Integration Guide added to Mobilengine Developer Docs

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The Mobilengine Developer Documentation has been expanded once again, and now includes a complete and up-to-date reference guide on data transfer between the Mobilengine Cloud and external systems (a.k.a. integration).

Whether you want to use the Mobilengine Cloud as middleware to push the data submitted by mobile users to your own CMS, or selectively sync company reference data to mobile users, the guide has got you covered.

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Built with speed, built to last: Rapid mobile application development (OR) Building the best mobile applications in construction

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The construction industry is rapidly evolving. Once a sector that required hammers and nails, it now demands mobile applications.

According to a report from JB Knowledge, in 2012, 41 percent of construction professionals stated that mobile tech is “not very important,” but only two years later, almost half of surveyed contractors, builders and managers indicated that mobility is important and 31 percent said it was “very important.” It’s clear that mobile applications are now a necessity in the construction industry, and this means that Mobilengine is absolutely required.

In fact, Mobilengine’s backend- and platform-as-service solution is the definitive standard when it comes to construction mobility. It is the only mobile application development system that is capable of supporting a wide variety of tasks and business needs while also providing a wealth of benefits – from improving safety to reducing errors – thanks to Mobilengine​’s features and capabilities.

There’s a Mobilengine workflow solution for that

Construction firms adopt enterprise mobility strategies because many jobs around worksites can benefit from mobile capabilities. While many mobile applications are created or downloaded for a specific need, Mobilengine provides construction companies with the building blocks and backend systems to develop and support a mobile workflow application for any task.

Mobilengine will securely integrate existing enterprise software and systems with mobile workflow applications, ensuring that current processes remain. After all, applications need to be created with these workflows in mind, not the other way around, and with other solutions developing, making a unique tool for every task would take years. With Mobilengine, construction firms are given 90 percent of the code and supporting systems, meaning that IT teams can customize the remaining 10 percent of the application for each and every job on a worksite.

This is why Mobilengine is such a powerful tool for construction firms: They can develop and deploy dozens of different mobile applications, each catered exactly to a specific job – whether it’s for equipment inspections, permit orders, site induction, resource allocation, site stock management, safety auditing or fleet tracking. Mobilengine is the de facto mobile application development platform for construction because provides a solution for everything, and the company has already demonstrated this capability.

Providing actual benefits: The construction industry knows all too well that mobility has its fair share of benefits, but in order to actually see a return on mobile application investments, these business will need Mobilengine’s BaaS and PaaS solutions.

Improving safety: Between Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements and local legislation, construction companies must accurately keep track of inspections, repairs and guidelines if they want to avoid fines and fees. Mobilengine performs in this regard because it can be customized to meet all standards and include any important safety steps.

Boosting productivity: Mobilengine has the ability to reduce field administration by up to 40 percent and cut down on back office administration by as much as 50 percent. This means that firms can save about 40 percent of their productivity costs with customized mobile applications based on Mobilengine’s native application technology.

Scaling for the future: Whether a company grows or adopts new technologies, Mobilengine will remain the best mobile application development solution. Thanks to the cloud, more mobile applications can be rapidly developed and deployed when necessary, and if more employees are required, hardware can scale. Additionally, with support for NFC, RFID and mobile devices capabilities, Mobilengine is the only MADP that firms need for years to come.

The choice is obvious for construction companies looking to adopt mobility strategies that can actually make an operational difference. For more information on Mobilengine, check out its website and stick around for more news on mobile applications, mobility and industry solutions.

Mobility and equipment rental just go together.

Mobility transforms the equipment rental industry

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As more businesses realize that owning equipment only to keep it in storage is a waste of revenue and space, the equipment rental sector across industries is booming. CNBC reported that in construction alone, the rental market rakes in around $40 billion per year, while Rental Equipment Register noted that that the Rental Sentiment Index indicated that it's a great environment for growth. The bottom line is that these firms need to support their expansion with new technologies, and in that regard, the equipment rental industry is a perfect candidate for mobile app-enabled productivity.

Mobility and equipment rental just go together. These businesses rely on field workers to track tools and machinery, to perform safety and quality inspections, and to collect financial information. However, with traditional methods for gathering data, employees only bring this information back to headquarters once or twice a day, and this means that administrators lack visibility into events, let alone the ability to collect data in real time. And those are just a few of the hundreds of use cases for mobile app-based workflows, and thanks to new mobile device capabilities such as RFID and NFC scanning and reading, there are hundreds more that could be listed. In fact, mobile capabilities have the power to reduce daily sales outstandings (DSOs), as employees scan RFIDs, collect photographs of signatures, making mobility more than just a productivity play.

