Business Operations

6 Things to Look for in a Time Card App

Posted on by Danny Kanev

6 Things to Look for in a Time Card App

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Time card apps are growing in popularity to replace the traditional form of punching in and punching out. A digital time card allows employees to record their hours worked by using a mobile app on a phone, tablet, or computer.

Time card apps are helpful for a company’s payroll systems. By recording hours worked through the mobile app, it can sync to your accounting software to initiate payment for your employees. This process runs much more efficiently than paper time cards. Instead of logging hours on a paper form, spreadsheet, or Google Sheet, you can use simple time card apps to collect hours worked and have it synced in real-time for faster payments and less work for your operations staff. 

6 Things to Look for in a Time Card App

As a leading provider of mobile forms and apps, GoCanvas has helped thousands of companies to digitize their processes and work more efficiently using time card apps and more. If you’re thinking about going with digital time card apps, this article covers some of the top things to look for when selecting a platform for mobile apps and forms.

#1. Simplicity

Time cards should be simple for employees to fill out. The time card template should be easy to complete and time cards can be edited or modified, if needed. Some time card systems will allow you to pre-fill information based on data that is already known. For example, if you are a contractor and billing to a certain client, you may have a unique client ID that is referenced when completing the time card app with data from your CRM or other database. This saves time during the time card process and the goal is to make the process fast for your employees in the field or on a job site. 

#2. Mobility 

It goes without saying that your time card apps need to be accessible via mobile device and tablets, even when your employees do not have access to the internet. Time card apps can be completed offline and then synced back to the cloud when WiFi is available again. Mobile time card apps make it simple for anyone to complete their timesheet, and your business does not have to provide the hardware in most cases. Most employees can use their own mobile devices to complete simple time cards, making it easy for them to complete and easy for your business to process. 

Another native feature with a mobile device is GPS tracking. Time card apps can be enabled with the GPS tracking feature to confirm that work has taken place at a specific location. This can help ensure that your team is clocking in and out from the job location and you can have an accurate record of where work has been performed. This can be a hidden feature collected automatically from the mobile device or it can be part of the form submission fields in the digital timecard.

#3. Customization

Customization is another important aspect of time card apps. For example, your business may need to bring in specific fields in addition to the standard fields on a timesheet. It’s important that your time card app is highly customizable to account for these unique business needs that you will have. You may have different categories of workers that require different timesheet templates, or you may require timesheets to be filled out on different cadences (daily, weekly) depending on the type of project. Having a high level of customization gives you the flexibility to design your time sheet app templates to your exact requirements.

#4. Workflow

Beyond making it easy for employees to fill out their timesheets, apps also help your managers and operations staff with better workflows. Time cards can be automatically assigned to employees, saving your staff from having to manually remind employees to fill out their time cards or track down information. 

Time card apps can also be assigned to multiple people, so if you have a project with multiple contributors, you can have the timesheet roll up with hours worked from the entire team. Once the timesheets are completed, easily collect digital signatures within the app to get managers’ approval. Going digital removes much of the back and forth that is required when dealing with paper forms or spreadsheets. Simplifying workflows can reduce wasted efforts and free up your staff to focus on other work.

#5. Automatic Calculations

If you are dealing with paper sheets, Google sheets, or spreadsheets, there’s always the possibility of an unforeseen calculation error. It’s common for these types of mistakes to occur, but they can create additional rework to spot and resolve the calculation error.

Mobile time card apps have built-in calculations, to help your business eliminate manual errors that can occur during paper time card processes. This improves data accuracy and brings efficiency to your business by eliminating the time-consuming process of manually tallying the hours worked by each employee. 

#6. Integrations and Analytics

Another important consideration when selecting a time card app is your business needs for its data processes. You will want to decide if an integration between your time card apps and your payroll system like Quickbooks or Sage is necessary for your business. Most time card apps can integrate directly with these systems and other databases, to streamline your processes and sync data between systems in real-time. Instead of manual data re-entry, you can have your information flow from your time card directly into your accounting system for a seamless billing process. This level of automation can help your business operate more efficiently, saving you time and money. 

On the topic of data, another important feature for your business is analytics. Having the ability to run analytics reports on your time sheet data and form submissions will allow you greater visibility into projects and work that is being done. This can help to spot potential issues or inefficiencies across the business, giving you the opportunity to become more data-driven with decisions. 

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About GoCanvas

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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What to Look for in a Mobile Form Builder

Posted on by Danny Kanev

What to Look for in a Mobile Form Builder

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Finding the right form builder for your business is an important decision. Today’s form builders are offered as cloud-based solutions, where you can login to the platform online and start building forms to be deployed on a mobile app or web browser.

There are limitless ways companies can use forms for their business. 

Most often forms are used to collect information from different groups of employees in the field or on a job site. Common examples include things like work orders, inspections, timesheets, estimates, reports, invoices, and more. Forms can be used anytime you need to collect and share information between your field teams, office staff, management, customers, partners, and other key stakeholders for your business.

Top 3 Considerations When Selecting a Form Builder

So what should you look for when selecting a mobile form builder? The answer to that question will entirely depend on your business needs. This article will cover some of the top considerations when selecting a mobile form builder, so you can make an informed decision. 

#1. How Easy is the Form Builder to Use?

Ease-of-use is an important factor for growing businesses. You don’t want to invest in software and have a difficult experience making it successful or finding out later that the user experience makes it difficult to gain adoption.

So what makes a form builder easy to use?

No Code or Low Code. 

A no code or low code form builder essentially means that you do not need to dedicate development resources to deploy the forms. The form builder will use drag and drop functionality and you can develop forms and apps without any advanced technical knowledge required.

This feature is incredibly important for how businesses work today. Tools for the workforce should be designed with simplicity in mind, so that anyone can pick them up and start using them right away. While it may be helpful to involve IT in the process, you shouldn’t have to rely heavily on development resources in order to use a form builder. 

Simplicity in the Field.

While the no code form builder makes it easy for office staff and managers to build the forms, it also needs to be as simple as possible for field teams. When implementing a new technology, a common fear is that teams in the field will fail to adopt the technology. That’s why the mobile form technology needs to be simple, so it makes the job easier for anyone that needs to complete the forms.

Consider features like integrating the form builder into your CRM or databases, so that customer records or project information is automatically pulled in real time to the forms. This auto populates form fields with information that is already known like customer information, parts, cost codes, and anything else that your teams may need to reference to complete the form.

Your mobile form builder should be easier and faster for employees, saving them time from manual processes and workflows. Consider how your form builder solution prioritizes time savings and efficiencies for crews in the field, as this can lead to greater adoption of the tools.

Customization.

When thinking about ease of use, another important consideration is customization. Some form builders can be difficult to customize, or they are built for very specific use cases that make it limited in the scope of what you can do with the platform. A highly customizable form builder will ensure that you can easily customize the forms to fit a wide range of potential use cases that your business will need, both now and in the future. 

