00:00:03 Introduction

Good afternoon, everybody. This is Alex Bertram from BeDataDriven. We are going to talk today about the ActivityInfo mobile application. I am really excited to share this topic because we have a lot of new developments over the last six months that we want to share with you. We will walk you through some of the common use cases for the mobile app and see what sets it apart from some of the other tools available.

Jerry is with me; he is our Implementation Specialist. I also want to welcome Jane Wong, who is joining us as a Marketing Specialist. We will be recording this session, and the recording will be available on the website around tomorrow. If you have any questions, please put them in the Q&A section.

We are going to go through a couple of example use cases, starting out with a simple household survey, which is a typical use case for mobile data collection. Next, we will look at a slightly more complex setup for beneficiary management, connecting individuals with activities and demonstrating our new QR code scanner. Finally, I want to share the new XLSForm importer that we just released today.

00:03:38 Designing a household survey

Let's start with ActivityInfo on the desktop to design a questionnaire. For this first exercise, I am going to use one of the templates available in our support section. We have a Household Survey database template. If you don't have an account, you can create a free trial account to get started immediately.

This database contains a single data collection form: the survey form. In the form settings, you can see the fields that have been added, including standard question types like quantity, text fields, dates, and geographic points for GPS. I will add an attachment field to demonstrate a new feature: signature capture. This can be used for a consent form where you capture the signature of a respondent.

Once the questionnaire is designed, we need to invite surveyors to submit results. In the Database settings under User management, you can add users and assign permissions. For example, you can add a user as a surveyor, which gives them permission to use the mobile app and send data to this form.

00:07:17 Installing the mobile app

The next step is to get the mobile app on our phone. If you are using an Android phone, you can find us in the Play Store by searching for ActivityInfo. If you are using iOS, we also have a version available. You just need to open Safari, navigate to activityinfo.org, log in, and then use the "Add to Home Screen" option to create an icon on your home screen that functions like an app.

00:08:28 Collecting data offline

I have installed the ActivityInfo app on my Android phone. After logging in, I can see the databases I have access to, including the Household WASH Survey I just created. The first thing I will do is download the database for offline use. This makes a copy of the database on the phone so I can work without an internet connection. It will synchronize automatically as soon as a connection is available.

Opening the survey, I can add a new record. The first step is the signature capture we added, allowing me to sign directly on the screen. I can then proceed through the rest of the questionnaire, entering household details and water source information. The app validates answers according to the rules set in the design.

We also have subforms, which allow for repeating lists. For example, I can add a list of water containers, specifying details for each one. Finally, I can use the GPS location feature to capture coordinates. Once saved, the data is stored and will synchronize back to the database. A key feature of ActivityInfo is that it is not just one-way; if I have permission, I can also review and edit data entered by myself or others directly on the mobile device.

00:13:39 Beneficiary management and QR codes

Now let's look at a slightly more complex case: beneficiary management. In many programs, you have related pieces of information, such as a group of individuals you are supporting with various services like training or distribution. ActivityInfo is a relational database, which allows you to keep this information connected.

I have set up a database with an "Individual Registry" form to track details like names and districts, including a field for a QR code. Connected to this, I have forms for services, such as training sessions. By linking these forms, we can track which individual attended which training. This allows us to use tools like pivot tables to count the distinct number of beneficiaries assisted, ensuring we don't double-count people who attended multiple events.

To make this efficient in the field, we added a QR code scanner. You can print simple QR codes and assign them to beneficiaries. In the mobile app, I can register a new individual, select their location using a reference field (which pulls from a list of districts), and then scan a blank QR code to associate it with that person.

Once a beneficiary is registered and has their QR card, we can easily track their participation in activities. For a training session, instead of searching through a list of names, I can simply scan the beneficiary's QR code to select them. The system checks for duplicates, so if I try to scan the same person twice for the same activity, it will alert me. This workflow significantly improves efficiency for tracking project-level data.

00:27:47 Importing XLSForms

I also want to demonstrate a new feature: the XLSForm importer. XLSForm is a standard used by many mobile data collection tools. While ActivityInfo is a relational database and doesn't use XLSForm internally, we built this importer to make it easier to migrate existing forms.

When you import an XLSForm, ActivityInfo processes the file and creates the necessary forms. It converts standard fields and handles complex structures like cascading selects by creating relational forms. For example, a list of counties and districts in an XLSForm is converted into two related forms in ActivityInfo, with reference fields linking them.

The importer also converts logic like choice filters into validation rules and relevance rules (skip logic) into ActivityInfo's native format. Once imported, these forms are immediately available in the mobile app. This feature helps users get started quickly without having to redesign their forms from scratch.

00:36:32 Q&A session

How can I create a database to practice? If you have been invited to an existing database, you might not have permission to create new ones. You can sign up for a free trial account at activityinfo.org/signUp. This will allow you to create your own databases. You can also use the templates section on our website to get started quickly.

Does ActivityInfo support repeat groups? Yes, we call them subforms. They are quite powerful. In the form designer, you can add a subform field, which allows you to create a set of questions that can be repeated, such as listing multiple water containers within a household survey.

Is there a limit to the number of questions or records? There is a maximum of 600 questions per form and a maximum of 200,000 records per form. Note that a subform counts as a single field within the parent form, even if the subform itself contains many questions.

Can we create barcodes in ActivityInfo? Currently, we do not have a feature to print barcodes directly within ActivityInfo. You would generate and print standard QR codes using external tools or scripts, and then scan them into the system using the mobile app.

Does ActivityInfo allow for managing cascading questions? Yes. You can do this using reference fields. If you have a form for Provinces and a related form for Districts, referencing the District form will automatically create a cascading dropdown. You can also use formulas and validation rules to enforce dependencies between fields manually if needed.

How is ActivityInfo different from ODK or KoboToolbox? ActivityInfo is a relational database, meaning you can link different forms (like individuals and activities) together. Additionally, synchronization is two-way. You can view and edit existing data on the mobile app, not just submit new records. If you change a form design, the mobile app updates automatically upon synchronization without needing to redownload the form.

How can we protect our data from being hacked? We have a dedicated team managing security and infrastructure to ensure the system is up to date and secure. We will be hosting a specific webinar on data security in April to dive deeper into this topic.

Where do I download the mobile app? For Android, use the Google Play Store. For iOS, go to activityinfo.org in Safari, log in, and select "Add to Home Screen" to install it as a web app. Both provide the same functionality.