Variety and volume of apps
The problem is that there isn't an app for that – or at least a particular one that addresses many different equipment rental needs. There aren't any mobile apps that cater to the industry at all, and that's because one mobile app won't ensure productivity gains across organizations. Instead of buying specific mobile apps, these businesses can embrace enterprise mobility with mobile app development platforms. In that regard, Mobilengine is the absolute best solution for equipment rental companies.

Using paper in the equipment rental sector is an outdated practice, and it needs to end.Using paper in the equipment rental sector is an outdated practice, and it needs to end.

Having already demonstrated the value of Mobilengine in other industries – partners and customers include enterprises such as 3M, T-Systems, McGee and many more – businesses in the equipment rental industry know they can depend on Mobilengine's platform and backend-as-a-service solutions for rapid mobile app development and support of those mobile workflow solutions at scale.

Develop at scale, with speed and for any task
Instead of developing dozens of mobile apps for a variety of jobs, equipment rental companies can use the Mobilengine MADP to customize workflows based on business needs, corporate requirements and employee demands. These firms only need to adapt around 10 percent of a workflows code to create a unique and empowering mobile productivity app and to connect that app to existing IT systems. Any task can have a mobile solution, and Mobilengine enables that possibility by providing tools to easily develop and integrate mobile apps. Furthermore, Mobilengine lives in the cloud, allowing equipment rental businesses to scale backend systems without breaking the bank or hiring infrastructure experts.

The key to mobility in the equipment rental industry is to support every in-the-field task with a mobile workflow solution, and other mobile app development tools and platforms just don't provide the easy-to-develop capabilities that Mobilengine offers. Therefore, these businesses have a simple choice to make when looking to empower their employees with native mobile apps: Mobilengine.

Construction mobility: What’s so great about the cloud? [Video]

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The construction industry quickly realized the power of mobile applications, and mobility has spread like wildfire to all businesses in that sector. This rapid adoption is all thanks to the cloud.

Hi, and welcome to the Mobilengine video blog!

When it comes to developing and managing business-to-employee mobile workflow apps, the construction industry has demonstrated unanimous support for the cloud and hosted mobile app development platforms. But why?

For one, cloud-based mobile development tools make creating and managing dozens of mobile apps a simple process. No hardware deployments are required, no highly skilled developers are necessary and no complex integrations are needed.

Secondly, the cloud allows construction firms to scale their mobile apps based on job site size, employee requirements and other scale-out demands.

Lastly, construction companies move to the cloud to save money. Creating mobile apps from scratch is a huge investment, but with support from cloud services, apps can be created without paying salaries to dozens of developers or buying data center equipment.

For more mobility news in construction, equipment rentals and more, stick with the Mobilengine blog!

3 mobile app development trends disrupting enterprise mobility [Video]

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Developing a mobile app isn’t as cut and dried as some may think, since this sector is influenced by numerous factors and trends.

Hi, and welcome Mobilengine video blog!

As more organizations hop aboard the mobility bandwagon, three specific trends have appeared, and if businesses don’t heed these best practices, then mobility investments could fail.

One: Cloud services are the standard in mobile application development and support. As Tech.Co reported, cloud environments keep back-end systems connected to front-end apps with simplicity, making it easier to develop and support more apps in less time.

Two: Rapid development is required. With the popularity of mobility in all industries, from equipment rentals to construction, organizations can expect all employees to demand apps for their workflows. Rapid development platforms make it possible to meet those needs.

Three: Development platforms are popular. This year alone, 35 percent of large enterprises will use mobile app development platforms to create mobile workflow solutions. These tools allow for less coding and quicker deployment.

For more mobility news, stick with the Mobilengine video blog!

Mobile app requirements push businesses to rapid development solutions [Video]

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According to a new 451 Research report, over 50 percent of businesses plan to deploy 10 or more mobile apps in the next 10 years.

Hi, and welcome to the Mobilengine video blog!

Clearly, the demand for business-to-employee mobile workflow apps is high right now, as staff members clamor for new solutions to work on the go and send data in real-time.