Best in class form builders will offer this level of customization, while maintaining the simplicity and ease of use that your business needs to fit into your existing workflows.

#2. How does the form builder promote a data culture within my organization?

Lack of data insights is one of the main reasons companies choose to eliminate paper forms and move to digital form builders. With paper forms, information is not available in real-time and data is collected in ways that are inconsistent and difficult to report on.

It’s important that your business finds a form builder that promotes best practices for data collection and reporting. These insights can lead to better outcomes, including opportunities to lower costs, increase revenue, and improve the customer experience.

So how can a form builder help your company improve its data processes?

Standardized forms.

When thinking about how your business collects data, the form builder should empower you to collect consistent and accurate data from the field in real-time. Things like required fields can help to ensure information is not left missing and things like drop down lists can help to ensure the right format is submitted for data. 

Analytics and Reporting.

With best practices in place for data capture, your business will have clean data that is available in real-time. Your form builder should also give you the ability to run and share reports automatically with anyone that needs to view the information. You should also have the option to run more advanced analytics to spot trends and patterns in the data that’s being collected. Taking this data-driven mindset can have a profound impact on your operations.

Data Integrations

As discussed earlier in the article, data integrations can be an important part of the form builder solution. Not just to enrich form submissions, but also to ensure that data is synced automatically between your different cloud-based platforms. It’s likely that the form field data collected can be useful for payroll and accounting purposes, or you need the information to sync with other databases that your team uses internally. 

 All of this is possible with a best-in-class form builder that sets your business up to collect, report on, and distribute data to help your organization become more data-driven.

#3. Time-to-value

When implementing any new technology for business, it’s always important to understand the time-to-value for your organization. When selecting a mobile form builder, you should seek to gain an understanding of the types of results companies similar to yours have seen with the form builder. 

Other factors that impact your value and adoption of the platform are things like customer success resources that can be made available to your organization, as well as support channels and training that is available to help your staff learn and answer questions. Best-in-class mobile form builders will have proven success stories and clearly defined processes for onboarding and implementation to guide your business to achieve its goals. 

With digital transformation projects like implementing a mobile form builder, it’s important to remember the change management component and the resources in place to help your team with successful adoption of the technology. This will ensure that you see a return on investment in a matter of months that justifies the business expense by lowering costs, increasing revenue, and creating a competitive advantage. It’s important to find both the technology and the people to support your move toward digitization.

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas’s passion is building mobile products that enable businesses to digitize information and be more responsive to their customers. The cloud-based, customizable app works on smartphones and tablets, empowering SMB customers to digitally collect data and realize its value in improving workflow, communications, and operational processes.

GoCanvas is trusted by thousands of businesses throughout 70 countries, automating millions of workplace activities, making it one of the fastest-growing mobile platforms in the world.

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About GoCanvas

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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Beginner’s Guide to Digital Inspection Form Builders

Posted on by Danny Kanev

Beginner’s Guide to Digital Inspection Form Builders

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What is an inspection form?

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.

Follow this link to try the GoCanvas Building Inspection Form.

Quality Control Inspection Form

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.

Follow this link to try the GoCanvas Quality Control Inspection Form.

Vehicle Inspection Form

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.

Follow this link to try the GoCanvas Vehicle Inspection Form.

Housekeeping Inspection Form

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.

Follow this link to try the GoCanvas Housekeeping Inspection Form.

Food Service Inspection Form

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.

Follow this link to try the GoCanvas Food Service Inspection Form.

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.

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About GoCanvas

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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Join our Partner Program and gain instant access to our global network of thought leaders and industry experts enjoying shared collaboration and collective success.

Learn more
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Integrate with over 1,000 software applications. Enhance your GoCanvas experience by syncing real-time data to one or all of your business tools.

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We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

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How Apps for Contractors Strengthen the Customer Experience

Posted on by Danny Kanev

How Apps for Contractors Strengthen the Customer Experience

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The construction industry and contractors benefit when they deliver excellent customer service and make it easy for customers to do business. That’s why more companies are investing in technology, relying on mobile apps that can streamline customer interactions and improve productivity for workers.

Research from Gartner explains that “customer loyalty depends on how easy you make it for your customers to do business with you.” The key takeaway from the study is that companies who make business interactions effortless for their customers will have a competitive advantage.

Using apps for contractors, companies can work toward strengthening the customer experience. The short and long term benefits to a business include:

  • Repeat Business –  More likely to work with you again.
  • Referrals – More likely to recommend you to their network.
  • Reviews –  More likely to leave positive assessments of your business online.
  • Competitive edge – Stand out from the competition.
  • Increased revenue – More business for you and your company.

When used as part of an overall strategy to build the customer experience, apps for contractors can improve your business’s internal efficiency and help create a more seamless customer experience.

How Digital Forms Improve Customer Interactions

Apps for contractors are designed to transform how you do business with customers.

Traditional paper forms create manual work for your employees, and it gives your business and the customer very limited visibility into the work being performed. Savvy contractors are instead relying on digital forms and communications instead of paper, so they can provide greater transparency for the customer. With apps for contractors, the entire process is handled digitally.

How it works

Our contractor apps enable you to streamline your process by digitizing the paper forms you use. Digital records reduce the time your team spends completing standard forms and allow them to be more productive. Mobile checklists can be completed in the field on a smartphone or tablet and shared immediately. Our apps for contractors eliminate the duplication of effort and the possibility of clerical errors that often occur when generating routine daily, weekly, or monthly reports. Routine reports are generated from digital data, enabling you to collect, process, analyze, and share information in minutes.

Apps for contractors help to increase transparency and communication with customers, suppliers, and the home office. Real-time data reporting will help you streamline and integrate every step of your business process, from the initial contact with your customer to invoice and payment processing. Additionally, by digitizing your data with apps, the information you need is at your fingertips, whether in the office or the field.

From Quote to Cash

With GoCanvas’ apps for contractors, you can streamline the quote or estimate, invoice digitally, process payment, and easily share digital reports detailing all of the transactions. Digital data ensures that calculations are accurate and error-free by removing the need for duplication of entries. In addition, GoCanvas apps ensure that your sales team and field service representatives always have the latest pricing information when data is pulled from the cloud to their mobile device on-site.

Digital Quotes and Estimates

Using apps like our digital estimate template, you can turn your paper estimates into dynamic digital forms that simplify the bidding process. Our mobile digital estimates app is an intuitive, easy-to-use, and comprehensive app that eliminates inefficient duplication of paperwork, reducing costly errors, and increasing your profitability.

With our digital estimates app, data such as prices and parts is auto-populated into the form, reducing time and errors. As a result, your field representatives can quickly and accurately calculate material and labor costs and provide estimates immediately. In addition, because data is stored in the cloud, estimates can be shared, reviewed, and updated instantly anytime or anywhere.

