[A 5-Part Series] Tips to Use System Surveyor: #2 SYSTEM DESIGN

Welcome to the second post in our series. Tips to tap into the full potential of the tool for System DESIGN.

  1. Sales
  2. DESIGN*
  3. Installation
  4. Service
  5. Maintenance

While sales people are actively working with customers in the field; system designers and engineers need a way to clone themselves across several projects. Their engineering expertise is in high demand. Often times, they rely on information gathered by others sketched on paper floor plans and from cell phone pictures that lose context.

Ideally, engineers would be on every site walk, but that’s not practical in a growing business. With System Surveyor, designers can have account managers and junior engineers gather information out in the field.  A “script” or requirements template helps them get the information that they need to design a thorough plan and proposal. For designers, the next best thing to being there is a picture.  As we have heard time and time again, “a picture is worth a thousand words”.

System Surveyor is a graphical system design tool that streamlines the design process. It provides collaboration for sales and engineering during the design phase to ensure that customer details and requirements are captured right the first time.

Follow the tips below to make the most of the tool:

  1. Drag & Drop Over 100 Elements (Security, Fire, AV and IT)
  • Add, move or delete elements with ease.
  • Use “Edit Survey Options” in the upper right hand corner and resize icons to best fit the floor plan.
System Design

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  1. Sort Devices by Status
  • Use this option to display only the devices you want to see at that time.
  • Devices can be sorted by install status, system type (video surveillance, etc.) and more.
System Design

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  1. Integrate Images and Install Notes
  • Click on an element and select the “Attributes” option to add detail.
  • Photos, install details, IP information and more can all be quickly added. Details are accessed to anyone with access to the survey. 
System Design

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  1. Work from Anywhere (and Collaborate)
  • When working from a different computer, surveys are securely saved and accessible from anywhere with an Internet connection.
  • If access is granted to other users, they can also view or edit the survey. 
  1. View Lists of Elements by Category
  • Go to “Survey Overview” and then the “Report” option to view the full list of elements on the survey. These lists are sortable by status and other options.
  • The “Report” option can also be used to view all photos of the site in one place.
Point #5

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Following these tips will help system designers use System Surveyor to its full potential. Each of these tips can streamline the DESIGN phase, saving time and resources. By enabling collaboration, engineers and designers can get on the same page with sales, customers and other key people on the team.  The result is better project design and more efficient implementation.

The next blog will cover aspects of System INSTALLATION and tips on how to use System Surveyor to better manage your installation process.

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