Mobile App

The Survey Mobile App provides native performance with offline support for field work. Complete surveys using voice or form entry, capture photos, and sync when you're back online.

Platforms

Getting the App

Android

Download from the Google Play Store or contact your administrator for the installation link.

iOS

Download from the App Store or use TestFlight for beta versions.

Web App

Access directly in your browser - works on any device with a modern browser.

Online vs Offline Mode

Online Mode (Voice Chat)

When connected to the internet:

• Full voice assistant with AI
• Real-time transcript display
• AI streaming responses
• Reference image display
• Instant progress sync

Offline Mode (Structured Forms)

When disconnected:

• Form-based data entry
• All field types supported
• Client-side validation
• Photo and video capture
• Auto-save every 30 seconds
• Data syncs when connection returns

The app automatically detects connection status and shows an Offline indicator when disconnected.

Survey List

The main screen shows your surveys:

• Assigned to You - Surveys waiting to be completed
• In Progress - Partially completed surveys
• Completed - Finished surveys ready for review

Pull down to refresh the list when online.

Starting a Survey

1. Tap a survey from the list
2. Review the template and any instructions
3. Tap Start Survey or Continue (for in-progress surveys)
4. Choose voice mode (microphone) or form mode

Voice Mode

Tap the microphone button to enter voice mode.

Controls

Headset Mode

When using headphones or earbuds:

1. Tap the headphone icon in the header
2. Headset Mode enables barge-in - speak to interrupt the AI anytime
3. The mic stays open while the AI speaks

Why use headset mode?

• Faster conversations - no waiting for AI to finish
• Works with Bluetooth earbuds, wired headphones, or AirPods

Background Audio

Voice chat continues working when:

• The screen goes dark
• You're multitasking with other apps
• The phone is in your pocket

The app uses wake lock to prevent sleep during active surveys.

Tips for Voice on Mobile

• Hold the phone naturally - the mic picks up your voice well
• In noisy environments, speak slightly louder
• Use headphones in very loud conditions
• The beep confirms your speech was captured

Form Mode

Tap the Form button to enter form mode.

Features

• All field types - text, number, select, date, rating, etc.
• Conditional fields - only shows relevant questions
• Auto-save - saves every 30 seconds automatically
• Field notes - add observations to any field
• Progress sidebar - shows completion and allows jumping to sections

Navigation

• Scroll through fields naturally
• Tap section headers to collapse/expand
• Use the progress sidebar to jump to specific fields

Capturing Media

Photos

Capture photos at the field level or session level:

1. Tap the camera icon next to a field
2. Take a photo or select from gallery
3. Photo is attached and syncs with the survey

Multiple Photos

• Each field can have multiple photos
• Session-level photos apply to the whole survey
• Photos appear in the media gallery and print preview

Offline Media

Photos captured offline are:

• Stored locally on the device
• Uploaded automatically when connection returns
• Shown with a sync pending indicator

Syncing Data

Automatic Sync

When online, data syncs automatically:

• Field updates sync in real-time
• Photos upload in the background
• Conflicts are resolved automatically

Manual Sync

Pull down on the survey list to force a sync.

Sync Status

Conflict Resolution

If the same survey is edited on multiple devices:

• Most recent changes win for survey data
• All photos are preserved (no deletion)
• Server template changes update locally

Completing Surveys

Review Before Completing

1. The app shows a summary of all fields
2. Required fields are highlighted if incomplete
3. Tap any field to edit before submitting

Marking Complete

1. Review all required fields are filled
2. Tap Complete Survey
3. Confirm in the dialog
4. Survey moves to Completed list

After Completion

• Generate PDF reports from the completed session
• View the read-only survey summary
• Export or share as needed

App Settings

Access settings from the menu icon.

Sync Settings

• Auto-sync - Enable/disable automatic syncing
• Sync on WiFi only - Preserve mobile data

Voice Settings

• Headset mode - Toggle for barge-in capability
• Audio volume - Adjust AI voice volume

Storage

• View storage used by offline data
• Clear cached templates (re-downloads on next sync)

Troubleshooting

App won't start surveys

• Check internet connection for template download
• Pull to refresh the survey list
• Ensure you're assigned to the survey

Voice not working

• Check microphone permission is granted
• Ensure you're not in airplane mode (for online voice)
• Try switching to form mode and back

Photos not uploading

• Check internet connection
• Verify storage permissions
• Force sync from the survey list

Sync stuck

• Check internet connection
• Try pulling to refresh
• If persistent, restart the app

Offline data concerns

• Data is stored securely on device
• Multiple backups during auto-save
• Never lost during normal operation
• Syncs automatically when connection restores

Battery and Performance

Tips for Long Field Days

• Close other apps to free memory
• Lower screen brightness when possible
• Use headphones to reduce speaker battery drain
• Enable battery saver if needed (voice still works)

Expected Battery Usage

Data Usage

• Voice transcription requires ~10-50 KB per utterance
• Photos are compressed before upload
• Templates and reference images are cached locally