Digital Invoicing 

Digital Invoices with GoCanvas help to simplify the invoice process for your field technicians and enable them to generate professional, branded invoices directly from their mobile devices. Field representatives can collect and enter pertinent data on the site, automatically calculate costs, and create invoices immediately before leaving the location. 

In addition, data can be integrated with your accounting and inventory software (QuickBooks or similar systems) to eliminate the need to duplicate data entries manually.

Payment Processing

Finally, when the job is over, GoCanvas provides digital payment processing in our app that integrates directly with Square to enable you to collect payments quickly and immediately.

Invoices along with detailed digital reports are produced rapidly on-site, and payment processing is at your fingertips. Our apps for contractors can improve your cash flow, eliminating the need to create and send paper invoices and wait for the client’s payment. Customers will prefer this experience, giving them the ability to review documents digitally and pay securely through a credit card.

Strengthen the Customer Experience and Win More Business

GoCanvas apps for contractors are powerful tools that can help you strengthen the customer experience and provide the digital interactions that customers have come to expect in today’s digital era. Using GoCanvas templates and digitizing your paper forms, your field representatives and technicians can improve the accuracy and efficiency of customer interactions. 

Through powerful integrations, you can enable your teams on-site and in the field with the latest information and give them the ability to quickly and easily perform work digitally. This saves time for your workers, creates efficiencies for your business, and creates an effortless experience for the customer. Contact us any time to learn more about the GoCanvas suite of tools for contractors.

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About GoCanvas

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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The Ultimate Guide to Construction Inspections

Posted on by Danny Kanev

The Ultimate Guide to Construction Inspections

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When you’re in the process of building a commercial property or a home, you’ll discover that it’s a requisite to conduct regular construction inspections to ascertain that the construction process meets all the quality and safety procedures and standards. However straightforward it may sound, this process can be tasking, given the multiple tasks involved in construction projects. Among other things, you have to coordinate project team members, materials, and equipment and ensure that the contractors are not afflicted by the potential risks and hazards present at the construction site. 

This article covers an in-depth look at all aspects of construction inspections to help you have a better grasp of the process and to share how technology can be leveraged to streamline the process. 

What is a construction site inspection?

Construction inspection is a contractual duty held by the contractor to assess the progress of a construction project. It entails ensuring that procedures and materials comply with the plan and specifications – monitoring a contractor’s schedule, conducting field testing, and going over the drawings to pick out any errors.

Upon completing the inspection, the building inspector issues the contractor with a construction inspection report. This document acts as evidence that proper tests were conducted to uphold the structural integrity of the building. 

6 reasons why construction inspections are important

Below are some of the benefits you’ll accrue from construction site inspections: 

#1 Protection against deficiencies in the work

The inspection process ensures that the installation materials and equipment comply with the design plans, contract documents, specifications, and the approved drawings. As such, it offers assurance that the contractor gets materials and quality of work specified, and the building owner gets their money’s worth. 

#2 Identification of hazards

Safety should always be the number one priority of a project manager. Construction inspections can help you ensure that the contractors and people who reside around the locality of the construction site are safe from any harm.

The inspections prioritize safety by identifying safe gear for workers to wear, safe roads to transport various materials and equipment, and potential risks and hazards that might occur on the construction site. After all, the construction profession is a dangerous one. The inspections ensure that the necessary precautions are put in place for workers and site safety, so your project flows seamlessly without any instances of work-related injury litigations.

#3 Better communication

Smooth communication between all the parties involved in the project is essential for its efficient completion. An inspection can address a construction team’s communication if the operations aren’t in line with the proper codes and regulations.

In most construction projects, careful coordination of various work processes is essential to limit any possible risks. Inspectors are tasked with communicating with the contractor, anticipating risks, and documenting progress and potential design and construction issues with the owner. 

#4 Enhancement of the quality of the construction

Most, if not all, companies strive to offer quality when working on a given project. It not only helps build your reputation but your team members pride in their artistry.

That said, to produce quality work, you need to set high standards, and what better way to do that than through inspections. They will help you identify any code errors or non-adherence to construction regulations.

Producing top-notch work and abiding by the construction regulations will ensure that you present your client with a well-constructed structure. 

#5 Better focus on the task at hand

While inspection may be a thorn to construction workers at times, it helps them be alert when working on the project.

Inspections ensure that agents and construction workers focus on the task at hand so that they don’t violate any construction regulations. To add to that, construction workers and agents work more efficiently since they know the pre-established standards they should attain. 

#6 Eco-friendly construction

There are environmental regulations that are geared towards ensuring that the construction industry promotes a greener construction environment.

Routine inspections contribute to ensuring that construction companies heed to them. Failure to follow these regulations may lead to construction companies or building owners incurring heavy penalties. 

Understanding the different types of construction inspections

Construction is a precarious and hazardous industry encompassing a wide range of activities such as remodeling, repair, and commercial construction.

While performing their tasks, construction workers are subjected to various kinds of harm, including unguarded machinery, electrocution, getting hit by heavy equipment, and falling off rooftops.

Developing a construction inspection checklist addressing the above risks and outlining the various construction regulations your project needs to heed will ensure that you pass your inspection with flying colors when the inspectors come to review your site.

That said, which types of inspection should you perform? Here is an outline of the different types of construction inspections: 

Daily site inspections

Just like the name suggests, these inspections are carried out daily.

These inspections assess several activities, including the number of workers on-site in a given day, the types of equipment used, whether the day’s work met quality standards, any unusual happenings on the site, whether there was damage to government property, whether the project is on schedule, among other issues. 

Health and safety inspections

One of the areas that the construction inspection covers is the health and safety of workers. Contractors have to ensure that the site meets the health and safety standards set out by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

The health and safety inspections can be conducted externally by a regulating body, internally by the contractor, or through third-party audits. Among the health and safety standards that are checked during this inspection include: 

  • Asbestos risks
  • The soundness of electrical systems
  • Provision of welfare services such as handwashing facilities and toilets
  • The management of various respiratory risks
  • The prevention of unauthorized people from accessing the site
  • The structural stability of the construction
  • Provision of personal protection equipment (PPE) such as helmets, goggles, or other garments. 
  • Provision of personal fall protection systems among other fall prevention equipment
  • The condition of the vehicles, plant, and other equipment, among other things.

The timing of health and safety inspections should be as frequent as possible and be accompanied by accurate reports and actionable measures. 

Quality control inspections

Quality control inspections are those that are geared towards ensuring that construction workers comply with the construction requirements and regulations.

These controls encompass the products and materials, the execution of the project, and the completion of the construction works. Quality control inspections are a way of ensuring that the finished works meet the set standards. It helps refine the work before it’s presented to the client so that if there is anything that doesn’t comply with the standards it’s fixed. 

