Productivity

2018 Spring Subscriber Survey: 5 Most Interesting Trends

Posted on by Danny Kanev

2018 Spring Subscriber Survey: 5 Most Interesting Trends

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We’re very excited to begin sharing with you the results from our 2018 Spring Subscriber Survey.

At GoCanvas, we believe that our subscribers should have a voice in everything we do. That’s why we love all the feedback we received this year in our subscriber survey!

We take all the responses captured, create a report, and distribute them throughout the company so that every department is able to benefit from the feedback. We also use the responses to analyze how and why subscribers choose the GoCanvas platform for their business.

This type of insight into our subscriber’s usage and deployment of GoCanvas allows us to better roadmap what types of functionality should be added to the development roadmap. It also allows our team to measure what areas of the platform we should focus more time, and what features deserve higher priority.

As you read through the survey infographic below, you’ll find a number of interesting stats and trends. Here are my top 5 most interesting statistics:

  • Flexible Platform – Aside from Construction, usage is deployed somewhat evenly across 5+ different industries. This illustrates the flexibility of the App Builder, PDF Designer, and the platform’s core features like Dispatch and Workflow.
  • Fast Payback – 7 months is the average time in which a subscriber receives a full return on their investment and deployment of mobile forms.
  • Multiple Forms & Use Cases – Inspections were the only type of form that was selected by more than 50% of subscribers. This illustrates the different amounts of use cases that GoCanvas subscribers deploy!
  • Photo Capture – Still the most popular feature across every industry and demographic, capturing photos gives every type of business the evidence they need to keep the most accurate digital records possible.
  • Multiple Submission Per Day – Over half of all subscribers said that they fill out and submit 2 or more mobile forms per day. This shows the common trend of implementing GoCanvas in operations that are frequent, data-intensive processes.

About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

business people discussing project

Gown Your Business with GoCanvas Partner Program

Join our Partner Program and gain instant access to our global network of thought leaders and industry experts enjoying shared collaboration and collective success.

Learn more
Forte Supply Chain Solutions Partner Video

Partner Snapshot: Forte Supply Chain Solutions

Explore how Forte Supply Chain Solutions partnered with GoCanvas, combining in-house industry expertise with our white-label mobile forms to revolutionize their processes.

Watch VIDEO
Closeup of a handshake.

GoCanvas Integrations: Streamline your Workflow

Integrate with over 1,000 software applications. Enhance your GoCanvas experience by syncing real-time data to one or all of your business tools.

View integrations

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

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10 Best Mobile Devices for Business

Posted on by Danny Kanev

10 Best Mobile Devices for Business

As businesses continue to replace outdated processes and move toward automation, it is important to evaluate which devices would work best for your company. Paperwork is an outdated and labor demanding chore that can be easily solved through apps.  Creating a streamlined workflow of data can be simple once you have determined what mobile strategy your team will use in the field.

In deciding on what device would meet your team’s needs, many factors might play into that decision. Typically, the purchasing process for new business devices is primarily based on cost, durability, security, and usability. These elements can make or break an organization’s decision. While the upfront cost of purchasing devices can seem daunting, the payback is both quick and large once you compare it to the time savings you get back by automating these core corporate data processes.

Some businesses are lucky enough that everyone has their own smartphone or tablet they can use, but that is not typical. One of the first steps in deciding on your mobile devices is determining which characteristics and functionality are most important for your business. We have made the decision-making process even easier by creating a list of the most popular mobile devices for automating your data collection processes.

Smartphone:

iPhone

iPhones are one of the most popular mobile phones on the market! They easily one of the most user-friendly as most people have used one at one time or another. With an iPhone, users are also given access to many business improvement applications and employees can communicate without data service through I-Messaging and Calling. Encrypted tools also give these smartphones an upper-hand on security for your sensitive data.

iPhone 6s:  $440 – $550

(Photo Credit: Apple / iPhone)

4.7” Retina HD Display, 12 MP Camera, Touch ID, A9 Chip

iPhone 7: $500 – $650

(Photo Credit: Apple / iPhone)

Splash, Water, and Dust Resistant, 4.7” Retina HD Display, 12 MP Camera service, Touch ID, A10 Fusion Chip, Battery lasts up to 2 hours longer than iPhone 6s

iPhone 8: $700 – $920

(Photo Credit: Apple / iPhone)

Splash, Water, and Dust Resistant, 4.7” Retina HD Display, 12 MP Camera, Touch ID, A11 Bionic Chip, Battery lasts up to 2 hours longer than iPhone 6s

Galaxy Samsung 

Samsung offers a variety of cost-effective and durable devices. With a Galaxy Samsung smartphone, you can ensure each of your employees has access to a device that is easy to navigate and can communicate easily with your other office staff.

