Technology seems to move ahead at a rate that is almost impossible for the average corporation to stay in touch with short of hiring a full-time liaison to explore the applications market. Many mundane tasks that have been done manually for decades are becoming simplified with the latest contributions to the mobile world. Performing audits and staying abreast of EHS regulations is one such area where modern apps can help reduce mounds of paperwork and stressful hours of work which only increase the payroll.
Let’s look specifically at some of the most-useful features of two of the leading auditing apps, the FieldiD and the Nimonik system, to parallel a few details of their auditing, inspecting, and reporting abilities.
Summary
Both companies are known for their good software and service. However, Nimonik is better suited to EHS professionals who want access to free checklists and inspection forms along with complex regulatory obligations. The Nimonik software is certainly more user friendly than FieldID and the price point is approximately 40% lower than FieldiD.
| Feature | FieldiD | Nimonik |
| Pricing | Unpublished: must contact for a quote | Starts at $9 per month. Published online (download pricing guide here) |
| Platforms | iPads, Android tablets, web-based. | iPads, iPhones, website, Android. |
| Track (and notify you) of safety compliance schedules | Yes. | Yes. |
| Identification of audit items | RFID and barcodes for 100% accuracy (serial numbers may be used) as well). | Not advertised |
| Email notifications of upcoming inspections and audits? | Yes: send to self, colleagues and even clients and other team members. | Yes: Appropriate team members and clients are alerted when a need arises |
| Asset management (and inventories) | Yes | Yes. Customize your templates to identify the items you wish to track. |
| Keep you updated on new laws or changes to existing laws/regulations | Not advertised. | Yes: provides legal updates as well as assigns a colleague to review items and leave and timestamp. |
| Tracking of tasks/actions via timestamps | Not advertised. | Yes. All changes to the system are monitored and stored, to create an Audit Trail. |
| Track location of inspection or audit via GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Customized dashboard | Yes: Each user can arrange safety widgets in the order that is most helpful, | No – a industry best dashboard is offered, allowing users to see a quick overview of their compliance performance. |
| Safety scoring | Goes beyond “pass/fail” with customized sliding scale and comments. | Audits are fully customizable with scoring and risk metrics. |
| Plan for corrective actions | Identify, prioritize, assign follow-up, track results. | Assigns a colleague to tasks that require follow-up and reporting. |
| Data Export | Unclear. | Easy data export. Directly connect database to Nimonik system. |
| Works on or offline | Yes. Sync to cloud at later time. | Yes. State of the art multi-person synchronization to website and to colleagues’ machines. |
| Instant access to reports | Yes. | Yes: attractive reports can be instantly sent via iPad to colleagues, clients, and supervisors. |
| Data Security | Unclear. | Yes: States, “Security is a top priority”. Entire team synchronizes to a secure server. Encrypted communication is tested regularly. Full documentation is available for your IT department. |
| Regulatory compliance protocols | Not advertised. | Over 200 from over 65 countries around the world for environmental, health and safety legal compliance. |
| Intrinsically safe iPad, iPhone and iPad Mini cases | Not advertised. | Cases are available for Android and iPad devices. |
By comparing the data in the chart above, you and your team can now make an informed choice about the right tools for meeting your audit and inspection needs. Converting from the traditional paper auditing and inspection process to an electronic, mobile system is a move that will understandably require thoughtful consideration.
If you desire assistance as you weigh the evidence presented by various auditing app developers, you can reach a customer service representative of the Nimonik company at 1-888-608-7511 or make contact via the web at info@nimonik.com.
