Trimble's Access and Connected Community Software

This article will discuss Trimble's Access software and Connected Community which allows the sharing of data between the field and office.
 
         "Send Data Back and Forth, Not People"
 
"Minimizing rework and improving productivity is the basis for Trimble's ongoing focus on Connected Site solutions. The principles of connectivity and total workflow integration provide surveyors with the day-to-day flexibility to adapt to a variety of situations in the field and office-in near real time," said Chris Gibson, general manager of Trimble's Survey Division. "We are passing a new milestone today with the introduction of Trimble Access. The ability to seamlessly share survey information between the field and office while streamlining survey operations in the field, make Trimble Access the ideal tool to take organizations to the next level of productivity and help keep project costs on target and under budget."
 
Trimble Access is a new field and office solution for surveyors that expedites data collection, processing, analysis, and project information delivery through improved workflows, collaboration and control, which is enabled by constant wireless connectivity between the project team members. The complete solution speeds both typical and specialized surveying tasks, and enables easy, fast and secure two-way information sharing between the field survey crew and the office. Surveys can be completed faster with less time spent traveling back and forth to the office. Management and field crews can closely collaborate by viewing the same information in near real-time.
 
The four components of the Trimble Access solution include: Trimble Access services, base software for typical survey applications, specialized application modules, and the Trimble Connected Community.
 
Trimble Access brings the field and office closer together by enabling data sharing and collaboration in a secure environment wirelessly connected through the Internet. The Trimble AccessSync(TM) capability automatically and transparently synchronizes field and office files, without delaying or disrupting standard computing processes. This capability is integrated into the complete workflow and reduces manual e-mail setup; slow, problematic uploads to FTP sites; and error-prone dictation over the phone. The ability to easily and securely move and share information reduces or eliminates downtime driving back to the office. Any changes made to the files in the field are automatically updated by Trimble Access software. For changes made in the office, a project manager can easily post new instructions and new files for the field crew to access. If a question arises on-site, digital images can be sent to the office to enable the office staff to "see" the true situation and confer with the survey crew to arrive at a solution. In addition, field data can be sent to the office to begin immediate quality assurance. The office staff can start processing in parallel, identify potential mistakes or provide expert problem resolution while the crew is still on site. The job can be finished faster keeping project costs on target.
 
For typical survey tasks such as topographic, staking or control, Trimble Access offers general survey tools that enable surveyors to work through an interface familiar to users of Trimble Survey Controller(TM) software. For specialized tasked, Road Surveys and Tunnels, Trimble Access provides streamlined workflows. These add-on modules organize tasks in a logical, application-focused, step-by-step approach. This enables survey crews to obtain rapid results by eliminating unnecessary steps in the process. These streamlined workflows minimize the learning curve, allowing users to be productive in the field almost immediately. The surveyors can focus on the deliverables they are creating, not on the software commands for each task along the way.