. The invoice is different in that it will reflect the exact prices, materials, and quantities that were actually used on the job and calculate the final bill for the customer.
Payment. Once the invoice report has been received by the client, they are able to submit payment terms and close out the work that has been performed. More companies are leveraging digital payment solutions to provide clients with an instant method of payment via credit card to get paid faster and to provide an instant digital receipt for documentation.
All of these steps take place for service companies, which is why it is often referred to as the quote to cash process and getting this right is crucial to getting paid on time and to ensure a seamless customer experience.
Handling work orders with work order management software
Work order management software is growing in popularity for field service companies. This type of software is designed to streamline how your business operates.
This category of software is designed to support the entire quote-to-cash process, giving businesses of all sizes the ability to take advantage of digital tools for increasing productivity and creating a competitive advantage. While businesses have historically relied on paper to do business, the trend is to move toward integrated and streamlined digital forms.
The major pain points for using paper forms include:
Lost work orders. Paper forms can easily be misplaced or lost.
Illegible handwriting. Messy handwriting can create confusion or errors.
Incomplete information. Technicians can forget to include required information.
Calculation errors. Performing math by hand can easily lead to calculation mistakes.
Manual processes. Employees need manual data entry and other tedious processes to get the job done.
Inability to scale. Paper forms are time-consuming and create busy work that slows down business growth.
Work order management software has tools to automate manual work, standardize how data is collected, and share information in real-time between the field and the office. This type of software is designed to increase productivity, helping employees focus more of their time on work that matters and less time on manual processes.
Want to learn more? This article shares three of the top reasons to leverage work order management software for your business.
Work Order Templates and Examples
GoCanvas is a leader in field service management software solutions, trusted by thousands of companies worldwide to increase productivity and streamline operations. Leverage our no-code platform for an easy-to-use work order management solution and to digitize your quote-to-cash processes. Contact our team to see how it works or sign up for a free trial to get started today.
Frequently asked questions
What is a work order and why is it important?
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A work order is a document used by field service organizations to manage tasks that need to be performed for a client or at a job site. It provides details about the work to be done, the location, and the personnel assigned to the task. Work orders are crucial because they ensure that jobs are assigned to the right team members and that there is a clear understanding of the work scope.
The importance of work orders extends to operational efficiency. By using work orders, companies can streamline their processes, reduce errors, and improve communication between the office and field teams.
What are the different types of work orders?
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Work orders can vary significantly across industries, but some common types include residential services, contractors and construction, preventative maintenance, inspection services, and utilities work. Each type addresses specific industry needs, such as pest control or landscaping for residential services, or equipment maintenance for preventative maintenance work orders.
Understanding these types helps businesses tailor their work order processes to meet specific operational requirements and improve service delivery.
How do you properly fill out a work order?
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Filling out a work order requires attention to detail to ensure all necessary information is included. Key elements include the job location, designated contact information, due date, request date, requestor information, assigned technicians, and detailed instructions for the work.
Including comprehensive details in a work order minimizes misunderstandings and ensures the task is completed accurately. For example, a clear due date helps prevent backlogs, while detailed instructions reduce ambiguity.
What distinguishes a work order from an invoice?
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A work order and an invoice serve different purposes in the service delivery process. A work order is created to outline the tasks to be performed and is sent to the field service team. It includes job details and instructions but does not contain pricing information, as it is used to manage and track the work being done.
In contrast, an invoice is issued after the work is completed. It reflects the prices, materials, and quantities used, and calculates the final cost for the customer. While a work order initiates the service process, an invoice concludes it by detailing the costs and enabling payment.
How can work order management software benefit businesses?
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Work order management software offers significant advantages for field service companies. It automates manual processes, standardizes data collection, and enables real-time information sharing between the field and the office. This helps businesses increase productivity by reducing time spent on paperwork and minimizing errors caused by manual data entry.
GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers.
Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.
Check out even more resources
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Paper timecards are costly in the short and long run. If you want to influence your bottom line, ditching them for a better alternative should be inevitable. This article covers three of the top challenges with paper timecards and how to avoid them using timecard apps.
Challenge #1: Buddy Punching
What is buddy punching?
Buddy punching is one form of time theft at work. Through this tactic, employees use their colleague buddies to clock in times not worked.
For example, if one is running late, they’ll most likely request their friends to clock them in without your knowledge. Another scenario is when one wants to check out unusually early. So, they ask their friends to clock them out at the checkout time.
The worst scenario is when a team member fails to show up entirely but still uses a friend to clock them in and out.
How does it negatively affect businesses?
According to a study byReplicon, 75% of small-scale businesses in the United States see a significant drop in annual revenue because of buddy punching. Paying employees for hours not worked adds up to your payroll. It’s costly in the long run because you’re paying out of your pockets instead of what they produce. The American Payroll Association confirms that 50% of employers’ costs are on payroll management.
Why is it hard to manage when using paper sheets?
Managing time worked by employees can be a hassle, especially when using paper timecards. This is because there’s no way to hold them accountable. Often, this is due to the shortcomings of paper sheets like the inability to track team member activity. Also, there’s colleague loyalty. Without a reliable system to clock time, colleagues will always want to protect their buddies.
