Using FieldTask

Logging On

Logon Page

When you first start FieldTask a logon page will be shown. Your administrator can also specify on the server that every time you start FieldTask this page will be shown and you need to log on.

Showing logon page

Login Page

You can then specify the URL of your server and enter your username and password to log on.

Note

If this is the first time you have logged on to this device then you will need to have internet connectivity so that your user identifier and password can be checked on the server. However the last 5 logons are remembered and can log on when offline.

Scanning a QR Code to log on

Alternatively you can select the switch labelled Use a token to access the server and then scan a QR code to log on.

Showing logon page for scanning a QR code

Logon by scanning a QR code

The QR code will set the username and server URL so these are read-only. You will also not need a password with this approach so that is hidden. To start scanning press the Scan QR Code button. An administrator can show the QR code on a screen by navigating to the user administration page and selecting the QR button next to the user's name. These buttons will only be shown for users that have enumerator privilege.

User administration page with an arrow pointing to the QR code button

Button to show QR Code

Popup showing QR Code

QR Code to Scan

Changing logon details in settings

If you have to log on every time you open FieldTask then the logon page may be the only one where you set your logon credentials. However if that is not required then you may want to change the server, username, password or token. This can be done in settings. Select:

  1. Menu

  2. General settings

  3. Server

You can then change your logon details in the same way you set them on the logon page.

Synchronising with the Server

Press Refresh on the main screen to synchronise the device with the server. This will:

  1. Upload any completed instances

  2. Download any new or changed surveys / forms

  3. Download any new or changed tasks

Press refresh to synchronise

Refresh Button

In FieldTask5 you can also swipe down on the form list or task list to initiate a refresh.

Starting a Survey Form

Select the Forms tab, as shown circled below, and then tap the survey that you want to complete.

Tap on a survey form to launch

Launch Survey

Finding the Survey

If you have a lot of forms on your phone then it may be hard to find the one you want to open. However you can use Search or Order by to make the form easier to find. These buttons are circled in the image below.

Search. When you type some characters into the search bar, only those forms that contain that sequence of characters in their name are shown.

Use "order by" or "search" to find the form you want

Find a survey form

Order By. You can order survey forms by:

  • Name Ascending

  • Name Descending

  • Order Downloaded Ascending

  • Order Downloaded Descending

  • Project Name Ascending

  • Project Name Descending

Task instances can be ordered by:

  • Name Ascending

  • Name Descending

  • Order Downloaded Ascending

  • Order Downloaded Descending

  • Status, finalised first

  • Status, not finalized first

Note

It is good practice to only have the single survey that an enumerator needs to complete on the phone. The fewer surveys that they have to choose from the less likely the wrong survey will be completed.

Adding notes

You can add free form notes to any question by selecting Menu and then Add comment while completing a survey. Although the question name is included in the note automatically, a single note for the entire survey is actually created. All the notes you add for each question get combined. They can then be seen in the survey notes column when viewing results.

Changing the Language

You can change the survey language displayed by selecting Menu and then Change language while completing a survey.

FieldTask Settings

There are many settings that you can configure on the device using Menu and General settings. Many of these can also be specified on the server (Mobile App Options). If specified on the server the settings will override those on the phone for all devices.

Playing Media Questions

If an audio or video file is added to a question (Questions with Media) then an icon will be shown that the user can select to play the media.

Playing media

Playing Media

If the media is set to auto play then the text of the question will show as blue and the icon will be grayed out while the file is playing.

Task Actions

Each task on the tasks tab includes a menu at the right which you can select to show a list of choices for that task.

Playing media

Selecting an action for a task

Locate

This choice will be enabled if the task has been specified to be completed at a location. Selecting it will show the location of the task on the map tab.

Call

If a contact number is available for the task, this opens the phone dialer.

Directions

This choice will be enabled if the task has been specified to be completed at a location with coordinates. Selecting it will open Google maps in directions mode with the destination set to the location of the task.

Accept Task

If a task has been created with the Self Assign checkbox set, then a user can accept that task here.

Reject Task

An assigned task can be rejected by selecting this choice. A reason for rejecting the task must be specified. For a case the case will be unassigned.