Fun with Wordle: SmartGlance

Many of our customers report that mobile device-enabled reporting is a top priority for them. Pushing data to a familiar portable device, whether it's a tablet or a smart phone, is the most effective way of keeping management on top of critical events and decisions.  We agree, and have continued to develop and enrich our leading mobile reporting product, SmartGlance.  Whether you use it hosted within your four walls, or as a Software as a Service, SmartGlance provides real-time reporting in an interactive, graphically rich format. No matter what industry you are in, SmartGlance can bring your real-time operations data to you, on demand, supporting all popular mobile formats.

Mobile Reporting goes Mainstream...

"My Plant Manager bought a new iPad and the Production Manager has an Android based phone. Now, they want to view the latest production and efficiency reports from their home and when they are travelling. How can we do that?" asked the Automation Engineer at a large manufacturing facility. “Viewing reports from the email attachment is not convenient due to the scrolling problems and the size of the report. Also, sending and opening emails every 15 minutes is not practical.”

SmartGlance from Invensys can help. SmartGlance offers mobile reporting that can deliver real time and historical reports on any mobile devices.

Their vision for the mobile enterprise is to show new ways that mobility can streamline operations, reduce costs, increase worker productivity and enable the power of real-time response. SmartGlance believes that mobility will let you transcend distance and connectivity issues, create a virtual, personalized space for collaboration and empower front-line workers to make better, faster, smarter decisions.

Mobile reporting technology is quickly becoming a normal way to run day to day life. There are three major benefits offered by Mobile Reporting Solutions like SmartGlance:

1. Visualization - Monitor Your Business in Real Time


2. Analytics - Pinpoint a Problem


3. Action tools - Solve a problem

Take the example of Skånemejerier. They used the SmartGlance solution for live updates of a newly installed filling line in order to follow OEE (Overall Equipment Efficiency) and production data in real time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all the time.

Real Time Reporting Solutions Using SmartGlance

Consider the potential of making business intelligence patterns at the centre of your operations. How much more effective could you be? Invensys' SmartGlance real time reporting solutions aid decision makers bu correctly analyzing company information, allowing them to  collaborate with office colleagues, spot the opportunities, identify the troubling issues and then deciding on ways to share issues using a real time reporting pattern.

SmartGlance Now Supports all Major Platforms!

With the release of a native SmartGlance App on the Apple, Android App Stores and Windows Marketplace, SmartGlance is now available on all platforms iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, Android and Windows Phone 7 and 8. Now, All employees within an organization, irrespective of the smartphone they use, can use SmartGlance to monitor their business from their phones.

Cloud for Industry Eye Opener Seminar: An Excellent Time Was Had By All

Microsoft has 9 data centers worldwide for Azure hosting

We just kicked off the first of 3 FREE Eye Opener Seminars on the Cloud for Industry: Proof Points.  A packed room heard Jason Short/Microsoft, Paul Shelton & Saadi Kermani/Invensys and Mike West/Saugatuck Technologies speak on the readiness of the cloud, the applicability to industrial automation, proof points of use, and products available today.

Invensys Purchases SmartGlance as Further Reinforcement of Mobile Strategy

United States of Wireless Infographic | Mobile Future http://mobilefuture.org/resources/united-states-of-wireless-infographic/

Mobile technology has become commonplace for the world, and certainly, from an industrial perspective, the pushback on using personally-owned mobile devices to view plant data has diminished, if not disappeared.  This is great from a user perspective, for as more vendors provide applications for mobile, the richer the user experience will become.

Just Released: Wonderware Mobile Reporting Connector for SmartGlance

Wonderware Mobile Reporting Connector for SmartGlance

Updated software improves ease of use and configuration

Wonderware is pleased to announce a new Mobile Reporting Connector for its popular smart device-enabled reporting application, SmartGlance.  New features include enhanced security, such as SSO (Single Sign On), enriched reporting, and an expanded feature set for better ease of use.