Solution to buddy punching: Digital timecard apps
To minimize buddy punching, you can ditch paper timecards and use digital timecard apps instead. Digital apps have features to discourage buddy punching and make it much more difficult for employees. For example, timecard apps may have features such as GPS tracking, geofencing, unique passwords/logins, or even biometrics systems in advanced systems. Here’s how it works:
The GPS tracker helps track team members’ location, making it hard to lie about their check-in and check-out times.
The geofencing feature works more like the GPS tracker. The only difference is that it’s used to create a buffer around the workplace. Beyond this barrier, your employees can’t clock in time, helping to limit cheating.
Unique logins/passwords are a standard best practice for online systems and encourage workers to login from their own mobile phones when tracking their time, rather than a punch card system.
Some apps may even feature a unique system like biometrics for logging in. For example, the biometrics system uses fingerprints that can’t be manipulated.
Overall, timecard app technology pushes for accountability among employees because you can monitor their usage within the app, helping to discourage buddy punching.
Challenge #2: Human Error
The human error challenge is hard to avoid, especially when using analog systems to run a business. In particular, using paper timecards to clock in time increases the rate of human error in payroll systems.
Potential errors from paper timecards include inflated work hours and wrong entries due to lack of accountability and illegible writing. This means that if you detect the problem on time, you’ll have to re-do the entries to correct the mistakes.
Unfortunately, not many business owners can detect these errors on time, costing their payroll eventually. As a business owner or manager, it’s difficult to have oversight into such minute details like hours, meaning this can go unchecked.
The good news is: that shouldn’t be the end of your story if you’re a business owner. Yes, errors are prone to occur. However, with a timecard app, this shouldn’t cost your payroll anymore. Timecard apps are built to sync with accounting software, automatically enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of recording.
Timecard apps help to minimize human error and help you to save more that would otherwise go to payroll management. It’s not fair to pay extra wages because of wrongful recording or have to deal with payroll disputes. Have a timecard app will cut down on the errors that are common when dealing with paper timesheets.
Challenge #3: Manual Work
Tracking employees’ time using paper sheets can also be hectic and it can create manual workflows for your staff. Here are some of the common workflow challenges with paper timecards:
Tracking down missing or incomplete information
Correcting errors or mistakes
Manual data entry to submit timecards into accounting system
Travel time if employees in the field need to complete paper work in the office
Paper sheets create some frustrating manual work that can slow down your business growth and frustrate your employees. Because manual work is inefficient, it can also have the compounding effect of impacting your team’s morale and then their productivity when they are forced to spend so much time on “busy work.”
All of this can make it difficult for growing businesses to scale efficiently. Paper work can not be automated, so the faster you grow, the harder it becomes for your staff to keep up with the growing paper work from employees.
Switching to digital timecard apps because they help streamline business processes and automate how work gets done. Through timecard apps, data is submitted in real-time from employees in the field, eliminating time-consuming, manual workflows and data entry. Managers can also set up automatic notifications for employees to get alerted when a timecard is due, meaning they don’t have to send manual reminders or track people down. Finally, data can be integrated from timecard apps into accounting and payroll systems like QuickBooks or Sage for real-time data sync.
Final Verdict
If you’re still using paper time cards, you may have run into some of these hidden challenge that negatively impact your business. Going digital can help provide a more reliable solution with timecard apps that help productivity and accuracy of data collected from employees. Contact the GoCanvas team any time to set up a quick demo of our timecard app solution or sign up for a free trial here to learn more.
GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers.
Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.
Check out even more resources
Gown Your Business with GoCanvas Partner Program
Join our Partner Program and gain instant access to our global network of thought leaders and industry experts enjoying shared collaboration and collective success.
Explore how Forte Supply Chain Solutions partnered with GoCanvas, combining in-house industry expertise with our white-label mobile forms to revolutionize their processes.
Inspection forms are used during the inspection process to collect information that is compiled into a report. An inspection form can be completed using a standard sheet of paper or it can be completed digitally using software for inspections on a mobile form.
Many different types of inspection forms exist and will depend on the use case. For example, there are home inspections, commercial vehicle inspections, building inspections, safety inspections, equipment inspections, operational inspections, and even more. Each of these inspection types will require different form fields to collect the information that is relevant to that industry. Checklist forms are commonly used for many inspection types to give the inspector a simple checklist to ensure all items are filled out.
Inspection forms are most commonly used in the fields of construction, service industry, oil & gas, transportation & logistics, utilities, and various other industries. These industries can benefit greatly from software designed to streamline the inspection process for field teams collecting data.
Why do businesses need software for inspections?
Companies are adopting software to transform their business operations in many different ways. Inspections are a perfect example of a paper-based process that works more efficiently when performed digitally. The reason for buying inspection form builder software is to save time and money for your business. Here is how most companies make the business case and ROI for inspection form builder software:
Eliminating cumbersome data entry from the field
Inspection form builder software allows field teams to capture data from the field using inspection forms. Data is captured in real-time and shared with anyone that needs to see it, rather than relying on paper forms and manual data entry.
Avoiding risk and liability
Most inspections contain information that is very important to a business and needs to be kept safe. With paper documents, there is no way to control if documents are lost or illegible. With digital inspections using software and forms, organizations reduce their risk by having the information automatically saved to the cloud. Inspections can even be performed offline and then synced to the cloud when an internet connection is available again. This ensures that inspection reports are always available, whenever they are needed.
