eSquiggles is built as a modular system, with a suite of core features and tools combined with optional functions which can enhance levels of productivity and return on investment.
Some of the key functions of eSquiggles include:
Electronic Data Collection
DCS
RAS
FSM
Capture data quickly and easily
eSquiggles uses a number of tools to allow field workers to quickly and easily enter information onto the PDA. The mobile application has a clean look and feel, making it easy to navigate around. It is tailorable to any industry, with the electronic forms being as complex or simple as an organisation requires.
Some of the key functions on the PDA include:
Complete an electronic form
View work items
View status of work items
Reject or reassign a work item
Use voice recording / photos to send back with completed form
Electronic Forms Designer
DCS
RAS
Design your electronic forms in-house, quickly & easily
A key feature of eSquiggles is the integrated electronic Forms Designer. The Forms Designer is so intuitive that the majority of clients design their own forms, allowing them to control the look and content of their reports. The forms set up on eSquiggles are electronic versions of a client’s existing paper forms. This means that forms completed by mobile workers on the PDA can be the exact wording and sequence of questions which have already been defined by the organisation. The Forms Designer has been designed to be used by anyone, particularly those with limited technical knowledge, meaning that new forms can be designed quickly and easily.
Some example forms include:
Risk assessments
Water tank inspections
Health & safety surveys
Portable Appliance Testing forms
Electrical safety checks
Maintenance surveys
Report & Document Creation
DCS
RAS
FSM
No more typing up documentation. Data collected on the PDA is populated into final reports automatically
All data collected via the Electronic Forms can be automatically embedded into your company template, report or form. This eliminates the need to retype the data collected onsite, significantly reduces the administrative process and increases turnaround time in generating reports. Whether the report is one page or a lengthier document, all data collected is automatically embedded without typing back in.
Key benefits include:
Speedy production of complex reports
Gathered data automatically inserted into reports
Use your existing company templates
Job Scheduling
DCS
RAS
FSM
Allocate jobs individually or on a recurring basis by location or specialist skill
For any service based business, scheduling out jobs to field workers can be time consuming. eSquiggles has its own embedded Job Scheduling function which allows jobs to be allocated out quickly and efficiently. It automates the full job scheduling process from call logging through to allocation and acceptance.
Many rules can be factored into the allocation and scheduling process such as allocating to a field worker by geographic location, by specialist skill or by current availability or outstanding workload. Errors such as jobs being duplicated to more than one worker or a worker being double booked are minimised. Recurring jobs can also be set up easily on the system
Resource Planner
DCS
RAS
FSM
View and control all staff diaries and availability on one page
The integrated resource scheduler presents an organisation with an easy to view summary of all field workers’ utilisation rates in diary format across a period of time. This gives a broader view of scheduled jobs over eg. a week or month and gives an accurate indication of availability of staff. The drag and drop features allow changes to be made quickly and easily. A number of jobs assigned to a person on a certain day can be re-allocated to an available and suitable colleague in seconds. The resource planner integrates with whiteboard technology for large scale visual scheduling.
Sage Integration
DCS
RAS
FSM
Speed up invoicing and improve cash flow
The Sage Integration module provides seamless working between eSquiggles and Sage Accounts software. It allows staff to download invoice and billing related data from eSquiggles into Sage electronically and in the required format. No re-keying is required and invoices are created and populated automatically with data from eSquiggles, such as parts used, labour costs and ad-hoc expenses. Accurately recording this type of data and costs can be key to resolving any invoicing disputes around proof of activity, proof of man-time billed, etc.. There is also less room for error in the invoice detail as manual re-keying is eliminated. Invoices are created and submitted more quickly, therefore improving cash flow and revenue into your organisation. The possibility of paperwork going missing and revenue/invoicing opportunities being lost are removed.
Asset Tracking & Management
DCS
RAS
Integrated asset management, asset register and electronic logbooks – with or without barcodes
The Asset Tracking and Management function is a fully integrated module for the complete management and tracking of assets. The system allows the creation of an asset register with the ability to capture and interrogate asset information whilst in the field using the PDA. Through the use of barcoding, assets are assigned a Unique Asset Number which enable assets to be identified easily by field service workers. Assets can be tracked and a register or logbook maintained, meaning service or inspection history on a particular asset is much easier to review.
Asset information can be called up on the PDA even when using eSquiggles offline, when no signal is available. Integration between the Asset Tracking & Job Scheduling modules enables efficiency improvements of Pre-Planned Maintenance (PPM) activities. For those companies which don’t use barcodes and barcode scanners, an asset number can be manually entered into eSquiggles. This means the asset tracking and asset register features can still be used, even if barcodes aren’t.
