Collect Information in Android

This proposal presents an idea of building an Android mobile application. This is the idea of tracking the operations and collect information about any problem arising in the retail stores located at different places. That information will be geo-tagged with the location of the store. The information tracked will be sent to the server along with the location of the user. Goal: Arch is a virtual company which. It is a milti location retail company and has various stores in different locations. The main aim of this project is to collect information about any problem arising in different stores. The regional manager visits the locations within his/her region to make sure the operations are running smoothly. In order to achieve this objective, they need to send answers to a few questions over to the management. The answers will be geo-tagged with the location of the user. The answers form will be sent to the server along with the location of the user in order to keep record. Management later will be able to view the geo-tagged location of the store on the Google maps. Management need to maintain a history of these answers with the store location to make sure the issues have been resolved. For example, regional manager has answered “No” twice to “check if seller’s permit is posted”. Retail manager will also take the picture and send the geo-tagged picture whenever necessary. Those pictures along with its geo-tagged location will be placed on the Google Maps so that management will know that there is this issue on this store location. Proposed Approaches: There are two parts of this application. First part is the actual application installed on the android handheld which will record the answers along with the store location. Second part is the administrator module which includes a database that would record answers to the questions and generate reports from the database which will be used later in order to take necessary action. 1.1.1. Android Module: The Android based application will be installed manually. It will have approximately 30 questions. The regional manager will be able to choose the answers from the drop down menu which will be defined in the admin module. Each answer may/may not need notes or picture uploaded. For example, if the user’s answer is “No” or “May Be” to the question “Is the sign working at the location?” then he’ll have to enter notes and upload a picture. If the user answers “Yes” to this question, then the application should direct him to the next question. After all the questions are answered and the regional manager submits the form, application should record the current location and phone number of the user which will later show up on the Google Maps. Application should have a security feature built in so that only the approved individuals will be able to access the application. To provide this privilege, there should be an option to add the phone numbers of the users. These phone numbers will be maintained in the admin module. 1.1.2. Administrator Module: In the administrator module, admin should be able to add/edit/delete: a. Name of the location, b. Name of the regional manager, which will populate in the application’s first section. Web based administrator module should have following features: a. Add/edit/delete questions b. Add/edit/delete drop down answers to the questions c. Make notes and/or picture mandatory for the answers. For example, possible answers to the questions could be “Yes”, “No”, or “May Be”. Admin should be able make notes and pictures mandatory if the answer is “No” and notes only mandatory of the answer is “May Be”. d. Available reports i. By Locations – This report will detail the answers by location. Admin will have ability to choose the time period, all locations or a particular location. ii. By Regional Manager – This report will detail the answers by regional manager. Admin will have the ability to choose the time period, all regional managers or a particular re