Industries with the most interest in mobile workflow apps include health care, sales and retail.

However, these organizations and their IT teams cannot keep up with mobile app development demands.

As a result, more businesses are looking for rapid development platforms and help from external partners.

The report noted that companies that require numerous mobile workflow apps were liable to deploy mobile-backend-as-a-service solutions and mobile app development platforms.

This is the only way to keep up with the high volume of mobile apps required nowadays.

That's all for today, thanks for joining us and stay tuned to Mobilengine for more mobility news!

The need for native mobile apps: Solving the cost crisis [Video]

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According to the latest Field Service News Podcast, around two-thirds of businesses demand native mobile apps.

Hi, and welcome to the Mobilengine video blog!

It’s no surprise that businesses would rather use native mobile apps than Web-based alternatives. Native solutions are more responsive, provide an all-around better user experience and support a variety of cutting-edge technologies. However, popular tech resources such as TechTarget and Software Development Times reported that it’s expensive to find people with native mobile app development skills, and creating dozens of native apps costs hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Businesses need to support and develop native solutions without financially devastating consequences.

So, why not combine the cost-effectiveness of as-a-service solutions with native mobile app development? The solution that can accomplish this is Mobilengine, a mobile app development platform with backend as a service capabilities that reduce the cost of supporting and managing native mobile workflow apps on iOS and Android.

And don’t forget, for more mobility news and tips, stick with the Mobilengine video blog!

Warehouse managers demand mobile logistics apps [Video]

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A new survey from Manhattan Associates found that 63 percent of warehouse managers lack access to a computer on the warehouse floor. This is just one reason why they demand mobile logistics apps.

Hi, and welcome to the Mobilengine video blog!

Mobility can solve many of today’s challenges in the logistics industry, and warehouse managers’ duties are a perfect example of this.

For instance, 33 percent of warehouse managers noted that with access to a mobile solution such as a task management app, they can double the time they spend on the floor.

Alternatively, 42 percent want increased oversight over their teams with mobile apps, making freight task management apps the perfect fit for those logistics pros.

Other than solving their challenges, the survey found that warehouse managers also want to give mobile apps to their employees to increase productivity, improve work management and meet labor requirements.

Proof of delivery apps, Vehicle inspection apps and Tour planning apps from Mobilengine are just a few tools that can help personnel accomplish that goal.

Thanks for joining us! Stay tuned for more mobility news and tips!

Readmission reductions with mobile health care apps [Video]

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Readmission rates continue to cause problems for health care providers, and it seems like the issue is related to admission and discharge practices.

Hi, and welcome to the Mobilengine video blog!

Health care providers have a duty to keep patients safe, and current readmission statistics indicate that these organizations can do so by deploying mobile apps for admission and discharge. Simply put, mobile workflow solutions solve some of the most common problems leading to readmission.

According to Healthcare IT News, 37 percent of patients are discharged unaware of why they need prescribed medications. Mobile patient discharge apps can ensure that everyone goes home informed, as nurses use these solutions to complete task lists and double check information.

Additionally, the news source reported that 50 percent of patients who go to health care facilities without an appointment will be readmitted. The problem is that providers don’t have enough information, as collecting it on the fly is a challenge. Readmission rates can drop if health care providers use mobile patient admission apps from the get-go.

That’s all for today, check back with Mobilengine for more mobility news and tips.

Workflow Script Reference Guide Available

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We reached another milestone for the Mobilengine Developer Documentation yesterday: the comprehensive reference guide to the Mobilengine Workflow Scripting Language is online.

In a nutshell, the scripting language lets you process incoming data to the Cloud to let you create, insert, update, or delete reference data items based on user-submitted data or data coming from external integrated systems. Script-based data processing isn’t just a one-way exchange either – create and send messages to integrated external systems, or remotely open forms with custom data on specific users’ mobiles at will! What’s more, scripts can work both server- and client-side to overcome network interruptions.

The Tutorials gave a quick overview of the most-often used workflow scripting operations, but this guide is the final word (so far) in workflow scripting reference. The guide is bristling with working sample code that SDK developers can try and/or tweak to use in their own projects, and we strived hard to make the details transparent.

That said, the documentation now comes with a very handy way to comment or ask questions about anything on the page: simply select a part of the text you’ve got something to say about, click the dialog that pops up, and type away. Looking forward to hearing from you, and watch this space for future updates.

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