Inspection software? 1

[ContractorDave]

After years of on again off again pondering of the various inspection software packages, our firm has finally decided to get serious about the whole affair. We've chosen 3 'packages' that cater well to various degrees to everything we do and have scoured the web looking for the right pda / handheld to fit our needs. And since this particular forum and the people who frequent it have been such a wonderful resource, perhaps some of you can share your experience with the transition to the paperless world; the growing pains, the software you use and the pluses and cons ... likewise with the user interface you have chosen?

Regards
Dave

 

[chicopee]

OK, so what type of inspection are you planning to carry out?

 

[ContractorDave]

Gads.... Thx chicopee.

I thought it was a pretty straight forward and interesting post. No wonder no one has replied.

We do fire prevention ITM and run the gamut from all things NFPA 25 to clean agent suppression, fire alarm panels, and emergency lighting. I've had two 'on-line' presentations and looked at several other packages. All have their pro's and con's. Some try to do to much. Others not enough. The most recent presentation was OnSite, probably the Cadillac of software packages. But at $15,000.00us + to start... It has all the bells and whistles (plus a few chimes) but it has an integrated scheduling system that works with our accounting software and we already have spent a fortune on one of those. Another package we looked at was PDspect, at a much more reasonable price, but the inspection form editing tools were one of the cons. It has some nice pros though also. It can be used on any device running Windows mobile software so this can include pda phones like the HTC Touch series. Support seems (from the sales pitch) to be a positive. Of course that's never known until after the fact. They don't have a forum set up though and that has been one of the things we've been looking for also.

Dave

 

[Arsnman4]

Dave,

I faced the same dilemma about eight years ago when I wanted to go paperless for my inspections on buildings, fire alarm and suppression systems. Due costs and being a fire service person the funds were not there. I ended up getting with one of our engineering staff and developed my own program using a free forms software out there. The forms I use were created with unlimited pages, drop downs and comments sections in the software’s forms designer and the forms fields cover everything I look at on inspections. Its Access based and exports to Word, Excel and Pdf formats. The con is the freeware is no longer available but that's Ok since I was able to save the design stuff in a work-a-round on our server.

In review of the OnSite and PDspect software; in my humble opinion, if the funds are there; OnSite would be the best due to their “fire based package” or if you can customize the PDspect with your needs like I did with the freeware that would be the best bang for the buck. All software packages will have pro’s and con’s specific to the ways you are accustom to doing things. The important thing to remember is the ease of using the PDA or in my case a Pocket PC. It’s great and saves me so much time. I use a Dell Axim and chose that since I use the device for Pre-Incent Plans with GIS etc. Tablets are big now also and we may go to one of those if the economy ever gets better for drawing software capabilities.

I can say that once you begin using the mobile platform you will wonder why you didn’t try it sooner.


"Fire suppression is a failure in prevention"

 

[ContractorDave]

Thx Arsnman4 This is one of the reasons we are looking for a package where the company has created a user forum; there are so many people out there with such varied experiences to share.

Dave