How to Use a Mobile App to Improve Construction Field Reporting and Compliance?

5 min readEfficient construction inspections stand at the core of successful construction businesses. These inspections encompass meticulous evaluation, rigorous testing, precise measurements, and meticulous material comparisons. In the past, these processes were laboriously manual, but the tide has turned with the rapid advance of technology. Today, businesses are bidding farewell to traditional paper forms and embracing the future with digital mobile forms, construction daily report apps, and cutting-edge construction inspection software.The construction industry can be quite demanding when it comes to meeting deadlines. Supervisors often face immense pressure to ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget. It can be a challenging environment, but with the right approach and a dedicated team, success is always possible. Amidst this, the adoption of mobile forms emerges as a game-changer. This article delves into the strategic implementation of mobile apps, offering insights into how they can revolutionize construction field reporting while maintaining stringent compliance protocols.

1. Streamlined Inspections, Minimized Paperwork

When you shift from paperwork to a digital process, sharing and collaboration of files become easier. All of your data and other documents are stored in a cloud database. The advantage here is that you can access them from anywhere — even if you are not in the office, you can get the information you need.Besides, mobile forms are much easier to manage. Instead of having to visit the job site to explain the problem, you can simply enter a few details on a mobile form and include some pictures. Once the form is uploaded to the cloud, project managers can quickly review the issue and make informed decisions. It means you can get new materials and other changes approved faster, eliminating any delay.Further, you need not worry about your information being lost due to work overload or dropping off a paper form at the end of the day.

2. Precision in Compliance Reporting

One of the most significant merits of digitizing your inspection check program is that you can utilize a common data platform. All your data is centralized, which means you can have a clear insight into all your projects and program performance from a single platform. Thus, you can make more sound decisions daily.When the data is uploaded automatically, it reduces the chances of human error. Besides, the reports created cannot be tampered with. With high transparency and accuracy, reports demonstrating compliance can be easily generated.The construction industry has a few standard metrics for quality, such as coverage, conformance rate, and subcontractor scoring. Going paperless confirms that the system accurately analyzes all the data and generates an insightful report. 

3. Improved Quality and Minimized Rework

With digital checklists, a team can proactively manage quality inspection across the project. Adopting technology to digitize your quality control programs helps you set a specific standardized procedure and reduce rework.In a typical construction process, a subcontractor may have checklists for various tasks being performed in the field. The subcontractor would want to provide common checklists to some of their workers and different checklists for others.  They can assign these checklists easily and then each worker can capture information on-site using mobile forms. They can capture notes, attach photos, scan QR codes, and easily share that information with the subcontractor. This ensures quick and accurate data for high-quality decision-making.

4. Speed-up inspections: 

Mobile apps can be accessed and completed on smartphones or tablets, which allows inspectors to complete inspections more quickly. This is because inspectors do not have to carry around paper forms or go back to the office to enter data. They can simply enter the data into the app on their mobile device as they are inspecting the site. This can save a significant amount of time, especially on large or complex projects.Improved communication: Mobile apps can be used to share inspection data with team members in real time, which can help to improve communication and collaboration. For example, if an inspector finds a potential safety hazard, they can quickly share that information with other team members who are working on the project. This can help to ensure that the hazard is addressed promptly and that everyone is aware of the risks.

5. Enhanced compliance

Mobile apps can help to ensure compliance with safety regulations by providing a record of all inspections that have been conducted. This is important for two reasons. First, it can help to protect the company from liability in the event of an accident. Second, it can help to ensure that the company is meeting the requirements of any applicable safety regulations.Collecting daily field reports from workers: Mobile apps can be used to collect daily field reports from workers by providing them with a customized form that they can fill out on their mobile devices. This form can include questions about the work that was performed, the materials that were used, and any safety hazards that were observed. The data from these reports can then be collected and analyzed to track progress, identify problems, and make better decisions.

6. Tracking the progress of construction projects 

Mobile apps can be used to track the progress of construction projects by providing a real-time view of the project schedule, budget, and resources. This information can be accessed by project managers and other team members from anywhere, which can help to improve communication and collaboration. Mobile apps can also be used to capture photos and videos of the project, which can be used to document progress and identify problems.

7. Managing inventory and materials 

Mobile apps can be used to manage inventory and materials by providing a system for tracking the quantity, location, and condition of materials. This information can be used to ensure that the project has the materials it needs on time and to prevent theft or damage. Mobile apps can also be used to generate reports on inventory usage, which can help to identify inefficiencies and make better purchasing decisions.

8. Generating reports on safety, quality, and other metrics

Mobile apps can be used to generate reports on safety, quality, and other metrics by collecting data from a variety of sources, such as daily field reports, inspections, and timesheets. This information can be used to identify trends, track performance, and make improvements. Mobile apps can also be used to generate custom reports that meet the specific needs of the project or company.

Conclusion

You have two choices — either stick to the same old paper forms and continue dealing with all the delays and repetitive tasks. Or, you can opt for the digital checklist to avoid human error and improve operational efficiency. Choose the right solution that improves productivity and fits your business needs. The digital option ushers in error-free efficiency and operational excellence tailored to your business’s unique demands. 

About allGeo

allGeo helps SMBs and Enterprise businesses better manage mobile workforce and field operations with tools such as real-time location, GPS time and attendance, geofence visit logs, Lone worker safety, Mobile forms, and more! All the tools can be highly customized to fit each use case. The platform features a powerful rules engine and integrates with popular back-end CRM, HRMS, and Payroll systems to automate day-to-day operations.allGeo serves customers from a wide range of the industry including field service management, trade services, emergency responders, sales reps, transportation & logistics, oil & gas, and home health care providers. These customers do report improvement in productivity and savings in payroll.