We had the pleasure of sitting down with Peter Becher, the Process Area Owner at Krones, to delve into the remarkable journey of Krones with Resco.

Peter Becher, a key figure at Krones, shared insights into his role as the global responsible for the service system and process environment. Reflecting on his pivotal position, Peter states, “In the Resco and Salesforce environment, my role as a Process Area Owner is crucial in ensuring the seamless integration and efficiency of our service systems.”

The quest for a comprehensive field service management solution

As Krones embarked on a transition in their IT system environment, they found themselves in search of a robust solution for their field service management.

Krones explored various options. However, due to the specific need for advanced offline capabilities on certain operating systems, they opted to delve into the Resco and Salesforce combination.

Peter describes the turning point, stating, “The story of how we got to Resco was a bit strange, or mad, or surprising – that’s probably even better. Salesforce recommended us to talk to Resco about their offline capabilities on Windows devices.”

The mobility empowering over 1,500 technicians around the world

The journey, as Peter describes it, was “nothing short of spectacular”.

Within a span of four to five months, Krones delivered the pilot of subsidiary Salesforce Field Service in combination with Resco, setting the stage for a global rollout.

Commenting on the speed of implementation, he notes, “We changed a lot of things in the project approach, moving to a more agile environment.”

Currently, live on all continents, including North America, Krones boasts more than 1,500 service technicians using Resco Mobile CRM as their sole front end.

The success story of the rollout resonates not only in numbers but in the positive feedback received, emphasizing the solution’s usability for sales and service technicians alike.

“It’s really a big success story for our company,” Peter remarks.

Expanding horizons with Resco Inspections+

Reflecting on the implementation journey, Peter highlights the flexibility and usability of the Resco solution. With an impressive 25 internal releases, the platform seamlessly integrated with Krones’ environment, proving to be a powerful tool for their service technicians.

The platform’s capability to minimize clicks and touches on smartphones aligns with the technicians’ preference for simplicity.

Recently, Krones expanded its Resco footprint by going live with Resco Inspections+. Peter describes this expansion as a strategic move to replace paper-based and report-based processes, “Resco, in the beginning, was a kind of solution for a challenge that we had – the offline capability for Windows devices. But the other possibility is moving more to that customer 360° view. That’s where we see a lot of possibilities around the Inspections.”

The inspections functionality, with its focus on condition assessment, guided procedures, and integrated processes aligns with Krones’ vision. Peter envisions leveraging checklists, assessments with scoring, automated workflows, and even generating leads or opportunities directly from Resco checklists, further improving their operational efficiency.

Looking to the future

As our conversation drew to a close, Peter expressed enthusiasm for the future collaboration between Krones and Resco. “The journey from our side has been amazing. We’re really looking forward to what we can do together,” he concludes.

The journey, marked by Resco’s continuous evolution from a solution for offline capability to a versatile development platform, exemplifies the tool’s adaptability to diverse business needs.

And Krones, a true hidden champion in the beverage industry, stands as a testament to the transformative power of mobile solutions for the frontline workers.

Príspevok How German manufacturing giant Krones uses mobility to empower 1,500+ technicians globally zobrazený najskôr Resco.

Fieldworkers rely on good tools for data collection, and Resco’s Inspections+ and Forms+ are the go-to solutions. But the real challenge isn’t just gathering data – it’s making sense of it. 

Thanks to our partnership with Microsoft, we’ve made this process straightforward. By integrating Resco’s data collection with Microsoft’s visualization tools, we’ve created a streamlined solution for businesses to harness their data effectively. 

This guide breaks down the steps for using Power BI to not just view but truly understand your questionnaire responses. It’s time to move beyond the basics of data collection and tap into the full potential of your information with the power of Power BI. 

Use case: Working with questionnaires in Power BI 

Using sample data from elevator inspections, we create visual reports to identify patterns.  

For instance, filtering inspections by account reveals variations in problematic accounts. Those variations include:

• Asset-specific insights, like identifying recurring issues with specific elevator brand component.
• Analyzing specific time frames, such as comparing season to season.
• Asking why we did fewer inspections this season compared to others
• Visualizing meaningful data to offer valuable insights. 

Technical integration

Importing data into Power BI Desktop: Data extraction 

Let’s start with the actual report.  Begin by importing data from your backend using the “Get Data” option. This connection serves as the foundation for your Power BI report, allowing you to pull in data from sources like Dataverse or Salesforce. 

Entity selection 

You don’t have to import the whole organization. Select only the relevant entities that you intend to visualize in your report. Once you have selected all the entities that you need, click Transform data. This imports the entities and starts Power Query Editor right away. 

Data transformation and cleaning 

Data refinement 

Use the Power Query Editor to clean up your data. This involves removing unnecessary columns and shaping the data to match your reporting needs. In this use case, unnecessary columns can be questionnaires we don’t want to visualize or questionnaires with serialized answers columns that are empty. Cleaning your data ensures that only essential information is included in your report.  

Parsing JSON 

After you are finished with data cleaning, create a new query (table) that contains only the questionnaires you want to visualize. Remove all but the serialized answers column (containing questionnaire responses in JSON) and transform (parse) it. This step is crucial for isolating the key columns that hold the answers you want to visualize. 

Managing relationship model 

Defining relationships 

The Model View is used to set relationships between various tables in the report. That includes a newly created table, like the one where we’ve transformed questionnaire data.  Establish relationships between the different tables in your dataset. These relationships create a unified data structure, allowing you to connect and analyze data across various entities. 

Building the report (final step) 

Creating visualizations 

In this phase, your data is ready to be visualized. Pick visualizations that convey your data insights the best. You can choose from many visualization types. Here is one of the most basic: A card displaying the number of questionnaires collected. You can modify each visualization by editing properties, adding filters, etc.  

Key takeaways

• Resco’s Inspections+ and Forms+ are essential for precise data collection, answering the challenge to derive meaningful insights from massed data 
• Our collaboration with Microsoft enhances this process by integrating Resco’s data collection with Microsoft’s visualization tools, providing a streamlined solution for businesses. 
• This guide briefly explores displaying and interpreting questionnaire responses with Power BI, unlocking your data’s full potential. 
• In our use case, working with questionnaires in Power BI unveils patterns and valuable insights for decision-making based on actual figures. 

Conclusion

Efficiently transforming questionnaire responses into a robust Power BI report empowers data-driven decisions and becomes a catalyst for knowledge acquisition, strategically equipping field workers for inspections and enhancing overall efficiency. This is how data visualization transforms the mobile workforce. 

Explore more with a Power BI deep dive on the Wiki. 

Príspevok A step-by-step guide to visualizing questionnaire responses with Power BI zobrazený najskôr Resco.

We’ve explored how Resco Inspections+ and Microsoft Azure Custom Vision integrate together. Find out how they create a solution for easier and faster inspections in the oil & gas or construction industry.

In today’s digital age, technology provides multiple ways of automating and simplifying work tasks.

And the latest accelerator of frontline work transformation is AI.

A recent study shows that 65% of frontline workers believe that AI is their ally. They envision a future where technology can lighten their load and amplify their impact.

The collaboration between Resco and Microsoft exemplifies the potential of such digital integration.

This article looks at how Resco Inspections+ and AI in Azure Custom Vision can digitize health and safety processes for the construction industry. And the resulting solution provides benefits in terms of speed and accuracy of safety inspections.

The use case: Safety inspections on worksites

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Inspections are a common and important part of several industries. Helmets, goggles, or protective clothing are all part of mandatory equipment in oil & gas or construction industry.

It helps workers prevent injuries and mitigate safety hazards. But it is also important for organizations, as it helps them ensure safety and comply with regulations.

For example, one of the biggest OSHA fines in 2022 included penalty for failing to provide eye and head protection on a construction site. The fine totaled $321,956. The risk of work injuries on oil & gas rigs is even higher, making it critical to use new tools for safety improvement.

PPE inspections are often done with pen and paper, which creates a risk of losing or damaging the reports. Some field workers use spreadsheets that aren’t integrated with the core backend systems of organizations. This creates extra manual work for workers and it’s a complex task for organizations to keep all documents in order for years.

The solution: Mobile forms and AI that automate tasks

Mobile forms in Inspections+ enable inspectors to collect and evaluate data digitally. Inspectors can take notes, photos, or videos on site, providing visual proof of health and safety measures. 

The native connection to Dataverse, Dynamics, or Power Platform allows inspectors to sync data in real-time with their organization’s main database. Doing so mitigates data silos and allows organizations to set up a single source of truth.

The AI can automate and optimize related processes. For example, it can make evaluation of workers wearing protective equipment quick and error-free.

The integration: Technical part of integrating Inspections+ and Azure Custom Vision

The integration allows users to classify images in questionnaires or entity forms using Azure’s Custom Vision service. It requires an Azure Custom Vision subscription and at least one model for classifying images.

It is necessary to pre-train this model prior to use in the mobile app. The main steps for setting up Custom Vision include creating a new project, selecting project types and classification types, and obtaining the prediction URL.

You can read more about the process in the technical documentation.

The connection to Azure services itself is set up in Woodford. You can do so by adding a new model definition with all the necessary information in the ‘Settings: AI Image recognition’ section.

Once the training and setup are complete, users can utilize image recognition in questions, views, and forms. It allows them to scan images and match them to specific fields or records.

The entity where image recognition is to be used, must include a string field with barcode formatting on. For example, you can add a row button to the form that uses the ‘Scan Image’ step. Then, simply fill in the value or find the record you are looking for in a lookup view.

Another use case of how you can leverage the custom vision service is to answer questions in questionnaires directly. To do so, you can use the ‘image recognition’ question type.

If the captured image matches the tag in the pretrained model (with a probability above a customizable threshold), the tag’s name serves as the question output. You can apply this result to the other questions (e.g., string fields or lookups) and build your questionnaire business logic based on the tags.

POV: A health & safety inspector with Resco and AI at hand

Let’s have a look at one real-life scenario where technicians cannot start their duties until the safety standards are met.

The legal requirement states that until the protective equipment is not demonstrably present and documented, the mobile worker can’t begin the inspection on a worksite.

You can easily achieve this by integrating Inspections+ and AI in Custom Vision service. The upcoming release will enable this option even for Power Platform.

A technician simply takes a picture of his or her protective equipment at the beginning of the work order process.

The picture will be automatically attached to the documentation and well represented in the overall report. Only after taking the picture and detecting all the required safety protection (e.g., helmet in this case), the operative can proceed with the inspection.

Why it matters:

Real-time safety: Instant safety evaluation means workers can start their work faster and without a burden of administrative tasks. Organizations can also ensure compliance according to OSHA policy.

Audit trail and compliance: Digital data collection and the combination of photographic documentation, signed reports, and cloud storage ensure data integrity and easier document storage. 

Digital data collection: Real-time evaluation, inspections scoring, and elimination of data rewriting will help save inspectors’ time. 

No-code integration: A fast solution for ISV partners, consultants, and internal IT teams to incorporate the benefits of Inspections+, Power Platform, and AI technology without lengthy and expensive development.

Conclusion

That’s the showcase on Resco and Custom Vision joining forces. Quick photos, AI analysis, improved health and safety – all for a safer oil & gas rigs or construction sites. It’s tech that works for the frontline workforce, without the hassle. 

Príspevok Keeping worksites safe: How Resco and AI enhance safety inspections zobrazený najskôr Resco.

Productivity, business agility, and customer satisfaction can be significantly improved with Resco Inspections+.

You can enable your field workers to collect data and perform their tasks faster and error-free using guided workflows everywhere, even offline.

This article will show you how to start a free trial to experience Inspections+ in a few minutes.

Table of contents:

1. Starting Inspections+ trial
2. Getting Inspections+ app
3. Basic operation of Inspections+
   • Step 1. Create a checklist
   • Step 2. Answer the checklist
   • Step 3. Check the results of the answered checklist　

Starting Inspections+ trial

Access the Inspections+ trial request form.