The international standard that governs the construction industry is the ISO 9000 set of standards. It includes reports, technical guides, and specifications on the efficiency of a construction company’s quality management system.

Typically, the principles that dictate quality management in the construction industry are the budget of the project, the scope of the construction project, and the scheduled completion time.

Some of the construction inspections related to quality include checks for equipment and materials, work processes, units, and services planned and designed by the construction company to comply with the quality requirements of the contract. Quality control inspections lead to a monthly quality report that identifies various issues and monitors the project’s progress. 

Building regulation compliance inspections

Building inspections are usually conducted by an approved third party or a building control local authority. Depending on details such as the scope of the project, these inspections vary in frequency and number. Generally, the building inspections are required in the following stages of the project: 

  • Commencement
  • Excavation stage (prior to the filling of excavations)
  • Foundation stage (before the foundation is covered up)
  • When laying the damp proof courses
  • Installation of new drains (before covering up)
  • When constructing the primary structure
  • When installing insulation
  • Construction of the roof
  • Completion of the project

OSHA inspections

OSHA conducts periodic inspections and consultations to ensure contractor compliance and protect workers. The OSHA inspector will look at procedural problems or physical hazards like equipment lockout procedures, inadequate machine guards, respiratory issues, noise, availability of PPE for construction workers, among other issues. 

Among the reasons OSHA may come to inspect your site include workplace fatalities and hospitalizations, imminent danger situations, referrals and complaints concerning potentially hazardous conditions, scheduled inspections, and follow-up inspections.

Depending on the inspection findings, a contractor may receive a report detailing the violations found, what has to be corrected, the duration within which to make the corrections, and the monetary fines for the violations. 

Other types of inspections

Some other inspections that contractors should expect include: 

  • Insurance inspections
  • Environmental inspections on pollution (water, smoke, and noise) 
  • Fire inspections—availability of fire protection systems, fire escapes, and storage of certain materials
  • Planning inspections to ascertain whether you complied with planning permissions, obligations, and conditions
  • Inspection of the release of finances (by relevant agencies)
  • Archaeological inspections (in case of excavations)
  • Inspection of street works conducted by highway authorities in the case of road and sewer constructions

Best practices for construction inspections

Here is an outline on some of the best practices to heed for construction inspections:

  • Ensure that you have a checklist: Your construction inspection checklist will help you identify any violations of the construction regulations and have them rectified before the inspection. 
  • Budget: Ensure that all your construction inspection checklists that have monetary dealings reference the project budget. Make sure that you complete the project with the allotted budget. Also, use your inspection to ascertain that every spending meets the budgetary allocations as you move from one phase to the next until the completion of the project. 
  • Schedule: Remember, your project should not affect your client’s budget. As such, not completing the project in time will make them dissatisfied. Use the inspection to monitor the schedule of your project daily, weekly, and monthly. Also, ensure that you inform the relevant parties of any delays. 
  • Scope of the project: The inspection process should be led by the defined scope of the project. Ensure that you notify your client of any adjustment to the scope of the project. Also, make sure that you use the construction inspection to confirm that everything is running according to the project’s scope. 
  • Plan ahead: You can do this by undertaking a pre-task session that allows workers to identify and avoid mishaps. 

Benefits of using mobile apps and forms to manage construction inspections

As you probably know, the construction industry has cutthroat competition. As such, you need proper productivity tools to gain a competitive edge.

Given the fast rate at which the construction industry is adopting digital solutions, you cannot afford to lag behind.

Construction project management software will give your construction business a leg up that you need to stay ahead of your competition. Here are some of the key benefits of mobile forms and apps:

  • The improvement of communication between various parties in the construction project: Mobile apps and forms eliminate communication gaps by enabling you to dispatch information to various parties of the project directly via a mobile phone.
  • Incorporating photos into documents: Enabling the photo capture feature on your mobile forms app will allow you to add pictures directly into your documents. You can, therefore, better describe construction progress issues and achievements.
  • Capturing digital signatures: Mobile app forms allow you and your client to sign and save various documents directly via the program.
  • Improved document organization: This app enables you to keep track of paperwork and files so that you always know where to retrieve them from.
  • Mobilization of document construction: With this app, you can go with your documents wherever you want without the fear of losing them or being damaged. 

Get started with GoCanvas for construction inspections

Are you looking for an easy-to-use mobile forms app that can help improve the operations of your construction company? GoCanvas is your go-to tool for construction inspection reports, checklists, and more. Try out GoCanvas and all its features with a free trial or contact our team to learn more.

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About GoCanvas

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

Three inspection workers on job site.

The Ultimate Guide to Quality Control Inspections

Managing a construction project is a complex and stressful process. Among other things, you have to coordinate project team members, materials, and equipment and ensure that contractors are not afflicted by the potential risks and hazards present at the construction site. That said, quality means different things to different people which is why you should…

Read the blog
A man using GoCanvas for the digital transformation of his workflow.

Constructions Digital Transformation

Your competition is finding faster ways to capture data and get critical insights from the field into their existing systems. In short, they’re not going bigger, they’re getting smarter. In this 15-minute broadcast on the construction industry’s digital transformation, find out why the trend is to modernize workflows – and how you can stay ahead of the curve…

see for yourself
A electrician inspecting equipment.

See how VIP Lighting optimized efficiency with GoCanvas

VIP Lighting is a retail lighting and electrical maintenance business that services over 10,000 retail locations all over Australia and New Zealand. Before GoCanvas, VIP Lighting had two separate systems that were impossible to integrate, leading to inefficiencies. GoCanvas made it easy to integrate their systems into single, centralized platform…

read their story

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

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3 Key Integrations for Construction Time Card Apps

Posted on by Danny Kanev

3 Key Integrations for Construction Time Card Apps

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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 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 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.

Playbook: 3 Keys to Unleashing the Power of Data Analytics in Commercial Construction
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About GoCanvas

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

Three inspection workers on job site.

The Ultimate Guide to Quality Control Inspections

Managing a construction project is a complex and stressful process. Among other things, you have to coordinate project team members, materials, and equipment and ensure that contractors are not afflicted by the potential risks and hazards present at the construction site. That said, quality means different things to different people which is why you should…

Read the blog
A man using GoCanvas for the digital transformation of his workflow.

Constructions Digital Transformation

Your competition is finding faster ways to capture data and get critical insights from the field into their existing systems. In short, they’re not going bigger, they’re getting smarter. In this 15-minute broadcast on the construction industry’s digital transformation, find out why the trend is to modernize workflows – and how you can stay ahead of the curve…

see for yourself
A electrician inspecting equipment.

