With Field Engineers spread across the United States, the intelligent use of technology is key to capturing a high quality standardized field work product and delivering that work product quickly to where it’s needed.
Traditionally, Field Engineers take field measurements and field notes utilizing little more than a surveyor’s wheel, paper maps and a laptop. Once back in the office these field notes are utilized by network drafters and designers to create a final work product for the client. After years of evaluating and rejecting existing commercial products designed to streamline this process, TrueNet decided to undertake an ambitious effort to create its own solution.
Proprietary Solution Creates Business Process Excellence
In early 2015 after over two years of development, TrueNet rolled out its innovative proprietary software application, TrueNetFielder. The new application is designed to significantly streamline the capture of field data, creating a seamless flow between the Field Engineers that collect the data and the back office teams of network drafters and designers that utilize the data.
Currently, Field Engineers utilize Samsung Galaxy tablets loaded with the TrueNetFielder application and connected to a GPS with centimeter accuracy to gather data required for Right of Way (ROW) permits. Utilizing the application’s symbols library and GPS functionality, Field Engineers input survey data directly into GoogleEarth, photographing, identifying, and dimensioning everything within the ROW onto the proper CAD layer (ie. telecom, water, electric, etc) as required by the permitting process. This information is then downloaded immediately to a back office team to complete the necessary ROW permit drawings and paperwork. Once the municipality or DOT approves the permit, the drawings can easily be transmitted to the client’s team for construction.
Results
From the very beginning, the application has been a resounding success. Field Engineers have found that TrueNetFielder speeds up field work and supervisors love the ability to almost instantly review the Field Engineer’s work product. This uniform, precise data collection coupled with on-line availability of the data collected has led to fewer go-backs, higher customer satisfaction and a savings of up to 70% in the amount of time required to complete a ROW permit.
TrueNet has recently expanded the use of the application to include Commercial Plant Surveys with equally excellent results and is currently identifying other processes where TrueNetFielder can improve our existing business processes.