Enter the following information:

• First Name, Last Name: Enter your name. This name will be the login username in the trial environment.
• Business e-mail, Phone Number: Enter a valid e-mail address and phone number. You will receive a confirmation email after the trial environment is acquired.
• Company Name: Enter your company name. This name will be used as the name of the trial environment.
• Country: Select your country of residence.
• “I have read and agree with RESCO Privacy Notice and RESCO Terms and Conditions.” check box: Read the RESCO Privacy Notice and RESCO Terms of Conditions and check the box.
• Advanced options: If checked, you can choose the location of the server (Europe or USA). You can also skip this step without checking the box.

After entering all the information, click the ‘Start your trial’ button. Setup of the trial environment will begin.

After waiting a few minutes, you will be taken to the main screen of Inspections+. From this screen, you can access all functions of Inspections+.

At the same time, you will receive an email confirming the completion of the trial environment creation. The following login information will be included in the email.

• URL of the trial environment, Organization (organization name of the trial environment), Username, E-mail

Click the ‘Start here’ button in the email and set a password to log in to the trial environment.

Click ‘Reset Password’ and wait a few seconds, then you will be redirected to the main screen of resco.Inspections.

This completes the setup of the trial environment.

Getting Inspections+ app

The next time you access the trial environment, go to the URL provided in the email and log in with your username (email address) and password.

Next, install the mobile app to connect to Resco from your mobile device.

The following platforms are supported:

• iOS10+
• Android 5+
• Windows 10+
• Wear OS 2.0+

Click the links above to find the app.

Or access the app store for your device, search for “Resco Inspections” and install the app.

Basic operation of Inspections+

Step 1. Create a checklist

In Inspections+, you can easily create a checklist using the Questionnaire Designer.

First, access the Inspections+ trial environment and open the Questionnaire Designer.

You will be redirected to the Questionnaire Designer screen. You can create and edit checklists in this screen.

A sample checklist is placed in the center of the screen.

Let’s create a simple checklist.

Click ‘New Questionnaire’.

A wizard will open for the initial setup of the new checklist. Here, leave the default values unchanged and click ‘CREATE’ in the lower right corner.

The checklist edit screen will open.

How to edit

First, let’s change the title of the checklist.

Double-click on the words “New Questionnaire” to edit the text.

Then, add the components of the checklist.

Parts can be selected from the list on the left.

Types of the components

Static Components: Items that cannot be edited by respondents. You can add images, descriptions, links, etc.

Questions: Items that respondents can enter values for. You can add questions in a variety of formats, including text, multiple choices, numbers, dates, images, etc.

Group: Group multiple items together. This is useful when you want to separate checklists for easier viewing or when you want to enter the same question repeatedly.

Hover over each item and click ‘More Info…’ in the displayed message to go to the Resco Wiki (English site) for a detailed explanation.

Let’s add an item to be answered in text format.

1. Click ‘Text’ in the list on the left
2. A Text item will be added in the center. Edit the value as you like

• Text: Enter the text of the question
• Add Description: Enter a supplementary description of the question
• Default value: Enter the initial value of the answer
• Maximum Length: Specify the maximum length of the answer

Once entered, click the ‘Save’ button in the upper left corner of the screen to save the data.

Click ‘Preview Form’ on the toolbar at the top of the screen to preview the saved checklist.

Follow the same procedure to add items of your choice to the checklist and save.

When you have finished editing, click ‘Save & Close’ in the upper left corner of the screen to close the editing screen.

The checklist you created is displayed in the center of the screen. Click to select it and click ‘Activate’ on the toolbar.

The status of the checklist will change from ‘DRAFT’ to ‘ACTIVE’, allowing users to answer from their mobile apps.

Step 2. Answer the checklist

Open and answer the checklist in the Inspections+ mobile app.

First, launch the app.

The quick introduction screen will appear.

After reading the function introduction screen, the login screen will appear.

Enter the following information:

• User Mode = Standard User
• URL = URL of the environment *URL that was included in the e-mail you received when you acquired the trial environment.

(Example: https://[environment name].app.[us or eu].resco.net/)

• Username, Password = email address and password you registered when you obtained the trial environment
• Save Password = ON

After entering the information, click the ‘Sync’ button in the upper right corner. After a short wait, the application selection screen will open.

Select ‘Inspector’.

The home screen for field workers will open.

Select ‘Templates’ from the home screen.

You will see a list of checklists that you can answer. Scroll down and you will find the checklists created in the previous step. Other checklists are data for demonstration purposes.

For example, “Quality Assurance” is a checklist you can try.

Open the checklist you created.

Enter your answers and click the hamburger button (三) in the upper right corner. Select ‘Complete’.

You can also try our product tours to see how the Questionnaire Designer and Inspections+ mobile app work in your browser without installing any software.

Step 3: Check the results of the answered checklist

In Inspections+, you can view and export the results of the answered checklists in the Results Viewer.

Select ‘Results Viewer’ in the center of the Inspections+ screen.

The Results Viewer will be launched.

A list of checklists that have been answered is displayed in the center of the screen.

Select one of the checklists, and the results of your answer will be displayed on the right side of the screen.

The menu on the left side of the screen allows you to filter the results. Also, select the ‘Export’ button at the top of the screen to export the response results data.

This completes the basic operation of Resco Inspections+.

More information about how to use Inspections+

Looking for more information? Watch a webinar on how to create a good questionnaire.

Príspevok Increase your field workforce productivity with Resco Inspections+ zobrazený najskôr Resco.

Have you ever worked with a client who struggled with ineffective inspections?

HG Technology, a Resco partner that specializes in cloud-based business solutions, has faced a similar challenge.

As a Microsoft Silver Partner, it uses the full Microsoft 365 suite to help clients with digital transformation. The company creates tailored systems that enhance its clients’ business operations. These include inspection software, data and document management, and bespoke applications.

When the HG Technology’s team realized its construction industry client’s workers were still using paper reports during routine inspections, they wanted to help them improve this process. So, they looked for a digital solution.

That’s when they found Resco Inspections+.

In this interview, Millie Beere, Product Manager at HG Technology, shares how Inspections+ improved the client’s inspection process, saving time and money.

When you looked for a digital solution, why did you choose Resco instead of similar solutions available?

At HG Technology, we primarily use the Microsoft suite to provide cloud-based business solutions. So, when we learned that Resco’s products were also cloud-based and could be integrated with Microsoft applications, we knew Resco would fit perfectly with our company ethos. We saw it had the potential to enhance our client’s operations.

Resco offers an out-of-the-box app that’s ready for implementation. To what extent did you customize it to match your clients’ needs? 

One of our main customers is in the construction and aggregate industry. For this client, Inspections+ didn’t suit the business’ needs straight out of the box. So, we customized existing entities to better store equipment data. Specifically, we wanted to present this information in a Tree format with which client users were comfortable.

How did you go about this customization?

First, we customized the Asset entity so that it was suitable to store equipment data. This primarily involved creating new fields. 

We also customized the Tree entity so that it replicated the existing equipment configuration. This meant the equipment was stored in a structure that the users were familiar with. The Tree entity now builds itself and maintains its structure when new equipment data is brought across from an external platform.

To import equipment data into Inspections+ and constantly keep it up to date, we used Microsoft Power Automate and SharePoint lists. We then integrated them with Inspections+. The purpose was to export and store completed questionnaires, inspections, and audits. This way, our client can now view live equipment data from within the Inspections mobile application.

The client can now use the application to access the relevant inspections and reports anytime. This integration works fully automated; the client can extract completed reports and store the PDFs in a SharePoint document library. That can be helpful for future reference and external auditing. 

Did you also make any other customizations of the app?

Yes, we have also made several customisations to questionnaire templates to help our clients get the most out of their inspections. For example, we have implemented ‘Fault Notifications’, which notify the managers on the client’s side when an inspector picks up on an issue on-site. This notification informs managers of the fault, its location, and whether it has been resolved.

In addition, we have also implemented calculated fields, as inspectors often need to enter a range of measurements. Thanks to our customized rule, the questionnaire generates an average of these measurements.

You mentioned integrations with Power Automate and SharePoint. Have you integrated Inspections+ with any other Microsoft applications?

Being a Microsoft Silver Partner, we’ve encountered a few scenarios where a client has benefited from such integrations. Apart from integrating Power Automate and SharePoint, we have also implemented a Microsoft Power BI dashboard directly into Inspections+. 

Our client wanted to view department-specific data at the drop of a hat. It included data such as how many inspections have been completed in the current month, which pieces of equipment have been inspected, and so on.

In our solution, the Power BI dashboard uses the data stored in Resco to provide interactive and drill-down dashboards. This integration allowed our client’s users to manage their team’s performance quickly and effectively.

As a result, our client’s data is more secure and easier to navigate. It also prevents users from having to sort through large amounts of information to find what they are looking for. And we can choose which users can view what data. These are just a few benefits of being able to create unique app configurations.

To better understand your clients’ context, can you tell us more about their industries, use cases, and how the solution helps them?

As I mentioned, we have worked with a client from the construction and aggregate industries to implement Inspections+.

Before implementing Resco for this client, its users conducted routine inspections using pen and paper. They often couldn’t find the time to create digital copies of these inspection reports, which resulted in misplaced inspections. 

Going digital has allowed our client to run inspections from the users’ mobile devices. They can do so anywhere, anytime, and whether they are online or without access to the internet.

We also learned that the aggregate industry experiences routine external audits. 

For these audits, they must provide data from their routine equipment inspections. But as inspectors often lost their paper reports with no digital copies, they couldn’t always provide auditors with the data they required.

After implementing Inspections+, and integrating SharePoint, all their digital inspections are exported and stored in SharePoint automatically. 

Can you give an example of any quantifiable benefits that using Resco solutions brought to your client?

Before going digital, our client’s inspectors used to spend several hours a week in the office typing up their paper reports. Sometimes this didn’t get done, and the process was incredibly time-consuming.

Now, they’re able to save that time, as they complete inspections much faster. Plus, the inspections are more likely to be done. Their work is much more efficient.

Which Resco features do your customers find most useful? 

We have found the Tree entity to be very beneficial to the aggregate industry. Our client users store their equipment in a system called SAP, so they appreciate we have been able to replicate this structure in Inspections+. Now, inspectors can follow the familiar layout to find the piece of equipment they are inspecting.

Thanks to the Tree structure, inspectors can easily find the questionnaires associated with each piece of equipment. That’s another feature we have found useful. It avoids incorrect inspections being conducted, saving the users valuable time.

Being able to capture an image when inspecting is also very beneficial. Now, when an issue arises, inspectors can just take a picture and tag the image with the relevant information.

As users usually take images when an issue occurs, we have also set up a notification system informing managers of any faults that arise. As a result, the client can now resolve faults quicker and with less machine downtime.

You just mentioned a few of your clients’ favorite features. What are the best features from your point of view?

Firstly, the ability to create department-specific app projects means users don’t get overwhelmed. They only see relevant inspection information. This is both secure and timesaving. 

Secondly, being able to set up notifications is another important feature. The main purpose of conducting inspections is keeping on top of what is or isn’t working. That’s why being able to notify certain members of the team when a problem occurs means issues get resolved much quicker.

Thirdly, we’ve found that inspectors are often without internet access throughout the day. Therefore, being able to access inspections whilst offline is very beneficial. It increases the likelihood of inspections being conducted.

Do you plan to further scale your Resco solution or try other Resco products in different scenarios in the future?

Absolutely. We are always looking for new Resco clients and hope to expand our skill-set as we go. In 2021 we branched out and started networking in the Middle East—we see great potential and hope to expand our clientele in this industry. 

Would you recommend Resco to other companies?

I would recommend Resco to businesses that conduct inspections regularly. Especially to those who haven’t yet digitized their inspections.

By working with a Resco partner, implementing the solution can require only minor work. It can help businesses conduct inspections anywhere, anytime, from their workers’ mobile devices.

