Key achievements with Formulate

• Support Green initiatives

• real-time access to key data 

• Autofill fields and database access 

• Improved job scheduling 

• Detailed data capture and enforced compliance

Intro

Technological development and extensive regulations in the utility industry, such as the use of smart meters and growing requirements for in-depth documentation have sped up the adoption of innovative processes to comply with these growing changes. Businesses have begun to replace paperwork with optimised mobile form software to develop faster, more efficient workflows and a more consistent level of service delivery. Therefore, businesses must have the capability to streamline and integrate data coming in from multiple sites to comply. 

Triangle software designed a mobile forms software solution, Formulate to create seamless job scheduling and workflow in the utility industry. It’s a digital method of data collection using a smartphone or a tablet device that is increasingly replacing paper processes. 

Formulate has multiple benefits that allow utilities to keep on top of data management, regulation, and consumer demands all while providing the best possible service to its customers. Below are some of the key ways in which Formulate can add value to utilities and help comply with relentless regulations:

Supporting green initiatives

The general public is growing in concern for the impact of non-sustainable consumption, and demand for change starts with the industry's most visible to the consumer, utilities included. Many utility companies are now pledging to provide not only more sustainable sources of energy but also processes in their day-to-day business. Formulate supports this pledge, looking to replace administrative waste and create a sustainable eco-conscious workflow for all its users. 

Real-time access to information

Digital forms provide technicians with instant access to job details, which promotes more effective workflows. The ability to monitor important information in real-time allows (technicians?) to quickly detect and react to potential problems within the assigned job. 

It also ensures that data is more reliable, because the information can be submitted as and when it happens, rather than completing paperwork from memory after the work has been completed. 

Database & auto-fill fields

The influx of smart meters has increased the quantity of data that are processed daily by utility companies. It’s no longer enough to manually input data into static spreadsheets. Data should be collected together on one dashboard to allow for accelerated and informed decision-making. Better, it should be captured seamlessly as human error and inefficiencies can halt this from being realised. 

Thanks to this seamless feature, you can easily capture data as database fields pull information from information already stored within your form account or databases. This data can then be used to instantly populate corresponding fields with highly accurate information. By automating dataflow your organisation can remain protected from punishing fines for missing information. As a cloud-based software solution, all your digital forms are accessible from a single location. This holistic approach empowered by digital document management enables greater visibility compared to paper-based processes. It provides a full overview of everything that is happening within the home. 

It also saves time for you and your team by removing the tiresome search through filing cabinets to locate the information you need. Digital forms are accessible at the click of a button.

Job scheduling

Assign jobs to your workforce quickly and easily. Effortlessly manage both historical and future jobs within the back-office application. The advantage of mobile forms is that you can schedule jobs for your mobile workforce using the drag and drop tool. Other benefits include:

• View jobs awaiting scheduling
• View assigned jobs 
• Issue any changes to scheduled jobs
• Smart scheduling: Allocate mobile forms to users multiple times if the job occurs regularly

The scheduler will give you complete control; the right user will receive the right forms, at the right time. Furthermore, the calendar function makes it easy to identify which staff members are available, so you can reallocate jobs quickly - helping to keep completion dates on track. 

Detailed data capture and enforced compliance

Digital forms enable detailed data capture with better accuracy while enforcing compliance with industry regulations. For example, features such as photograph attachments mean technicians can evidence the work they have done. Mandatory and dynamic fields collect in-depth information and every answer field must be populated before the form can be submitted. This guarantees you capture all the information you need to comply with regulatory requirements.

Digital documentation is much easier to share with third parties e.g. compliance information for auditing evaluations. All data collected via digital forms can be exported to PDF format and shared electronically. This speeds up and improves communication between employees, departments, or third-party stakeholders. 

Improved productivity

As the amount of admin grows, engineers will have to go into the office to collect the paperwork and back again to hand the paperwork back in. This can leave your employees feeling frustrated because they have less time to spend on the job they’re trained to do. They don’t need to sit at an office desktop, away from the work that matters, to complete their paperwork. Neither do they have to clock up overtime to catch up on admin, which supports a better work-life balance. With modern software systems, engineers can record information as they go, which helps to boost their productivity and reduces your wage bill.

Digital Forms by Triangle

Triangle has developed a digital forms software solution that is designed to make administration easy while providing multiple benefits to the mobile workers on the job. 

Visit our blog to read more about the benefits of mobile forms for the mobile workforce. Or contact us today to find out how we can help your business with digital form software.