Contents

Overview

This page describes how a field user can complete forms in the field using the QESTField app. Topics covered include: 

• Adding forms to a work order
• downloading forms to the device
• filling out forms (offline if desired)
• synchronizing and uploading forms

Checking Assigned Work

After logging into the QESTField app, the Work Orders & Tests page is displayed (this page can also be accessed through the application menu). This page will provide an overview of the user's schedule for the current day (identified by the Work Date which automatically defaults to today's date) through listing the work orders assigned to the user. 

Work instructions on all assigned work orders for the day can be reviewed here to determine the necessary forms for the day's work.

Adding a Form

After reviewing the day's work, the Forms page can be opened via the application menu.

To add a form:

1. Tap the Add button (). This will open the Add Form - Select Work Order page.
2. Tap the work order to which the form should be added. This will open the Select Form Type page.

3.  Tap the form type to create. This will add a new form to the selected work order. The Forms page will be refreshed displaying the new form.

Completing Forms

By default, the Forms page shows a list of all the forms on work orders assigned to the user for the last 30 days (see Installing and Using the QESTField app for how to change the number of days forms are stored for). These forms are automatically synchronized to the user's mobile device. A sync icon () is shown on a form card while the PDF for that form is being downloaded or uploaded. It is possible to tap the sync icon to see more information about the process. Once the PDF has been downloaded, the sync icon will no longer be displayed. Once on the device it is possible to fill forms out with no internet connection.

Finding the Right Form

Form Cards

The Forms page displays a list of forms, each form has its own card with some key information:

• Project Code (Form No): The project code of the work order project, followed by the form identifier. It normally consists of a Report Prefix (configured by the forms administrator) and the Work Order ID.
• Form Name: The name (configured by the forms administrator) of the type of form.
• Project Name: The project name of the work order project.
• Last Modifed Time and Last Modified By: Displays how long ago the form was modified, and by whom. If the form has already been modified by another user, their name and the time they uploaded the form will be used. If local edits are made to the form on the device, this will show the logged in user's name, and the last time that local edits were made.
• Work Date and Start Time: The work order work date and start time (in 24 hour time). This is likely to have been set by the user creating the work order whether this was the field user in the QESTField app, a lab manager in QESTLab, or by a dispatcher using QESTField Scheduler.

Grouping of Forms

Form cards are divided into two groups:

• Forms scheduled for today and in the future
• Forms from previous days

These two groups are based on the work order work date and the heading Previous Days separates the two groups.

Ordering of Forms

Within each group, form cards are ordered according to the following fields:

1. Work Date descending (later dates first)
2. Start Time ascending (earlier times first)
3. Project Code ascending (alphanumeric A - Z)

Filling out the Form

To fill out a form, tap the relevant form card. This will ask the mobile device to open the PDF form, which will either ask the user which app to use to complete the process or launch the default editor if one is set. The process from this point differs slightly for Android and iOS mobile devices.

Filling out Forms on Android Devices

Android devices will either launch the default PDF editor for the mobile device directly or ask the user which editor should be used if a default is not set. Selecting the desired app and tapping OK will launch the desired editor.

Fill out the form in the PDF editor and then press the Back key on the mobile device to return to the Forms page of the QESTField app.

If the PDF editor does not support automatic saving, the user will need to save before returning to the QESTField app. The changes made to the form in the PDF editor are automatically synchronized with the QESTField app and if online, automatically synchronized with the server.

Filling out Forms on iOS Devices

iOS 11+

If third party PDF editors that support "open document in place" are installed, a menu will display the icons for those PDF editors with an Open in Editor caption, as shown in the image below. Select the desired editor for filling out the form.

Fill out the form in the PDF editor and then press the QESTField icon at the top left corner.  This will send a copy back to QESTField app.

The changes made to the form in the PDF editor are automatically synchronized with the QESTField app and if online, automatically synchronized with the server.