See how VIP Lighting optimized efficiency with GoCanvas

VIP Lighting is a retail lighting and electrical maintenance business that services over 10,000 retail locations all over Australia and New Zealand. Before GoCanvas, VIP Lighting had two separate systems that were impossible to integrate, leading to inefficiencies. GoCanvas made it easy to integrate their systems into single, centralized platform…

read their story

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

How Timesheet Forms Work for Management [+Templates]

Posted on by Danny Kanev

How Timesheet Forms Work for Management [+Templates]

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Timesheet forms are an excellent way for businesses to manage time for their employees. Companies can use different timesheet forms, such as a weekly timesheet, a monthly timesheet, a biweekly timesheet, or even a daily timesheet. All of these tools are useful for time tracking of work hours. 

There are many simple resources available for printable timesheet templates using Microsoft Word or Excel timesheet templates. These different forms can range from straightforward timesheet templates to more advanced templates that factor in billable hours, lunch breaks, sick leave, vacation leave, time-in/time-out, hourly rates, and other valuable information. 

Another solution for businesses is to use simple timesheet form apps that track employee hours and the number of hours worked by contractors in real-time. These apps also provide workers with the opportunity to enter time manually. This option brings a number of benefits to an organization, rather than using spreadsheets or paper.

For example, timesheet apps integrate directly with payroll and billing systems. They also can include much more advanced features, like the ability to track employee mileage and other reimbursable expenses. Continue reading this article to understand more about timesheet forms and how mobile applications work for businesses.

What frequency is best for timesheets?

Companies process payroll in various ways, including weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or semi-monthly payroll. Each of these payroll frequencies has a specific timesheet template to meet a company’s specific needs. 

A best practice with timesheets is to have employees or contractors complete them on a daily basis so that it is easier to keep track of hours worked. Even for timesheets submitted on a monthly basis, it can be difficult to recall any breaks taken several weeks ago or if an employee had to leave work early one day. 

Although companies may pay employees at different intervals, it is essential that a business has a defined and consistent process in place for tracking time. 

What information should a timesheet form collect?

Most timesheet forms have a space for the employee name, an employee ID, the position of the employee, the week ending date, a start and end time field for each day, and any hours deducted for lunch breaks or sick leave. 

Non-exempt employees who work over 40 hours a week can quickly document overtime pay on their timesheet. Similarly, workers who work holidays may track time paid at a higher rate during a pay period. 

For companies that want to utilize timesheets for exempt employees, the information collected may be more granular or project-related. This tracking time practice helps to understand how much services cost to deliver, how much effort is going into various jobs or projects, and how effectively employees use their time.

What are the problems with paper and spreadsheet timesheet forms?

Paper forms present many problems to workers and companies. Although paper may seem like an easy and inexpensive option for documenting time, here are some of the hidden costs of paper forms and spreadsheets: 

  • Error-prone: Regardless of intent, workers filling out these forms can make errors in entering start-times or end-times. These errors can lead to over and under calculating hours worked and will require additional resources to fix the errors. This costs both the workers and the companies who lose income or revenue due to errors. 
  • Misplaced paper: Paper-based timesheets are also subject to being lost or misplaced, which can slow down payroll for workers. It can also have an impact on the availability of historical data related to employee time tracking. 
  • Data-loss: Spreadsheets may become corrupted, users may overwrite data, or anyone on a workplace network can inadvertently delete time tracking files. 
  • Lack of accessibility: Both paper and spreadsheet timesheet forms are not that accessible for workers either on the road or working offsite. 
  • Lack of insights: It’s difficult for companies to gain insightful information from paper-based timesheets since the data on paper is not accessible without being manually entered.

Online timesheet forms and timesheet apps

More companies than ever are using online forms and apps to track employee hours. These online forms and apps can be easier to use, more accessible, and have enhanced or automated workflows. Collecting timesheet information through an app or digital form can enable HR notifications. For example, a notification can be sent when: 

  • An employee is approaching unapproved overtime hours.
  • An employee’s hours fall outside of the regular hours of a business
  • The total hours noted by an employee do not reflect the time they spent in an office or their billable hours

Timesheet apps make it simple to fill out timesheets in the field. Employees can use their smartphones to submit their hours worked. This level of accessibility helps workers in jobs where they are required to be in the field or they do not have a dedicated job site from which they work.

Timesheet apps also enable companies to track employee hours based on factors such as arrival and departure time with GPS and time stamps. With modern applications, businesses of all sizes can take advantage of mobile applications that allow them to streamline their operations and work more efficiently.

GoCanvas contractor and employee timesheet apps

GoCanvas has a wide range of timesheet form apps available on our website. 

These apps are effective for both contractors and employees. GoCanvas has pre-built templates for a monthly, biweekly, or daily timesheet template, and many other types of employee timesheet templates. These simple solutions can help to improve and streamline processes for your business, especially when it comes to paying workers. 

Apps are able to leverage the native functions in iOS and Android devices, such as GPS and built-in time tracking. This can be used to automate the clock-in/clock-out process and verify a worker’s location. 

The use of these tools helps process payroll efficiently. Companies can bill clients or customers where a worker has to visit a job site or track hours spent working on a specific project.

For contractors, timesheet apps can be implemented directly by companies for contractors to track hours or can be a tool that contractors use to document hours and bill customers directly. 

GoCanvas can accept Credit Card payments in its apps through Square, an industry-leading payment processor. One helpful feature is the ability to do calculations. You can simply enter the number of hours worked and have the app use pre-built formulas with hourly rates that can generate invoices in real-time. 

GoCanvas apps can integrate directly with payroll processing companies such as QuickBooks and Xero and countless other apps through our Zapier integration. These integrations make the processing of timesheets occur much more quickly, ensuring that pay for employees occurs in a timely fashion. 

This helps human resources departments and payroll specialists to avoid spending hours each week inputting timesheets and payroll information. Effective timesheet apps are designed to work with the tools you have in place today and to transform the way workers track time in the field.

Timesheet Form Templates

GoCanvas has customizable templates for all of your businesses’ time tracking needs. Here is a list of some of our most commonly used timesheet form templates that are available for you to access on the GoCanvas app store.

Simple Timesheet Form

simple timesheet form template

In need of a simple timesheet form for your business? This GoCanvas app allows you to track employees’ hours worked, collecting details about the work or tasks performed on the job. Our basic timesheet form is designed to be customized for any business or job type, giving you more flexibility to manage timesheets for your unique business purpose.

Access the simple timesheet form template to get started for free.

Daily Timesheet Form Template

basic daily timesheet form

Daily timesheet forms are commonly used when businesses have hourly workers and their hours can vary depending on the day of the week. Using this daily timesheet form template on GoCanvas, you can keep a record of time and attendance details from across locations and employees. Track hours, assess overtime, sign off on approvals, and manage the entire daily timesheet process from this simple app.

Access the daily timesheet form template to get started for free.