Príspevok How HG Technology improves its clients’ inspections and audits thanks to Resco zobrazený najskôr Resco.

Modern fish farming is a high-tech industry. Technology helps with feeding procedures, visualization of important events, and automation. A well-managed environment contributes towards the welfare of the fish.

From pen and paper to a robust software solution

ScaleAQ has been on the market for 40 years and started out using pen and paper.

The company owns a lot of internal equipment – forklifts, welding machines, etc. These assets need weekly or monthly service. As you can imagine, paper documents sometimes got damaged or even disappeared.

Christian Våge, Team Lead Electro/Automation, ScaleAQ, explains that they started to inspect their assets in 2017 with the help of Resco.
“We quickly saw the benefit and added customer equipment as well,” says Mr. Våge.

Inspecting the fish pens

Now they use Resco Field Service+ along with Inspections+ to inspect the fish pens too. Field engineers sail in small boats and fill in the inspection forms directly at sea. Resco Field Service+ mobile app, fully integrated with Dynamics 365, allows field engineers to work on any device, even with low or no internet connection.

A lot of maintenance work needs to be done on each recurring inspection. Sometimes the inspection is not finished in one go, and the engineers need to make a second visit. There can be different people on each visit. Information needs to be passed on.

Resco Inspections+ allow the field engineers to access the questions that have already been answered. All the answers are reused, only the ones they need to focus on are highlighted.

The technician does not need to reenter questions that have already been entered. It speeds up the inspection, saves time, and increases efficiency.

Data collected during the inspections are securely stored on the mobile device thanks to Resco’s signature offline capability and synced with MS Dynamics once the field engineer becomes online again. Once synced, the documents are stored on SharePoint and also at a customer portal, where customers can review them.

Assembling the fish pens

ScaleAQ has built many fish pens over the years. They come in different specifications, and many of them are unique. When they are being assembled, they demand a unique inspection every time. The inspections must be carried out with the correct template of questions.

To make it easy for the field workers, Resco mobile app pulls out the data about each pen from product cards stored in MS Dynamics and builds an inspection questionnaire dynamically. This process guarantees each asset is inspected with the right inspection template and questions.

Moreover, the questions dynamically change based on the answers that are already given.

Everyone can rest assured the collected data is relevant to the specific asset. This increases the quality and accuracy of the data. Accurate data account for better decisions that lead to the competitive advantage of ScaleAQ. The data is subsequently analyzed in the back office.

And when the pens are being moved between locations, field engineers see the exact info they need to assemble them.

Back-office workers do not need coding skills to put together responsive questionnaires and analyze the outcomes. They can take advantage of the Inspections+ no-code capabilities.

All data in one system

As ScaleAQ grew, its partner seamlessly integrated it with Dynamics 365 Sales and Customer Service. They have incorporated other back-office systems as well.

All the company data is created and stored in one ecosystem. This way, ScaleAQ avoids data silos and makes sure all the employees and vendors are on the same page.

Sustainability

ScaleAQ has overcome many hurdles thanks to its robust software solution. The biggest challenge at the moment is the state of the ocean and the fish. That’s why they promote circular aquaculture and are focused on sustainability.

With the Green Platform Project SirkAQ, they are developing solutions to reuse, repair and extend the life of plastic from fish farming equipment and to use recycled materials in new products.

Thanks to technology, they have a detailed overview of all the processes. That helps with good management of resources and sustainable operations.

After all, there can be no aquaculture without a clean ocean and healthy fish.

Field service+

Resco Field Service+ with Inspections+ help companies to become more efficient and sustainable – not only in aquaculture but also in manufacturing, property maintenance, or the energy sector.

If you got interested in the ScaleAQ story, in how they use advanced mobility to drive efficiency, and you’d like to explore how it can benefit your business, book a demo with us, and we’ll provide you all answers and tailored consultation.

Príspevok ScaleAQ makes fish-farming more efficient thanks to advanced mobility zobrazený najskôr Resco.

In our space for innovation, we are exploring multiple concepts to make the lives of field staff easier. One of them is ALIS – our new asset localization and identification system. It uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to navigate field workers and help them execute their work orders.

The potential of BLE as unassuming small devices that transmit information has long been overlooked. In the Resco ALIS Lab, we are modifying this technology to make them meet industry requirements. We are also integrating them into our software solutions to unlock their capabilities.

Resco ALIS Lab

Resco ALIS Lab is one of the resco.Labs projects that we launched to bring game-changing technology to mobile workers. The mentor of this lab is Radomir Vozar, one of the founders of Resco. He works in the lab alongside Resco experts from various backgrounds: hardware and software development, UX and UI, sales, and marketing.

In this article, Radomir Vozar explains:

• How ALIS works
• How it can be used in the field
• How you can leverage ALIS with the Resco platform
• How to apply for a Resco ALIS pilot in your company

How ALIS works

The basic unit of ALIS is a BLE device also called a beacon. It passively transmits a low-energy signal in short, regular intervals. The signal carries simple information. It can be a serial number, or an ID used in computer systems.

Versatility

The information that is sent out from the beacon can be configured.

In the basic setup, a beacon contains a chip, an antenna, and a battery with a life span of 10 years or more – all encased in a protective shell.

In addition, we can fit a beacon with a sensor to monitor temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide levels, light, motion, vibrations, or air quality.

Another useful enhancement is a LED or voice signal hardware extension, helping better identify an asset in situations where more assets are located next to each other.

NIVY Watch, the daughter company of Resco, will be lending their expertise to the Resco ALIS Lab and helping create enterprise-quality beacons with the related software necessary for integrating with the existing Resco platform.

Low price

Beacons are exceptionally low-cost. They don’t require complicated infrastructure, implementation, and maintenance.

Low energy

A beacon is stationary, meant to sit in one place. You can stick it to any asset. We can customize it for use with a magnet, a zip tie, a screw, or an adhesive. It is wireless and does not require any cables.

Distance and localization

The primary benefit of a beacon is that you can tell how far you are from it.

How is that possible? The radio magnetic waves from a beacon leave the device in all directions. As they travel, they get weaker, meaning their magnitude is getting smaller. By reading the magnitude, you can guess the distance from a beacon with a high enough precision to localize your asset.

With multiple beacons in a network, you can use this distance measurement to localize them in space.

Widely supported

To make use of the beacons, you need a device that can pick up and decipher its signals. The good news is that most mobile phones and tablets now have Bluetooth receivers. Anyone with a smartphone and a dedicated mobile app can read the signals and enjoy the benefits of beacons.

If you are asking where to get one of these dedicated mobile apps, the short answer is that we are adding beacon support to our platform through the Resco ALIS Lab. It will be possible to add this Resco platform feature without any coding to Inspections+ and Field Service+ use cases.

You can find more info about joining the pilot program at the end of this article.

How beacons can be used in the field

In the following paragraphs, we will explore the potential of beacons in everyday situations.

If a field worker has a mobile app that can read and interpret signals from the beacons, it can save him (and his back-office colleagues) a lot of hassle.

Asset localization

The first practical use of beacons is asset localization.

An example of an asset is an air conditioning system. Large buildings have tens or even hundreds of air conditioning units. When a service technician inspects and services one of these devices, he needs to get to it, read or scan its barcode, find its IDs, and start filling in the work order.

It is not always easy to find the asset. The technician may not be familiar with the site; a third party could have done the installation. The asset may be hidden behind a ceiling construction. We know from experience that in complex sites, e.g., large plants with a lot of piping, it can take up to a few hours to localize a single asset.

If we stick a beacon to each asset, the field worker can perform a simple scan on his mobile app and see all assets on the site. With a list of assets, their distance, and direction, he can quickly identify the asset he is looking for. The time saved can be remarkable.

Identification of an asset and related documents

Once the field worker has located the asset, he must start an asset-related inspection, or field service work order.

The beacon transmits a unique ID together with other asset-specific information. The mobile application on his smartphone receives this information set and simply runs and pre-fills the related Inspection or Field Service work order with all the data. Moreover, this can all be done with only one click. This can save significant time and avoid incorrect data input.

Making sure the technician is at the site

The next area where beacons can come in handy is monitoring the presence of a field technician at the asset. When it comes to medical equipment or devices that comply with regulations, it is crucial to ensure the technician has been at the site and inspected the correct device.

With beacons, you can monitor the time the field service technician has spent in close proximity to the asset.

Sign up for a Resco ALIS pilot

As you can see, beacons can improve the work of field service technicians in multiple ways. There are many options for exploring their potential. That’s why we need you, our valued customers and partners, to tell us what is most valuable for you.

Right now, we are looking for companies that will join the first Labs pilot program. We will tailor the hardware and software to their use cases. If you can imagine beacons working for you, get in touch, and we can discuss how we can meet your needs.

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Interested? Let’s talk:

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Since joining Resco in 2018, Tomas has been instrumental in implementing projects and helping our customers thrive within the Dynamics ecosystem. In this blog, he shares the three most interesting mobile requirements he has encountered during his time at Resco.

1. Risk Matrix component in Inspections+

The client wanted to add a Risk Matrix component to their Inspections+ questionnaire form. The problem was that this kind of question didn’t exist in the Questionnaire Designer tool.

To create a Risk Matrix question type, Tomas had to be creative and find a workaround. He decided to add several Option set questions with the pre-defined values and applied custom formatting via Styles in order to mimic the desired layout of the Risk Matrix component.

“The whole process from the requirement analysis through the implementation until the quick test took about two to three hours and demonstrated the flexibility of Resco. I was able to create the solution without any coding, using Resco’s no-code/low-code tools,” explains Tomas.

Resco’s solution not only covered the client’s need for functionality and layout but also design. The original component had several color scales ranging from green through yellow to red, each representing a different level of risk. The flexibility of the Resco Questionnaire Designer tool in terms of design allowed us to meet these demands, making the user adoption process much more accessible.

When the client saw the result, they were very pleased with it. The partner only added one minor rule to the solution to ensure that mobile users could only select one question in the matrix, and the rest were not editable. This solution demonstrated Resco’s platform’s adaptability and provided value to the client by meeting their specific requirements.

2. Complex custom mobile report

The potential client’s requirement was the ability to generate a mobile report with a custom layout upon the completion of the Questionnaire form.

Resco mobile reports are a very important and popular feature among Resco customers and partners. This feature allows users to quickly generate a PDF or Word document, or other output, which shows the results of the work orders field workers complete in the field. This output can be easily shared with clients or saved in the system for archiving.

A potential customer was interested in using Resco Inspections+ feature, but they wanted to see some output from it as well. The customer shared a scanned paper form with a complex layout they used for their work.

While the Resco Report Designer is a powerful and flexible tool that offers many configuration options, it requires some time to learn how to use its full potential and build really complex reports. Resco developers have improved the usability of the tool in recent releases, investing in making these technologies more user-friendly.

“Thanks to this, I was able to replicate the customer’s paper form using the Report Designer tool, creating a faithful copy of the form,” Tomas says.

The client was impressed with the custom mobile report during the demo and was pleasantly surprised by the capabilities of Resco technology. Such custom reports are recommended for users in highly competitive environments who need to quickly generate customized reports and send them to clients. They are also very useful for clients who need their reports to comply with strict legal requirements.

Although it can take several days to create a complex report, the effort is worth it as it can be updated very quickly once completed.

Mobile reports are the bread and butter of field data collection, but their generation isn’t solely a task for frontline workers. The ability to access and quickly create reports is important for field managers and back-office employees to review data and steer the information flow.

That’s why Inspections+ new feature, utilizing the Resco Power Automate connector, allows reports to be generated directly from Dynamics 365 and Dataverse. And makes it simple and fast.

3. Complex validation rules in Woodford

A potential client was planning to replace their current custom-built backend system and mobile app with something more standard. One of their requirements for the demo presentation was the ability to configure multiple validations in the mobile app without any programming, in a no-code/low-code way, to make the mobile app smart and foolproof.

