By CONSTURCTECH, Construction Magazine

How is your company documenting and keeping records in the field? If you are still using paper, you might want to consider an alternative. Writing job information down on paper is not only time consuming, it runs the risk of getting lost—which could add up to big costs if your company ever faces litigation.

One of the tedious jobs a PM (project manager) must complete on the jobsite is the documenting of tasks. However with the risk of legal claims the documentation is also one of the most important elements of a job. This might be a good area to consider the use of technology. With quite a few applications on the market, construction companies have a range of options for field documentation.

One example comes from NoteVault, www.notevault.com, San Diego, Calif. With the NoteVault Now Report, project managers can dictate voice notes and NoteVault transcribes the notes. The PM can access these notes in the field, as well as photos and GPS coordinates.

NoteVault recently entered into a partnership with Sonim Technologies, www.sonimtech.com, San Mateo, Calif., which will give project managers access to documentation through rugged phones.

With some extreme conditions at the jobsite, contractors need to make sure the devices they are using are waterproof, scratchproof, dust resistant, and very durable. Companies such as Sonim Technologies produce devices designed specifically for these types of ‘tough’ environments.

According to Sonim, its XP family of phones meets extreme-condition metrics called RPS (Rugged Performance Standards). The phone is completely waterproof at depths up to 6.5 feet and can withstand a 6.5-foot drop onto concrete. The device is also scratchproof with a Corning Gorilla Glass lens.

Sonim says the phone is protected against rain, fog, and salt, resistant against dust and microparticles, works in temperatures ranging from minus 4 degrees to 130 degrees, has a rugged camera, and has a long battery life with GPS tracking for a full day of work.

With the NoteVault application on the Sonim phone, project managers can resolve issues in the field, track progress of the project, reallocate resources, and avoid costly lawsuits. This type of technology in the field is helping construction companies gain more control of the project without wasting additional time compiling handwritten notes about the status of the job.