Gaining insights into field operations
It’s really difficult to spot trends and have meaningful insights into your business in real-time when manual processes and paper forms are involved. You may get to the reports, but your staff spends too much time creating reports on a daily and weekly basis. Moving the inspection process to software will give your organization the ability to analyze trends and potential problems. You can even get alerts to know when inspections fail, so you can send someone to resolve the issue right away. All of the reporting is done in real-time and available in the cloud, giving your business greater visibility into field operations.
How does inspection form builder software work?
There are many different features and functionality offered for inspection form builder software and forms. Here are some of the main ways that inspection software can be used:
Dispatch
One key feature of inspection form builder software is dispatch. With Dispatch, you can create, assign, and send tasks to your team from the software application. Field technicians can then head directly to the next call without ever having to check in with status updates. The software will also let you create custom report approvals between employees and supervisors using workflows. The goal of dispatch is to send jobs directly to your workers in the field to improve their productivity and reduce their downtime.
Forms and checklists
Another feature of inspection software is the form builder for field data collection. Forms and checklists that were once paper-based, now become a digital process for technicians to complete on tablets or mobile devices. The best form builder inspection software will allow you to build customized inspection forms using a low-code or no-code platform. This means that you can easily create customizable forms and apps on the platform, without any advanced technical knowledge. Mobile forms and checklists for inspections make the entire process simple. Easily collect all of the relevant information for your industry’s inspection, collect electronic signatures on the spot, and have the information digitized for record-keeping.
Reports
Once the inspection is completed in the field, the next step in the process is to generate a report. Without software for inspections, this might require several hours of additional work to compile the reports and send them to the appropriate parties after the job has been completed. Inspection form builder software streamlines this process by generating a digital report in real-time that can be shared via email and other communication channels.
Analytics
Another important feature of inspection form builder software is the ability to perform analytics across inspections. For many industries, this is useful for visualizing what’s happening across the business and distributing findings throughout the organization. Analytics is designed to allow you to drill down into one facet of your business or keep track of everything in a high-level view. All of this is meant to empower data-driven decision-making that can result in improved productivity and greater profitability.
Getting Started with Inspection Form Builder Software and Forms
The best part about inspection form builder software and forms is that the process to get started is simple. You can get started for free by signing up for an account with GoCanvas and companies that use the platform see a very fast time to value with digital inspections. Here are some common inspection form templates and examples.
Inspection Form Templates and Examples
Building Inspection Form
Looking for a customizable inspection form for your business? This versatile inspection form is designed for building inspections and can be adapted to fit your needs. This digital inspection form simplifies the processes to assess home condition and safety.
The inspection template covers general property condition topics covered during the inspection process, including cleanliness, safety and overall condition. Jot down notes about whether or not the home is in good condition and add photos.
The Quality Control Inspection form enables inspection of mechanical devices and equipment inspections. The form is designed for quality management and can be used by many different industries. The form is designed to help you detect problems and identify where quality improvement through corrective measures is needed. The digital quality control inspection form allows you to make recommendations in real-time using inspection form builder software to streamline the process for your business.
Vehicle inspection forms can be used during the pre-purchase phase of the vehicle, to ensure that the car is ready to be sold. Vehicle inspection technicians can use this mobile form to review the vehicle’s condition and assess what repairs are needed in order to have the vehicle in top condition for the new owner. Use this inspection form to ensure customer satisfaction and document your dealership’s attention to detail when performing vehicle inspections for the customer.
The housekeeping inspection form is designed for companies that provide cleaning services and janitorial services. Use the mobile form to add specific details about the building, including areas that need extra attention from cleaning staff, and the overall condition of inspected areas.
This inspection form helps to ensure that the highest level of standards are met and inspections are performed consistently using the template form provided to employees. Going digital with this type of inspection form allows your teams to complete inspections faster and provide instant feedback from their inspections. For example, if an issue is detected during the inspection, an image can be attached to the report and submitted instantly to have the item corrected as soon as possible.
The Food Service Inspection Form helps restaurants to perform full inspections of food service operations electronically.
The food establishment inspection form includes all areas of the food service facility and can be completed on a mobile device with a report that is automatically generated with the results of your inspection. This form is essential for restaurants and other service businesses to ensure the quality and cleanliness standards are met.
Looking for something different? See another helpful resource that is a compiled list of inspection templates and examples for many different use cases and industries. You can also find all of our inspection apps on the GoCanvas App Store.
GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers.
Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.
Check out even more resources
Gown Your Business with GoCanvas Partner Program
Join our Partner Program and gain instant access to our global network of thought leaders and industry experts enjoying shared collaboration and collective success.
Explore how Forte Supply Chain Solutions partnered with GoCanvas, combining in-house industry expertise with our white-label mobile forms to revolutionize their processes.
Time cards are widely used in the construction industry to keep an accurate record of hours worked, for project management and payroll purposes.
The basic function of a time card is to collect employee data. While many businesses have traditionally relied on paper forms or spreadsheets as a way to track hours worked, more companies are now starting to embrace technology solutions for construction project management and reporting.
Paper forms and spreadsheets are now being replaced with mobile forms — allowing workers to complete their time cards simply by using their mobile phones on the job site.
