Tag Archives: CrewKeeper

CrewKeeper Status

iOS Development

Why is CrewKeeper missing from the App Store?

For some time now, CrewKeeper has been unavailable to purchase from the App Store and many have asked why. The truth is, I have been so busy with the rapid growth of CMBSC that I haven’t had any time at all to devote to my favorite pet project. The app was not updated in a very long time. Even though the version on the App Store was completely fine and working, Apple suspended it as their new policies prohibit neglected apps after a certain period.

In the interim, users that purchased the app prior to the suspension were still able to download the last version and the app was still working as advertised. If you wished to add users, you were out of luck. My sincere apologies for this inconvenience.

V1.33.1 Waiting for reviewThe good news is that I have now managed to devote a bit of time, and I have enlisted help from another developer. A new, updated version, is now in for approval and will be available soon. I’d like to tell you that there are a cornucopia of new features included, but alas, that is not the case. For now, I have managed to bring everything up to the current iOS standards and tested many features successfully working as intended.

There have been numerous iOS changes since the last build was submitted so this was no small task. Now, that I am back in the game, and I have help, I intend to move forward with feature updates and changes that have been on the wish list for some time.

CrewKeeper continues to be a very important part of our CMBSC operation and so, it is very much a priority to me to move forward. The expectations for an app of this type have changed so much since I started the project.

Stay tuned for discussion of all the improvements to be made in CrewKeeper 2.0!

iPad Apps For Construction

Construction, iOS Development, ,

Essential Apps for iPad in the Construction Field

I recently had correspondence with someone planning to roll out a number of iPads in a construction business. At CMBSC, we use iPads and iPhones in the field extensively. I have tried many different apps on my iDevices and thought to review which of those apps have become the essentials we rely on.

Utility Apps

These apps are absolute must-have utilities for managing, sharing, converting and producing files of various formats within the iOS environment.

Dropbox

Dropbox is my preferred tool for managing all document files that need to be shared or that you may wish to access from multiple devices. Dropbox for iOS is free and allows opening, saving and sharing all types of files with ease. We make shared jobsite folders for all our projects including all related drawings, daily logs, inspections and a myriad of other project documents.

You can find Dropbox in the App Store here for free: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dropbox/id327630330?mt=8

iZip Pro

Continue reading iPad Apps For Construction →

Sync-Ability

iOS Development, , ,

CrewKeeper 1.30 update submitted for Apple review this week.

Expect to see it in iTunes App Store within a few days.

Now with data sync to all your devices. CrewKeeper is updated to a universal application supporting iPad and iPhone native interface. This has been a long time coming and no trivial undertaking. The stage is now set for some really big changes to the CrewKeeper user experience.

I am still convinced that the iPhone is the best format for entry and daily documentation. I prefer real time incremental data entry through the course of the work day. This is so much a priority in my mind that I have built into CrewKeeper some road blocks to “coax” users away from other options. CrewKeeper reports, comments and status updates notably and purposely omit the option to back date entries. Inspections and safety meetings are not able to be created if the user is not on a jobsite.

The idea is a digital equivalent of the bound jobsite diary without the ability to insert pages after the fact to manipulate the data. I am convinced that this philosophy helps to train my users to do a better job and results in more trustworthy documentation.

The iPad, on the other hand, is certainly a valuable option for more in depth reference. iPad compatibility can extend the capabilities of CrewKeeper to more comprehensive note taking and reports organization. The pending update primarily brings in iCloud sync capability. This is just the first step. It was a lot of work, long time testing, and likely will require some follow up fixes and refinement going forward. But now, I can move on to some really exciting new features and extensions I have been experimenting with based on users’ feedback as well as my own wish lists.

I look forward to input from users when the update goes live. Future updates should be coming now at a much more frequent pace, keep informed of the latest by following here or at Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. See links in sidebar.

Swiping Your Cash

Construction,

Since beginning the process of developing an iPhone application for documenting construction field time sheets, I began regularly discussing, with fellow contractors, how they record time on the jobsite. I get varied responses ranging from scattered notes in legal pads to sophisticated ID and Chip swiping systems. Some have actually told me that they do not keep or record time at all. Most recently another erector told me that he uses one of the key systems whereby the employees scan their key into a reader at the jobsite and all their payroll hours are remotely collected with time and location data.

It is a tempting proposition. Assemble an army of drones, slap a GPS chip on them, send them out daily and start billing your customers for their time. Every business minded tradesman’s dream. Continue reading Swiping Your Cash →