If you’re not sure what a data source is, it’s exactly what you think it is. For our purposes, a data source is accessible data or information from a database, server or other location, and made available through a mobile application like ProntoForms.
For example, say you have a worker out in the field and he wants to access parts or client information. Instead of calling or emailing a colleague back at the office, the worker can simply access it through the App. ProntoForms users access data sources directly in the mobile forms that they fill out. Whether it’s as a radio button or a dropdown item, once connected to the App, they are simple to use.
Data sources can be pulled from a variety of locations, such as cloud services or an FTP server. So, a user could pull a data source from Dropbox or a secure server, for example, and have that data connect to the App.
Above all else, data sources can save you time and raise productivity.
There are so many possibilities and uses when it comes to data sources.
ProntoForms offers something called a group data source. It compiles information about the users in a selected ProntoForms group, and makes the collected fields (like user ID, Display Name, First Name, Last Name, email address, etc) available for use in a form. The process is automatic, requiring no manual upload.
For those interested in advanced data source capabilities, a partition can be used in conjunction with a data source.
Partitions are a filtering mechanism applied to data sources to determine what rows of data are available to users or groups of users when filling out forms. Data source partitions make it easy to provide users with only the data they need. Common uses include providing a field user with only the information for customers they are assigned to, or customers in regions they are assigned to.
The bottom line is that data sources are what you need them to be. It’s that simple. So whether your company uses an App like ProntoForms, or you set something up on your own, one thing’s for certain: efficiency will ensue.
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