Field Data Collection: What’s In Your Spreadsheet?

In engineering consulting firms, field data collection requires remote gathering of test, observation, sample, or special inspection data. Many field technicians still collect that data in electronic spreadsheets or even in paper forms. The techs email the spreadsheet or personally deliver the hand-written forms to the office, where administrative staff transcribe the forms into client reports. In some cases the tech needs to wait for lab analysis results before sending the paperwork on for engineer and project manager review.

This manual process has many flaws which inevitably impact your client relationships:

• Lost time when tracking down missing information due to incomplete or illegible paperwork
• Unnecessary redundant process of filling out paper forms and re-typing data into separate systems is labor intensive and prone to transcription errors
• Field techs may be required to perform costly rework, resulting in revisiting and re-testing due to initial errors

All of this can add up to a slowdown in the delivery of information to your clients and loss of margin.

Improve Field Data Collection Processes

Is field data collection an area of “trapped value” for your firm? Trapped value is defined as revenue and profit dollars that are trapped or lost within inefficient or missing process that don’t make it to your bottom line. Are there ways you can improve your field data collection process that will help to unlock and preserve revenue that goes directly to your bottom line?

Consider streamlining the process of collecting and managing sample and test data, photos and field observations to allow for fast, data-driven decision making and project execution. With electronic field data collection, field technicians can instantly review work orders, upload data and results, and generate detailed daily reports. From field to office, on desktop or mobile, a central data repository ensures your project team always has real-time access to accurate and actionable information.

Your team avoids delays and errors that can result in costly rework. Inspectors or technicians receive a checklist of work item tasks, including instructions and project specifications. This checklist and instructions enables them to quickly produce daily reports for each site visited. Your firm has the ability to easily prepare and respond to client requests for faster turnaround of their results and reports.

Finding Trapped Value

Learn how Agile Frameworks’ MetaField solution can help your field data collection be more efficient. This efficiency helps to control costs, increase customer satisfaction, and reduce unnecessary overhead costs—all things that contribute to increasing your firm’s profitability. To download the guide “AEC Firms: Finding Trapped Value to Become More Profitable,” click the button below.