Galaxy Samsung S8 Active:  $670 – $800

Photo Credit: https://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/phones/galaxy-s/galaxy-s8-active-64gb–at-t–meteor-gray-sm-g892azaaatt/

5.8” Gorilla Glass Display, Water, Shock, and Dust Resistant, Military -Grade Body, Ip68 Rating, Premium Camera

Galaxy Samsung S6 Active: $150 – $350

(Photo Credit: Samsung)

5.1” Super AMOLED Display, Water, and Dust Resistant, Military -Grade Body, Ip68 Rating, Premium Camera

CAT S41 

$415 – $550

The Cat S41 phone is made to withstand extreme conditions from water to dirt. This device has so much battery power that it is able to charge other devices through its battery share feature.

(Photo Credit: CAT Phones)

5” HD Gorilla Glass Display, 60 Min Waterproof, Military Standard 810G Shock and Drop Proof, 13 MP Camera

Kyocera Brigadier

$115 – $350

Similar to the Cat S41, enjoy peace of mind with this phone built for extreme environments. This durable device doesn’t slow down productivity with Glove† and Wet Touchscreen Operation technology allowing users to enjoy touchscreen access through cold weather, rough terrain, or wet hands.

(Photo Credit: Kyocera)

4.5” HD Sapphire Shield Display, Scratch-proof, water-proof, shock-proof, temperature extremes protection, 100db speakers for hearing clarity in loud environments, and 8 MP Camera

LG X Venture

$150 – $375

For a practical device with features for day to day outdoor activities, the LG X Venture is the perfect device. Its long-lasting battery and resilient body provide the end user with an easy to use functional device.

(Photo Credit: ATT / LG Venture)

5.2” Full HD Gorilla Glass, Shock, Dust and Water Resistant, 4100 mAH Battery, 16 MP Camera

Tablets:

Samsung Galaxy Tablet

$350 -$500

There are many Android devices to choose from for a Samsung Galaxy Tablet. These tablets were the first Android-powered tablets to go to market. Samsung’s Galaxy Tablets provide a practical solution for companies looking to provide employees with a device that has touchscreen capabilities and is easy to transport.

(Photo credit: Samsung / Galaxy)
 

Apple iPad Pro

$350 – $600

Similar to Samsung, Apple provides a diverse range of options for mobile technology. The iPad Pro offers a simple solution for you and your company with powerful capabilities like Pro Retina Display Features and a 10-hour battery time.

(Photo Credit: Apple / iPad)

Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1

Pricing Varies

The Panasonic Toughpad FZ-M1 offers an automation solution resistant to dust, water, and falls. This pad includes heavy glove sensitivity and a smart card/magnetic strip reader option. Your field techs can also take advantage of its dedicated GPS or 4G LTE mobile broadband connectivity.

(Photo Credit: Panasonic)

Getac F110

Pricing Varies

The Getac Tablet gives your company endless battery life with its two hot-swappable batteries. With multi-factor authentication, 4G LTE, dedicated GPS, and resilience to drops, shocks, spills, liquid, and dust you can be Getac F110 will make your whole team and the business owners happy.

(Photo Credit: GroupMobile)

Hp ElitePad G2 1000

Pricing Varies

The HP ElitePad 1000 is also referred to as a “total business solution.” This tablet has a customized body for the healthcare, retail, and construction industries. With a gorilla glass display, you can be assured scratches and tumbles won’t make a dent.

(Photo Credit: HewittPackard)

Hope you enjoyed getting the scoop on all these mobile devices. Whether you are planning to buy some of these devices for your business or already have devices, we hope you consider using them to streamline your business processes. Sign up for GoCanvas free and give our platform a try today!

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About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

business people discussing project

Gown Your Business with GoCanvas Partner Program

Join our Partner Program and gain instant access to our global network of thought leaders and industry experts enjoying shared collaboration and collective success.

Learn more
Forte Supply Chain Solutions Partner Video

Partner Snapshot: Forte Supply Chain Solutions

Explore how Forte Supply Chain Solutions partnered with GoCanvas, combining in-house industry expertise with our white-label mobile forms to revolutionize their processes.

