Looking to Optimize Data Entry in SnapTracker?

Often we come across situations that make adding information to SnapTracker difficult. Among them is the issue of reliable Wi-Fi and not having access to a laptop in the warehouse.  Many warehouses given there grand size create a problem maintain a strong and consistent Wi-Fi throughout the entire facility.  As SnapTracker is an online database the ideal situations is to have access to the site at all times.  This allows the user to check the inventory, create standards, makes changes to the database and so forth.  Without the ability to connect to SnapTracker the user is forced to record all the data on paper and then re-enter it back into the system at a later time.  Any information missed requires additional trips to the warehouse to verify or validate the data.

So, is there any option to help improve this situation…Yes, absolutely!

This process is done through the File Upload option through the Utilities Menu in SnapTracker.  The 3 main file upload options are Locations, Inventory and Global Adjustment.

So what makes the Excel sheet better than just writing it down?

There are several benefits to using the excel process:

1. You are less likely to miss information.

Using the excel creates a template, which provides the necessary information in order for the record to completed successfully, making the likely hood of missed information less probable.

2. You only need to write down the information once and can process all the data in one transaction.

Alternatively, if we record all the information on a sheet of paper we have to re-type each record individually, meaning we have to write or apply the same information twice.

3. You are less likely to have batch upload errors. 

As SnapTracker is also capable of performing a batch process on the excel upload, it helps to validate the basic data and catch minor errors.

And there are a few things that we need to know about the File Upload process:

• SnapTracker will only read information from Sheet 1.  It is also important not to rename sheet 1 to another name.
• The excel sheet has to be set to text only.  This is done by selecting the entire worksheet, right click with the mouse choose format cell and select text in the number tab.
• Each file type has specific information that is mandatory for the process to work.  Refer to the File Upload document for the full explanation.

As mentioned above File Upload goes through the same batch processing as the information uploaded from a scanner.  This means that any mistakes (wrong location, customer, building, condition, standard, or Standard type) will fail the batch and require manual corrections before the changes can be applied to the site directly.

File Upload provides SnapTracker users the opportunity to leverage the use of Excel.  Through this process user can create and make changes to the data faster by leveraging some of Excel’s capabilities.  It is also important to note that the current File Upload functionality does not work for creating new Standards.