The challenge was to ensure that the mobile application was user-friendly, with various validations and checks to prevent potential problems from the user entering incorrect data or conducting inspections for which they were not trained.

To address this challenge, Tomas used Resco’s customization tool, Woodford, and specifically its Rule Editor – a complex, flexible and no-code component for implementing custom business logic.

“I needed to create a multi-level validation that would check several actions within the application. Although the potential client wasn’t sure such validations could be created in the given timeframe, I was able to successfully demonstrate and present them, receiving positive feedback,” remarks Tomas.

The easier we can make things for users, the better the results, and the fewer errors there will be. Companies can save a lot of money by preventing repeated inspections due to technical incompetence.

The app Tomas presented demonstrated the combined power of Microsoft Dataverse and Resco. During the presentation, the client was surprised by the significant advantage of customizing Resco’s mobile application without programming.

Setting up an app without the need for custom code leads to faster development, lower costs, easier and cheaper maintenance of the system, and a better user experience. Companies often overlook costs hidden in the future maintenance of the custom code. However, these costs can be significantly reduced by applying a no-code/low-code approach where it’s suitable.

Make the most of Resco by staying in the loop

“I highly recommend attending our product webinars, where we showcase and demonstrate new functionalities. Additionally, I encourage our customers and partners to provide us with their feedback, which drives us forward, helps us better understand the real-life scenarios and keeps our focus on the features that bring a high value to our customers,” advises Tomas.

You can also follow us on social media such as YouTube and LinkedIn, where you’ll find the latest updates about our features and events. And if you’re interested in the technical aspects of our solutions, check out our technical blogs and subscribe to the Resco newsletter, where you’ll find valuable Tech tips.

By following these tips, you can ensure that you’re utilizing Resco to its full potential and staying ahead of the game in terms of mobile capabilities.

Príspevok Challenge accepted: Three unique customer demands solved with Resco zobrazený najskôr Resco.

“Having more complete & up-to-the-minute information makes it easier for us to respond quickly to change,” points out one of the benefits Keith Murphy, Business Analyst at Maxol, a leading fuel stations operator in Ireland.

And for the frontline workers, the benefits of switching from paper reports or spreadsheets to their more flexible counterparts are even more tangible.

“Before, our field sales reps needed to be at home after their daily visits to document and follow up their visit reports on a laptop,” says Marcel Federlein, CRM Consultant at Hoffmann Group. That could mean tens of minutes or even hours of additional administrative work. “With the mobile reports, visit reporting time has been reduced by at least 30 to 60 minutes per day,” adds Marcel.

And so, it becomes critically important for both the employees in the office and the field how effectively they can create documents like time sheets, service reports, inspections, or invoices.

But with such possibilities, there comes a question. What are the key functionalities that make reports effective? And what should you focus on to achieve success similar to Hoffman Group’s or Maxol’s?

The 5 key functionalities of effective digital reports

Working with hundreds of customers across industries we understood the importance of reports and what is key to make them truly effective. One of the areas where quality reporting is crucial is in the data collection scenarios.

That’s why we made sure Resco Inspections+ offers a robust set of features that make generating, editing, and managing of reports easier and more efficient.

Here you can explore the 5 key features that make truly effective reporting possible.

#1: Creating reports without coding

IT resources are scarce across the job market. It’s a long-term challenge not just for standard industries like manufacturing or field service, but for integration software vendors too.

To mitigate the need for coding skills, Inspections+ utilize a set of no code/low code development tools to enable teams develop and customize their digital reports.

This allows businesses to save time and resources while still generating accurate and professional-looking reports.

“It gives us additional capabilities without big IT development. It makes possible that a skilled person can create reports or checklists without any IT support,” comments Peter Becher from Krones AG.

A showcase of Resco’s no code/low code Questionnaire Designer.

The critical tools in the process are Questionnaire and Report Designers. They combine the power of advanced features like smart questions, scoring, or data mapping with simplicity of drag-and-drop design process.

Recent demonstration of creating timesheets reports in Dynamics 365 with Resco development platform is a great showcase of that. It proves that complex functionality can be achieved without writing a single line of code, giving great power to even small IT teams.

And if the back-office staff possess such capabilities, they can make the next phase much easier for frontline workers.

#2: Reporting from mobile devices, automatically

Even nowadays, many field teams need to rewrite the data they collect. They rewrite it from the paper notes they take, spreadsheets they run, or custom mobile apps that aren’t integrated with the company’s database.

The complexity of it can be staggering.

“What was happening was that we would have a salesperson who goes out to the customer number one. They take pictures of the equipment and written notes.

They do five, six, seven, eight, nine of those. And at the end of the day, they come home, plug in their phone to their computer and paste the data into an Excel spreadsheet.

Then go back to their notes, type in the forklift details into the Excel spreadsheet, and email that to the wholesale manager. The manager would then take that, pull a couple of photos out, post that to the wholesale auction network, and try to sell,” explains Jason Johnson from Southern States Toyotalift.

And so, the ones who can integrate data collection and reporting into one process gain a massive advantage.

The no code development, native integration with D365 & Power Platform, and a single app for data collection and reporting in Inspections+ enable to solve it and deliver data in real time.

The frontline users can then automatically create reports of collected data with add-ons like e-signatures from their mobile device. Without rewriting. Administrative burden. Extra hours or work.

For Southern States Toyotalift, this efficiency meant optimization of the reporting to just 4 minutes per visit. And eventually a $350K/month increase in revenue.

#3: Relying on reports in offline scenarios

But still, being able to collect and report data from one place and device doesn’t guarantee complete success.

Even with today’s signal coverage, there comes a time in a day for frontline workers when they find themselves outside the reach of internet. If they cannot create reports in such conditions, the benefit of having digital solution comes close to zero.

It took about 15 minutes to switch from offline to online mode and back for Hoffman Group’s sales representatives with their legacy solution. And due to this reliability issues, they moved back to making post-work reports and phone calls.

To solve these critical scenarios, Inspections+ utilize full offline functionality allowing frontline users to collect and report data even in the most challenging conditions. The solution makes it possible to store all the data locally, and sync it once back online.

Features like DocuSign integration also enable digitally signing documents in offline mode without additional custom development.

And how reliable is this technology?

Imagine being in a remote area of Norway, deployed by a helicopter, surrounded by hills, valleys, and hanging on a communication tower and still being able to report data without delays. This is one of the most extreme use cases where reports in Inspections+ currently work, and technicians of Site Service Group can fully rely on them.

And what about the Hoffman Group’s sales representatives? They save 60 minutes every day and have eliminated 50% of calls after switching from legacy solution to Resco. All thanks to reliable offline mode, letting them fully leverage the power of digital reports.

#4: Generating reports in Dynamics 365 & Dataverse/Power Platform

Mobile reports are the bread and butter of field data collection, but their generation isn’t solely a task for frontline workers.

The ability to access and quickly create reports is important for field managers and back-office employees to review data and steer the information flow.

That’s why Inspections+ new feature, utilizing the Resco Power Automate connector, allows reports to be generated directly from Dynamics 365 and Dataverse. And makes it simple and fast.

The connector eliminates the need for any 3rd party solution and saves resources for further IT development.

An example of Power Automate prompt enabling to generate report and AI summary from Resco questionnaire

Furthermore, this opens a great space for innovation. Resco’s Product team recently demonstrated how Chat GPT, an AI language model, can further optimize report generation.

“The goal was to help workers and managers create report summaries without having to spend time getting through them manually or converting unreadable data into a much more presentable form,” explains Malvína Melkovičová, Product Consultant at Resco.

#5: Advanced analysis tools and integration with Power BI

Without additional analysis, the initial reports may have been of limited use.

Let’s say a field service organization generates a report on the number of service orders completed by their technicians over the past month. While this information is useful, it doesn’t provide much insight into the efficiency of the organization or the performance of individual technicians.

With tools available in Inspections+ like Results Viewer and Dashboards, organizations gain a deeper understanding of their operations. The solution makes it easy to set up charts, views, or notification to get a real time insight into organizations’ key performance indicators.

“Once the automated online sync kicks in on the user’s phone, the inspections are all visible via customized dashboards back in head office. Simple, reliable, quick and easy,” outlines the possibilities Keith from Maxol.

The native integration with Dynamics 365 and Dataverse also enables teams to analyze data through powerful Power BI platform.

Armed with this information, the organization make data-driven decisions to improve their operations.

Missing any of the key reporting features in your field operations?

The importance of reports for both the office and frontline workers cannot be overstated. They possess a way to say goodbye to manual data entry and administrative burden while enabling advanced data analytics and better business decisions.

Inspections+ is a solution which includes all the key functionalities enabling effective reports. Including the ability to create them without coding, generate reports on mobile devices, full offline functionality, integration with D365 and Power Platform, or advanced analysis.

“It was exactly what we were looking for and more,” concludes Keith from Maxol.

If these capabilities could help your business and field team too, schedule a free demo or contact our sales to explore Inspections+ in more detail.

Príspevok Reports done right: The 5 key features for frontline teams & businesses zobrazený najskôr Resco.

The recent update of Resco solutions takes this to the next level again.

The new JSON storage of questionnaires brings a lot of possibilities for improving synchronization’s speed and efficiency.

That’s why we have put together the most up-to-date information and a short guide so you can make the best out of it.

In this article you will learn about:

• What were the previous storage options and how they worked
• How the new JSON stores data
• Comparison of storage space used by the new and legacy JSON formats
• What are the recommended actions for using JSON
• How to create questionnaires with the correct setup

The legacy storage options

Record-based storage

The first option was record-based, where each newly completed questionnaire included its own questionnaire record, question records, and question group records.

Over time, this could cause a lot of records to be stored in the database, and could lead to a long synchronization time and even server timeouts.

That could lead to potential integrity problems, such as incomplete questionnaire. This would happen when the synchronization was interrupted while only a part of the question records were transferred.

Template dependency

This option creates a distinction between the core and template-dependent fields.

Core fields cannot be duplicated for other questionnaires and posses unique information as ‘value’, ‘score’, and ‘answeredon’ fields.

Template-dependent fields are ones that can be used for multiple questionnaires. That means the data doesn’t need to be stored for each completed questionnaire, which saves a lot of space.

Such fields are ‘resco_styles’, ‘resco_localization’, ‘resco_rules’ and ‘resco_autoreport’, that usually tend to take the most storage.

This method improved upon the records-based storage and decreased the amount of space needed, but also makes the questionnaire not complete without the template, and cannot run properly without it.

Note that template dependency comes hand in hand with template versioning, which addresses the problem with template changes.

Legacy JSON

With this storage method, we serialized all the fields presented in the ‘question’ and ‘question_group’ records into a one JSON string.

The data string was stored in ‘resco_serializedanswers’ when a new questionnaire was created. This method eliminated the need for question and ‘question_group’ records.

The origin JSON improved the storage significantly, but it was still storing all the fields, some of which were not necessary (if the template dependency was not turned on). The format used standard .NET serialization and was not optimal as far as storage was concerned

Recommended actions for the older storage methods

Currently, you can use all of the mentioned methods to store questionnaires, but the status will change with the update in December, 2023, where we will be deprecating legacy JSON and record-based storage.

Recommended actions regarding the legacy storage formats are:

• If you don’t have any integration with third-party tools that parse JSON data, we recommend switching to the new JSON right away to start benefiting from a reduced database footprint and shorter sync times
• • If you do have an integration with third-party tools that work with questionnaire answers in legacy JSON format, check it’s working with the latest version and adapt your processes during the transition period
• In either case, you have the option to convert your existing questionnaire data to the new JSON format with Resco developed tool called Questionnaire Converter. To learn more technical details, please, contact Resco support

How does the new JSON storage option work

The newest storage option is made to be modular by giving you the option of selecting which information should be stored and which shouldn’t. It also includes versioning and dependency settings that are mandatory for this method.

