Using FieldTask
The main screen has three tabs — Forms, Tasks and Map. For a description of each of these see Screens.
Logging On
Logon Page
When you first start FieldTask a logon page will be shown. Your administrator can also set an option on the server (Mobile App Options) that requires you to log on every time you start FieldTask.
Logon Page
You can then specify the URL of your server and enter your username and password to log on.
Note
The first time a user logs on to a device, the device needs internet connectivity so that the username and password can be checked on the server. The details of the last 5 users to log on are remembered, and those users can then log on again while 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.
Logon by scanning a QR code
The QR code sets the username and server URL, so those fields are disabled. A password is not needed with this approach so that field 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 are only shown for users in the Enumerator security group (Security Groups).
Button to show 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 place where you set your 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:
Menu
Settings
Server
You can then change your logon details in the same way you set them on the logon page.
Synchronising with the Server
Press the Refresh Task List button on the toolbar, circled below, to synchronise the device with the server. You can also swipe down on the form list or the task list to start a refresh. Synchronising will:
Upload any completed instances
Download any new or changed surveys / forms, and remove any forms you no longer have access to
Download any new or changed tasks
Refresh Button
In the tasks tab, the icons of completed instances change from purple to green when they have been sent to the server. Instances with a green icon are removed at the start of the next refresh. If an instance cannot be sent because its survey is blocked or has been deleted, it stays on the device and is shown with a grey icon. For a description of each icon see Task States.
Completing a Survey
Starting a Survey Form
Select the Forms tab, as shown circled below, and then tap the survey that you want to complete.
Launch Survey
Finding a 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 Filter the list (the search icon) or Sort the list to make the form easier to find. These buttons are circled in the image below.
Find a survey form
Filter the list. When you type some characters into the search bar, only those forms that contain that sequence of characters in their name are shown. The sort icon is hidden while the search bar is open.
Sort the list. Survey forms can be sorted by:
Name, A-Z
Name, Z-A
Date, newest first
Date, oldest first
Project, A-Z
Project, Z-A
Tasks and instances can be sorted by:
Name, A-Z
Name, Z-A
Date, newest first
Date, oldest first
Status, finalized first
Status, unfinalized first
Distance, closest first
Distance, farthest 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. Notes added to each question are combined into a single note for the whole survey, with the question name added automatically. 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.
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
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.
Clearing the Remote Cache
Select Menu and then Clear Remote Cache while completing a survey to discard the answers that FieldTask has cached from online lookups (Looking up Data). Use this if a lookup returns a stale value.
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.
Selecting an action for a task
Locate
Enabled if the task has coordinates. Selecting it will show the location of the task on the map tab.
Call
Enabled if a phone number is available for the task. Selecting it opens the phone dialer.
SMS
Enabled if a phone number is available for the task. Selecting it opens the messaging app with the number filled in.
Directions
Enabled if the task has coordinates. Selecting it opens the location of the task in the map app on your phone.
Accept Task
A task that has not yet been accepted can be accepted here. This is mostly used for tasks created with the Self Assign checkbox set (Self Assign), as those tasks cannot be started until they are accepted. This choice is not shown for a case.
Reject Task
A task that is new or accepted can be rejected by selecting this choice. A reason for rejecting the task must be specified. For a case this choice is labelled Release Case and the case will be unassigned.
You can also swipe a task left or right in the task list to reject it. The same dialog asking for a reason will be shown. Survey forms in the list cannot be swiped.
FieldTask Settings
There are many settings that you can configure on the device using Menu and Settings. Many of these can also be specified on the server (Mobile App Options). Settings specified on the server override the settings on every device.
The same settings can be reached while completing a survey by selecting Menu and then Settings. The one exception is the app language, under User interface, which cannot be changed while a survey is open.
The settings page has five sections.
Server
The details used to log on to the server. These are the same values that you can set on the logon page.
URL. The address of your server
Username and Password
Use a token to access the server. Select this to log on with a QR code instead of a password. The server can force this option on, in which case it cannot be unselected
Scan QR code and Authentication Token. Shown when the token option is selected
User interface
Language. The language used by the app itself. This is separate from the survey language, which is changed from the menu while completing a survey. It cannot be changed while a survey is open
Text font size
Navigation. Whether you move between questions by swiping, by using the forward and back buttons, or both
Maps
Basemap. The Source of the map, such as Google or Mapbox, and the style of map shown for that source
Offline layers. Select a Layer file to show over the basemap. This is useful where there is no network coverage in the field
Layers from the server. (Requires FieldTask 5.3.01+ and the server must have a version of 26.08+) Only shown when your administrator supplies the layers (Offline Maps). It reports how many of the layers assigned to you are on the device. They download on their own when the device has wifi, select this to download them over mobile data instead.
Note
Layers supplied by the server appear in the list alongside any you have added yourself, and you choose which one to show. A layer from the server has no delete button, as it would only be downloaded again on the next refresh; ask your administrator to unassign it instead. You can still add your own layers in the usual way. If you have not chosen a layer yourself then the first one to download is selected for you, so the map starts working without you having to do anything.
Form management
Organization. Move the device to another organisation without logging on to the server using a browser (Organisations)
Form submission
Auto send. Send completed surveys to the server automatically, rather than waiting for a refresh
Delete after send. Remove instances from the device once they have been sent
Form filling
Constraint processing. Whether constraints are validated as you move forward through the survey, or deferred until the survey is finalized
High res video
Image size. Reduce the size of images to save space and upload time
Show guidance for questions. How guidance hints are shown (Guiding the data collector)
Use external app for audio recording
User and device identity
Form metadata. The username, phone number and email that you can set yourself, and the device identifier set by the phone. These values are recorded with each submission (Mobile Administration)
Note
FieldTask does not collect usage data. Crash reports are still sent so that faults in the app can be diagnosed.