It would be nice if iPad users were able to upload documents via the iPad App other than Photos/Video files. There are many situations where documents that may be attached to Work Orders need to be edited by the technician then re-uploaded later.
What is the underlying problem do you intend to solve with this idea?
-
How is the problem being addressed today, if at all?
I completely concur with Stephen above, we are always sending attachments out to our field service teams. Once they are opened from Servicemax we need to open them with a third party annotate app to capture signatures and then email them back from the app. To be able to open a document, get it signed and then reattached to the work order would save countless administrative hours in our office.
We could achieve this by opening up browser access to the Mobile users through sfdc.com - but that is a very slippery slope considering we would be doubling our system support...not to mention all the prework to manage their different platform field accessibility and security - I can't imagine this is a viable route for most customers
Once annotated and signed using a third-party app, where would the documents/attachments be stored? Are they stored on the local device (within the allocated filesystem of the third-party app) or somewhere in the cloud?
This would be a great help to the service organisation I work with. We have devloped tools on the iPad to enable the FSR to be totally mobile and then they need to email attachments (technical reports) into the office so they can be added to the WO rather than the FSR being able to add them while onsite.
I think you'll find they are usually stored on the local device within the allocated file system of the App. We currently use "QuickEdit" for this but as mentioned, we can't then re add them to the WO on the iPad. This would indeed be of great use.
We had Servicemax create a custom setting for use that once the document had been opened from the SVMX iPad application the field service tech could email it to a specific email address and it would automatically reattach to the related work order. Raffaele Papalia might be able to provide some further details into how this was achieved.
To allow Service Team upload document into the Work order they are working on via iPad is critical. This will allow them the provide whatever support documents received from customer/vendor. Launch another application or via web browser will not be an good options.
The solution to open/email is just limited to existing output document feature, and may not fulfill the need.
We are planning to add Document Provider Extension to enable importing of files into the ServiceMax mobile app. In iOS (will be similar in Android), this will enable user to take file from any app and import it into the ServiceMax mobile app. Furthermore, we are planning to add a "File Picker Extension" so that when importing the file into the ServiceMax mobile app, use can find and choose which Work Order the file should be attached to. Once imported into the ServiceMax mobile app and attached to a specific Work Order, the file will be synced but up to the server/salesforce via our normal data sync.