Client Portal
DCS
RAS
Give clients or subcontractors online access to job information – 24/7
A large number of organisations work with partners or subcontractors and subsequently have a need to share information on jobs or services being provided. The client portal function within eSquiggles is accessed in a similar way to a company Intranet/Extranet and allows remote and secure access to job information in real time.
This allows partners or subcontractors to gain an update on a job or add new jobs automatically and remotely. The portal can also be used as a mechanism for updating partners or subcontractors against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) or Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
Integration
DCS
RAS
Join up eSquiggles with your existing IT systems and work with a seamless solution
To maximise return on investment and enhance the electronic data collection process, many organisations integrate eSquiggles with their existing infrastructure and back office IT systems. A feature-rich Web Service API has been developed which can be used to enhance or extend existing applications, providing the middleware required to make data available on mobile devices and vice versa. eSquiggles technical staff can assist with clarifying exact requirements or the web service API can be interfaced to directly by the client’s own development team.
eSquiggles currently integrates with a number of existing back office systems including Oracle, CAFM systems, Microsoft Outlook, various CRM solutions and airline management systems.
Management Reporting
DCS
RAS
FSM
Increase management visibility and produce complex reports at the click of a button
eSquiggles can produce complex management or statistical reports quickly and present them in a number of ways. Common reports include:
Mobile worker utilisation
Activity levels per geographic location
Performance statistics (per worker or office)
Pre-defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Performance against Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
Audit Management
DCS
RAS
Review logbooks and audit information centrally and remotely
eSquiggles stores all risk assessment information relating to multiple clients and multiple sites. As all data collected is recorded electronically and can be time stamped, a full audit trail is available should there be a need to identify or analyse historic data. Risk assessment data and logbooks relating to a number of geographic sites can be audited quickly and centrally without the need to visit sites individually. Performing audits centrally and remotely saves time and ensures risk assessment reports and data is audited regularly. Operating and travelling overheads are reduced and legislative requirements are adhered to.
Data Capture & Input Tools
DCS
RAS
FSM
Drop down lists, check boxes, signature capture – a wide selection of tools to suit your forms
Gathering the data on the PDA is quick and easy using the following tools:
Drop down lists
Check boxes
Free text boxes
Voice recording
Photos
Signature Capture
Video Files
Helpdesk
DCS
RAS
FSM
For a complete view of job status and job information
The Helpdesk function within eSquiggles provides an organisation with a complete view of complete and in-progress jobs and related information. Pre-planned and reactive tasks and jobs are also held within the Helpdesk. The Helpdesk area is where new jobs are entered and stored and is fully searchable and customisable. The extensive search facilities allow users to search and group jobs by certain parameters including job status, type, location, assigned field worker and can be searched by specific date ranges. Filters can also be put in place to search easily on a number of parameters eg. Incomplete jobs in a certain town.
The user can customise the view to suit their particular needs and hide certain information which may be irrelevant to them. The clean and colour coded look and feel of the Helpdesk function makes searching and updating staff on outstanding job information quick and easy.
Bill of Materials
DCS
RAS
FSM
Alert back office staff of parts and materials which need ordered immediately
For many services which are provided out on the field, a document such as a customer quote or ‘Bill of Materials’ is often the end result of a site survey.
eSquiggles has embedded functionality which allows field workers to quickly enter data and/or measurements and to select materials and costs from pre-defined lists. Within seconds the cost of quote and full bill of materials required has been calculated and produced in the standard company quote template. As they are sent back electronically to the office, staff are instantly aware of parts which need ordered.
Timebooker
DCS
RAS
For better control over staff time and more accurate billing
The Timebooker module provides the key functions you would expect of time management software. Once a job has commenced on the PDA, field workers can place a job on hold and push the job through various states – downloaded, in progress or on hold. Various reasons for putting a job can be selected such as lunch breaks or awaiting parts, which provides greater visibility of productive and non-productive time during a working day.
Field workers can record their time more accurately, managers can gain better control over staff time and bottlenecks during a working day or week can be identified. Introducing these controls will then lead to more granularities in timesheets and more accurate levels of billing to the client. Reporting around staff time, timesheets and client financial reporting is improved and can be used to streamline any bottle necks in processes.
Exception Reporting
DCS
RAS
Highlight exceptions and report on potential hazards or failures
When data collected, such as water temperatures, doesn’t fall within pre-defined parameters, eSquiggles can automatically produce an Exception Report. This is an inherent part of a risk assessment and ensures that potential risk is identified and reported immediately and automatically. The exception report triggers a process of reporting, generating responsive maintenance jobs and notifying key personnel.
