Dispatch - Integration to Soil Sampling Work Orders

Work Orders will now have full integration support for Soil Sampling Jobs within the Dispatch portion of the FieldAlytics Mobile app. This new feature set will allow users to establish their Soil Sampling jobs within the web program, then easily view and launch those job orders from the Dispatch module. All defined job details, field and client information, as well as target layers will pass directly into the sampling job function.

Getting Started

Users will first want to ensure that any fields needing Soil Sampled have a new or existing Soil Sampling Work Order created. Within the setup of the Soil Sampling work order, needed information on the customer, field, job requirements, lab account and package as well as target locations can all be established.

With Soil Sampling jobs now available, users would then use the existing online tools within the Operations module to filter, identify and establish a specific Dispatch Order for a series of fields within a common customer or geography. As part of this Dispatch Order setup process, the user will also select a Soil Sampler Asset type and assign the Dispatch Order to that Asset. Establishing an Asset that is associated to a username/email will then ensure that the appropriate Dispatch Order will automatically show within the needed users Mobile Dispatch list under the "My Dispatches" category.

Overview of Operations Dispatch - Assigned to Sampler Asset Type

Upon finalizing the Operation Dispatch, the user will select the "Save" action button. At this time the "Dispatch Options" display modal will appear. This modal will allow the to configure various options/reports/notifications surrounding the newly established Dispatch list. At this time, the user can also mass update all associated job status's to the "Assigned" level. Select the green "Submit" action button at the bottom of the modal to finalize the configuration.

Working with Sampling Jobs within the Dispatch Mode on Mobile

Once the mobile application has been opened on the users device, navigate to the "Dispatch" mode. The initial view for this module will then show a users any Dispatch orders assigned specifically to them. The user can click on the "My Dispatches" text display to then show optional view for "All Dispatches" or "Completed Dispatches". Please select the option best suited for your circumstance. By default, the system will then list the available Dispatch Orders in Oldest to Newest for the view display in the left hand pane.

Once the desired Dispatch Order has been identified within the available listing, a full display of all associated Work Order Jobs will then show beneath it in the assigned order established during the setup of the Dispatch. Select an open/available job to then update the map display to that focused field as well as load in the job details within the left side pane display.

Beneath the Job Details pane will be a new "Load Job" action button specific to the Soil Sampling work order type. This function will then automatically connect the mobile device to the GPS enabled Soil Sampling features and/or the GPS enabled Field Boundary collection functions. 

View of a selected Soil Sampling order with new "Load Job" action feature

Once the "Load Job" has been selected, it will immediately prompt the user to see if they wish to update the current Assigned job to the "In-Process" status level. Doing so will then trigger any associated notification functions to other users in the organization as well as update the Dispatch display listing and associated job history features. Select "Yes" if you wish to do so and then continue on.

The next prompt to the user will be to decide which action feature associated to the Soil Sampling job they wish to launch into if the job has been flagged for both Soil Sampling as well as new GPS Boundary logging request. If NO Boundary request was set in the work order job, the user will be set into the Soil Sampling mode by automatically.

Working within the Soil Sampling Mode

Once the "Load Sampling" option has been enabled the user will be launched directly into the Soil Sampling mode. Then initial view point within this mode is the general "Sampling Options" and display overview. The user will see a localized view of the field as well as the current/existing Directed Samples target layer is one was associated to the Work Order job. From the selection of the "Information" icon found on the far right of the map, the user can also then elect their map view type as well as select an option to show neighboring fields. (See 2nd image below).

The user will also see any of the defined Sampling Options setup from the job order. This should include the desired Soil Analysis Lab, Lab Account Numbers, Sampling Method/Type, Lab Package as well as Depth. Beyond that, specific to information that will then show on the Lab Check-In form, users can also establish known Crops, Yield Goals and Target pH layers that would be used to identify Lab supplied recommendations once the return of the analysis results happen. ***These Inputs are Not Required***

Display Option for Map Type and Neighboring Fields Overlay

Sample Collection

Select the "Collect Samples" action button to get started. The overview page will then update to Soil Sample Collection display. The map view will show the user the current selected field, the associated Target Sample layer as well as an interactive sampling overview drawer that will allow the user access to various navigation assistance options, distance to target display information and a summary list of all remaining and collected samples.

Samples will be marked as recorded by selected the large red capture icon at the lower center of the window. Continue this process until all samples have been collected and bagged.

Upon collecting and marking the final target sample on the field as Collected, the system will then auto display a prompt to the user to ensure that they would like to Save and update the Job status to the "Completed" level. Select the "Yes" text display to confirm this action.

The Soil Sample Collection window with then close and bring the user back to the Job Details display view. At this time, given the users response, the previous soil sampling job should then be showing as "Completed". This can verified a few different ways. The map image of the field should have its shaded colorization updated to the dark blue display. The field information pop-up will also now show the Field Status as "Completed". The final view option to confirm this will be the Job Status History section found at the bottom of the Job Details pane. This section will give the full job history for any status changes as well as any system or user recorded notes and the associated time stamp of the action/change.

Adding Notes to a Sampling Job

At any point during the Collection process, users may choose to add notes to the job by tapping on the notes icon.

Notes added here are not on a per sample basis and will be displayed within the Status History in the Job Details page. Once in the Notes section, simply type and click Save to continue.

Please Note: these Notes will not be available to view within the Status History until the job is Completed as these notes recorded during the collection process are tied to the Completed status.

View of the Job Details Pane - Status History

If the current selected Work Order job also requested a GPS Boundary Collection update, the user can now once again select the "Load Job" action button. This time, select the option for "Record Boundary". The system will automatically launch the user then into the Boundary Collection/Editor mode.

Once in the Boundary Collection mode, select the Menu option (3 Blue Dots) to display the available functions. Select the first option for "Edit Boundary". 

The system will display a pop-up message showing asking the user which specific boundary function they wish to enable. Users can choose to add a new polygon to an existing field, replace an existing polygon which would overwrite the current selection or cancel out of this mode. Proceed then based on the supplied selection to update your field boundary. Once complete, select the "Save" button to finalize and exit this mode.

Dispatch Overview Map and Status Display

Now that all Sampling and Boundary collection actions have been handled and the Job Status has been set to "Completed", the system will clearly indicate this by the status display immediately to the right of the Job Order in the left side display pane as well as the colorized map overlay showcasing each fields current status level.

Continue on by selecting the next available field within the Dispatch List. Follow the same actions listed above to complete the remaining jobs within the Dispatch.