Brief | LincMobility IMG

How it works

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Standard Microsoft Office tools are used to create this robust, casually connected, mobility solution for the field. The field employee works within Groove to access all information sent from the SharePoint site collections. When the field device is connected to the Internet (via EVDO, 3G, 802.11) the IMG Mobility communication framework begins automatically synchronizing data back to the office users.

Avid Andy *One of four TLG personas+ will likely say: “Now I can provide the best service AND be connected to information systems. These systems allow me to express myself in ways that were always limited as a field employee.”

Benefits Robust data may be exchanged between the

office and the field as well as from field user to field user Private instant messaging environment leveraging Office communication or native Groove communication tools Ability to work in a casually connected environment Large file transfer capability Images, drawings, maps, etc transferred from the field in near real-time User impact Field techs will need

to become accustomed to use the UMPC and a Groove interface for managing information Although the wireless connections will be set to auto-connect users will need to manage if their computers are connected to the Internet Field employees will take more of the administrative load to upload images. On the flip side the images are instantly placed so the office may use and leverage Field employees will be taught how to use computers if never exposed Field employees will be taught how to connect and manage technology devices and their interface with field computers Field employees will need to have a heightened security awareness and responsibility regarding the management of field devices

IMG Product or Service brief

Sales Manager or associate will likely say: “Imagine having a tech in the field pass me images of what is happening right now. It has given me the ability to close more work as I am connected to the site in nearly real-time!”

Overwhelmed Oscar *One of four TLG personas+ will likely say: “I was hired to work on equipment, isn’t it enough to understand how the boom operates? This is just so much to absorb at once.” NOTE: Of course deployment of these solutions is an iterative process which needs to take into account personalities and perceptions from employees and customers alike.

Summary In the “Information age” companies need to endeavor to bring meaningful tools to the casually connected field employees. The TLG IMG Mobility solution does just that by leveraging “out of the box” Microsoft office based solution sets. Unleash the power of your field employees by using LincMobility.

Available links General links which will provide you with additional details: Mobility: https://publicportal.thelincgroup.com/mobilitysolutions LincAdvantage IMG page: https://tlgpartners.thelincgroup.com/apps/lincadvantage/Programs/img

IMG Movements (product pages): https://publicportal.thelincgroup.com/movements

Information Management Group (IMG) Primary location: 152 Technology, Irvine, CA E-mail: info@IMG.thelincgroup.com

LincMobility *Field access to Office based applications+ Information Management Group (IMG) Email: info@IMG.thelincgroup.com

Overview

Technical requirements | End users

LincMobility allows casually connected field employees to transfer and consume office based information. Initially designed for technicians and mechanics using Ultra mobile computers; however, the LincMobility framework may be extended to any casually connected environment.

Computer requirements  Field: Office Professional which loads Office Groove Field: Operating system: XP Pro SP3; Windows Vista; Windows 7 Field: Laptop or Ultra mobile computer with 1gig of memory minimum. Laptop and Ultra mobile must be TLG approved devices (Laptop = Dell or HP; Ultra mobile = Fujitsu u820) Office: SharePoint access (already available) Office: If IM communication is desired with the field techs then the office user will need to have Office Groove as well. Internet connectivity required, does not require VPN tunnel Field: If using the image management component user will require a digital camera Field: If printing quotes and proposals from the field user will require a field based printer Field: 3G broadband connections will be managed from the field users, connecting and disconnecting from the Internet as required

The LincMobility solution provides the following tools for the field employees: image mgmt; asbuilt drawings; site map mgmt; quotes and proposals; technical library; QuickTips; local video creation and consumption; key performance indicators; etc.

Current Situation Up until this solution set we considered the use of a field device to be specific to a work order management system. Now, with the sophisticated communication frameworks provided by stock Microsoft solutions, we are able to pass information between the field and the office.

Some could argue - we have been able to do this all along. While that is true we have not been able to execute with requiring the field personnel to have little to no computer experience. One additional constraint has been the casually connected scenarios that field personnel face daily, we have solved this with the new LincMobility framework.

Promotional considerations Office based operations personnel will be the primary folks pushing information to the field. Get with these employees (service managers, dispatchers, operations, etc) and make sure that they are comfortable with the process. You will see from the technical area that this solution uses Groove on the field computer and SharePoint on the office side.

This solution does require field based computers, either full laptops or ultra mobile devices. See how it works, move it into your budgets.

Technical requirements | Authentication; Servers Active directory CORP users will log into computers in field and office Access to mobility solution team sites (this is where the information from Groove lands for consumption by the field and office employees). Folder synchronization will occur pulling OLAP cube data for the local KPI gadgets

Data sheet | Front-end overview Interface Field | Groove based presentation layer. Users will have three Groove workspaces; Community; Individual; System.

Interactions for the field will occur mostly through the Groove workspaces thus minimizing training.

Interface Office | SharePoint based presentation layer will provide the integration point between the field and the office (Groove to SharePoint). A collection of team sites known as “mobility solution” have been created to manage information by user and location. As built sketches and drawings The ability to create drawings and sketches in the field to record asset placement and inter-dependencies. Often field techs will be updating existing engineering drawings; marking up images; or generating hand drawn doodles on a pad of paper Dynamic inventory Field based access to LLE warehouse locations as well as partner warehouses (for participating partners). LLE warehouses will include physical locations as well as virtual truck based locations Dynamic pricing Providing timely pricing on individual materials and material kits (logically organized collections of material) for the field worker is the primary objective of this component

GPS based turn by turn navigation Leveraging the MSFT Streets and Trips software package field workers will be guided to sites using both visual and audio inputs (assuming mobility technology suite is installed in truck) Image management and transfer Photo documentation is a widely leveraged practice amongst several field communities. Solution will allow the tech to upload and catalog images from the field regardless of internet connectivity (as is the case with all mobility solution components) Image editing and annotation Field images are used in proposals, customer presentations and proposals. Editing will likely occur in two locations; field and office. The field will add details to the images, notes, codes, technical details. Office users will be fine tuning, adjusting color, cropping, etc to create a useful image for some presentation purpose or long term storage and recovery.

Quote and proposal management Quotes and Proposals are two very different things. In the context of the LLE mobility solution the definitions are as follows: Quote, the act of working up a price; Proposal, the presentation vehicle used to communicate that quote price and its value to the Customer Quote and proposal dashboard Depending upon the field community proposals may need to be created or referenced from the field. When questioned by a Customer in the field, our personnel will have the ability to determine the status and details of “said” proposal. Although related, this component brief addresses only access and updates, please see “Quote and proposal mgmt” brief to obtain creation and configuration details LincLocator In our never ending quest to enhance Customer value and increase productivity The Linc Group has released yet another industry leading innovation. When all the dust settles what do service companies really do? We work and maintain customer equipment (assets). LincLocator is a field service tool which manages both stationary and mobile pieces of equipment (assets). The Linc Group not only sends the most qualified service person to your location, we also guide them graphically to the asset which needs to be serviced or maintained. Sometimes finding the asset is not enough, understanding the assets relationship to other assets is critical when troubleshooting problems in the field. LincLocator comes in three pieces; the office piece used for connecting assets to geospatial maps, the field piece used by field personnel to locate assets and have awareness on service history, the customer piece which allows customers to see their assets on their site locations.

Data sheet | Back-end overview Archiving | Archiving occurs on the SharePoint via workflow. As the content is archived Groove information is automatically managed.

Information Management Group (IMG) Primary location: 152 Technology, Irvine, CA E-mail: info@IMG.thelincgroup.com