Watch VIDEO
Closeup of a handshake.

GoCanvas Integrations: Streamline your Workflow

Integrate with over 1,000 software applications. Enhance your GoCanvas experience by syncing real-time data to one or all of your business tools.

View integrations

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

Collect, Sign and Share: Complete Documents Faster with GoCanvas + SignNow

Posted on by Danny Kanev

Collect, Sign and Share: Complete Documents Faster with GoCanvas + SignNow

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Make GoCanvas PDF Reports Collaborative with SignNow

The GoCanvas platform is constantly being updated, as you can see in our most recent release notes, but the most exciting updates are coming from our integrations department.

Our Professional Services team has been hard at work creating time-saving backend connections and custom tools to help your business increase productivity.

The newest of these high impact tools is our new connection to SignNow. SignNow is an industry leader in E-sign technology. They allow companies to take typical static PDFs and add live text/signature fields to the document. These documents are then retrieved, stored and filed for easy access.

The addition of SignNow to your typical GoCanvas process will help any company to improve the speed of documentation and data analysis.

How It Works

You’re probably already familiar with the many ways that GoCanvas interacts and connects with Zapier, and this is just another amazing extension of that integration.

By connecting SignNow via Zapier, you’re able to leverage your existing GoCanvas PDFs and turn them into dynamic documents that your customers/staff can interact with via email or browser.

Below is an illustration of how the process works across GoCanvas and SignNow.

1) In GoCanvas, fill out a mobile form that requires a third-party signature

2) Indicate in GoCanvas who should receive the PDF and press “Submit”

3) An email is sent to the recipient, indicating that a document is available for them to review

4) Click “Open Document” and the GoCanvas PDF (now hosted by SignNow) indicates which “live fields” can be filled in by the recipient without the need for any downloads or login credentials

5) Once all required fields have been filled in, the recipient presses “Done” and both parties receive a final PDF version of the document instantly

The Benefits to Your Business

Collecting signatures is sometimes trickier then it sounds.

Whether you are dealing with a remote field staff or serving a wide territory of clients, getting the final signature on a document can sometimes take hours or days when distance separates you.  But now with GoCanvas and SignNow, you can send GoCanvas PDFs to anyone, regardless if they are a subscriber or not, and have them add their information to the document instantly!

This new type of GoCanvas workflow is perfect for companies completing:

  • Proposals
  • Invoices
  • Estimates
  • Purchases Orders
  • Quote Sheets
  • Daily reports

And this is just the beginning!

So if you’re interested in learning more or how you can get this setup on your GoCanvas account, send an email to our Professional Services team at IntegrationTeam@gocanvas.com.

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About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

business people discussing project

Gown Your Business with GoCanvas Partner Program

Join our Partner Program and gain instant access to our global network of thought leaders and industry experts enjoying shared collaboration and collective success.

Learn more
Forte Supply Chain Solutions Partner Video

Partner Snapshot: Forte Supply Chain Solutions

Explore how Forte Supply Chain Solutions partnered with GoCanvas, combining in-house industry expertise with our white-label mobile forms to revolutionize their processes.

Watch VIDEO
Closeup of a handshake.

GoCanvas Integrations: Streamline your Workflow

Integrate with over 1,000 software applications. Enhance your GoCanvas experience by syncing real-time data to one or all of your business tools.

View integrations

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

3 Ways to Use the Brand New Delete Dispatch Action in Zapier

Posted on by Danny Kanev

3 Ways to Use the Brand New Delete Dispatch Action in Zapier

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        ZapierNew Update Increases Task Automation 

The latest update to Canvas’s integration with Zapier is small but extremely powerful. It essentially changes how other systems interact with the GoCanvas database, by allowing them to automatically push in data that will update existing tasks within the Dispatch Manager.  If you want to learn how Zapier connects GoCanvas to over 300+ different web platforms, be sure to click here.

The Basics

When you setup a connection with Zapier, or as they call it a “Zap”, one web program acts as a “Trigger” and every program connected after it is setup as an “Action”. In the case of our latest update, we added a new action to Canvas’ toolbelt.

Previously your only “Action” available for GoCanvas was “Create Dispatch”. An example of this is pretty simple.

Say you wanted your “Initial Inspection” app to automatically schedule a dispatch to your “Follow-Up Inspection” app every time you completed a job. This Zapier “Action” would eliminate the need to manually create and assign a follow-up dispatch task after each job. This could potentially save dispatchers 100s of hours in scheduling every month.