The entire press release can be found here: http://iom.invensys.com/EN/Pages/IOM_NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=558

IDC: Tablet shipments up 142% in Q1: What Does That Mean for Automation?

http://www.btobonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130503/WEB07/305039997/idc-tablet-shipments-up-142-in-q1&utm_source=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_content=editorial&utm_campaign=daily

 

We ran this ad a few months ago to demonstrate the adoption of mobile devices as a viewing agent on the plant floor.  Over the past year, the use for viewing, monitoring, and responding to tasks using mobile devices has surged.  The concern for BYOD (bringing your own device) in the plant has been replaced with an organized approach to procuring applications, from the business systems to the control systems, that can leverage the mobile platform.  Everything from databases to operations management applications are now running on mobile devices.

It's no surprise that the tablet would show greater growth--its ease of viewing and ability to present more information/data on the surface makes it a natural progression from the smaller form factor of the smart phone.  And since the majority of these devices are simply presentation layers, versus process control, the concern for remote access and security is diminished. 

We anticipate a continuing drive toward mobile devices for clients.  Invensys already has mobile support for Wonderware Intelligence, SimSci Esscor's EYESIM Immersive Virtual Reality training software; SmartGlance mobile reporting, Avantis Enterprise Asset Management, Wonderware Workflow...the list goes on.  It's in direct response to our customers that are looking for easier, more cost-effective ways of using our software. 

We'd like to hear from you--are you using innovative ways to integrate mobile technology into your plants?  Email me at maryanne.steidinger@invensys.com.

Repost: National Ground Water Association App Helps Homeowners Calculate Water Use

Mobile technology is now coming to the consumer for calculating water usage-- can the industrial user be far behind?  Click link below for story from the National Ground Water Association.

http://www.wateronline.com/doc/national-ground-water-association-app-helps-calculate-water-use-0001?sectionCode=News&templateCode=SponsorHeader&user=2397133&source=nl:36815

Repost: Mobile Usage Is Rocketing Search Efforts

Mobile Usage Is Rocketing Search Efforts

by Gavin O'Malley, Yesterday, 1:24 PM

Read more: http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/196826/mobile-usage-is-rocketing-search-efforts.html#ixzz2OwU04vED

Why is mobile device search usage important to the industrial automation industry?  Because it shows us a booming trend in the way users want to access information--and it shouldn't matter if that information is coming from a website, or from a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) or an industrial application such as Enterprise Manufacturing Intelligence or Human Machine Interface software. 

People are "joined at the hip" with their smart device.  Can you imagine driving somewhere, or even taking a walk, without your smart phone?  Unheard of.  In the world of industrial automation, it's getting to be the same.  Smart Devices are being fed by information coming from data historians, MES applications, workflow, and corporate energy management software.  It's allowing people to get the information they need, when they need it, to make more effective and timely decisions.

So you are now seeing a growing supply of vendors, large and small, who are providing either complete, or point solutions of mobile device-enabled reporting, visualization, and analytics.  Costs are coming down, to fulfill the single-user need for personalized information.  It's becoming part of the standard product offering, versus a strong differentiator.  For the end user, that's a really good thing.

Increase Customer Loyalty with Real time Reporting on Mobiles

With the coming of business intelligence in every aspect of enterprises, everything that is done these days seems to be associated with briskness and timely delivery. The real time decision making concept is showing significant shifts with this rapid adoption smartphones shown by businesses everywhere around the globe.

Till the recent times, the notion about obtaining real time reporting information has been referred to as the ability of delivering the web results quickly. This means that the information needs to be delivered immediately when it gets posted on the company website. This process is seen as mostly been anchored for use of computers which had internet connections. Information is then delivered briskly as compared to the speed of getting to the computer; however, this may not be as quick at all.

