Construction inspection software that supports field data collection has become almost ubiquitous on infrastructure jobsites across the country. This is good because of the much-touted benefits of digital project delivery, but it’s also a challenge because it means engineering firms and agencies have many more options when reviewing different software options. And with many options comes the possibility of making the wrong decision.
When I was a kid and I would go shopping with my parents, my favorite thing to do was check off boxes on a shopping list while going on mini-missions to find various items, like a gallon of milk or a box by Fruit By The Foot. a basic snack in our school lunches. These days, I’ll often go shopping without a grocery list and come back from the store with a jumble of items that were on sale but can’t be combined into any kind of reasonable or nutritious meal. My current approach to feeding is not what companies and agencies should take when deciding how to support the inspection process on a multi-million dollar project.
As such, we’ve prepared the software version of a grocery list: a list of features you should consider essential when considering construction inspection software options. So grab a Fruit By The Foot, hang out, and see if your potential software options tick the necessary boxes for digital inspection success.
Offline data capture
Offline data capture is the number one feature you should look for when researching construction inspection software options. Have you ever needed to download an app to unlock a rental car when you don’t have mobile data? It’s not a fun time. Whether you don’t have cell data or you’re at a remote job site where it’s not even available, your building inspection software should work without it.
A good inspection application will capture data offline, store it temporarily, and then sync it back to a database when you’re in the field office or in a truck with an access point. More information about this synchronization in the next section.
CMS synchronization
The point of conducting inspections using mobile devices and tablets instead of paper fieldbooks is to support digital project delivery, so it doesn’t make much sense if the data stops at the phone. Your construction inspection software should sync seamlessly with your construction management system, feeding data from the field into a larger database of daily reports, change orders, payment estimates, certifications of materials, etc. the delivery of the project is built.
Configurable daily report templates
Most daily reports are pretty standard: you have your measurements, weather conditions, temperature, additional comments, etc. But if the agency has specific data that they want you to capture, say a specific field for bar quality control inspection or something like that. you should be able to manipulate the daily report template to your liking. Many construction inspection apps will offer a drag-and-drop report builder so you can make sure you’re capturing everything you need to in the field.