There are two options available, Minimal JSON and Flexible JSON:

Minimal JSON

This option stores the least amount of information, just key-value pairs, where the key is question name and the value is its answer.

Also, questions containing a default value can be excluded from the storage, as the answer is known and can be reconstructed.

With this method you can achieve the most efficient storage possible yet.

Let’s see some example where we have a question on the one side and answer on the other. Firstly, we have a questionnaire form filled:

This is how it will look in the JSON string format (note that the actual string is stored as just one line):

As you can see, there is only essential information about the questions, groups, and answers.

Flexible JSON

Using the Flexible JSON method, you can customize the format by choosing which information is stored.

It also improves on the problems of the original JSON as it omits almost all of the information that can be reconstructed from the template.

Let’s see some example using the same questionnaire data from the Minimal JSON:

As you can see, the amount of information here almost doubled from the minimal JSON, and it also includes data such as score of the question answer, lookup, and option set labels.

Size comparison of different storage methods

Firstly, we need to look at the impact of the template dependency for storage-based method. As you can see from the graph below, it decreases the storage required to about 8% of the original one.

In this example, there are 2300 questionnaires answered with 21 question groups and 183 questions for each one.

Next, we can have a look at Minimal JSON. Looking at the same scenario and given that all of the questions are answered, it looks something like this:

The Minimal JSON improves the storage 6 times, but a more realistic scenario, where not all of the questions are answered, would be around 10 times.

In the next graph, we can see the difference between Flexible JSON and Record-based method. The scenario is the same as with the previous example:

With Flexible JSON there are more fields present in the string, but the storage efficiency is still about 5 times better.

Here you can see all four scenarios together:

How to create a questionnaire with answers stored in JSON format

Now we can have a look at how you can create your questionnaire with these settings enabled to help you with decreasing your storage requirement.

Currently, when you create a questionnaire, the settings are set to default for the new JSON method with versioning and dependency enabled (and these settings are required for the method).

We recommend keeping these settings on, because as mentioned previously, we are planning to deprecate the other legacy methods by the end of 2023.

When you open your questionnaire and set up your question and question groups, you can have a look at the JSON string in the preview mode:

With this setup, you have a handy overview of how the storage file is going to look like and what information is included.

How can you further optimize Minimal and Flexible JSON?

It’s important to note that with both Minimal and Flexible JSON, length of the questions names has a significant impact on storage.

It’s especially valuable to consider this if you are managing a large number of questionnaires.

For example, imagine a questionnaire with 183 questions where a single question contains an average of 18 characters.

Now, let’s say we would be able to optimize the length to just 1 character per question, which would save over 3K characters per questionnaire.

If you would be able to shorten the names across 2300 questionnaires per day, you could save approximately 150MB of storage per month.

You can achieve this while designing your questionnaire for each of the questions:

What’s next?

With the introduction of the new JSON storage option, you can choose to store only the information you need and reduce the size of your database, resulting in shorter synchronization times.

And with the deprecation of older storage methods in December 2023, it’s important to make the switch as soon as possible. Check out Resco’s Wiki for more information on the Resco Inspections data model and JSON storage for questionnaires.

If you would like to learn more about how to optimize sync speed for Inspections, take a look at synchronization training provided by Resco Support Team Lead Timotej Leško.

Príspevok How to speed up questionnaire sync and optimize storage use with the new JSON (+Comparison with the legacy formats) zobrazený najskôr Resco.

ChatGPT is all over the place, and you’ve surely come across some posts, videos, or news presenting its capabilities. But while these mainly focus on helping programmers, writers, or marketers, we wanted to explore AI’s value for a less tech-savvy and more mobile community — service technicians and inspectors. In this blog, our Product Consultant Malvína Melkovičová showcases how ChatGPT and Resco can help automate complex reporting and improve customer experience.

“As a biomedical engineering student, I have always been fascinated by the conjunction of the human brain and technology. At that time, I couldn’t say how I would be able to directly apply my passion for AI simulations in the CRM world. But today, here I am, using the ChatGPT AI model to leverage work processes for mobile and office users,” remarked Malvína.

With the dawn of ChatGPT and significant improvements in the availability of AI capabilities, Resco’s product consulting team wanted to use its power to create a simpler mobile experience. They’ve chosen the generation of report summaries as a process that can be improved by connecting these technologies.

“The goal was to help workers and managers create report summaries without having to spend time getting through them manually or converting unreadable data into a much more presentable form,” Malvína explains.

To achieve that, the team worked on solutions for two different scenarios:

1. Integrating ChatGPT directly in the Inspections+ mobile app
2. Integration in Dynamics 365 leveraging the new Resco Reports Power Automate connector

Reports and AI Summaries in Inspections+ mobile app

To simplify the lives of service technicians, inspectors, sales reps, and other frontline workers, Malvína started by creating a custom command in the Questionnaire Designer. This command can be added to any questionnaire template in Inspections+ and will enable mobile users to initiate ChatGPT from the app. The command contains an offline JavaScript file with coded logic linked as a script path to the corresponding questionnaire. With this setup, once in the field, a mobile worker can complete the selected questionnaire with a button containing the custom code. Let’s call it AI Summary in our case. Malvína explains what happens in the background after a mobile worker initiates AI Summary in the app:

1. The app sends an HTTP request to ChatGPT containing a prompt and body of the submitted questionnaire.
2. The AI model generates a short inspection summary with proposed action points.
3. Then, an email app opens, and the ChatGPT’s report summary is prefilled into the email body. The questionnaire report is also attached.

Thanks to this workflow, the mobile worker now has an instant email draft with all the report insights at hand.  

“From there on, it’s easy to add a personal touch and send the report directly from the mobile app to the manager or customer. This saves time preparing the summary and ensures a clear understanding of the inspection status and needed actions. The quick and concise report provides a great opportunity to improve customer service and enhance the overall customer experience,” Malvína adds.

The solution for Dynamics 365 office users with Resco Reports Power Automate connector

Mobile workers aren’t the only ones that create and work with reports. To enable office users to leverage AI report insights, the Product Consulting team took advantage of Resco’s latest update with a new powerful way of creating reports directly in Dynamics 365.

“First, we created a Power Automate flow triggered when a questionnaire record was selected. Then we used our Resco connector for questionnaire reports to generate a PDF annotation.”

This data is sent as an HTTP request to ChatGPT with the prompt and completed questionnaire. The AI model generates a report summary, which is added to a new email activity regarding the questionnaire’s parent account. The admin, or whoever works with data in the backend, can edit the email body and questionnaire summary from the ChatGPT response. When finalized, the email with the report and summary can be sent directly from Dynamics 365. Backend admin can gain and send out insights directly from the web app to save time for mobile workers. The summary includes proposed action points, allowing them to prioritize tasks and address critical issues first. Additionally, the summary can be linked to other CRM data, such as meeting suggestions, annual customer reports, prediction of future orders, etc.

AI and Resco making the lives of mobile workers and managers better

By automating the report summary generation process with AI, mobile workers can save time as they no longer need to analyze reports manually and can send the insights directly to the office. At the same time, this ensures managers have access to accurate and up-to-date data and insights, enabling them to make informed decisions quickly.

“As a product consultant, it is exciting to see the positive impact these projects can have on our customers’ day-to-day operations, and I am looking forward to exploring more possibilities that AI can offer in the future,” Malvína concludes.

The digitization of mobile work experiences has lagged behind the office since computers became a thing. Now with the next frontier of technology upon us with AI, Resco will continue to focus on bringing AI to mobile workers in practical, meaningful ways. Stay tuned for more.

Discover Resco Inspections+

If you’d like to learn more about enhancing your apps with Resco and AI, reach out to your account manager, send us an email at sales@resco.net, or use our contact form.

Príspevok From the field workers to the back office: How AI can automate complex inspections summaries with Resco and ChatGPT zobrazený najskôr Resco.

With evolving technology, the data we obtain about our environment is richer than ever before. It also seems that we keep having less time and more choices. To keep up, we need something that would help us to comprehend information and make decisions faster.   One way to close the gap between the digital and the psychical world is augmented reality technology. AR is used across industries and helps, for example, shoppers to pick the right clothes, technicians to fix machines efficiently, allows medical students to try out surgeries digitally. We can now view 3D images, manipulate virtual objects, and even create entire digital worlds that exist alongside our own.. Since the starting era of computer technology, people have dreamed of a future where it can enhance what they see and experience in the world around them. Augmented Reality (AR) is bringing that future a little closer by using digital technologies to overlay information onto the physical world. You might find it like a science fiction movie, but AR is already being used in different ways that positively impact our lives. With its ability to bring your ideas to life, AR is proving to be a valuable tool for both individuals and businesses alike.Let’s look at what exactly AR is, how it works, in what forms it exists, and how it can help people receive information.

What is augmented reality?      

Augmented reality, or AR, is a technology that allows digitally generated 3D objects to be overlaid in real-world scenarios using an AR device. The virtual object shows up on the screen in the real environment together with the device’s camera input. This way, the users can interact both with the physical world and the virtual object enriching the experience with data. However futuristic it may sound, nowadays, it is pretty easy to encounter AR technology. While still developing, it is estimated that worldwide spending on AR technologies will reach $45.1 billion by 2022. The technology is being used across industries, including marketing, healthcare, education, product development, manufacturing, etc.

Brief history of AR

The world’s first head-mounted display was created by Ivan Sutherland and Bob Sproull in 1968. This device used primitive computer graphics to create an image of what lay beyond the user’s line of sight.

The video place was an artificial reality lab created in 1975 by Myron Krueger. The mission of this company (which later evolved into projecting human figures onto screens with digital content such as projectors and cameras) continues today as well.

In 1980, Steve Mann developed the first portable computer that could be used while you are looking into it. It was called “Eye Tap.” The technologies allowed him to record images and superimpose others on top for an interactive experience.

The first Heads-Up Display was developed in 1987 by Douglas George and Robert Morris. It displayed astronomical data over the real sky, which helped pilots avoid eye fatigue while flying at night or during foggy conditions.

Thomas Caudell and David Mizell, researchers for the Boeing company, came up with a term that would eventually be known as augmented reality in 1990.

With Frank Deigado and Mike Abernathy’s team of scientists, in 1999, they created new navigation software that could generate runways and street data from a helicopter video.

In 2000, the Japanese scientist Hirokazu Kato developed ARToolKit, an open-source SDK that works with Adobe programs like Photoshop and Illustrator to create 3D graphics on your computer screen.

In 2008, Wikitude, a company that specializes in artificial intelligence and virtual reality technology, created an app for Android mobile devices called AR Travel Guide.

With Google Glass, from 2013, gamers can wear augmented reality goggles that let them see their surroundings through HD screens.

The difference between AR, VR and MR 

While augmented and virtual reality are often grouped together, they don’t work the same way and serve different purposes.   

As mentioned before, augmented reality (AR) includes a virtual overlay in a real-life environment. The user still sees the physical world, only his view is enriched by AR animation and data. Almost any person with a smartphone can get access to AR, no additional devices are necessary.  

Although augmented reality usually gets all the spotlight, there is another AR – assisted reality. Unlike augmented reality, it is a reality first experience. Information isn´t overlaid on top of the real world. Instead, the user sees a screen within their immediate field of vision.

On the other hand, virtual reality completely immerses the user into a virtual, computer-generated scenario. When a user puts on a VR headset, the screen eliminates any interaction with the real-life environment. However, it often does simulate a real experience by employing visual or auditory stimulation. To experience virtual reality, you need special equipment such as computers, headsets, or gloves. 

Mixed reality combines the elements of AR and VR so that digital objects can interact with the real world. They are designed to be anchored to the real environment. Thanks to the interactivity element, MR overlaps with AR and is sometimes used interchangeably.

How does augmented reality work? 

AR projections can be displayed on various devices: various screens, glasses, handheld devices, smartphones, and headsets.   

