Mobile Device Setup for (XP)

Mobile inspections are managed by clicking the 'Mobile' button on the main menu or Start New Inspection form. When using INSPECTEXPRESS™ Mobile for the first time, you will need to begin by setting your Active Sync folder for the Pocket PC device then create your own custom Pocket PC forms to match your desktop program.

Enabling File Synchronization on your Pocket PC:

1. Start the ActiveSync program by right clicking with the mouse button on the ActiveSync icon in your task bar. The ActiveSync icon is a circle with arrows in it, it is green (when connected) and gray (when not connected).

2. In the menu that pops up choose Open Microsoft ActiveSync.

3. Now to make sure we are set up for File Synchronization click the Options button.

4. The options dialog screen will open. There is an item in the list called Files with a folder icon with two blue circling arrows in it. make sure this box is checked off if not already.

5. If the Files box wasn't checked after you do check it a folder called (Pocket_PC My Documents) will appear on your computer's desktop.

Important:

Make sure Sync files is checked off on your ActiveSync settings!

Setting the default Active Sync Folder:

The first time you click on the 'Mobile' button, you will likely get a message that the default file path (c:\My Documents\Inspections) cannot be found. You will then be prompted with a dialog box to select your Active Sync folder for your pocket PC. Select your primary Active Sync folder as displayed when setting the Files folder option (above). The folder is commonly named 'C:\Documents and Settings\owner\My Documents\WM_User\ My Documents\'. The 'WM_User can be replaced by your username.

You are setting the path to the (My Documents\) folder that Active sync creates on your desktop that is used to hold a copy of your Pocket PC files. Not directly to the Pocket PC itself. Set the path to the (My Documents\) directory. Not (My Documents\Inspections\) or (My Documents\Inspect Express\)!

The desktop will the Publish your Pocket PC forms to (My Documents\Inspect Express\) and will read your Pocket PC Inspections from (My Documents\Inspections\) See Below

If your Active Sync folder is changed or is incorrect, click the 'Find Pocket PC Sync Folder' button on the Mobile Inspections form to set the folder to the correct path.

Starting the Mobile Inspection:

Click the 'Mobile' button on the Start New Inspection form. Once the Active Sync folder has been correctly set, a list of current Mobile Inspections will be displayed. Click on the mobile inspection you wish to begin and click 'OK'.

Now proceed through the inspection as usual. When ever a section is opened, the software looks to see if that section was completed on the related mobile inspection and will load all the selection boxes and check boxes with the selections made on the Pocket PC.

Note:

The inspection address on the 'Start New Inspection' form must be the same as the address on the mobile inspection.

Settings:

Always Write Mobile Notes in Report: Select to have the section notes from the mobile inspection included in the current report document. Notes are written in the 'Observations' section of the report.
Add New Dropdown Entries to Database: Select to have any new entries made on the selection boxes on the Pocket PC added permanently to the lists on the desktop program.

Exporting INSPECTEXPRESS™ forms to the Pocket PC:

Mobile forms are created by the user to match their settings in the desktop program. Mobile forms can be re-created as often as changes are made to the main program. To create the forms for the Pocket PC click on the 'Create Pocket PC Forms' button. The forms are written to the 'INSPECTEXPRESS™' folder in your Active Sync directory and will automatically be updated on the Pocket PC when it is synchronized.

Setting that are exported include the order of the forms (see Report Template settings for more info), contents of the dropdown/selection boxes and the check box observations.

Using INSPECTEXPRESS™ Mobile with Multiple Inspectors:

The mobile software can be used by more than one inspector on the same inspection! Ensure that both inspectors enter the same address on the Pocket PC when starting the inspection then each inspector completes their own sections. Synch both Pocket PC's with the same computer and the desktop software will automatically read both sets of files.

You may want to hide sections when publishing. One inspectors has the roof and exterior sections in his menu the other inspector does not, he has electrical and plumbing etc... this will prevent any possible sync problems when using more than one inspector.