Whilst carrying out risk assessment, if other potential hazards are identified, ad-hoc Exception Reports can be generated. Other Exception Reports can be set up as required by organisations, such as automatic reporting if Service Level Agreements (SLA’s) are failing to be met.
Integrated Temperature Probe
DCS
RAS
Record temperatures and populate into reports or documentation automatically
When using PDAs with temperature probes, readings can be taken and automatically populated into eSquiggles and associated documentation. The ability to record this data automatically into eSquiggles drastically reduces the possibility for human error, which is often critical to the testing organisation.
The full temperature testing and data logging process becomes more efficient and accurate and removes the need for mobile workers to operate with separate devices during inspections and surveys. Readings are recorded directly into a temperature log sheet which can be exported to report format in Word or Excel. The temperature logging process can also be entered manually for those using separate PDAs and temperature probes. The temperature probe functionality is currently being used for inspections such as hot and cold water storage tank inspections, legionella risk assessments, wet cooling tower inspections, commercial or domestic water systems tests.
Product Legend
This colour coding indicates which features are within each product.
Full Feature List
Modular & Affordable
eSquiggles is built as a modular system, with a suite of core features and tools combined with optional functions which can enhance levels of productivity and return on investment.
Some of the key functions of eSquiggles include:
eSquiggles uses a number of tools to allow field workers to quickly and easily enter information onto the PDA. The mobile application has a clean look and feel, making it easy to navigate around. It is tailorable to any industry, with the electronic forms being as complex or simple as an organisation requires.
Some of the key functions on the PDA include:
A key feature of eSquiggles is the integrated electronic Forms Designer. The Forms Designer is so intuitive that the majority of clients design their own forms, allowing them to control the look and content of their reports. The forms set up on eSquiggles are electronic versions of a client’s existing paper forms. This means that forms completed by mobile workers on the PDA can be the exact wording and sequence of questions which have already been defined by the organisation. The Forms Designer has been designed to be used by anyone, particularly those with limited technical knowledge, meaning that new forms can be designed quickly and easily.
Some example forms include:
All data collected via the Electronic Forms can be automatically embedded into your company template, report or form. This eliminates the need to retype the data collected onsite, significantly reduces the administrative process and increases turnaround time in generating reports. Whether the report is one page or a lengthier document, all data collected is automatically embedded without typing back in.
Key benefits include:
For any service based business, scheduling out jobs to field workers can be time consuming. eSquiggles has its own embedded Job Scheduling function which allows jobs to be allocated out quickly and efficiently. It automates the full job scheduling process from call logging through to allocation and acceptance.
Many rules can be factored into the allocation and scheduling process such as allocating to a field worker by geographic location, by specialist skill or by current availability or outstanding workload. Errors such as jobs being duplicated to more than one worker or a worker being double booked are minimised. Recurring jobs can also be set up easily on the system
The integrated resource scheduler presents an organisation with an easy to view summary of all field workers’ utilisation rates in diary format across a period of time. This gives a broader view of scheduled jobs over eg. a week or month and gives an accurate indication of availability of staff. The drag and drop features allow changes to be made quickly and easily. A number of jobs assigned to a person on a certain day can be re-allocated to an available and suitable colleague in seconds. The resource planner integrates with whiteboard technology for large scale visual scheduling.
The Sage Integration module provides seamless working between eSquiggles and Sage Accounts software. It allows staff to download invoice and billing related data from eSquiggles into Sage electronically and in the required format. No re-keying is required and invoices are created and populated automatically with data from eSquiggles, such as parts used, labour costs and ad-hoc expenses. Accurately recording this type of data and costs can be key to resolving any invoicing disputes around proof of activity, proof of man-time billed, etc.. There is also less room for error in the invoice detail as manual re-keying is eliminated. Invoices are created and submitted more quickly, therefore improving cash flow and revenue into your organisation. The possibility of paperwork going missing and revenue/invoicing opportunities being lost are removed.
The Asset Tracking and Management function is a fully integrated module for the complete management and tracking of assets. The system allows the creation of an asset register with the ability to capture and interrogate asset information whilst in the field using the PDA. Through the use of barcoding, assets are assigned a Unique Asset Number which enable assets to be identified easily by field service workers. Assets can be tracked and a register or logbook maintained, meaning service or inspection history on a particular asset is much easier to review.
Asset information can be called up on the PDA even when using eSquiggles offline, when no signal is available. Integration between the Asset Tracking & Job Scheduling modules enables efficiency improvements of Pre-Planned Maintenance (PPM) activities. For those companies which don’t use barcodes and barcode scanners, an asset number can be manually entered into eSquiggles. This means the asset tracking and asset register features can still be used, even if barcodes aren’t.