As a standalone application, a construction time card app is fairly basic in its functionality. It will track standard fields like hours worked, type of hours (regular time, over time, or double time), and things like a signature for approval. It goes without saying that the exact fields on a mobile time card app can be customized based on business needs, and no-code solutions make it easy to design the app to your exact requirements.
Although time cards are relatively simple applications, they can become a powerful asset when digitized through mobile apps and integrated into other core business processes.
3 Ways to Elevate Your Business Operations with Technology
This article covers how time card apps can be integrated into the larger business technology and data ecosystem. The ideal state is to make it easy for employees to fill out and automate manual processes for operational staff in the office. Here are three ways to leverage time card apps into your business operations:
#1 Leveraging Reference Data to Save Employees Time
Depending on the nature of the work being performed, employees may need to input data on their timesheets that are specific to the project, customer, or type of work. While this can certainly be done manually each time, it winds up costing employees additional time to fill out all of the form fields by hand or referencing other sources of information.
GoCanvas time sheet apps are built with a feature called Reference Data, which allows you to integrate apps with other databases that you own. Instead of looking up the data on your own, GoCanvas will automatically fill out form fields using data that exists in another database. Pull in specific project codes, customer information, accounting fields, and anything else that you need to include on that time card sheet.
Anywhere your company stores data can be pulled into GoCanvas automatically, allowing employees in the field to leverage pre-filled form fields or drop-down lists to capture information faster.
Not only does the reference data feature help employees spend less time filling out forms, but it also enables your company to standardize how data is submitted. Required fields and drop-down lists can ensure that no mistakes are made or critical information is missing. All of this allows your employees to spend less time on busy work and gives you better, more accurate data in real-time.
#2 Streamline Operations for Accounting
We covered how you can bring data into GoCanvas to simplify form fills, but you can also connect this data from the field to then sync with other applications your business uses in the office.
For construction time card apps, the most common example of this would be an integration with your accounting system like QuickBooks or Xero. Not only can data be brought into GoCanvas, but submissions from GoCanvas apps can be automatically synced into those core accounting systems that your business uses.
Paper forms and spreadsheets create additional manual work for teams. A manual workflow usually requires:
Data entry in the field
Ensuring there are no mistakes
Communicating back and forth between teams via email
Manually entering or uploading information back into the accounting system
All of this creates additional steps in the workflow that are not necessary. With GoCanvas apps, all of this manual work is eliminated and once a timesheet is submitted, it’s automatically recorded in the accounting system. This can help to process payroll and any other accounting tasks faster when data is available instantly from job sites.
This type of automation and data integration is essential for growing businesses. Paper forms and manual work can not scale efficiently. Anywhere you can leverage technology like GoCanvas to automate workflows will save you time and money that impacts overall profitability.
#3 Integrated Data for Reporting Purposes
Another key benefit for organizations that digitize their time cards is the ability to integrate that data for reporting purposes.
With construction time cards, you can have them sync with your construction daily reports, giving project managers and stakeholders a real-time view of work performed. GoCanvas helps construction site managers instantly share their daily reports via email as a designed PDF document with images and relevant updates.
Digitizing time cards and daily reports can have a significant impact on productivity and cost savings. For example, one general contracting company was able to realize a $120,000 cost savings on an annual basis by switching to GoCanvas for mobile daily reports.
Beyond reports, mobile form data can also be used for data analytics performance. This could be in the form of a dashboard that is monitored by owners or project managers to understand how things are tracking toward the plan. For construction projects, these types of analytics insights can help to avoid cost overruns or delays, and having the insights in real-time can allow you to communicate the issues quickly and take any proactive measures.
A study from FMI found that 96% of construction data goes unused. Your data that is collected in the field can be a powerful asset when rolled up for analytics. Mobile data platforms like GoCanvas allow you to collect data through forms, and create custom dashboards right in GoCanvas for analytics purposes. GoCanvas also allows you to take the submission data and integrate it with other BI applications your business uses, opening up the possibilities for you to integrate GoCanvas into your broader data ecosystem.
Want to learn more about how mobile data platforms can impact your construction business? Check out our playbook on the power of data analytics for commercial construction.
GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers.
Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.
Check out even more resources
The Ultimate Guide to Quality Control Inspections
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The term mobile inspection refers to the process of using a mobile device or tablet to perform an inspection in the field. Companies are eliminating paper forms and instead relying on mobile technology in today’s digital era to perform job functions like inspections on a mobile device.
The mobile inspection is performed by a technician in the field and the data is then automatically synced in real-time to the office or generated as a report for the customer. Given the remote nature of many inspection job sites, mobile inspections can also be performed offline. Using an inspection mobile app, the information can be collected offline and synced to the cloud once an internet connection is available again.
What is the best inspection app?
The best construction project management app should be simple to use and customizable for any business or use case. Here is what you need in order to have a best-in-class inspection app for your business:
Ease to use and adopt. The best inspection apps should be easy to use and easy for your entire staff to adopt into their workflows. No coding or advanced help from IT should be required with app development or customization, ensuring that you can quickly build inspection apps and see a fast return on investment.
Fast time to value. The best inspection apps should provide an immediate value to your organization. There should be clear processes to help you implement and get started with the app platform, with dedicated customer success teams to ensure your organization is getting value from the inspection app.
