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Social Housing • Public Buildings
RBA Surveying
Transforming social housing and public building surveys with a custom FileMaker iPad solution that dramatically reduces data processing time and improves accuracy.
Project Results
Days→Hours
Data processing time reduced
iPad
Mobile surveying solution
Photos
Captured & linked directly
Excel
Sophisticated data export
The Challenge
RBA carry out surveys of social housing and public buildings, providing costed plans for maintenance and renewal. For regular houses, they could use an off-the-shelf app, but for universities, schools and hospitals they were left with a huge amount of manual data collection and admin work.
Because they were recording all their complex building data manually, it was painstakingly pulled together back in the office. This process was taking several days of costly admin work for each large building they surveyed.
With their manual processes, RBA had to spend excessive time on-site entering data and then days processing it afterwards, limiting their ability to take on more large-scale projects and deliver competitive pricing.
Key Challenges
- Manual data collection for complex buildings
- Several days of admin work per building survey
- Unable to use off-the-shelf apps for large projects
- Painstaking office-based data processing
- Limited photo management capabilities
- Time-consuming report generation for clients
Our
Solution
Smart Wolf developed a custom FileMaker app to run on surveyors' iPads, together with a cloud-based system which collects the data and generates outputs optimised for surveyors to review.
Data Import
Where clients already have spreadsheets of rooms, facilities and assets, these can be easily imported
- Spreadsheet import
- Room data capture
- Facilities tracking
- Asset management
Photo Management
Multiple photos can be attached to a room or asset for further examination or as supporting evidence
- Direct iPad capture
- Photo-entity linking
- In-app photo access
- Export with links
Asset Search
Powerful search facility that checks synonyms and similar terms when surveyors encounter new assets
- Synonym matching
- Similar term search
- Asset identification
- Database expansion
Data Export
Generates sophisticated Excel sheets for creating detailed recommendations and budgets
- Excel generation
- Photo links included
- Budget analysis
- Client reporting
Solution Components
iPad Application
- Custom FileMaker Go app
- Offline data capture
- Direct photo integration
- Minimal data entry
Cloud System
- FileMaker Server hosting
- Data synchronization
- Asset database
- Report generation
Data Management
- Excel export system
- Photo link management
- Synonym searching
- Client data import
Outstanding
Results
Since using the new system, RBA have cut the amount of data processing down from several days to a matter of hours for each large building that they survey. This dramatic improvement has transformed their business operations.
With the new system, RBA surveyors spend less time on-site entering data. Back in the office, they have eliminated many days of costly admin work for each project, allowing them to bid more competitive prices and win more large-scale work.
Key Achievements
- Data processing reduced from days to hours
- Less time on-site entering data
- Eliminated days of admin work per project
- More competitive pricing capabilities
- Winning more large-scale projects
- Greater value delivered to NHS & social housing clients
Data Processing
Before:
Several days per building
After:
Matter of hours
Days to hours
On-site Time
Before:
Extended data entry
After:
Streamlined capture
Significantly reduced
Admin Work
Before:
Days per project
After:
Minimal processing
Days eliminated
Business Growth
Before:
Limited capacity
After:
More large projects
Expanded capacity
Technologies &
Integration
Mobile Platform
- FileMaker Go
- iPad Deployment
- Offline Capability
- Photo Integration
Data Management
- FileMaker Server
- Cloud Hosting
- Excel Export
- Data Synchronization
Search & Analysis
- Synonym Matching
- Asset Database
- Report Generation
- Photo Linking
Transform Your Survey Operations
Discover how a custom FileMaker iPad solution can revolutionize your surveying processes and dramatically reduce administrative workload.
Related Services: FileMaker Development • FileMaker Development
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