With changing times and technology, we are able to witness or really see what happens in real time. The ease offered for implementation of easy- for- use systems of mobile feedback also permits virtually any company to compile information which can then be used as real time reporting for making informed decisions for business. This then reflects significantly on the performance of the business as a whole.

The technology of real time reporting is seen rapidly being adopted by various business concerns for different uses. The ability of easily deploying the mobile information tools for collection and mobile reporting the results in the formats which are capable of being tailored according to the needs of the business is increasing.

When we consider an example for the hospitality sector; real time reporting helps in understanding the feedback of customers, and also the sentiments which present the real opportunities for the business in this domain. Use of the mobile approach provides opportunities in the most critical aspects for this sector. Real time reporting aids in fixing issues if any before they actually affect the clients, thus increasing loyalty.

Real Time Reporting on Mobile Enables Accurate Decision in Business Environments

Maybe it was half a decade back that we used to hear vendors of business intelligence trying to explain that everyone was not in a need for real time information and insights. They further stated that the actual need of people or businesses was the need of right data at the right time to right people. By this they stressed on the importance of real time reporting on mobiles for obtaining accurate decisions for business.

The subset of the information to some subset of utilizers which is delivered overnight will be the aspect which can solve many issues; and most importantly at reasonable costs. There is no business which will intend to deal with high cost and complex issues of revamping millions of dollars via online transaction systems and then converting these to the processing of online analytics. The vendors of business intelligence were of the view that these traditional approaches of bolting the data warehouse to the online transaction system environment for providing the users with all the reports, and also an occasional engine of online processing analytics for obtaining real time data was an economical and effective solution.

The ability of the sales people for performing while on field was sometime back a novel concept according to the leaders of businesses. These employees needed consistent support, and this is where the mobile BI solutions came handy. This aided the sales force to work outside of the traditional settings of the office environment and still stay connected to real time reporting for taking accurate decisions.

Real time reporting on mobile enables accurate decisions by the provision of comprehensive reports from various sources which are accessible with the use of tablets and smartphones. The remote employees get the privilege of taking informed decisions with the introduction of mobile BI solutions, thus facilitating work.

Mobile Business Solution – Enhanced Solutions for Better Business Performance

Mobile Business Solution refers to the allotment of business information and data to mobile devices such as tablet PC's and smartphones. Business intelligence or solutions signifies the computer-based technology and techniques used in checking, locating and analyzing business data, right from the sales revenue generated by the respective departments or/and products as well as calculating the associated incomes and costs.

Mobile business solution aren’t new, but rather an age-old concept. However it has shown a rapid growth and momentum only in the last few years. This transformation has been partially possible due to the change from the “landline phone” era to the latest "mobile and wireless world", where everything's going the “mobile way” today. The introduction of the smartphones and 3G broadband connectivity especially has paved the way for a new era in mobile computing. In fact, it has also lead to a new era even in the field of Mobile Solutions.

It has been observed that a majority of the companies all across the world are rapidly committing and moved to Mobile business solution, in the battle to move with the times. Moreover, even the large amount of external market pressure right from bringing an improvement in the employee and company's productivity, meeting the needs for excellence in business processes, quicker and improvised decision making; to offering better customer service have all lead to its further demand and growth.

Overall, it cannot be denied that mobile business solutions are the need of the day and here to stay for a long time to come. As a matter of fact, going by its current demand and growth in the global market, it cant be denied that its importance and significance in business management is only assumed to multi-fold in the coming years.

Mobile Reporting Software – Boost your Business Prospects

Successful are those businesses that have adopted faster means of communication in their operations. Exchanging data with team members in no seconds and reliable ways is necessary for the growth of business. The most cost-effective tools of communication are mobile phones. However, there are often issues like speed, reliability, and connectivity. When any of these issues pop up, it becomes difficult to know how things are going on, this is critical to be successful. Passing on the business matter to the team members is important regardless of how big or small it is. You can make mobiles independent by installing mobile reporting software.