Secure and compliant. The best inspection apps will have robust security for cloud software and will be designed for compliance with HIPPA, GDPR, OSHA, and any other business-specific requirements to ensure data is processed and stored properly.
Data integrations and insights. The best inspection apps will integrate with other cloud apps that your business already uses.Analytics and reporting capabilities should be robust to provide business insights in real-time to inform smarter decisions for operations leaders.
When evaluating inspection apps and technology, be sure to take these factors into consideration to ensure that you have tools that can help you scale your business, automate key business processes, and enable your business to work more efficiently.
15 Inspection Apps to Get Started With for Free
GoCanvas is a leading provider of inspection apps and forms for businesses across industries. Our expansive library of templates is a great place to start when looking for free templates to use for your next inspection. All of our mobile inspection apps are completely customizable and are built on our drag and drop interface that doesn’t require any coding to build apps.
This article compiles a list of our most popular inspection apps available for businesses in 2021. You can also search the GoCanvas application store for more examples and templates. Follow the links below to see how it works or simply contact our team any time to learn more.
Construction, Manufacturing, and Job Site Inspections
Safety Inspection App
Heavy Equipment Inspection App
Forklift Inspection App
Ladder Inspection App
Manufacturing Material Inspection App
GoCanvas Inspection Apps
Home inspection app
Home inspection apps are used during real estate transactions to assess the state of a property. If you are in the business of performing home inspections, this app allows you to digitize the process of a home inspection. Dynamic checklists help to speed up the process and home inspectors only need to fill out the relevant sections of the form based on the house type. Use the dispatch feature to send out a worker in the field and automatically have a report generated for the buyer and for your office records.
Learn more about the GoCanvas home inspection app and get started for free.
Property Inspection App
Similar to the home inspection app, this property inspection mobile app is designed to assess the state of a property, specifically for landlords or management companies for their rental properties. This checklist inspection app allows property owners, managers, or landlords to easily check the condition of a residential rental property and record that it is in good condition for tenants. Digitizing this information makes it simple to create PDF reports that can automatically be shared with the tenant and the management team has a record stored in a central cloud location for easy access when needed.
Learn more about the GoCanvas property inspection app and get started for free.
Custodial Inspection App
Custodial inspection apps are used for janitorial services to denote which areas of the building were cleaned by staff. Using an inspection app can ensure that quality standards are met and simple checklists are helpful for remembering all areas of the building. Digitizing this information can help cleaning businesses to elevate their customer service experience, bring reports, invoices, and a digital record of work that has been performed.
Learn more about the GoCanvas custodial inspection app and get started for free.
Hotel Room Inspection App
Many companies in the hospitality industry leverage the GoCanvas mobile platform to complete their hotel room inspections. This simple app provides a checklist for cleaning crews to perform all of the necessary tasks for servicing guest rooms at a hotel. Managers and hotel management benefit from having this information digitized, giving them more visibility into their operations and helping to understand the overall condition and state of the hotel in real-time.
Learn more about the GoCanvas hotel room inspection app and get started for free.
Fire Alarm Inspection App
Fire alarm and fire sprinkler inspections are common in buildings to ensure that all of the smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, and smoke alarms are in working order. This app allows inspectors to perform this inspection using a mobile device or tablet and a report is automatically generated with the results. This streamlines the process for staff and gives instant visibility into fire inspections for management and anyone else that needs the information.
Learn more about the GoCanvas fire alarm inspection app and get started for free.
Pool Inspection App
This app is designed for pool inspectors and public pool managers so they can list safety violations, corrective actions taken, and document any required pool closures. The pool safety inspection app includes fields for a variety of details, including water chemistry, pool water cleanliness, equipment safety and more. Once the inspection is completed, the pool operator can instantly sign off on the results using a tablet or mobile device and have the records saved automatically to the cloud.
Learn more about the GoCanvas pool inspection app and get started for free.
HVAC Inspection App
HVAC inspections are needed to ensure the heating and air-conditioning systems are properly configured. This mobile app template includes important elements, including the HVAC ducts, air quality test, exhaust fans, testing for leaks and a thermostat check.
As a building inspector or contractor, this inspection app simplifies the process for performing residential or commercial services and allows the entire process from work order, inspection, invoicing, payment, and reporting to be managed digitally.
Learn more about the GoCanvas HVAC inspection app and get started for free.
Pre-Trip / Post Trip Inspection App
The pre-trip and post-trip inspection is performed by drivers with CDL licenses to track details about their trucks and report any damage or improvements that need to be made before the vehicle can go out on the road. Digitizing this form allows commercial truck drivers and managers to ensure that the proper inspection has been performed and signed off digitally to keep an accurate record for management purposes.
Learn more about the GoCanvas pre trip inspection app and get started for free.
Vehicle Inspection App
The vehicle inspection app is designed for car dealerships to perform a pre-purchase inspection of a car. This mobile app is designed to digitize the inspection form that is used before vehicles are given to a new owner of a car. GoCanvas vehicle inspection apps can be customized to your needs and this template is a great way for car dealerships and business owners to manage the vehicle inspection process digitally.
Learn more about the GoCanvas vehicle inspection mobile app and get started for free.
