Phoenix Mobile - Any one use mobile?

[boshmontro]

I hope some of you guru’s out there might be able to help me out. I’m considering moving from clipboard & paper to tablet & handheld/mobile tech. Also, fed up writing the reports myself & going to hire full time staff for data entry. My question is, does anyone like the phoenix mobile (I assume that is the only option) solution? How much quicker is it than clipboard & paper, I mean, is it really worth it? Then, if you have a data entry person isn’t all the data entry already done in the field? I don’t know, pretty confused about it all & whether it really is worth it. Anybody have any ideas on the subject?

 

[Wayne Henry]

Phoenix and choice points

I hope some of you guru’s out there might be able to help me out. I’m considering moving from clipboard & paper to tablet & handheld/mobile tech. Also, fed up writing the reports myself & going to hire full time staff for data entry. My question is, does anyone like the phoenix mobile (I assume that is the only option) solution? How much quicker is it than clipboard & paper, I mean, is it really worth it? Then, if you have a data entry person isn’t all the data entry already done in the field? I don’t know, pretty confused about it all & whether it really is worth it. Anybody have any ideas on the subject?

I stopped trying to figure out how to use it once I saw that it would be using my choice points....rather use those for my flood maps and not to be more confused using a tablet on inspections in 100 degree weather. I think the hardest part would be doing the sketch on it but other than that I am waiting for them to come out with the ACI mobile for Andriod. I just hope it does not use choice points.

 

[Shaun Murray]

I just started using phoenix mobile for about 10 inspection now. I like it so far, however the sketch program is very very bad so during my inspection I switch between PM and apex mobile sketch which is great. Also taking pics within PM takes forever, because you have to save each one. My inspection times are about 15 minutes longer using my own camera and disto but as I get used to the software it should return to normal. In all the data entry is good but photo and sketch need work.

 

[PetePro]

I just started using phoenix mobile for about 10 inspection now. I like it so far, however the sketch program is very very bad so during my inspection I switch between PM and apex mobile sketch which is great. Also taking pics within PM takes forever, because you have to save each one. My inspection times are about 15 minutes longer using my own camera and disto but as I get used to the software it should return to normal. In all the data entry is good but photo and sketch need work.

Hey Shaun, you can now enable "continuous" photo-taking in PhoenixMobile.
You can enable/disable it in your settings.

Enjoy!

 

[NOGAVA]

I use Phoenix every day but not in the traditional way most probably do. I'm completely paperless and have been using it since they first rolled it out, but I had some issues early on that made me think twice about using the product in its full capacity. For starters, when I would sync and import the Phoenix Mobile file back into ACI, most every addendum in my template would get jacked up, and I'd have to manually fix each one after the import. Then, on several occasions I finished an inspection with all of my data in the app and tried to sync to Phoenix Mobile online and lost the entire file. This happened maybe half a dozen times and after working tirelessly with tech support to recover the files, we both eventually gave up. Couldn't afford wasting time and money like that.

After all of that, I just started using the app for sketches, pics and field notes. Would put the pics in Dropbox and just resketch in ACI when I got in front of the puter. That way I also didn't lose any Choice Credits. But now the text notes don't even work (even after all of the current updates), and I can only draw notes with finger or stylus. I don't even take pictures with it anymore b/c there's a 13mp camera on my phone that can take higher quality, wide angle shots than the iPad. So I just move them to Dropbox from my phone and drag/drop into the report. The only thing I use the app for now is for sketching. But there's even free clipboard apps you could download if that's all you need Phoenix to do.

Sure would be nice if one of the existing or a new software company provided a form filler that was completely internet based where you could access the forms software from any device without having to install software locally.

 

[EDWARD BERRY]

Software People Have Never Inspected Thousands Of Properties Like Appraisers.

I Have A Field Sheet I Developed 35 Years Ago That Is Still In Use. I Had To Add Microwave And Gas Logs.

With A Tablet And Drop Down Lists I Could Save About 10 Minutes.

The Saving Would Be By Shooting That Info Into The Form. It Takes Me 20-30 Minutes To Do That Now-so Not Really Much Saving. As 50% Of Page 1 Is Court House Info.

Several Time I Offered To Get A Program Written For ACI If They Would Furnish Me The "hooks"

Never Happened.

So It Takes Me 50 Minutes To Inspect And 30 Minutes To Fill Out Page 1.

There Is Not Much Room For Saving---but The Stress Factor Would Be Less.

Its Still Personal Preference For The For Filling Part Of Appraising.

To Each His Own.

 

[Randall Garrett]

EB,

Just could not resist commenting ;-)
Let's say MOST software people have never inspected thousands of properties...
I've probably strapped a few houses in my time and have written more reports than I can remember (especially at my age, LOL.)
Still, I get your point. Would be nice if more programmers had some actual appraisal experience...
When I was first developing Apex, I used to complain that "It's hard enough to explain appraising to your own family, much less a programmer..."

Just trying to add some humor...
Send me your list - I know another appraiser who developed a field inspection app. He even got it "integrating" with our mobile app - mostly by himself, with very little assistance from us to date (MY fault, I think.)

-Randall Garrett-
..Apex Software..

/end/