If you’re interested in setting up the “Create Dispatch” Zap, you can check out the tutorial here.

So What’s New

The newest “Action” added to the Zapier platform for GoCanvas is the ability to delete a dispatch. This ability can be triggered by almost every one of Zapier’s 300+ web connections and gives clients the ability to further automate the way tasks are created, scheduled, and resolved within the Dispatch Manager. All you have to do is ensure that the Item Description of the Dispatch from GoCanvas is connected with the “Trigger” of the web application you’ve connected via Zapier.

Don’t worry, this will be clearly explained and defined when you creating your zap! Click here to learn how to get started setting up this Zap.

Setting up GoCanvas in Zapier

Best Use Cases

With the addition of “Delete Dispatch” to the Zapier action list, companies now have the ability to have their existing systems interface with GoCanvas a lot more smoothly. This is because their existing systems can essentially communicate back and forth with GoCanvas, letting it know whether a dispatch needs to be created or deleted.

Here are the top 3 ways to start using the new Zapier action:

Zapier and Canvas Inspections: We touched on this a little bit earlier in terms of creating NEW DISPATCHES, but we thought it was important to highlight how deleting dispatches could be extremely beneficial during the inspection process.

In some situations, your office dispatcher may assign the same Inspection ticket to multiple employees, not knowing who is first available to get to the client’s location.

With this new Zap, whoever completes and submits the inspection will automatically trigger the Canvas Dispatch Manager to automatically delete and un-assign the duplicate tickets from the other technicians. Now the dispatcher won’t have to worry about manually going through each job and un-assigning the duplicates, and the technicians won’t show up on a job site that has already been serviced.

Zapier, Google Calendar, and Canvas

 Client Cancellations: Almost every company deals with clients who reschedule on them for one reason or another. This process of creating, modifying, and deleting appointments can cause frustration for both the office and field staff. With the new “Delete Dispatch” functionality, you can connect the GoCanvas Dispatch Manager with your company’s Google Calendar to help streamline the appointment modification process.

This Zap is perfect for any situation where a client needs to reschedule their appointment to a new date. Instead of having to manually change both the Google Calendar event and the GoCanvas Dispatch Manager task, all you have to do now is change the event date on your calendar and GoCanvas will automatically delete the current task assigned to you.

Now you or the office can reach back out and re-confirm with the client before setting up the new Dispatch task.

Zapier, QuickBooks, and Canvas

 Accounts Payable: Zapier already provides you the ability to quickly connect your backend systems with your GoCanvas mobile apps and forms, but now it also gives you the ability to integrate them with your Dispatch manager as well!

The perfect use case for this zap is a situation where the office has assigned a dispatch to a technician in order to perform routine service, with a follow-up dispatch to collect payment. After the service is performed, the client informs you that they would like to pay immediately. They call the office and an invoice is created within your company’s QB system.  Now, with the new Zapier “Action”, GoCanvas will delete the scheduled dispatch that matches the customer’s name on the QB invoice that was generated.

This will help avoid any unnecessary trips by your technicians and eliminate the need for your office staff to reconcile dispatches with paid invoices. 

Additional Recommendations

The best part about our integration with Zapier is that the possibilities are endless. You can use any of your GoCanvas apps or mobile forms as the “Trigger” and have your data push into over 300 web platforms including QuickBase, Salesforce, SQL, Google Business Apps, and more!

Check out a couple of our most popular Zaps below:

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About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

business people discussing project

Gown Your Business with GoCanvas Partner Program

Join our Partner Program and gain instant access to our global network of thought leaders and industry experts enjoying shared collaboration and collective success.

Learn more
Forte Supply Chain Solutions Partner Video

Partner Snapshot: Forte Supply Chain Solutions

Explore how Forte Supply Chain Solutions partnered with GoCanvas, combining in-house industry expertise with our white-label mobile forms to revolutionize their processes.

Watch VIDEO
Closeup of a handshake.

GoCanvas Integrations: Streamline your Workflow

Integrate with over 1,000 software applications. Enhance your GoCanvas experience by syncing real-time data to one or all of your business tools.

View integrations

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together

Feature Focus: Create Custom Reports with the PDF Designer

Posted on by Danny Kanev

Feature Focus: Create Custom Reports with the PDF Designer

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Choose a Template

Learn How to Design PDF Reports in Minutes

When you go paperless, that doesn’t mean that you lose the need for reports. For many businesses, it is still extremely critical that their clients are able to receive a copy of the services that were rendered.