Fleet Inspection App
For transportation companies that have a fleet management program, this inspection app provides a template that can be used for compliance, safety, and preventive maintenance. Managing this digitally allows fleet operations teams to gain greater instant visibility into their fleet with real-time reports.
Learn more about the GoCanvas fleet inspection app and get started for free.
Safety Inspection App
Safety inspections are an important part of any construction project. This safety inspection app helps contractors and construction firms to ensure compliance with OSHA and perform regular safety inspections of job sites. The data collected from a safety inspection app can be used as part of the safety management program and other important programs like toolbox talks, job safety analysis, incident reports, and more can be managed through GoCanvas for a comprehensive digital safety solution.
Learn more about the GoCanvas safety inspection app and get started for free.
Heavy Equipment Inspection App
Performing heavy equipment inspections are important on the job site to ensure safety and prevent delays by having greater insight into your equipment. This inspection app provides a template that can be used on job sites and includes all of the important details for the inspection, including the date of safety inspections, issues found, and other relevant details.
Learn more about the GoCanvas heavy equipment inspection app and get started for free.
Forklift Inspection App
Forklifts are commonly used in many different job sites. The GoCanvas forklift inspection checklist helps ensure safe operation and identifies areas where forklift maintenance may be required. The checklist template covers all areas of the electric forklifts, including fluid levels, tires, forklift trucks, forklift operator safety equipment and more.
Learn more about the GoCanvas forklift inspection app and get started for free.
Ladder Inspection App
Ladder inspections are critical for job sites to ensure worker safety. Using the ladder inspection app on GoCanvas, you can make sure that all ladder equipment is in good condition and any damaged equipment is fixed before use. Use this in conjunction with the other GoCanvas safety apps to ensure that all aspects of the job site are compliant with OSHA and injuries and incidents are avoided.
Learn more about the GoCanvas ladder inspection app and get started for free.
Manufacturing Material Inspection App
This mobile app is designed for quality inspections when items arrive or they are taken out of inventory as part of the manufacturing operations. The app is designed as a quality control tool to be used from anywhere and have a digital report generated automatically to simplify the process for workers and eliminate tedious paper work.
Learn more about the GoCanvas manufacturing material inspection app and get started for free.
GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers.
Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.
Check out even more resources
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Job cards are used to record all of the pertinent information that workers need to know about a job or task to be performed as part of a work order. Many industries leverage job cards, including construction and contractors, manufacturing, engineering, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and other similar types of field service organizations.
What should a job card include?
Job cards should include any of the necessary information that will be needed to complete the job assigned. Typically, this would include:
Client information and project-specific details
Scope of work and what is being done
Form fields to note the time, materials, stock, and total cost of work
Signature lines to be signed by worker and project manager or client
Relevant images and additional notes
All of the fields on a job card will be custom to the work being performed and the job at hand. While these have historically been managed using paper forms for job cards, more companies are switching to apps for job cards to digitize their workflows.
Why use an app for job cards?
Construction Management Software for job cards are gaining popularity with businesses because they can be completed via a mobile device or tablet from anywhere. Instantly having all of the information digitized is a time-saver for teams and businesses benefit from eliminating paper forms. Some of the main drawbacks of using paper forms include:
Incomplete or illegible data
Lost or misplaced documents
Inefficient workflows that require manual work
Mobile apps are designed to simplify the process for everyone involved. Job card apps can be customized to include all of the key details, form fields, and automatic calculations for time and material costs, digital signatures, and image capture for additional context. All of the information is created as a report or PDF and sent automatically to anyone that needs the information.
Seamless process for job management
Beyond just the basic use case for a job card app, many companies also benefit from integrated job card apps with other business processes related to the job card app. App platforms today are designed to automate work and fit into many of the workflows that happen on a job site or out in the field.
This means that apps for job cards can be one part of the entire process for job management. You may also want to design the app platform to have other components like quotes, contracts, work orders, dispatching systems, invoicing, and payment processing.
Modern app platforms like GoCanvas can enable your business to streamline how this work gets done, with a completely seamless process for handling all of these different components from start to finish. Using our no-code platform for apps, companies are able to digitize their operations and enable employees on job sites and in the field to easily enter data using their mobile devices.
These tools are designed to be simple, giving businesses of all sizes the ability to embrace digital technologies to save time, reduce risk, and create a competitive advantage for the business. Learn more about how it works by visiting our website, or you can get started for free using one of our job card templates listed in the next section.
Getting started with one of our templates, you will see how easy it is to build and customize apps for job cards and many other key business processes.
Job Card App Examples and Templates
Material and Labor Job Card Mobile App
The material and labor job card app is used to record all of the materials used for a project. The app also has a worksheet for recording all the labor work used for the same project. The material section covers both the acquired materials at the course of the project and the offcuts which were left out after the project.
Subcontractor Job Card Mobile App
This subcontractor job card app is used to collect all the relevant information required by the general contractor for an ongoing contract or job. This includes project requirements, the scope of work. estimated cost, estimated completion date, risk analysis, and more. Once the contractor requirements form is complete, the job card sheet is stored for your records and can be edited as needed. This makes it easy for general contractors to maintain current records for construction projects and all other jobs that require the help of subcontractor employees.
Engineering Job Card: Service Installation Mobile App
The engineering job card app enables the professional engineer to record excavation and reinstatement information. This mobile application can be modified to meet your customer expectations, including preventative maintenance and quality assurance.
