From the field to the cloud: How OpenGround can better connect your team with data
Cloud technologies, such as OpenGround, create new possibilities, providing accessibility to data on a previously unprecedented scale.
Many of these opportunities are potential game changers, but they may come across as irrelevant at first glance to smaller businesses. This article takes a closer look at what such organisations really need to be aware of.
Which OpenGround package is right for me?
As a quick executive summary, here is the rule of thumb – if you are a small to medium-sized business (SMB), then first think i3!
The i3 package of OpenGround has been designed to give the typical field team contractor all the resources that they need to get started. Additional options (such as i5) might well be worth considering, but only in light of a good solid argument as to why.
Tip: As the tool of choice of the typical SMB, we will concentrate mainly on i3 functionality in this article. While the i5 package provides additional tools, these tend to cater to enterprise use cases.
Field teams may first encounter OpenGround as they undertake work on large, potentially high-profile projects.
A project or lead consultant might permit a level of controlled access to the online database. This passes the contracted field team through a tiered security model to ensure data is submitted safely.
The result is that the field team can only access that which is relevant to them.
When managed correctly, this means there is no possibility of accidentally opening an inappropriate project, or even a subset of data in the right project which they are not involved with.
Of course, a single platform shared across different cooperating parties – with data shared as appropriate – is not the only model of working. Many contracting organisations have access to their own dedicated platform as a workspace for their data.
So, whether you are submitting data live from the field or passing it to colleagues for internal review, the possibilities are there.
How can OpenGround help me day-to-day?
Having thought about the broader backdrop of how the technology sits in relation to its users, what about the more practical uses that can be performed day-to-day? Specifically, how is it possible to utilise OpenGround in the field?
Meet OpenGround Collector, our dedicated data collection app designed specifically with Android tablets in mind. It lets you upload pre-defined data entry profiles to your device to capture data in the field more efficiently.
Collapsible interfaces, picklist select, free text, date selectors, and number pads provide the most meaningful input method for the specific parameter that is being recorded. Integrating with the tablet’s native functionality — like GPS for a hole’s location, photos for samples, and printable sample labels — OpenGround Collector correlates consistently with data on the go.
For example, a unique identifier is associated with your sample, recorded in the data, and displayed on the physical sample label. Similarly, a photo of your sample will be cross-referenced to its specific record.
The ideal manner of working is to sync data back to the cloud as regularly as possible. Indeed, this can make the data more secure than the device itself!
However, while it’s certainly advisable, it isn’t always practical. Robust data connections cannot be guaranteed when working in the field, after all!
In these cases, data capture will still continue. The data entry profile, which can be downloaded before leaving the office, can then serve as a container for the data, until a situation where the data can be synced back to the cloud and approved by the relevant party.
How do I get the most out of OpenGround Collector?
In order to get the most out of OpenGround Collector, we strongly advise using it before going out into the field, taking advantage of the more reliable internet connection of the home or office. Doing this ensures the resources will be available to you when you need them in the field, and potentially save time on-site, given that you will already be familiar with the interface.
OpenGround Collector can be downloaded and installed from the Google Play Store and then connected to a cloud, project, data entry profile, and data.
Naturally, not everyone is tech-minded and many of us prefer pen and paper. For those who are used to the analogue method, a dedicated, alternative desktop-based interface is available. This is particularly useful if you’re more accustomed to using paper-based logs in the field and leaving the typing to your
team back in the office. If this task is set to be handled by your dedicated admin team, for instance, they’ll need only to use the dedicated data entry module.
To make things even simpler for everyday use, we have bundled the resources we use in the day-to-day practical use of OpenGround — from data entry profiles to log templates — together in the form of a Configuration Pack. Recently revised and renewed, the default Configuration Packs aim to improve productivity and ease of use from the outset.
Can I adapt OpenGround to suit my needs?
For many organisations, the resources in the standard Configuration Pack are perfectly suited to their needs. The data entry profiles mentioned above are trimmed to only show data that is appropriate for each associated use case, providing a better user experience and a more efficient interface for regular use.
However, if you’re a dedicated system administrator who wants to tweak existing resources, or even create your own new components, you absolutely can.
Such resources are built over a dedicated database model, also contained within the Configuration Pack. As such, the structure to handle your data is already in place — it does not usually require adjustment even after new bespoke resources have been developed.
For example, OpenGround can handle a variety of methods for describing soil, with the default Configuration Packs being based on specific regional standards.
As well as allowing the data for logs to be captured and produced, other output formats are possible, from simple Quick Sections to detailed site plans. And for those with a love for Excel, spreadsheets can be used to report data from the Cloud via a dedicated app.
If the scenarios of this article resonate with you, remember the rule of thumb – if you are an SMB, first think i3!