Weekly Timesheet Mobile App

weekly timesheet form template

Many businesses also prefer to have a weekly timesheet that documents the summary of all work performed in a given week. Using the weekly timesheet form template, businesses can easily keep track of hours, days, and weeks for a payroll pay period. Access reports, export the information as a PDF, or use the data to automate other business processes using an integration with other cloud applications.

Access the weekly timesheet form template to get started for free. You can also find our bi-weekly timesheet template form that is similarly designed for companies that prefer bi-weekly payroll sheets.

QuickBooks Timecard Mobile App

quickbooks timesheet form template

QuickBooks is widely used by companies for processing payroll. To easily integrate timesheets with your payroll processes, use this timesheet form that is designed to connect with QuickBooks. Integrating data and cloud applications is one main benefit of using GoCanvas for timesheet forms and other types of digital forms. Instead of Excel forms and Google Sheet forms for timesheets, using GoCanvas brings you the ability to automate workflows and eliminate manual work or data entry. 

Contact our team to learn more about our integrations and access the QuickBooks timesheet form on the GoCanvas app store.

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About GoCanvas

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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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.

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Partner Snapshot: Forte Supply Chain Solutions

Explore how Forte Supply Chain Solutions partnered with GoCanvas, combining in-house industry expertise with our white-label mobile forms to revolutionize their processes.

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GoCanvas Integrations: Streamline your Workflow

Integrate with over 1,000 software applications. Enhance your GoCanvas experience by syncing real-time data to one or all of your business tools.

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FECC Saves $100K+ per Year with Mobile Forms

FECC team photo

How a Leading Hazardous Waste Haulage and Disposal Provider, FECC, Saves Over $100,000 Annually with Mobile Forms

FECC Background

  • Industry: Environmental Services
  • HQ Location: Orlando, FL
  • Website: Visit Here

Highlights

  • $116,000+ Total Net Annual Savings
  • $114,000+ Productivity Savings
  • $2,600 + Savings in Paper Savings

Form Types

The Case for GoCanvas

Since 1989, FECC, has created dynamic solutions for the remediation, transportation and disposal of hazardous and industrial materials. Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, FECC offers services throughout the United States. As the company expanded its services, information became increasingly difficult to track. FECC needed a way to get information to and from their managers, drivers and technicians in real time. GoCanvas was the perfect solution.

Prior to GoCanvas, FECC collected information from their employees via paper. Alex Naster, the System Administrator at FECC, described their manual process stating, “We had a major paper problem.” Paperwork was difficult to keep track of and became very costly. Lost paperwork, inconsistent reporting, and long turnaround times were not uncommon. Since the information was collected by pen and paper, items such as daily tickets and inspections would take a week or more to return and process. They needed a solution so that drivers did not need to pick up and drop off paperwork from the office each week. Alex goes on to say, “Since we were only getting 10% of drivers’ paperwork each day it was creating a major billing issue and was becoming incredibly time-consuming.” In addition to this time-intensive process, they uncovered other issues, such as people not even doing the paperwork or important information not captured for accurate billing. With a workforce that primarily is out on the road, drivers and office staff needed GoCanvas to help make their reporting consistent and immediate.

FECC decided they needed to eliminate their paper processes. When they came across GoCanvas it was a clear solution to their dilemma.

“No longer having to move paper from the site to the office, then reading, scanning, and filing it away has had a huge impact on our team’s productivity.”

– Alex Naster, System Administrator FECC, Inc.

Benefits of Automation and Efficiency

FECC revolutionized its data collection in less than 6 months with the help of GoCanvas. Now, a driver or technician can pull up all relevant documentation needed from their mobile device. When the mobile document is submitted it is received in real-time by the support staff. This process allows for consistent reporting across locations and personnel. With features such as required fields and conditional data, all management teams can ensure reports are accurate and complete at the time of submission. Alex explains their improved process by stating, “Now, there is no confusion or extra work. The driver can just hop in the truck and go.” GoCanvas’s workflow features have made it so each submission is automatically sent to the intended supervisor for an approval signature before it is sent to their accounting team.

“I love how customizable and easy GoCanvas makes it to create, edit, and dispatch forms for my team!”

– Alex Naster, System Administrator FECC, Inc.

To automate FECC’s process further, they have integrated GoCanvas with their accounting system. Once a submission has been approved by the supervisor, the data is read by the integration and pre-fills all the billing information for the accounting team. This not only saves their internal workforce hours of data re-entry, but it also allows the company to start billing immediately and in turn has improved their customer experience. Additionally, this integration updates equipment and vehicle information every few minutes so auto-populated information is always accurate.

“GoCanvas worked side by side with us on this integration, as if they were part of our team. Our real-time cashflow, P&L, and other KPI goals have been reached.”

– Kellan Lawing, Chief Information Officer at FECC Inc.

FECC has continued to improve their flow of information by using a custom GoCanvas and Zapier integration. Using Zapier, their drivers and other field techs are able to request funds for a pre-paid debit card and send receipts to payroll. This is done through their integration between WEX and GoCanvas and makes sure employee billing is timely and accurate.

Since their implementation of GoCanvas, FECC has worked hard to modernize not only how they capture data but how the information is used. Using GoCanvas Analytics, FECC has transformed the way they manage information. After a submission is made the data is pulled into custom dashboards on the GoCanvas platform. FECC is using GoCanvas Analytics to get real-time insight into their profitability. The ability to provide accurate and relevant cost analysis has been a game changer for their company. GoCanvas makes their dashboards easily understandable for all employees and can alert management to areas that need attention.

Waste companies, big and small, that operate in almost every industry can search from over 20,000 pre-built mobile form templates in the GoCanvas Application store or drill down further and look specifically at mobile form templates for Transportation and Disposal. These can be completely customized with the online, drag-and-drop App Builder tool to fit an organizations’ specific processes.  Using that same tool many businesses, like FECC, elect to build their own mobile forms from scratch. FECC, ultimately chose GoCanvas because of the platform’s design flexibility and quick deployment.

Since fully implementing GoCanvas, FECC has been able to be a leader in the Hazardous and Non-Hazardous Waste, Remediation, Disposal, and Transportation industry. Their forward thinking and innovative nature has set them ahead of their competitors and has helped grow their success.

Overall, FECC has seen an amazing return on their investment in GoCanvas. Their returns have not only shown up on the balance sheet, but also in their daily productivity as a business.

Ready to Rethink How You Work?

GoCanvas has helped a variety of businesses across multiple industries transform their safety processes and rethink their efficiency, ultimately saving them money. Why not do the same? Reach out to one of our experts today to kickstart your process revolution.

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15 Free Work Order Form Templates

Posted on by Danny Kanev

15 Free Work Order Form Templates

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Work orders are widely used in many industries to request the performance of a task or job. The work order is most commonly generated to fulfill a customer request, but it can also be used internally within a company as part of a larger project.