The software is compatible with Smartphone and Tablets. It helps in keeping abreast with the business operations in real time. It is helpful for employees, and management on all levels. Executives can use the software in accessing business reports, making their sales strategy, and getting it confirmed by their managers. They can even share the progress of the field with production, logistics and other departments.

The mobile reporting software has become useful in keeping track of major and minor things. Now businesses have the right performance and improvement tools that can derive big results. Executives and managers are able to make effective decisions quickly with confidence and accuracy. The software helps in identify performance gaps, making adjustments faster and achieve progress in real time.

It is also the right source to get insights on how things are progressing. If nothing is working in the whole operation, you can quickly change your strategy. You can also know who is performing and who is not. You can gain a competitive edge over your rivals what other solutions could not provide you. By getting the mobile reporting software for your company, you are making an ideal investment that can enhance the performance of your business.

Real Time Reporting is Useful for Speeding Business Processes

They say every second counts in business. And how right are they because many things are at stake. It is not just the investment, but so many lives depended on it. One wrong decision or even a second of delay could cost dearly for the business. It is therefore, necessary to be posted on every aspect of the business no matter if you are within, or off the premises. Receiving updates are easy being at the desk. The problem is when you are moving out, or on a business trip. To tackle this common situation, adhering to real-time reporting system is very useful.

It is now a pass when corporate accountants had all the time at their end to assemble, analyze and pack the financial data for the executives. However, in the last few years business has changed rapidly. Innovations have occupied a key position in the business, and its pace has proven excessively ahead than the practices followed before. The old traditional methods of sending message have become outdated.

To match with the new scenes in the business, corporate entities are resorting to the real time reporting system. With this method, organizations are able to create a data warehouse that could be accessed in any part of the world, or download the information on their computer and mobile screen. The system is applicable not only for the financial data, but also for all kinds of data related to business such as logistics, maintenance, sales management, expense reporting, production, inventory and lots more.

Sharing data with the respective people right from the senior to the middle management even while on the move has improved a lot with the real-time reporting. Companies are now able to receive any size of financial data with greater speed and accuracy enabling them to achieve their targets.

Usage of Mobile Reporting Apps

The advent of different gadgets almost each day has made modern man become absolutely dependant on it, so much so that he finds life out of control without their presence in his life. It explains the reason behind manufacturers of gadget companies bringing out new devices with a new application than another, each day.

One such latest advent of gadgets is one wherein there is mobile business intelligence solution provided that transfers data or other information from major BI or business intelligence applications or systems. The latest iPad and iPhone have all the added advantages of data being transferred from such BI or business intelligence systems.

In fact, a few of the mobile reporting apps as INHOPE mobile, which is a tool for being engaged in reporting Child Sexual Abuse can easily be made use of by people for the same purpose. It contains information found on the internet dealing with child sexual abuse cases, and people can make use of that for reporting on child sexual abuse cases and how to report the same.

Besides, there are some other applications as well that can be made use of by citizens who find it comparatively easier for reporting about local issues and decrease call- centre workload with the aid of the public reporting applications.

Moreover, there is the SAP Citizen Connect mobile application wherein people from different communities as well as places can connect with each other through these applications. The best part of these mobile reporting applications is that many of them today can actually be downloaded for a cost free option. Especially with young people, the mobile reporting apps are a complete hit, who like to do everything through the internet. Hence next time, you coms across some crime or injustice that you feel needs to be reported, you know where to head to!

Pinto Prognostications 2013 | Automation World

Some interesting  predictions from industry notable Jim Pinto.  Certainly, Invensys' foray into smart device-enabled mobile solutions (such as SmartGlance), cloud computing (tiered Historian, mobile reporting, and cloud-enabled BPM) are tangible deliverables that reinforce Jim's position. Pinto Prognostications 2013 | Automation World

Mobile Dashboard solves many communication hassles

In literal terms a dashboard refers to a real-time UI or a page (mostly, single) that showcases a graphical representation of the present condition and serial trends observed in a company's KPI's . These graphs assist the concerned user in taking spontaneous yet accurate and logical decisions. However, please note that, dashboards are completely different from routine score-cards, even though both the options sound quite similar.