A large number of organisations work with partners or subcontractors and subsequently have a need to share information on jobs or services being provided. The client portal function within eSquiggles is accessed in a similar way to a company Intranet/Extranet and allows remote and secure access to job information in real time.
This allows partners or subcontractors to gain an update on a job or add new jobs automatically and remotely. The portal can also be used as a mechanism for updating partners or subcontractors against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) or Service Level Agreements (SLAs).
To maximise return on investment and enhance the electronic data collection process, many organisations integrate eSquiggles with their existing infrastructure and back office IT systems. A feature-rich Web Service API has been developed which can be used to enhance or extend existing applications, providing the middleware required to make data available on mobile devices and vice versa. eSquiggles technical staff can assist with clarifying exact requirements or the web service API can be interfaced to directly by the client’s own development team.
eSquiggles currently integrates with a number of existing back office systems including Oracle, CAFM systems, Microsoft Outlook, various CRM solutions and airline management systems.
eSquiggles can produce complex management or statistical reports quickly and present them in a number of ways. Common reports include:
eSquiggles stores all risk assessment information relating to multiple clients and multiple sites. As all data collected is recorded electronically and can be time stamped, a full audit trail is available should there be a need to identify or analyse historic data. Risk assessment data and logbooks relating to a number of geographic sites can be audited quickly and centrally without the need to visit sites individually. Performing audits centrally and remotely saves time and ensures risk assessment reports and data is audited regularly. Operating and travelling overheads are reduced and legislative requirements are adhered to.
Gathering the data on the PDA is quick and easy using the following tools:
The Helpdesk function within eSquiggles provides an organisation with a complete view of complete and in-progress jobs and related information. Pre-planned and reactive tasks and jobs are also held within the Helpdesk. The Helpdesk area is where new jobs are entered and stored and is fully searchable and customisable. The extensive search facilities allow users to search and group jobs by certain parameters including job status, type, location, assigned field worker and can be searched by specific date ranges. Filters can also be put in place to search easily on a number of parameters eg. Incomplete jobs in a certain town.
The user can customise the view to suit their particular needs and hide certain information which may be irrelevant to them. The clean and colour coded look and feel of the Helpdesk function makes searching and updating staff on outstanding job information quick and easy.
For many services which are provided out on the field, a document such as a customer quote or ‘Bill of Materials’ is often the end result of a site survey.
eSquiggles has embedded functionality which allows field workers to quickly enter data and/or measurements and to select materials and costs from pre-defined lists. Within seconds the cost of quote and full bill of materials required has been calculated and produced in the standard company quote template. As they are sent back electronically to the office, staff are instantly aware of parts which need ordered.
The Timebooker module provides the key functions you would expect of time management software. Once a job has commenced on the PDA, field workers can place a job on hold and push the job through various states – downloaded, in progress or on hold. Various reasons for putting a job can be selected such as lunch breaks or awaiting parts, which provides greater visibility of productive and non-productive time during a working day.
Field workers can record their time more accurately, managers can gain better control over staff time and bottlenecks during a working day or week can be identified. Introducing these controls will then lead to more granularities in timesheets and more accurate levels of billing to the client. Reporting around staff time, timesheets and client financial reporting is improved and can be used to streamline any bottle necks in processes.
When data collected, such as water temperatures, doesn’t fall within pre-defined parameters, eSquiggles can automatically produce an Exception Report. This is an inherent part of a risk assessment and ensures that potential risk is identified and reported immediately and automatically. The exception report triggers a process of reporting, generating responsive maintenance jobs and notifying key personnel.
Whilst carrying out risk assessment, if other potential hazards are identified, ad-hoc Exception Reports can be generated. Other Exception Reports can be set up as required by organisations, such as automatic reporting if Service Level Agreements (SLA’s) are failing to be met.
When using PDAs with temperature probes, readings can be taken and automatically populated into eSquiggles and associated documentation. The ability to record this data automatically into eSquiggles drastically reduces the possibility for human error, which is often critical to the testing organisation.
The full temperature testing and data logging process becomes more efficient and accurate and removes the need for mobile workers to operate with separate devices during inspections and surveys. Readings are recorded directly into a temperature log sheet which can be exported to report format in Word or Excel. The temperature logging process can also be entered manually for those using separate PDAs and temperature probes. The temperature probe functionality is currently being used for inspections such as hot and cold water storage tank inspections, legionella risk assessments, wet cooling tower inspections, commercial or domestic water systems tests.