Keep track of changes with full version history
In addition to yesterday’s announced data management improvements with the launch of full-text data searching and filtering of content, we’ve also included another powerful capability for managing field service work: data versioning.
For every record created, updated, or modified anywhere in your Fulcrum account, we maintain a full version history of all changes. Over time as your data is updated in the field by staff members, all past history of the data is kept in the database, and viewable right inside Fulcrum’s web management tool.
Every time someone in your organization makes a change to a record, even something as small as a single picklist item, project setting, or status, we version the entire record, tracking what has changed. On any record in your account, you can now pull up the record view (by either clicking a point on the map, or double-clicking a table row) and pick on the “History” button to display a full audit trail of all changes made to that particular piece of data, temporally. The history view can also be access from the table view by clicking the plus symbol on the left side of a row.
Full versioning of data makes verification and QA much simpler, exposing errors in data surveyed in the field, and allows administrators to find and correct data that’s either missing or incorrectly entered.
Check out at the very bottom of this blog to see the video to see the history and version capabilities in action.
Some background of why versioning is important – critical, even – for field inspection applications
In a field inspection application, inspectors often update or modify records multiple times during initial or follow-up inspections. Without a versioning system, tracking these changes becomes difficult, increasing the risk of data inconsistencies, errors, or lost information. Maintaining accurate records is crucial for ensuring inspections remain reliable and useful for future reference or reporting.
Versioning solves this issue by creating a structured system for tracking all changes made to inspection records over time. Each time an inspector updates a record, the system generates a new version with a timestamp and identifying metadata. This metadata logs when the change occurred and who made it, ensuring full accountability throughout the inspection process.
By implementing versioning, field inspection applications maintain accurate records while preserving data integrity for all inspections performed. This system is especially valuable for inspections supporting legal or regulatory requirements, where trustworthy data is essential. Versioning ensures collected information remains verifiable, reducing disputes and increasing confidence in inspection findings.
Overall, versioning plays a critical role in maintaining the accuracy and integrity of data gathered during field inspections. By systematically tracking changes, it guarantees that inspection records stay reliable, consistent, and suitable for analysis and decision-making.
Versioning and the record history viewer are available today for all plans as well as trial users. Start your trial today to kick the tires on Fulcrum, and see how these data management tools can help your organization streamline your field collection processes, saving time, money, and effort.