Previous: Switching between Mobile Form Apps
The Location control adds geolocation capabilities to transform app. It captures the GPS data (longitude and latitude) of a user’s current location, delivering various advantages such as:
- Eliminating Paper Forms from Daily Processes - The added benefit of tracking the location of mobile forms is another reason
- Keeping Track of Members of the Workforce - Workers can promptly report their locations with each form of submission, allowing their employers to keep track of their whereabouts.
- Improving Productivity - By knowing where your remote workforce is, you can effectively manage your human resources and their schedules. For instance, you can dispatch a team to a site near the one they're working in instead of sending one from the head office.
- Reducing Operating Costs - By effectively managing your human resources, you can reduce operating costs such as unnecessary overtime and fuel expenses.
- Enhancing Employee Accountability - Having your workers submit their location with their forms ensures their actual presence during an inspection, inventory, etc.
In this article, you will learn how to effectively use this control in Android and iOS devices to reap these benefits.
Android Devices
Make sure to follow these steps to run the Location control properly on your Android device.
Step 1) Switch On Device Location Services
You need to turn on your device location services to enable transform app to fetch your coordinates.
- Depending on your device and Android version, you can access Location Services in one of the following ways:
- Tap on Settings, followed by Privacy, then Location.
- Tap on Settings followed by Location.
- Slide your finger from the top of the screen to open Quick Settings. Press down the Location icon.
- Tap on the toggle to switch on-location services.
- Tap on Locating Method or Mode, and select one of these methods:
- High Accuracy, Battery Saving, Device only (on Android 6.0 and above)
- Wi-Fi/GPS, Wi-Fi Only, GPS only (on Android 5.1.1)
Please note that the Location control may not function properly if a user selects Device only or GPS only while working indoors.
Step 2) Grant transform app Permission to Use Location Services
- Tap on Settings (or return to the main page again).
- Tap on Apps, then tap on transform app.
- Tap on Permissions.
- Tap on the toggle next to Location to allow transform app to use location services.
Please do not skip this step. You may not be prompted about it, resulting in empty Location fields when you submit your form.
Step 3) Fill Out and Submit Your Form
After completing steps 1 and 2, all you need to do is tap on the form for the Location control to automatically fetch your coordinates.
You can double-check the accuracy of your location by tapping on Map. Your device’s native mapping app will be launched, pinpointing your location.
Whether Wi-Fi is on or off, your location coordinates will be fetched successfully ONLY if the following two conditions apply.
- Location Services are ‘On’
- Transform app has access to use Location Services
If the Location control displays a previously fetched location or nothing at all, check to see if Location Services is ‘On’ AND the app has permission to use them.
iOS Devices
If you open a form with the Location control, a toast message prompting you to turn location services on may appear if the option has not been switched on. You can tap on the Settings popup to directly, or avoid any delays to your productivity by following these three steps.
Step 1) Switch On Device Location Services
Switch on your device location services using the following steps.
- Tap on Settings, followed by Privacy and Location Services.
- Slide the toggle button next to Location Services to the On position.
Step 2) Grant transform app Permission to Use Location Services
- If you closed the page before, tap again on Settings, followed by Privacy and Location Services.
- Scroll down to find transform app.
- Tap on the app and choose one of the following options:
- While Using the App, to allow transform app to fetch coordinates if the app is on the screen, and not in the background
- Always, to allow the app to fetch the location even while running in the background
Make sure not to select ‘Never’ as that will prevent makeen transform from using location services.
Step 3) Fill Out and Submit Your Form
After completing steps 1 and 2, all you need to do is tap on the form for the Location control to automatically fetch your coordinates.
You can double-check the accuracy of your location by tapping on Map. Your device’s native mapping app will be launched, pinpointing your location.
Whether Wi-Fi is on or off, your location coordinates will be fetched successfully ONLY if the following two conditions apply.
- Location Services are ‘On’
- The Location Access option for the app is either ‘While Using the App’ or ‘Always’
If the Location control displays a previously fetched location or nothing at all, check to see if Location Services is ‘On’ and Location Access for transform app is not set to ‘Never’.
Need more help? Contact us at support@makeen.io