For many businesses, barcode technology plays a crucial role in the deliverability of goods and services. Whether you’re performing a facility inspection, a safety equipment check, merchandising product, or tracking shipments—barcodes provide a database worth of information on a single item. When leveraging barcode scanning capabilities with mobile forms, one scan can dramatically transform the way your team collects information.

Using your Mobile Device as a Barcode Scanner

The Barcode Field, in its simplest form, allows users to scan an item’s barcode (using the built-in camera on their mobile device) and extract the information into text format in a form field. The field will then display the corresponding numeric combination associated with the item, saving users time spent entering lengthy characters and human error associated with manual data entry.

The real magic of the barcode feature occurs when users reference preexisting data from an Excel sheet, Google sheet, or other database resources. When uploading an exhaustive list of assets, inventory, or product information to your Resource files, you simultaneously equip your team with the same access, right at their fingertips. When you give your users access to pick-lists of information, they can narrow down selections and expedite form completion while you receive more accurate data in return.

By using the lookup function of a resource with the barcode field, scanning a single barcode can automatically pre-populates fields with corresponding cells. No more missing line items or re-entering information before submitting forms.

You can easily recreate, upload, or delete data when scanning existing barcode labels. Users can scan barcodes and quickly determine when the next time an equipment asset needs to be serviced or replaced, or what aspect requires further inspection.

Because digital forms are inherently smarter than paper-based alternatives, they can be formatted with conditional logic specific to an asset, so users are answering the right questions about the correct item, every time. With barcode scanning, your team can significantly reduce time spent filling out form fields.

Check out more reasons why you should implement barcode scanning in your mobile forms below.

Benefits of Barcode Scanning and Mobile Forms

• All-in-one solution. Mobile Forms and Barcode Scanning exist in the same application meaning no additional third-party scanners are required. Users can scan directly from their mobile device and finance teams can reallocate funds for other projects. Because the application exists across iOS and Android platforms, employees can leverage their personal devices, saving more time and investment.
• IT team not required. Administrators logged into the Management Console can setup barcode workflows with ease using the drag-and-drop form builder. Device Magic’s intuitive user interface makes it possible to seamlessly create workflows and connect your existing tools, without an IT expert.
• Auto-Fill, all the way. When a tech needs to go back out to a job or do a task again because it was incomplete or incorrect the first time, it costs your business time and money. Preventing errors and finding ways to reduce reworks will keep projects moving forward on schedule and allow you to get more done.

Each mobile form feature offers its own unique approach to transforming how you collect data. Consider how using the barcode scanning feature in your data collection process can streamline work for your team.

See why administrators and mobile users alike choose Device Magic for their teams. Create your free account today to test the power of barcode scanning and digital forms.

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(Note: Looking for Covid-19 health screening forms? We’ve got you covered.)

There is no denying how much the global COVID-19 pandemic is affecting all industries, the construction sector included.

With governments issuing stay-at-home orders and shutting down countless businesses, the disease brought about by the newest strain of the coronavirus continues to have a massive impact on economic activity on a worldwide scale.

Aside from the shutdowns, players in the construction sector are also weighed down by other concerns such as the validity and effectiveness of existing construction insurance policies.

Still, when compared to other industries, the construction sector has found itself in a somewhat better position, with all US states declaring that construction projects focusing on public infrastructure and related to COVID-19 relief efforts are essential, and, therefore, should continue.

The continuation of essential construction projects, however, comes with the condition that they all should put measures in place that will help manage the impact of COVID-19. Here are some tips that will help those in the construction industry do just that.

Strict Implementation of Social Distancing and Sanitation Measures

If there’s a phrase that the COVID-19 pandemic has burned deep into the public consciousness, it would have to be “social distancing.” From all indications, it now seems that avoiding physical contact with others and staying six feet away from the next person has become the new normal.

That said, construction sites must implement social distancing measures as strictly as possible. Those running projects should set up work schedules in a way that will keep the number of people in a construction site down. With fewer people working at any given time, there will be more space for everyone, which should make observing social distancing protocols a bit easier.

All construction sites must also have sanitation stations and wash areas at strategic points throughout. If it’s possible for workers not to share equipment or tools, then that would be great. If not, then make it a point to remind the workers concerned to disinfect tools before and after using them. Provide them with alcohol wipes as well as instructions on how to clean their tools thoroughly.

Wearing masks over their nose and mouth while on the job can be optional, especially if workers are following social distancing rules strictly. However, in situations where it’s not possible for two or more workers to stay six feet or more away from each other, all workers involved should wear face masks at the very least.

Monitor Compliance With Measures

As mentioned above, all social distancing and sanitation measures must be implemented strictly. To do that, people running a construction site must assign personnel to help monitor compliance among workers.

On top of tasks like performing temperature checks using non-contact thermometers, members of the monitoring team may also be expected to document any safety or health-related issue that may arise. They can also periodically remind other workers to follow social distancing and sanitation measures at all times while on-site. After all, everyone on site is only human and can be prone to forget the rules that were set for the project.

Come Up With A Response Plan

COVID-19 is proving to be a highly-communicable disease, and the risk of any construction worker onsite falling ill due to the coronavirus is ever-present.

All construction sites must have a response plan in place in the event a worker exhibits symptoms while on site. Make sure, however, that when you send that worker home to self-quarantine or maybe even to seek immediate medical care, you do it in such a way that won’t seem discriminatory or retaliatory. After all, your worker has rights, and it’s your duty to uphold them in any situation.

Draft a response plan with your HR, safety officers, and even the company legal counsel to make sure everything is above board and fair.

Keep Everyone Informed

The COVID-19 pandemic is unfamiliar territory for just about everyone on the planet. Even experts are still pretty much in the dark, and whatever we know about the virus now could no longer be true a short time later.

Considering how critical information is in the time of coronavirus, it is your duty to provide everyone involved with updates about the pandemic, the social distancing measures in place, and the status of the construction project itself. As the pandemic rages on, it’s essential to communicate with stakeholders, suppliers, and workers regularly.

So, while your construction project is still allowed to operate, see to it that you provide everyone at the worksite the safest working environment possible amid the COVID-19 threat. Aside from the tips mentioned above, you can also refer to guidelines issued by government agencies to ensure the safety of everyone involved in your construction project. With everyone’s utmost cooperation, the construction industry should be able to manage the impact of COVID-19 well enough.

About the Author

Rachel Porter is the content specialist for Custom Contractors Insurance, LLC, an Arizona roofing and contractors insurance company. When not writing, she enjoys reading and mountain biking with her friends.

The post Tips on Managing the Impact of COVID-19 on the Construction Industry appeared first on Device Magic.