The work order includes the details of the job to be performed and often will have a worker assigned or dispatched to complete the job in the field, on a job site, or in an office.

Work orders are used by many different types of industries and business types. Using the GoCanvas form builder, your business can create entirely digital work order forms that are custom to your business. All of this can be done with no-coding required, making GoCanvas an easy-to-use solution for all of your work order needs.

How GoCanvas works:

  • Create mobile work orders, forms and work process apps with no coding needed
  • Get information back in real-time, eliminate redundant data entry and automate your processes
  • Never miss another work order form, inspection or other crucial information due to problems with paperwork and outdated processes

Core features include:

  • App Builder. Easily create and edit your own GoCanvas Apps (mobile forms) with our online drag-and-drop App Builder tool.
  • PDF Designer. Once your team fills out a GoCanvas App a PDF can be generated and emailed. Customize this PDF to engage your customers and colleagues.
  • Image Capture. Whether you need photos for inspecting equipment, or tracking rhinos, do it with a click.
  • Signature Capture. Need to confirm a package or a sales order? Easily grab someone’s signature on your mobile device.
  • GPS Tracking. Know where your equipment or team members are at any moment with GPS capture.
  • Barcode Scanning. With one click, look up equipment or inventory.
  •  

15 Free Work Order Form Templates and Examples

This article summarizes our most widely used work order form templates that you can get started with for free. If you don’t see an app listed here, simply search the GoCanvas website where we also have thousands of additional form templates available.

1. Construction Work Order Form

Man and woman working on tablet on construction site for estimates

The construction work order form is designed for construction companies and contractors to manage all of the work orders throughout a project. The form has fields to capture important contract details, including the scope of work, change orders, extra work authorization, materials and services requested, subcontractor fees, and hours worked.

The template can be customized to suit your business needs and can also be used as a subcontractor work order form. Construction companies use this digital work order form to sync up with the construction contract, helping to organize and store pertinent information for completing the requirements of those contracts. Collect signatures, share PDF reports, and more with this digital form for construction work orders.

2. Change Order Form

shaking hands after signing construction contract

The construction change order form is used when projects require a change to account for any additional work that is needed. Whether you have small changes to the construction project’s estimated costs or need to scope out the overhead costs for more substantial work, this template can quickly generate the form for you. Use this form in the field or at the client office’s so that you don’t fall behind on the construction contract.

3. Stop Work Order Form

construction worker filling out near miss reports on phone

The stop work order form is used in the construction industry to document when it is required to stop work due to a violation or incident. This form can be used to document items such as project name, project number, individual’s name of the letter, contractor, and subcontractors. It also captures relevant signatures and can be emailed as a PDF in real-time.

4. HVAC Service Work Order Form

HVAC worker on a mobile device

The HVAC service work order form is designed as a template to use for HVAC (Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning) technicians to help cut down time spent on paperwork. Dispatch workers to the correct location, so contractors in the field can fill out the forms on a mobile device. Invoice reports can be automatically generated as a PDF sent via email to the customer to automate manual processes for your business.

5. Electrical Work Order Form

electrical worker fixing wires

The electrical work order form is designed for electrical contractors, electrical installation companies, and master electricians for work on all types of electrical systems. Instead of relying on paper invoices or electrical contracting software, the digital form provides a completely mobile way to manage all types of electrical services work. The mobile form automatically calculates charges for electrical equipment, electrical wiring and labor, and jobs can be assigned to different electrical contractors in the field using the Dispatch feature.

6. Maintenance Work Order Form

maintenance worker holding a ladder

The job work order form is a generic template that can be used for all types of maintenance and service requests. This digital job invoice template works for many types of jobs, including plumbing, HVAC services, and other types of maintenance work. Simply customize the app to fit your maintenance business requirements.

7. Mechanic Work Order Form

This mechanic work order form is ideal for repair shops and repair facilities of all sizes. Customers will appreciate the professionalism and simplicity of the digital work order app that is designed to streamline the work order and invoice process. The app allows you to quickly document vehicle information, detail the service request, list all parts, labor, shop supplies, and capture the customer authorization. All parts and labor (including sale tax) can be automatically calculated for you within the app.

8. Cleaning Work Order

cleaning cart with supplies

The residential cleaning work order form offers a simple way for professional housekeepers, independent cleaning services, and housekeeping agencies to manage daily or weekly cleaning jobs. The app can be used to track all the details of a housekeeping services visit, including the customer contact information and details about the services provided. The housekeeper invoice form app also tracks labor and materials hours and the hourly rate, calculating the total cost at the end of the visit.

9. Handyman Work Order Form

handyman tools including hammer and measuring tape

The handyman work order form provides a simple way to manage your handyman business. Use the app to track a variety of handyman services, including plumbing work, appliance repairs, yard maintenance, and more. Any contractor or handyman business owner can customize the app to suit their needs.

The app lets you generate a handyman invoice template based on the work order, with fields for hourly rate, work performed and other important details. Once the service call has been completed, the contractor can email the handyman invoice directly to customers for payment.

10. Graphic Design Work Order

woman working on an ipad

The graphic design work order form offers a simple way for print shops and graphic design teams to generate work orders electronically. The graphics work order form covers all the important details of the work order request, including facility service details about the job, customer contact details, turnaround time, order approval information, and more. Once completed, the form is automatically saved for your records.

11. Fleet Services Work Order

fleet managers on ipad inspecting vehicles

The fleet services work order form is perfect for fleet management professionals and helps make the day-to-day operations of a fleet easier. The app can improve preventive maintenance in a variety of ways, such as better equipment and item management, notifications when vehicle maintenance needs to be performed, field service task lists, and more.

12. Manufacturing Work Order

manufacturing line on a job site

The manufacturing work order form offers a simple way to track manufacturing production orders using a smartphone or tablet. The work order form can help track materials used, add details about the finished goods, and add notes about raw materials consumed during the process. Once the manufacturing process has been completed, you can enter notes about additional materials or equipment used and other work instructions and operations notes as needed. 

13. Landscaping Work Order Form

The landscaping work order form is perfect for landscape architects, landscape designers, professional landscapers, and others who provide professional landscaping services. Available on any smartphone, mobile device, or PC, this app will help you complete work order forms for your next landscaping project, especially those related to irrigation and landscape planning.

14. Painting Work Order Form 

painting contractor on a job site

The painting work order form is an easy-to-use tool for painting contractors and professional painting services. Track all customer details, capture basic painting services details, terms of service, and calculate the final costs. All types of painting businesses can benefit from this handy work order form app, which lets you quickly and easily generate new work orders for your painting services. The app automatically calculates tax, materials, and labor charges for painting invoice forms, eliminating the need for manual calculations. Additionally, the application also features Dispatch functionality, making it possible for scheduling managers to assign different jobs in the painting business to the right employee while in the field.

