foAudits Q&A
Questions posed by previous customers, and the responses.

Have a question? Please submit it here:

Q. I need some help understanding the framework of foAudits.

A. foAudits can be thought in the same way as you would think of Microsoft Excel. Excel is a program, which loads spreadsheets that users can fill out. A spreadsheet can contain a template -- with fields, pick-lists, tabs, and other organizational features that assist the user in entering information.

foAudits is a template of the audit that you would like to capture. This template is stored once on the PDA (and once on the server). You can then create multiple instances of different customer audits using this template -- with the information being stored on the PDA as you take the audits. The template itself is not replicated for each audit on the PDA, to save space.

As with an Excel template, calculations can be performed as part of the audit, while at the customers' site, so that you can give a preliminary report while you are still on-site.

The data-only is then transmitted (that is, HotSync'd | ActiveSync'd) to the server either wirelessly, or when the user connects to the internet. All of the information ends up in one spot for reporting (and backup) purposes.

Q. How many audits can a PDA running foAudits hold?

A. foAudits can hold as many audits as the given PDA's memory constraints permit. For an example of sizing: A typical foAudit program (142kb) and database (310kb) holding 29 completed multi-page audits, takes up 452kb in size on the PalmOS. This is less than 1/16th of the 8mbs of RAM that is standard on most PDA devices since 2003.

Q. Can the PDA carry more than one Type of audit? I have a couple of different audits that I might use, depending upon the situation...

A. the foAudits tool can hold many different types of audits. You can add in additional audits in the future, using your existing database structure and the foAudits PDA software -- paying only to set the new audit template up. The foAudits tool will automatically display a pick list if it holds multiple types of audits, so that the user can select the one to work with.

Q. Do you have a recommendation of the type of PDA hardware to get?

A. There is a Earthtoys article here that talks about the differences between the platforms. We have foAudits running on the PalmOS, Pocket PC and phones, so the options are wide open. One note is that, given the same audit, it will run slightly slower on a Pocket PC than on a Palm of comparable specifications. And of course, the graphical options of phones are still somewhat limiting -- which reduces the ability to use a phone for customer sign-offs and things of that nature.

Q. Will the custom audit that we set up be available to other FO customers?

A. By rule, we do not reuse our clients' audits for other client applications. Each is a custom effort, just for that client, which ensures that any proprietary information, calculations or just the layout of the audit and report remains unique.

Q. Do I need to have a server?

A. FO provides versions of foAudits for both in-house use or to be run from our database-driven servers. The client portion of foAudits works exactly the same in either scenario.

Q. How is foAudits priced?

A. Beginning with version 4.0, the user component is licensed annually for $50USD.

There is a separate one-time charge to set up your audit template and optional charges for a server-hosted database or editing tools. Pricing for the backend components is based on the complexity of the information that you wish to capture.

A separate license to a designer (audits design tool) is available for $5,000 per user. This design tool allows you to build your own audits. Click this chart for more information on foAudits component pricing.

Q. How extensive is reporting?

A. On the backend (web/database) side -- reporting can be generated as web-based reports and as downloadable report files -- such as Adobe PDFs or text files. There is a lot of flexibility, through the optional foReports adhoc report writer add-in (see: http://www.fo.com/foreports)

On the PDA, simple reports can be generated as leave-behinds for the customer, and can be printed on printers on the PDA, from belt-printers, or from standalone wireless printers carried into the field -- with the primary restraints here being cost and (probably more importantly) the desire to carry printers into the field.

Q. Are calculations supported on the PDA itself?

A. Yes. Calculations can be done on the PDA-side, or the backend database-side, once audit information is passed to it. There is a scripting language in the PDA component that provides for fairly sophisticated run-time calculations in the field, which would be programmed for the customer by us. This could optionally be extended to provide an interface to the inspector/auditor, so that they can create simple energy-related calculations in the field as well.

Q. If we use foAudits, who owns the tool?

A. foAudits and the underlying sync engine itself are a toolset, continuously developed since 1997. Think of it like Microsoft Excel. We develop custom templates for individual audits for our customers. This of this as complex Excel worksheets. The templates; certainly all customer data; field definitions; and calculations and are yours alone. In fact, we vigorously protect the confidential nature of our customers' audits and calculations. The tool itself is licensed to you to use, but remains the copyrighted property of Fundamental Objects™.