For the computer-generated perceptual information to show up correctly, it calculates the position and orientation of the surrounding objects in real life. Usually, it works like this: Based on the type, AR can use depth sensors, accelerometers, cameras, gyroscopes, and light sensors to collect data on the user’s surroundings. They measure the distance to the objects, speed of the motion, direction and angle, and overall orientation in space. The data is then processed to show animation in a real-time and relevant location. 

Types Of AR 

There are four most popular types of augmented reality: marker-based, marker-less, projection-based and superimposition-based AR.  

• Marker-based AR 

Marker-based AR (also called “image recognition) requires a marker – a photo, QR code, or something similar – to initiate the AR animation.

The device will scan the marker with a camera and calculate the overlay’s position. The marker is static, allowing users to move around and inspect the object in 3D from various angles. 

• Projection-based AR 

As the name might suggest, projection-based AR visualizes digital images into physical space. It uses synthetic light to show visuals on surfaces.

It may be interactive – the most known would be a projected digital keyboard that allows users to type. However, it also can be non-interactive.

Those can look like a holograph – a light projection of objects where you can also see their position and depth. 

• Marker-less AR 

Marker-less augmented reality does not need a marker to be in a fixed point in space.

The placement of the virtual object is based on the user’s real physical environment.

Correct detecting and mapping surroundings require more advanced technology than marker-based AR, such as GPS or compasses. It is also known as “location-based” AR, as it adds information based on a certain area. 

• Superimposition-based AR

Superimposition-based AR replaces a portion or the whole of a physical object in the view with an augmented one.

Object recognition plays a significant role in this, as the app must be able to recognize what object to show.

For example, this is used in medicine, where doctors can see the X-ray view of a patient’s broken bone on the real image or locate veins better.

Essential Components for AR to Work

Augmented Reality technology is growing more advanced every day, but there are a few essential components that it needs to work on to be effective.

• Sensors

AR relies on sensors to understand the environment around it. Using a combination of GPS, accelerometers, and gyroscopes, AR apps can figure out exactly where you are and what direction you’re facing.

From there, they can superimpose digital content on top of the real world. In any case, without sensors, AR wouldn’t be possible.

• Algorithms

Algorithms are responsible for mapping the physical world and determining where digital content should be placed.

Designing algorithms that can accurately map the world is a challenge. The world is constantly changing, and so are the algorithms that power AR.

• Output Devices

They provide the user with information about the virtual world created. The most common output device is a head-mounted display (HMD).

AR technology requires lightweight output devices that deliver high-resolution images and video without causing undue strain on the user’s neck or eyes.

What is SLAM Technology?

SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) refers to the technology that allows digital content to be accurately placed in the real world.

Using a combination of sensors and computer vision, SLAM tracks the user’s movements and produces a map of the surrounding environment.

This map is then used to place digital content, such as 3D models or virtual objects, in the real world. 

Uses of AR

AR has various potential uses, from entertainment and gaming to education and training. AR is already being used by some industries, such as retail, healthcare, and manufacturing.

But how does AR facilitate these industries? Let’s take a look: 

• Healthcare

With technology integration like AR, the healthcare industry has revolutionized and has become more efficient and effective.

Surgeons use AR to provide real-time guidance to surgeons during complex procedures. It could also be used to create immersive educational experiences for medical students. 

Additionally, AR could be used to create virtual models of patients’ organs, allowing doctors to get a better understanding of their anatomy. 

• Retail

Retailers always look for new ways to engage customers and create an interactive shopping experience. Augmented reality (AR) is one technology that is being used more frequently in the retail sector. 

AR involves superimposing computer-generated images onto a user’s view of the real world.

For example, customers can view products in their homes before making a purchase, or get a virtual tour of a store before visiting in person. 

• Entertainment

Augmented reality (AR) is one of the latest technologies that is starting to make a big impact in the world of entertainment. AR can be used from enhancing live performances to create interactive experiences for users.

For instance, AR can be used to project images and information onto surfaces; providing viewers with an immersive experience. Additionally, AR can be used to create games and other interactive content.

Examples of AR technology 

AR becoming commonplace might seem like a thing of the distant future. In reality, it is far more common than you might think.

• Snapchat & Instagram filters

Probably the most popular example of AR in everyday life are the filters used by social media apps.

These include everything from illustrated flower crowns or retro picture filters to “beautifying” filters.

The user´s face is detected with the help of AI. After that, the filter is digitally overlaid on the face. Thanks to AR and AI, these filters can look very real.

• Pokémon Go

Pokémon Go, the mobile game that took the world by storm in 2016 and grossed more than $6 billion in revenue by 2020, is a prime example of AR.

The game combines digital technology with physical involvement – the players catch cartoon characters virtually present in real-life surroundings.

• Maintenance assistance

AR equipped maintenance solutions that aid users can be very helpful while troubleshooting.

They are also a great help to beginner technicians with limited knowledge about the equipment they are servicing.

Apps like this are often used in the manufacturing, automotive or field service industry.

Assisted reality devices such as RealWear are equipped with an HD camera for visual documentation and a powerful microphone that workers can use even in noisy environments such as construction sites or manufacturing halls.

Workers can follow manuals, complete inspections, or make calls while keeping their hands free. Resco’s app for RealWear is offline enabled, can be adapted to the client’s needs, and directly integrated with Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Resco Cloud.

• Interior decoration apps

When you want to remodel your home, you don´t need to go and buy new furniture.

Instead, you can try it out in one of the many interior decoration apps that allow you to virtually impose a picture over your surroundings so that you can try out if the new piece of furniture would fit.

The furniture retailer IKEA has gone even further and created IKEA Studio – an app that uses the iPhone´s LiDAR sensor to capture 3D plans of your home so that you can virtually redesign it.

It is currently in beta, but it was built in preparation for the arrival of Apple Glass, so we know that we can expect an even more immersive AR experience in the future.

• ASOS See my fit

The online fashion retailer ASOS is always quick to innovate.

When the pandemic started and model as well as photographers could only work from home, ASOS launched the See My Fit feature in collaboration with the AR company Zeekit.

See My Fit allows users to digitally fit clothing onto models with sixteen different body types, sizes and heights.

Metaverse & AR

Metaverse and AR are two cutting-edge technologies often spoken about in the same breath.

And for a good reason – they both hold immense potential for transforming the way we interact with the world around us. But how are these two technologies connected? And do they have a place in the future?

Metaverse is a virtual world that exists online, while AR is a technology that overlays digital information in the real world. Both technologies have the power to change the way we work, play, and communicate.

Metaverse can be used to create virtual workplaces, where employees can collaborate from anywhere in the world.

AR, on the other hand, can revolutionize shopping by allowing people to try on products before they buy them.

According to statistics, the total market value is forecast to climb from $30.7 billion in 2021 to around $300 billion by 2024. Looking to the future, it’s clear that both Metaverse and AR will majorly impact our lives.

Future of AR

AR is still in development; there’s no doubt that AR has a bright future ahead. But what to expect from this technology in the years to come?

First and foremost, we can expect AR to become more common among people. As the technology develops, it will become increasingly affordable and easy to use.

You can also expect AR to significantly impact how you interact with the world around us.

With the advent of 5G, AR can provide much higher-resolution real-time information, making it more realistic and immersive.

In addition, 5G will enable AR applications to be used in more remote locations, such as construction sites and mines.

So, what does the future hold for AR? There’s no telling exactly what will happen, but one thing is for sure: it will be an exciting adventure.

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To leverage the opportunity, we deployed a lean approach to process flow known as Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) in WennSoft (formerly Key2Act). This cyclical approach to process flow facilitates continuous improvements.

And with this method, we have optimized several processes in the technician’s workflow. For example, we reduced the number of clicks to complete a procedure called Job Safety Analysis (JSA) from 47 to 15. That’s a 68% reduction of clicks and increase in efficiency.

To better understand the PDCA model and how we achieved these optimizations, let’s go through each of the steps of PDCA.

What is Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) method?

Organizations and individuals use the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle for carrying out a change in business processes. The method consists of four steps, each designed for a specific purpose:

1. Proposing a change
2. Implementing the change
3. Measuring the results
4. Taking appropriate action

The concept was first proposed by American physicist Walter Shewhart in the 1920s and further developed by William Deming in the 1950s.

PDCA is similar to Kaizen philosophy and Six Sigma methodologies.

How we implemented PDCA at WennSoft

Step 1: Plan – Document the current processes

The first step in the process flow is using the current mobile processes as the Plan. We begin by analyzing procedures already ‘in production’ without making any changes.

Step 2: Do – Get a picture of the processes in action

In step two, it is important to capture how the current processes (Plan scenario) progress in action.

With any mobile solution, you want to reduce the number of clicks necessary to complete a process.

For example, in our mobile solution, we had a mobile user recording their current process when working on an appointment. In this scenario, it was important to let our mobile users do what they typically do without interfering.

We needed to better understand how they use the solution without jumping in and providing suggestions.

Step 3: Check – Analyze the results

Now, with having a picture of the current situation, it is time to convert that into data that can be analyzed.

We rewatch the video recorded in ‘Do’, and anytime the user clicks or must enter text, we write it down as a new step.

Once all the steps are written down, we go back and group them based on what is the common task that these steps are completing, or what is the user trying to do. From these grouped tasks, we compile an overall process flow.

This step provides data for the process snapshot and provides a baseline with actual numbers (how many clicks/steps to complete a task, how many tasks to complete the overall process).

Step 4: Act – Implementation

If our plan provided the number of steps and process flow procedure to optimize this workflow, we could implement software changes and work on training staff on the updates.

However, since this was our first time using the PDCA cycle for planning, and our workflow is not yet optimized, we moved on and began the cycle again.

The second cycle of PDCA:

Step 1 (second cycle): Plan – Try options by changing the order or adding customizations

To further optimize a workflow, you need to start the PDCA process again by returning to the first step – Plan.

From the collected data, we review which tasks take the most steps and ask:

• Can the process be reordered to reduce steps?
• What tasks or steps cause the most frustration?
• Is there customization that we could implement to reduce the steps?
• Can Resco Inspections reduce some steps?

The answer to these questions may not be clear all the time. So we come up with a new plan to try and continue with PDCA to find out.

Step 2 (second cycle): Do – Get a picture of the plan in action

In this step, we try the new plan and record the steps and tasks it takes to complete the same process.

Step 3 (second cycle): Check – Analyze the results

It may surprise you that the best case you thought of is not actually the most optimized. That’s why the PDCA process is so helpful. It gives us tangible data for comparison.

Step 4 (second cycle): Act – Implementation

If we are satisfied with the latest plan then we work on implementing it into production, otherwise, we start the cycle over again with the knowledge we gained from the last cycle.

Our experience with PDCA

For example, we have a process where technicians complete a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) when they arrive on site. They need to identify potential hazards and determine if the site is safe to continue working on.

After utilizing PDCA in this scenario, the number of clicks it took to complete the JSA, and produce the resulting report, was reduced from 47 to 15. That’s a 68% reduction of clicks and increase in efficiency.

Specifically, in our usage of the PDCA review, we were able to reduce the number of clicks for a process by over 50%.

While not only is this a huge increase in efficiency, the other benefit is the ease of use and satisfaction of mobile users. That is not as easily quantified but equally important.

Try PDCA to improve your processes

The PDCA process is a great method to use regardless of how well your mobile workflow is currently viewed.

If your workflow is currently working well, there may still be areas of opportunity for you to uncover for fine-tuning.

If your current workflow is a constant frustration for users, there may be gaps, opportunities in the process, or mobile customizations you identify.

PDCA is a simple process to follow, and the flexibility of Resco Mobile App Development Toolkit paired with Inspections+ provides ample possibilities for different plans to try.

This is a great exercise to review on a yearly basis, especially as new features and functionality become available. Try it out, you may be surprised by what you find.

This blog has been written by Nicole Zabel, Software Developer at WennSoft

Príspevok We reduced 68% of clicks in a technician’s mobile process. I’ll tell you how (WennSoft Partner Story) zobrazený najskôr Resco.