Earlier iOS versions

Pre iOS 11 versions of the iOS operating system do not support opening files in place, additionally, many PDF editing apps do not support the process even on newer devices. On these devices, a menu will display the icons for any compatible PDF editors with a Copy to Editor caption, as shown in the image below. Select the desired editor for filling out the form.

Fill out the form in the PDF editor and save any changes. In order to get the form back to QESTField the document must be shared from the PDF editor (the process to share a file will be dependent on the editor in question). 

After sharing the form, a menu will be shown with options for sharing the file, select Copy to QESTField.  The QESTField app will automatically open up to the Forms page.  The edits made to the form in the PDF editor are automatically synchronized with the QESTField app and if online, automatically synchronized with the server. 

Completing Forms Offline

Forms that have been completed while offline will display a sync disabled icon next to them. This means a sync is required for this form if there currently is no connection.  Also at the top of the Forms page a grey notification bar will appear stating "No Internet Connection".   Once a connection is established the no connection notification will disappear and the sync pending icon will be displayed until the form synchronization is complete.

Downloading Forms

Forms are automatically synchronized between the server and the mobile device when any of the follow actions take place.

1. Logging into the QESTField app
2. Opening the Forms page via the menu
3. Opening the Work Orders page via the menu
4. Changes are made to a form when online

However, this process can also be initiated manually on the mobile device on the Forms page by pulling down from the top of the screen to refresh the page. Sync icons and progress bars will be displayed on cards for forms that are being downloaded. Once a form has been downloaded, the sync icon will no longer be displayed.

Refreshing Fields

When field values that are mapped to a form have been changed after a form has been created (e.g. the Work Date on a Work Order has been changed) the value on the form is not updated (e.g. the form will still display the old Work Date), until a refresh is triggered so that the new data is shown on the form. A Refresh Fields action is available in the Additional Actions ( ) menu for each form that will refresh the mapped fields on that form to ensure that all fields are up to date.

Deleting a Form

To delete a form from a work order open the Forms page. Press the Additional Actions button () on the card of the form to be deleted. Tap Delete form. A confirmation dialog will be displayed. Tap OK to confirm deletion.

The form will process for a few moments and then if the form was deleted successfully an alert will be displayed "Form Deleted". The form will be removed from the Forms page and deleted from the work order.

Synchronization Feedback

There are certain cases where a form will fail to automatically synchronize between the server and the mobile device. If one of these cases occurs, a warning icon will be displayed in the action bar. Tapping the warning will extend the card further to display information about the error that has occurred and provide manual resolution options.

The following table outlines possible automatic synchronization errors and the manual resolution options available.

Access via Work Orders & Tests

It is also possible to add and fill forms out through the Work Orders & Tests page.

Open the appropriate work order by:

1. Changing the Work Date or specifying a Work Order ID to search for the appropriate work order first
2. Selecting the work order from the Work Orders list
3. Creating a new work order

Adding a Form via the Work Order

A page will be opened which displays information about the work order and a list of workflows available to the user, grouped into sections.  Add a new form by tapping the appropriate form workflow from the New Form section. The form will be added to the work order and the form PDF will be automatically synchronized to the mobile device.

Filling out a Form via the Work Order

Fill out a form by tapping the link for the Edit workflow for forms which have been added to the work order (for example, the NCDIR:EST18-W119: Edit NCDOT Daily Inspectors Report link in the screenshot below). 

This action will automatically synchronize the form PDF to the mobile device. This means the form will be available on the Forms page and can be filled out further offline at a later date. Once this has happened tapping the edit form workflow again will open the form in the default PDF editor installed on the mobile device. Fill out the form in the PDF editor and then press the Back key on the mobile device to return to the Work Orders page of the QESTField app. 

Licensing

Warnings regarding licensing are detailed in QESTField License Warnings.

Products described on these pages, including but not limited to QESTLab®, QESTNet, QESTField, Construction Hive, and associated products are Trademarks (™) of Spectra QEST Australia Pty Ltd and/or related companies.

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