Looking for something different?
We have hundreds of pre-built forms with a variety of features to fit all of your business needs. Discover more inspections in our Application Store.
Frequently asked job card app questions
How do job card apps benefit businesses?
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Job card apps help businesses automate job tracking and cut errors. Workers update job details in real time, and managers can monitor progress as it happens. This improves efficiency, strengthens communication, and removes paperwork. In fields like construction and field services, these apps also streamline invoicing, time tracking, and reporting. GoCanvas offers a job card app that helps teams save time, reduce mistakes, and keep more accurate job records.
What is the best job card template for a workshop?
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The best workshop job card template includes the job title, a clear task description, a list of materials or tools used, labor hours, and costs. It should also include worker details and a space for supervisor approval. Many workshops need to capture inventory or machinery usage and maintenance notes, depending on the work. GoCanvas provides a flexible workshop job card template so teams can track details in real time and improve operations.
What industries use job card templates?
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Job card templates are common in construction, field services, HVAC, plumbing, and maintenance. These industries use job cards to record work details like labor, materials, and time on task. In construction, a card may outline project phases. In HVAC, it tracks installs and repairs. GoCanvas supports these teams with digital job cards that automate tracking, reduce errors, and provide real-time updates for smoother project management.
Can job cards be used for maintenance tracking?
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Yes. Job cards work well for maintenance tracking. They record tasks performed, parts replaced, labor hours, and service dates on equipment, machines, or facilities. This creates a clear record, helps teams follow schedules, and keeps nothing from being missed. GoCanvas offers customizable digital job cards so maintenance teams can track work accurately and access records quickly.
What is the difference between a job card and a work card?
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A job card tracks the details of a specific job, including the description, materials, and time spent. A work card focuses on labor hours and productivity during the job. In short, job cards cover the job and materials, while work cards emphasize worker time and performance. GoCanvas lets businesses use both in one system to improve job management and efficiency.
GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers.
Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.
Check out even more resources
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Field service management software and apps are transforming how businesses operate. The term field service refers to any company that relies on a field team that works directly with the customer to fix a maintenance request or perform another task on site.
The typical workflow starts with a customer call into a support agent that handles the request and creates the work order. A dispatcher is then responsible for sending out the appropriate field team member who will work directly with the customer. Once the work is completed, an invoice and field report is created to summarize the work performed.
The Need for Digitization in Field Service Management
It’s challenging to manage all of the moving parts when you have a decentralized organizational structure and many workers out in many different locations.
A common way for companies to manage their operations is on paper sheets. These can be used in field service for many important tasks, like work orders, service reports, estimates, and other forms of documentation.
Beyond the direct costs of paper usage, there are also many hidden costs and challenges that come with paper-based processes. For example:
Lost or missing data that costs businesses time and money
Decrease in worker productivity stemming from large amounts of manual work
Unhappy customers and employees that deal with inefficient processes
Lack of data insights to understand key business trends
Field service companies need to modernize in order to stay competitive in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Embracing digital technologies that streamline how your business operates will create a competitive advantage, increase productivity, and maximize profitability.
Key features to look for in technology
Mobile apps are an important part of the technology suite that field operations teams need to manage a distributed workforce. All of the paper forms can be re-created as mobile forms and apps to simplify field data collection.
There are several key features to look for when you are evaluating field service management software and apps. Mobile apps should be:
Simple to build – Low-code or no-codemobile app platforms are designed to enable non-technical users to build apps. This gives organizations of all sizes the ability to create simple, yet powerful apps without any help from IT.
Simple to customize – No two businesses operate exactly the same. The ability to customize the apps to fit your needs is going to be an important feature when selecting a mobile app platform.
Simple to integrate – The mobile app platform needs to be connected with the rest of the digital ecosystem you have in place. The ability to integrate with systems you already use today is an important feature when selecting any technology.
Simple to automate – The main reason to leverage technology is to enable your teams to work smarter. Your mobile app platform should enable the automation of workflows and tasks, saving your business time and money.
This list highlights the importance of having a robust platform that is simple to use. This will lead to greater adoption and a fast time to value for your organization.
3 Reasons To Invest in Field Service Management Software and Apps
#1 Workforce productivity and satisfaction
Paper forms are a drain on productivity for field workers and management. The top reason organizations invest in mobile apps for field service is to make their workers more productive using modern technology.
Going mobile dramatically reduces the issues of manual data collection and redundant work. All information is immediately available in the cloud and is integrated into other software programs and databases. This allows you to automate other processes to reduce the time spent on manual tasks.
The most common apps used to increase efficiency in field service include things like work orders, time sheets, dispatch, scheduling, inspections, and more.
To put this into perspective, organizations that use GoCanvas for field service management have found that they are able to complete more work 25% more work on average.
This in turn leads to a better working environment for staff when they are more productive. No one enjoys spending time on manual and redundant tasks, so eliminating this from their daily routine can lead to greater employee retention and satisfaction.
#2 Customer satisfaction
People have become very used to an easy customer service experience. Customers expect your field service teams to operate efficiently and make the process seamless. Mobile apps to enable field workers can help improve customer satisfaction and create a competitive advantage for your business.
The most common apps to improve the customer experience include things like digital invoices, electronic signatures, payment processing, preventative maintenance, and more.