How to steer clear of mistakes of others

Companies around the world deploy various strategies and processes to incorporate useful technology into their operation. There is no “one size fits all” solution. However, there are several key reasons why transformations often fail. From lack of commitment to basic misunderstanding of what “digital” is.

So, is there a way how to maximize your chances for successful digital transformation? The data reveal several common threads. Here are the crucial prerequisites to keep in mind before and during deploying digital technologies in your organization.

5 prerequisites to keep in mind during digital transformation

1. Make the leaders committed

   It’s not just about the CEO. While he or she should be the most prominent advocate of the new strategy, there is no way to succeed without all key stakeholders agreeing on the goal. Clearly communicate the benefits digitalization will have on the business.

   Otherwise, the results will be partial at best, commitment across teams questionable, and even tense relationships within management may occur. But when leaders become advocates of digitalization, you’re on the right path. Don’t forget – building commitment takes time in the beginning. But it’s crucial for long-term success.

2. Engage and explain to employees

   This is where companies fail most often. Real digitalization must always happen in the field, shop floor, or in direct contact with customers. The employees are the ones truly implementing digital into the operation.

   Explaining of what you’re doing, to the end users of the new tools is one of the key steps to success. Identify metrics, measure and share the results, and make data-driven decisions. It will help workers see how digitalization will make their lives easier. Empower them to work in new ways.

3. Close the skill gap

   When you start with digitalization from scratch, you are going to deal with various levels of required skills. But that’s part of the change. Train, reskill, and upskill your current and future workforce.

   Make continuous learning part of your talent development program. Emphasize to workers that digital tools aren’t there to replace them. Instead, it is also their chance to upgrade their skill set and adapt to the future marketplace.

4. Run a pilot project

   Don’t go all in at once. Many times, companies change too many things too fast. And that often leads to failure, high costs, and even skepticism about digital technology. Identify the main processes and communications you want to digitize. Launch a pilot project. Evaluate its results and adjust. Involve one business unit at a time. And then keep expanding.

   Also, remember that many companies put a lot of energy to pilot projects and lose their commitment later. Successful digital transformation requires continued support and attention.

5. Don’t get constrained by technology

   Choosing the right technology, software, or device for the transformation will be one of the hardest decisions. Don’t limit yourself by choosing a solution you won’t be able to scale or tailor to your use case.Look for flexibility and customizability. After all, digital technologies favor evolution and change. Make experimenting easy for employees and encourage them also to suggest new ways of working.

What’s in it in the long run?

The experiences of thousands of organizations show how challenging digital transformation is. But in the end, if done right, implementing digital technology into companies leads to long-term growth. Making your organization ready for the current and upcoming needs of the market is a necessary step. And digital technology is the enabler.

If you are looking for a tool to start digitalization in your organization, take a look at Resco Inspections+ – the mobile forms solution allowing you to digitize your data collection, reporting, and analysis. Start a free 30-day trial to see how it works for you.

Príspevok 5 prerequisites for successful digital transformation zobrazený najskôr Resco.

Luckily, taking steps toward improving working conditions can largely prevent all of this.

What is workplace health and safety in construction?

Workplace health and safety (WHS) is a set of principles and practices that show us how to manage the health and safety risks that workers, customers, and the public (visitors, suppliers, etc.) might face in the workplace. In the construction sector, these practices aim to eliminate risks on construction sites such as:

• Fire and explosions
• Skin hazards
• Handling heavy objects
• Handling chemical substances
• Defective equipment
• Electric shock
• Fall from heights
• Dust inhalation
• Faulty equipment
• Elevated noise levels
• and many others

In the high-risk environment of the construction industry, it is essential to create a strong health and safety culture that will ensure safe working conditions for everyone involved.

Who is responsible for it?

While authorities are responsible for monitoring construction sites, the sites as workplaces have various participants. All of them are responsible for safety but in different ways.
Company owners are responsible for their employees’ WHS and compliance with health and safety laws and policies. Different laws apply in different parts of the world. Still, employers everywhere must put safety practices in place to provide a safe work environment and information and training needed to keep the workers safe.

Workers have to follow laws and the workplace’s health safety procedures but also act responsibly and not do anything that might endanger them or other people in the workplace.

Kelly Roofing uses a digital solution to enhance security management on working sites. The company provides roof repairs and replacement services all over Florida. In addition to the intsallers, there is always a crew that manages the whole process at a designated roofing repair location.

The crew consists of a supervisor, who requires information about the crew’s whereabouts and agenda, an administrator, and a dispatcher who is in charge of scheduling.

To deliver professional service and at the same time create a safe work environment, the crew uses a mobile app built with Resco Field Service+.

Manage workplace health and safety

1. Risk assessment and planning

The first step in managing WHS is risk assessment. Identify and analyze the hazards in your workplace – their likelihood, how severe they are, and what their impact will be. Don’t forget to include your workers in the process.

2. Control and prevention

Take measures to eliminate the risks of accidents in the workplace. Use personal protective equipment (PPE) such as hardhats, safety eyewear, ear protection, safety shoes, reflective clothing, etc., to help reduce the risk of common accidents such as falls, electric shock, or being struck by objects.

Train your employees regularly so that they are able to adhere to safety practices and protect themselves. And last but not least, ensure your employees get regular breaks, so they are well-rested and able to focus on their tasks fully.

3. Health and safety management

Even though workers know how to behave safely and prevent accidents and injury, supervision is still useful, especially with new hires. Thanks to it, you can detect dangerous situations or unsafe practices early.

Not even trained workers can prevent incidents when they work with faulty or unsafe equipment. Take proper care of your equipment to remove hazards – in addition to necessary repairs, don’t forget preventive maintenance. Put measures in place for workers to report damaged equipment and train the maintenance personnel.

Don’t stop paying attention when things work smoothly – monitor the measures you put in place. That will help you identify how well you eliminated the risks, see your strengths and weaknesses, and help you see new hazards early. Mobile field service solutions can help monitor your measures and give your workers access to information they need to stay safe.

Another thing that can help you keep everything in check is a checklist. Our construction site safety checklist is a free tool that you can easily make your own. Customize it based on your industry and company standards – add photos and videos, keep track of your PPE, or report on work hazards.

Current trends

Safety is of the utmost importance when managing a construction site, as most accidents in this field are caused by bad or neglected safety practices. So, what are the current trends for managing health and safety on construction sites?

Remote work

The pandemic brought a sudden wave of remote work. This trend also affected the construction industry, and it is now clear that it isn’t going anywhere.

Most construction workers had no experience with remote work before the pandemic, but digital technologies helped organizations catch up. Digital replicas of construction projects, so-called digital twins, help on-site workers collaborate with remote colleagues. Remote assistance tools and calls allow technicians to follow step-by-step guides and user manuals or remotely collaborate with more experts in the office. That can help companies reduce errors and improve first-time fix rates.

Remote work, however, comes with its own set of risks like using mobile devices and equipment such as computers safely, blurred lines between private and work life, and additional stress and psychological pressure. That brings us to our next trend.

Focus on work-life balance

Employee stress and lack of work-life balance have been issues for quite a while. However, the pandemic further highlighted it. The lack of social interactions and blurred lines between home and work caused many people to experience anxiety, stress, or even depression.

Well-rested workers make fewer mistakes and are more focused. That is why employers are prioritizing their worker’s well-being and mental health. Companies are implementing stress management programs, trying out 4-day work weeks, or providing on-site therapists for their employees. Many employers also promote sports and fitness activities and financially support employees who represent the company in competitive sports events. Quite motivating, don’t you think?

Wearables

Just a few years ago, we viewed smartwatches as simple activity monitors and smart glasses reminded us of the unsuccessful Google glass project. Since then, wearables have evolved into sought-after devices that are almost able to replace smartphones thanks to their various useful features.

With the help of wearables and the right mobile solution, construction workers can access a vast knowledge base with all the information they need, be it instruction manuals or information about their clients. They can also use their wearable devices to communicate in real-time while keeping their hands free.

Companies can also use wearables to monitor their worker’s health, capturing information such as temperature, fatigue levels, etc. Analyzing this data can help them prevent health issues and create a safe work environment.

Make your construction site a safer place with Resco Field Service+

Mobile solutions such as Resco Field Service+ can help significantly minimize construction site health and safety risks. As information is centralized in the cloud, it can be shared with all the users that need access.

Thanks to mobile reports, workers don’t need to use paper documents. They can fill out reports on their mobile devices and even attach pictures to them.

To discover the benefits of our solution, you can read about how it helped the safety technology manufacturer Dräger service their life-saving equipment. Or book a customized demo to find out more!

Príspevok Health & Safety Management in Construction zobrazený najskôr Resco.

In our previous article, we discussed what AR is and how it works.

Today, we’re picking up where we last left off and taking a closer look at the hardware behind the technology – AR glasses.

We’ll be discussing what AR glasses are, how they work, and the technologies behind them that turned this sci-fi daydream into a reality.

What are AR glasses?

Like all other AR-compatible devices, augmented reality glasses fuse the digital with the real world.

However, they are unique because they can project a digital overlay directly into a person’s field of vision without them needing to do anything.

In the past, AR glasses used to be clunky and prohibitively expensive. Thanks to technological progress and the COVID pandemic, they’re becoming more versatile and affordable.

Although they’re still relatively rare in commercial use, AR glasses have recently become a mainstay in manufacture, maintenance, and repair as a consequence of the Industry 4.0 movement.

As mentioned above, their primary industrial use is in combination with AR remote assistance services.

What is the difference between AR and VR glasses?

To many, augmented and virtual reality glasses may seem similar. But don’t let the two-letter acronyms and the fact they’re both glasses fool you. They’re quite different from one another.

VR glasses completely isolate the user from the outside world in order to “transport” them into a new digitally-created environment.

Meanwhile, AR glasses overlay digital information over the user’s field of view (FOV) to aid their real-world interactions.

Ruggedized devices such as RealWear are an alternative to AR glasses. Instead of augmented reality, they use assisted reality, where information isn’t overlaid on top of the real world. Instead, the user sees a screen within their immediate field of vision. RealWear and similar devices are helpful in fields such as manufacturing, field service, or construction, where workers work in hazardous environments, as the device is dust-resistant and fall-proof. Resco’s app for RealWear is offline enabled, can be adapted to the client’s needs, and directly integrated with Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Resco Cloud.

How do AR glasses work?

We’ll discuss the capabilities of AR glasses more in-depth later in the article. But first, we need to establish how they work in the most basic forms.

The process behind AR glasses can be divided into 4 steps:

1) Initial Image Capture:

The AR glasses capture the user’s field of view of their environment via a front-facing camera.

2) Scanning & Anchoring:

The AR glasses scan and process the captured image. Based on the app’s use case, they select what type of data will be used and “anchor” it in an appropriate place within the user’s FOV. There are 3 approaches to anchoring:

a) Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM):

SLAM is the most sophisticated of approaches to anchoring. It uses data received from the various hardware sensors with complex algorithms to map environments and localize data simultaneously.

The SLAM is the leading technology behind autonomous cars, robots, and drones. It also allows for the use of gestures as an interactive medium with the AR software.

However, for all its advantages, it has drawbacks too. SLAM requires significant processing power to work efficiently, meaning it is very hardware-demanding.

SLAM-based AR apps also need a pre-defined map of the environment to place virtual 3D models within it correctly.

b) Marker-based:

Marker-based AR technology is currently the most widespread way of anchoring. It uses the front-facing camera and image recognition to locate pre-defined markers within the environment and pull up the associated virtual data.

Possible markers include QR codes, physical objects, and printed images. QR codes are most often used, as they’re the easiest to make out.

The physical distance of the marker is also taken into consideration when displaying data. Meaning that when the distance of the marker changes, so does the visual representation of whatever information is being shown.

c) Location-based:

Location-based AR technology relies on GPS data and hardware sensors, like the built-in compass, accelerometer, and gyroscope. These are further combined with data-based triggers like geolocation through the front-facing camera.