At GoCanvas, we developed the PDF Designer with those concerns in mind. This tool gives clients the ability to customize their output reports to replicate the style and design of their original forms without the limitations and issues of paper. The PDF Designer allows companies to create specific output reports based on each of their GoCanvas mobile forms.

Customers frequently create unique PDF reports for different types of mobile forms including:

  • Invoices
  • Timesheets
  • Work Orders
  • Job Safety Analysis (JSA)
  • and more

How Does the PDF Designer Work?

Similar to the GoCanvas App Builder, the PDF Designer is a simple to use tool that requires no IT or design-based knowledge. It’s an easy to use drag and drop builder that allows you to map the data from your mobile form to your PDF report. The PDF Designer automatically syncs all the data fields from the app builder so that all you have to do is simply drag the data to where you want it to show up on the PDF!

PDF Designer

Aside from just simply dragging the data fields to where you want them on the PDF, you are also able to add:

  • Social Media Icons – Facebook, Home Advisor, Google Reviews, etc
  • Images, Logos, and Graphics
  • Static Text
  • Borders
  • Background Colors
  • Hyperlinks

How Do I Get Started?

The best part about the PDF Designer is that we have given you a number of ways to get started in designing the perfect report.

The first way to get started is by choosing one of our five most popular form templates! These templates include a Work Order, Invoice, Inspection, Waiver, and an Estimate. This is perfect for users who are just getting started creating a new mobile form and want to save time! The template will give create the app and the output for you automatically, and give you quick headstart for tweaking anything you feel that needs to be changed.

Mobile Form Templates

The second way to get started is by using our new “Auto Layout” feature. This is an amazing feature that can take any of the forms that you have already built and give them a custom designed layout in just seconds! All you have to do is access the PDF Designer for the mobile form that you wish to create an output report. Once inside the PDF Designer, click the button that says “Auto Layout”. You will instantly see the report be created based on the data fields from the mobile form. All you will need to do is add your logo and connect any of your company’s social media accounts(if you wish).

Auto Layout

The third way to get started with the PDF Designer is by going with a blank template! Just like when you are building your first mobile form with GoCanvas, you can start with a blank slate and build things from the ground up if you prefer. As you are customizing your report from scratch, you may use the “Preview” button within the PDF Designer so that you can confirm how your creation looks and tweak things in a flash.

This is the ideal way to start if you are going to be creating a report that needs to look a very specific way, and don’t want to waste time having to deconstruct a pre-built template that doesn’t fit the design you were envisioning.

Design your PDF

And keep in mind, the 20,000+ pre-built mobile form templates in our Application Store all have professionally designed PDF reports assigned to them as well!

Why You Will Benefit

The biggest benefit in designing your own reports is obviously the fact that you are able to control the look, feel, and layout of your company’s information and brand.

Many services similar to GoCanvas will force your information to be placed into a generic looking document that serves only to show your information one way. With GoCanvas, we give you the power to control the way your information is presented to your customers, vendors, and internal staff. You now control how your forms are filled out, shared, and formatted with GoCanvas.

Take full advantage of this core feature of GoCanvas, and start customizing your reports today!

Burning Paper
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About GoCanvas

GoCanvas® is on a mission to simplify inspections and maximize compliance. Our intuitive platform takes care of the administrative tasks, freeing our customers to focus on what truly matters – safeguarding their people, protecting their equipment, and delivering exceptional quality to their customers. 

Since 2008, thousands of companies have chosen GoCanvas as their go-to partner for seamless field operations.

Check out even more resources

business people discussing project

Gown Your Business with GoCanvas Partner Program

Join our Partner Program and gain instant access to our global network of thought leaders and industry experts enjoying shared collaboration and collective success.

Learn more
Forte Supply Chain Solutions Partner Video

Partner Snapshot: Forte Supply Chain Solutions

Explore how Forte Supply Chain Solutions partnered with GoCanvas, combining in-house industry expertise with our white-label mobile forms to revolutionize their processes.

Watch VIDEO
Closeup of a handshake.

GoCanvas Integrations: Streamline your Workflow

Integrate with over 1,000 software applications. Enhance your GoCanvas experience by syncing real-time data to one or all of your business tools.

View integrations

Connect with an Expert Today.

We’ll help you put together the right solution for your needs.

Let’s Build A Plan Together
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