15. IT Work Order Form

worker looking at a laptop device

The IT work order form provides a basic work order template that computer maintenance and IT support desks can use to stay organized. This computer work order management app includes fields for customer name and location, details about the service request, equipment details, actions completed, and recommended maintenance. The service desk technician can add his or her own comments about the work request to the work order template and save the form for their records.

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About GoCanvas

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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Partner Snapshot: Forte Supply Chain Solutions

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10 Free Checklist Apps for Business

Posted on by Danny Kanev

10 Free Checklist Apps for Business

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Construction checklist apps are widely used by businesses to simplify the collection of data in the field or on a job site. The simple checklist that was once completed on a paper form, is now available to businesses as a digital app with forms that can be checked off using a mobile device.

GoCanvas is a leader in construction jobsite management software and forms, with thousands of pre-built templates that can be used for checklist apps. Using our no-code form builder, you can customize checklists to meet your business requirements, all without needing advanced technical knowledge.

10 Free Checklist App Templates on GoCanvas

This article compiles the 10 most popular use cases for checklist apps. If you don’t see a checklist app listed below, simply search our website for more free examples and templates your business can use for checklists apps. All of the apps listed can be customized and branded specifically for your business. Contact our team any time to access a free trial and learn more.

1. Home Inspection Checklist App

Real Estate House Appraisal And Inspection graphic

Every home inspection business uses checklists as part of their field work. Instead of relying on paper forms and manual data entry, companies are moving to digital checklist apps that simplify the process for home inspectors. 

The checklist can be dynamic based on the property type, saving your employees time when filling out the forms. All of the data is recorded on a mobile device or tablet, and a home inspection report is generated automatically for the home buyer. Leverage the dispatch feature to streamline how you assign work in the field, save your employees time by automating the reporting process, and turn around inspections faster for your customers with fully digital home inspection checklists.

2. House Cleaning Checklist App

Cleaning businesses commonly use checklists to ensure that all areas of the property are cleaned. Instead of using paper forms, employees can use their mobile devices to run through the cleaning checklist on an app, submitting any photos and signing off on their work. 

Any time you are removing paperwork from your operational workflows, it will help to reduce any manual work that is required to enter data into a computer.  The housekeeping checklist app is designed to track items related to house cleaning tasks, deep cleaning work, standard hotel cleaning tasks, cleaning staff assignments, and more. Simply customize the digital checklist to meet your specific business needs.

3. Driver Pre-trip/Post-Trip Inspection Checklist App

two truck drivers with tablet performing a pre-trip inspection

There are regulations that require vehicle operators to perform pre-trip and post-trip inspections to ensure that commercial vehicles are able to operate safely. Instead of having workers fill out paper forms on the road, switching to digital forms brings all of this essential information online.

This commercial motor vehicle safety inspection form makes it easy to identify when vehicle maintenance is needed and protects trucking companies, commercial vehicle operators and truck drivers from unnecessary accidents.

4. Building Inspection Checklist App

builder contractor at jobsite on tablet

Building inspections are common in the construction industry and this app is perfect for contractors and workers in the field. The app includes a building inspection checklist and tracks all aspects of a building including exterior, heating systems, electrical systems, housekeeping, fire safety, evacuation plans, and other miscellaneous areas ensuring compliance with building codes. 

Once completed, an inspector can sign off digitally on the work and have an inspection report automatically generated and sent as PDF via email to anyone that needs documentation. This saves time and ensures that important records can always be accessed in case of a dispute.

5. Coronavirus Workplace Safety Checklist App

Health temperature check on construction site

Coronavirus has created workplace challenges to health and safety for businesses of all types. Using the  COVID-19 workplace safety checklist app, businesses can take steps to ensure that proper procedures are followed to minimize the risk of spreading coronavirus.

This comprehensive checklist app will help your business take steps to plan and protect the health and safety of your staff and colleagues. Topics include Administration and Logistics, Work Protections in the Workplace, and Travel. 

6. Construction Job Site Inspection Checklist App

Man holding tablet on construction site

Job site safety inspections are important in construction to promote the safety of workers. Going digital with inspections helps to ensure compliance across job sites and give businesses greater insight into their safety operations.

The safety inspection checklist for construction sites covers personal protective equipment, sanitation, fall hazards, worker safety plan details and other workplace safety standards and considerations. Once the construction site safety checklist is complete, an email with the results can be sent directly to the project managers, contractors and others who work on the project and need to save the results for their records.

7. SDS Sheet Compliance Checklist App

safety manager on construction site working on laptop computer

If your business handles hazardous materials, you know that safety data sheets are required for your workplace. The SDS Sheet Compliance checklist is designed to help ensure compliance and that your business is following the required local regulations for chemical inventory management.

Use the SDS Compliance checklist app with your smartphone or tablet to ensure that employers and workers use the material safety data as sources of information about chemical hazards and to obtain advice on occupational safety for any work area that contains a chemical inventory.

8. Food Safety Checklist App

thermometer checking for food safety temperature on chicken

Restaurant inspections are critical, and this app allows you to develop a customized checklist to meet the requirements at your food service establishment. Include checks for ensuring hazardous foods are identified and removed, food is kept at the proper temperature, and food safety is top-of-mind for all employees at your food facility.

9. Roof Inspection Checklist

roofing contractor building a roof

The roof inspection checklist is designed for roofing contractors to use as a template form to create invoices, sales orders for roof repairs and roof replacement. The mobile app can be used to inspect and detail the condition of a roof, helping to detect any roof problem or damage.

Roofing contractors can leverage the mobile app from a customer’s location, allowing them to perform the inspection checklist and create an instant report with photos for reference. The digital experience is preferred by customers and simplifies the job for inspectors.

10. Plumbing Checklist App

plumber checking systems in building

Plumbing contractors can use the checklist app when performing the inspections for buildings. This checklist app makes it easy to identify when plumbing work is needed to keep plumbing systems running as efficiently as possible. The results of the inspection make it easy for plumbing companies to recognize when problems exist, so they can quickly be fixed before issues get worse.

 Instead of relying on paper forms that can get lost or damaged, simplify the process for everyone involved by going completely digital with your checklist forms for plumbing.

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About GoCanvas

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

business people discussing project

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.

Learn more
Forte Supply Chain Solutions Partner Video

Partner Snapshot: Forte Supply Chain Solutions

Explore how Forte Supply Chain Solutions partnered with GoCanvas, combining in-house industry expertise with our white-label mobile forms to revolutionize their processes.

Watch VIDEO
Closeup of a handshake.

GoCanvas Integrations: Streamline your Workflow

Integrate with over 1,000 software applications. Enhance your GoCanvas experience by syncing real-time data to one or all of your business tools.

View integrations

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together
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