Apps using location-based anchoring can be used to bring up information regarding your immediate environment, like reviews of various establishments, navigation, and more.

3) Requesting Data:

The app requests the appropriate data when the anchor point is identified. This can be from the Internet or an internal knowledge library.

4) Displaying Information:

Once the information has been obtained, it is displayed in a suitable location within the user’s FOV.

What are the benefits of AR glasses?

So far, we’ve talked about how AR glasses work but haven’t mentioned what they’re used for. And the truth is that AR glasses have a wide variety of use cases, both in the commercial and industrial sphere. Of course, we’ll focus on the latter of the two here.

AR glasses are used in many industries, including communication services, utilities, consumer electronics, and maintenance and repair field services. Primarily, they are used in remote assistance software to aid either customers or employees in setting up and troubleshooting products or devices.

• Cost-effective: Although AR technology is not cheap by traditional consumer standards, its deployment is actually far more cost-effective than employing an entire fleet of field service technicians.
• Future-proof: Current AR solutions enabled by Industry 4.0 are on the cutting edge of technology. By incorporating them into your processes now, you can get a head-start on your competitors and benefit from the associated advantages – present and future.
• Higher Productivity: AR gives technicians access to all the information they need whenever and wherever they may be. This allows employees to complete tasks faster and with fewer issues.
• Improved Employee Training: With AR remote assistance, you don’t have to worry about deploying unprepared employees. Thanks to their software, they’ll always have a lifeline to a senior employee who can help them through their task.
• Helps Prevent Loss of Vital Information: An unfortunate reality of maintenance and repair is tribal knowledge.Most of the best practices available to you are contained in the heads of your senior employees. And if they leave, that information leaves with them.But by meeting with them and creating a knowledge library out of their experience, you can pass this information on to new employees, even if they’re out in the field.

How do you choose AR glasses?

So, you’ve decided to incorporate AR into your business operations. Great! But now you have to find and choose the solution that will work for you. Well, how do you choose the best AR smart glasses ?

There are three criteria you should look for in your AR glasses:

1.) Comfort & Fit:

Whatever benefits the product offers, your employees won’t want to use it if it’s uncomfortable or causes trouble for the user.

That’s why it’s so important to consider ergonomy and wear comfort when picking out a pair of AR glasses for your business.

Choose well, and your employees will jump on board with the new technology. But choose poorly, and your investment may go down the train because nobody will use it.

2.) User-friendly:

Another aspect of onboarding AR glasses is how easy it’ll be for your employees to get used to them.

A part of your workforce may be working in hazardous conditions, so you should look for a solution that offers all of the AR benefits without impeding the workers in any way.

That goes both for actively interacting with the glasses and just passively looking through them.

3.) Functionality:

Now, the features you will need are highly based on what you want to use the software for.

However, there are several features you should look for that can benefit any business.

These include clear AR annotations, file transfer, media display, CRM integration, knowledge library for instructions and best practices, robust security protocols, and analytics/reporting tools.

Conclusion

As we’ve hopefully shown in this article, AR glasses are a wonderful piece of tech that can streamline and improve your business operations in many ways.

However, as with all good things, you need to put in a little work before you can enjoy all of the benefits.

Príspevok How do augmented reality (AR) glasses work? zobrazený najskôr Resco.

What is Facility Maintenance?

One way of looking at facility maintenance is the combination of people, processes, and platforms used to get the most utility out of a commercial building over the longest time possible.

The second, more granular facility maintenance meaning can also be seen as the pure process of increasing utility through regularly servicing a building’s capital assets, commercial appliances, and interior and outside surroundings. Its ultimate goal is to ensure safety, productivity, and even visual pleasantness of the facility.

Facility maintenance deals with:

• Interior equipment – heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC), etc.
• Building systems – utilities (water, plumbing, lighting, electricity), fire suppression,
  elevators, escalators, etc.
• Infrastructure – windows, doors, paint, etc.
• Surroundings – grounds, landscaping, snow removal, etc.

Facility maintenance most often relates to buildings housing:

• Learning campuses – kindergartens, schools, universities, etc.
• Food service – restaurants, bistros, bars, etc.
• Accommodations – hotels, resorts, hostels, etc.
• Places of worship – churches, mosques, etc.
• Venues – stadiums, concert halls, etc.

Who is responsible for Facility Maintenance?

Facility maintenance typically requires two types of people to be productive – maintenance leads, sometimes also known as facility managers, and maintenance technicians.

Depending on the industry, size, and budget of the business, a company may employ fully staffed teams or outsource their work to external contractors. 3rd party vendors may also be used for highly specialized tasks like electricians, plumbers, fire safety experts, and the like.

Let’s take a closer look at the two main types of facility maintenance workers:

a) Maintenance Leads / Facility Managers

These employees are responsible for strategy and operation planning. They organize on-demand, preventive, and emergency work orders, keep track of MRO (Maintenance, Repairs, and Operations) inventory, and oversee the department’s responsibilities.

However, facility managers are not only responsible for what work is done, but also how it is done. They meet with their senior staff to create, share, and enforce SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and best practices.

b) Junior and Senior Maintenance Technicians

The responsibilities of these employees should be rather self-explanatory, but we’ll cover them anyway for clarity’s sake. Maintenance Technicians are your eyes, hands, and feet on the ground who use their expertise to resolve any issues.

The main difference between junior and senior maintenance technicians is the level of experience they have. Junior technicians are newer to the job and often require the assistance and oversight of a senior employee. Their productivity and speed of task fulfillment can also be lower than that of their colleagues.

Meanwhile, the senior staff is subject to a different issue altogether. Namely, its tribal knowledge. It’s not uncommon for more experienced technicians to share information around best practices and the most expedient ways of dealing with tasks.

Unfortunately, these are rarely written down. This means, if they leave, you lose access to this invaluable source of information. That’s why it’s so important for them to cooperate with maintenance leads to write down their knowledge and share it with future employees.

Responsibilities of Facility Maintenance workers include:

a) Hard Services:

• Building structure maintenance
• Air conditioning
• Energy and water management
• Lifts and escalators
• Lighting
• Fire safety
• Plumbing and drainage
• Decoration and refurbishment

b) Soft Services:

• Cleaning
• Security
• Parking
• Pest control
• Waste management
• Recycling
• Catering
• Furniture and equipment management
• Information systems
• Printing
• Document management
• Reception services
• Space management
• Grounds management

How to handle Facility Maintenance?

As evident by the previous section of this article, there’s quite a lot you have to worry about when it comes to facility maintenance. Keeping track of all the scheduled, reactive, and emergency work orders necessary to keep your building up and running is hard work. And the old way of doing it with a pile of papers may not cut it in the modern age.

Free Facility Inspection Checklist

Download a free Facility Inspection Checklist for Waste Management and make sure your place is safe and spotless thanks to a clever set of checkboxes

Download the checklist

That’s why every good maintenance facility should have great facility maintenance software. Here are just a few of the benefits:

• Longer effective utility of facility equipment and assets

The unfortunate truth is that we often notice issues only when it’s far too late to prevent them. This can cause critical damage to your facility’s equipment and assets. And these tend to be rather expensive to replace.

To save money and ensure your building stays productive, it’s in your best interest to keep everything in working order for as long as possible. And as doctors tend to say, prevention is the best medicine.

However, to do that effectively, you need a reliable preventive maintenance planner. By investing in software, you can make your facility managers’ job easier and increase productivity, as the system will automatically schedule preventive maintenance tasks without needing any further work beyond the initial set-up.

• Minimize unscheduled downtime

Another consequence of the problem outlined above is unscheduled downtime, which causes operations to come to a complete stop. This leads companies to lose out on profits and spend vital resources to fix the problem.

Thankfully, preventive maintenance can nip the issue in the bud too. By regularly checking all aspects of your facility, you can find parts of the building that need your attention and troubleshoot before they ever have the chance to cause any real damage.

• Optimize workflows

As we mentioned above, the old style of paper-stacked organization might not be enough to meet your facility’s needs. Modern software allows you to compile all your data in a single comprehensive library.

You can use this to access comprehensive data sets, create reports, set up work orders with associated customizable checklists or instructions, keep track of your MRO inventory, and more.

Want to take your facility maintenance to the next level? Resco Inspections+ Property for facility maintenance is here for you. Get started for free.

Príspevok What is Facility Maintenance? zobrazený najskôr Resco.

The Pitfalls of Manufacturing Inspections 

Your manufacturing processes need to run like a well-oiled machine to be efficient (literally). But ensuring that requires endless inspections, check-ups, evaluations, etc. Not only is this incredibly time-consuming, but for the many companies which continue to use the pen-and-paper approach, it can be a true administrative nightmare.  

The paper cost is one thing. But consider for a moment how much time and effort it takes you or your employees to fill out the neverending stream of paperwork, archive it, and then find it again if the need ever arises. It’s enough to make your head spin! 

Luckily, there are better solutions on offer. 

Dig Yourself Out of the Paperwork with Digital 

As the youth on the internet says, modern problems require modern solutions. After all, what isn’t there an app for nowadays? Meaning that, yes, now you can dig yourself out of all the paperwork with Inspections+. What are the benefits of going digital? 

Let’s have a look at a few examples: 

• Streamlined Inspections: Apps and digital work-order checklists simplify the inspections by giving inspectors a clear step-by-step process to follow  
• Higher Efficiency: Streamlined inspections, minimized writing time, and the app’s incorporation into your CRM allows for more checks to be carried out faster 
• Increase in Production: Higher efficiency of the inspection process allows for faster troubleshooting, and more time the machines can stay running 

Those are only a few of the improvements digital tools can offer your manufacturing. But let’s stop being vague and look at a few specific apps and checklists you can incorporate.  

1) Work Order Checklists 

Work orders play a crucial role in keeping your manufacturing organized and efficient. After all, you can’t allow employees to just run havoc without knowing who did what and why. 

A digital work order checklist cuts straight to the chase – it’s easy to fill out, review, and verify. It also automatically communicates with your in-house CRM, so you’re able to browse all inspections and maintenance done on a piece of equipment from the comfort of your computer, without needing to wade through waves of paper.  

Free Work Order Checklist

Download a free Work Order Checklist template to describe individual steps of a task and outline the processes necessary for completing the work.

Download the Work Order checklist for free

2) Product Checklists 

As everyone in manufacturing, your primary concern is the quality of the final products. Even the smallest of imperfections can mean a loss of profit, so finding production mistakes and preventing them in the future is crucial. That’s where product checklists come into play.  

Ass all Resco checklists, they are completely modular in nature, so that you’re able to customize them to your products’ specificities. They’re straightforward to fill out and browse-friendly, enabling you to quickly pinpoint issues and look for their causes in the manufacturing process.  

Free Product Checklist

Download a free Product Checklist template to collect data about individual products and easier management of the product database.

Download the Product checklist for free

Simplify your product assessments with Resco’s product checklists for free here. 

3) Non-conformance Reports 

In what could be seen as an extension of product checklists, non-conformance reports tackle production defects and quality system violations head-on, instead of just acknowledging them.  

Using non-conformance reports has a long list of benefits, but some of the most important are their focus on prevention, streamlined compliance, the reduced cost of quality, and finally, a reduction in regulatory and product risk.  

Free Non-conformance report

Download a free Non-Conformance Report template to streamline quality audits and resolve quality standard disputes over performed work.

Download the Non-conformance report for free

Discover manufacturing defects and prevent any further mistakes with Resco’s non-conformance reports for free here. 

About Our Digital Solutions 

Resco takes pride in providing you with the digital, paper-free solutions you need and want to improve your administrative processes. We believe the three tools described in this article should meet all your manufacturing needs. But, should you be in the market for more apps, checklists, and other helpful digital tools, visit Resco’s Digital Template Library! 

Príspevok 3 Digital checklists to streamline your manufacturing processes zobrazený najskôr Resco.