For instance, a dashboard of a production company may show detailed KPI's related to manufacturing right from the number of failed quality inspections to the number of concerned parts manufactured per hour. Similarly, a mobile dashboard shows KPI's related to the various functions related to the concerned mobile phone.

As, most of the mobile phones have a comparatively restricted viewing space, It is always recommended to have a mobile dashboard design that can easily cope up with most of the concerned limitations and drawbacks of the device, primarily the available screen-space. Moreover, a mobile phone also has certain limitations with respect to some of its in-built functions and apps like saving data and PDF files, downloading data, KPI ( Key Performance Indicators) pop-ups etc. Technically, the reason behind the same is the absence of a Java-Script in these phones, which is exactly where the mobile dashboard steals the shows as they make use of a Java-script language tool for all their important interactions.

A dashboard for a mobile phone can be designed by using any of the two methods noted below:-

1. A dashboard design restricted solely for mobile access or


2. A dashboard design for both, the Web browser as well as the mobile access.

Some of the major benefits of having an on-board mobile dashboard on the device include:-

• Saves your valuable time


• Helps to check, identify and, thus rectify negative trends


• Provides an access and better visibility to multiple systems instantly

Tablet users are big spenders compared to smartphone users: report

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/tablet-users-are-big-spenders-compared-to-smartphone-users-report

Work Tasks application from ArchestrA Workflow Software

This is an interesting report, not only because of the purchasing shift to tablets from smart phones, but the opportunity for the automation community to leverage this new format for reporting & analysis applications.

Mobile Reporting – quickest delivery of report

Exchange of information to a purposeful objective from one point to another in a structured detail through mobile technology is mobile reporting. Mobile report can be in any field of business, like marketing, operation, sales, production, media, administration, medical etc. Mobile report may have text data, web forms, photographs, videos, voices to communicate information to the intended audiences. Multimedia reporting gave a new dimensions to the report that we were ever known. Text, voices, videos and photos combined makes an multimedia report so effective that it can be complied, edited and sent through mobile on over 3G/GPRS/WiFi even SMS/UTMS channel from a remote location in a quickest mode. Mobile reporting is useful for business person to report statistics to management, field representative to send daily work report, remote distributors to send stock detail to supplier, media person to cover a media report and sent it to the broadcaster etc.



Many web services are available to share information from mobile device to the receiving system. This enable secure and safe transporting of mobile report from a remote location and preserve it from any damage until it reaches to final receiver. Mobile reporting is not only quickest and effective but it is easiest, convenient and lesser costly than the other reporting methods.

For a business enterprise, the key challenges like – getting information to focus on key customer concerns, tracking the action of remotely located workers, instant collection and comparison of performance of different work location, employee management etc, can be easily tackle by management using mobile business intelligence (MBI) and mobile reporting. It provides an immediate view of the situation (as report can be transmit anytime 24*7) and help to respond it in minimum time by alerting concern personals.

Apart from business, in the field of media and journalism mobile reporting has made it's impact. Reporting a breaking news or a cover story from a remote location has become easier and faster due to usage of mobile based multimedia report in media reporting. A media report can easily be record, video graphed, video called, emailed and send to the broadcaster. Live reporting is also possible today due to advantages of mobile technologies from remote to remote location. Even a common citizen can record the incident in mobile and report to to concern person with proof.

Many commercial and open source software applications are available to provide services of BI and reporting on your smartphone. Tools are available to present structured information on web and in the form of required data visualization. Even a live video can be send and receive using a mobile to visualize live reporting. Smart phones provide a package of different technologies in it's simplest form in your pocket that makes you advantageous at different levels.