To put this into perspective, organizations that use GoCanvas for field service management have found that their customer satisfaction has increased by 8%.
#3 Data and Analytics
Data and analytics are becoming one of the greatest assets for businesses today. Instead of having that information stored offline on paper or in one-off spreadsheets, organizations are focusing on standardizing their data collection practices. Mobile apps allow businesses to collect consistent data from the field that is rolled up for analytics and reports to spot important trends that can influence decisions.
When you have inconsistent data, it also creates more work for your teams. For example, customers have shared that using the GoCanvas mobile app platform has saved them 50+ hours per week that was spent on creating critical reports for analytics.
An investment in software and apps for field service management will benefit your entire organization. More productive workers, greater efficiencies with back-end processes, and a streamlined experience for customers. All of this leads to competitive advantage, cost savings, and increased revenue for your business.
Visit our website to request a demo and learn more about the GoCanvas mobile app platform for field service management.
GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers.
Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.
Check out even more resources
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A timesheet is a data table that allows you to report the time worked on a job. Instead of using a simple punch card to clock in and clock out, companies will use timesheets for tracking time and related information about the job. Paper or excel spreadsheets are simple methods for time tracking, but many companies prefer to instead use digital technology like mobile apps and software for timesheets.
Much of what’s included on a timesheet is up to the company’s unique needs, so the ability for customization is important when choosing a tool. For example, some organizations may need their employees to fill out timesheets at a determined frequency — like a monthly timesheet, a bi-weekly or weekly timesheet, or a daily timesheet. Companies may also need more detail than a simple time-in/time-out line, so the digital timesheet can be customized to include more detailed information about the particular job site or client information.
Pros and Cons of Different Types of Timesheets
There are definitely some pros and cons when it comes to choosing a tool for timesheets.
Paper timesheets and excel files are basic tools that are simple and not very expensive upfront. The downside with these options is that there tend to be costs in the long-term due to inaccuracies with work hours and inefficiencies for processing the data.
Inaccuracies can happen when an excel file or document is modified or changed by mistake, due to a human error. It’s possible that employees can delete or corrupt data that creates additional work later on trying to reconcile these issues. For processing the information, paper sheets or excel sheets can create additional work that is often manual and time-consuming. For example, an accounting team may be required to spend additional work processing payroll because the data lives in a spreadsheet on someone’s computer or on a paper sheet that needs to be digitized manually.
To avoid these issues, companies have found that mobile apps and software for timesheets are a better alternative. Timesheet software and apps allow employees to fill in their time and any additional information into a digital form.
Digital timesheets are very useful when employees need to use a timesheet in the field. Simply using a mobile application on a phone, employees can digitize the information and set the company up for success. While there may be a small cost involved with mobile apps and software, companies have found that the efficiency, accuracy, and insights gained are able to offset any of the upfront investment. No matter the size of your organization, there are many great reasons to move your business over from paper or excel sheets, into a more reliable business application that is specifically designed to improve the timesheet processes for your operations.
Why are timesheets necessary?
Timesheets are necessary because they create a record of the time that team members or employees spent working.
Companies can also use timesheets for more advanced purposes. For example, project managers may want to use timesheets to understand if projects are progressing on time and budget. Another example is lawyers or professional services teams that need to record their billable hours and detailed information about services rendered to the client. Timesheets are necessary for keeping an accurate record of this information, both for invoicing purposes and documentation.
Many companies also find that timesheets give them greater insight into the work being performed. By understanding how employees, freelancers, and contractors use their time, companies can execute business processes and personnel changes to improve efficiency and revenue. Having this information stored digitally helps to enable companies to easily report on the information that is collected.
Should exempt employees fill out timesheets?
A question that comes up regularly is whether or not exempt employees who are salaried need to fill out timesheets.
For employees who do not get paid on an hourly basis, timesheets can still be valuable tools. A daily timesheet can help these types of employees understand how they are using their time and help determine an effective hourly rate. Knowing the effort required to perform work can help determine fair salaries, award additional time off, and determine appropriate pricing for any services those employees provide.
Another benefit to exempt, salaried employees filling out timesheets is for human resources and record-keeping purposes. A timesheet creates a valuable record for noting when a worker is present and when they are using PTO or sick leave.
How do timesheet apps improve time tracking?
Timesheet software and timesheet mobile apps can help organizations of all sizes and with multiple employees or worker types. Here are some of the key benefits of these technologies:
Real-time tracking: An advanced feature with apps is that they can utilize GPS data, worker activity, and more to automatically maintain a record of time.
Field data-collection: Timesheet apps are available on iOS or Android devices, so employees can submit information in the field with ease.
Consistent and trusted information: Apps are designed to standardize how the data is collected, helping to avoid human error and mistakes that are common with paper sheets or excel.
Streamlined business processes: Staff members save valuable time when the information is digitized and the data can be used to automate other related tasks or workflows. For example, apps can be integrated with payroll software or HR software to streamline how your teams work.
Timesheet apps and software are simple but very effective for tracking time and any related information to the job. Paper forms and spreadsheets may be a simple option to start, but ultimately these tools will lead to data issues later on that are not ideal for your business. Consider switching to a mobile app for time tracking to eliminate these issues and to gain the operational efficiencies that help your business work smarter.
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