The functionality listed below for UtiliSphere Full Web and Mobile Web will be deployed to production on 3/23/2018. The functionality listed below for UtiliSphere Native (iOS and Android) and UtiliSphere Desktop (for Windows) will be deployed after the 3/23/2018 release date.

Please contact your Customer Success Representative for more details.

New Modules

Internal Operator Qualifications

In an effort to ensure your users have the proper qualifications, Irth Solutions has added the ability for customers to enforce operator qualifications for internal UtiliSphere users. Irth has added a new section under the System Management (gear icon) named “Operator Qualifications”. In this section, Administrators have the ability to add new qualifications. After a qualification is added, the Administrator can configure the qualification that is necessary for locate tickets, field meets, QC audits, aerial patrols, vegetation clearing and any other types of activities used in UtiliSphere:

The qualifications can be added to each user along with the expiration date:

Users will receive reminders for when their qualifications are expiring. After a qualification expires, the user will not be able to perform certain actions on the ticket and other work items.

To obtain the Internal Operator Qualifications module please contact your Customer Success Representative.

External Operator Qualifications

For better tracking of qualifications for employees and contractors, irth Solutions has added the ability for clients to capture and track Operator Qualifications for non-UtiliSphere users by adding an External Operator Qualifications module. Administrators can now configure qualifications with expiration dates for each individual employee and contractors. UtiliSphere users can then generate ID cards with photos and QR Codes. When the QR Code is scanned, UtiliSphere will open a page with information about the employee or contractor and will show their qualifications. Also, automated notifications are available when an Operator’s Qualification is expiring.

For more information about the External Operator Qualifications module please contact your Customer Success Representative.

Calibration

To ensure your field techs are using the right equipment, Irth Solutions has added the ability to capture the equipment being used by a user and to record the equipment in the audit of the ticket or work item. Irth Solutions has added a new Calibration Menu under the System Management (gear icon). Administrators have the ability to configure the types of items (i.e. Ticket, Field Meets, Seismic Testing, etc.) that can be used for calibration. The types of equipment are added and configured along with the Calibration details:

After the Calibration is configured for each item, the Administrator can choose how the group will be required to calibrate their equipment:

After choosing this option, a new “Register Equipment” sub menu displays under the User Icon in the upper right corner. Users have the option to scan the barcode of the equipment to ensure the equipment is active and can be used for the job:

The prompts can also be configured by the Administrator to require the user to select the equipment they are using for every ticket and/or work item. If the equipment is not active, the user will only be able to view the ticket or work item. If the equipment is valid, it will be recorded in the audit of each item when the user performs certain actions.

For more information about the Calibration module please contact your Customer Success Representative.

Changes to System Management

Import Data from Spreadsheets to Create Work Items

Many customers capture important data in spreadsheets. Irth Solutions has made it easier to import data into UtiliSphere by building a new way to import data for items like Field Meets, Patrols, Inspections, etc. irth has added a new sub menu under the System Management (gear icon) called “Upload Work Items”. An Administration can now click on the “Upload Work Items” button to import data into UtiliSphere for further actions and analytics:

For more information about the Upload Work Items module please contact your Customer Success Representative.

Changes to UtiliSphere Full Web Summary Screens

Filter in Screener Mode

To make finding items that a screener just worked on easier, Irth Solutions has added the ability for users in screener mode to access filters. Screener mode removes the ticket summary screen and displays ticket details. The user does not have the ability to move away from the ticket until they take an action on the current ticket. The addition of the filter in Screener Mode helps the users to find tickets they have previously worked on and/or received calls about.

Global Search for Items with a Common Field Name

Irth Solutions has optimized searching across multiple forms by adding the ability for users to do a global search for work items that have the same field name. This new global search displays in the Advanced Search under the Work Menu. Users will now see fields and the forms they are on in the Advanced Search screen. This will make it easier to pick fields to search by. When a field is selected that is the same on multiple forms, all items that match the search criteria will be displayed.

Changes to Form Designer

Copying Fields in Form Rules

To provide more capabilities for automation while in a form, Irth Solutions has added the ability for Administrators to create Form Rules that automatically copy the value from one field and populate it on another field. Irth has added a new value under the drop down in the “Then” section of the Form Rules. The new value is Copy. When Copy is selected, the Administrator can choose the field the data will be copied from and the field the data will be copied to.

Hide Fields

For fields that are necessary to store data but do not need to be seen by the user, Irth Solutions has added the ability for Administrators to hide fields on a form. When adding or modifying a field in the Form Designer, Administrators will see a new option called “Hidden”. When enabled, the field will be hidden from the users but will still retain data. This is valuable for calculations and to carry over data from one form to the next that the users do not want to see when editing.

Mapping in Public URL

Irth Solutions has added the ability for Administrators to enable the map as well as choose Map Layers that will be displayed in the Public URL when a third party accesses an item. A new option has been added to the Share tab under Settings while in the Form Designer. The new option is “Enable Map”.

When this is turned on, Administrators can choose the layers that will be displayed on the item in the Public URL.

Delete Attachments for Items

Irth Solutions has added the ability for users to Delete attachments from work items. The Administrator can configure this functionality on the Actions tab under Settings in the Form Designer. The Administrator can also configure the type of delete. If Soft Delete is selected, the attachment will be deleted from the item but will be retained in the audit of the item. If Soft Delete is not selected, then the attachment will be permanently deleted.

Once configured, the users will be able to delete attachments:

Barcode Field Type

In an effort to provide clients with the ability to capture more data in different ways, irth has added the ability for Administrators to add barcodes to forms in the Form Designer. When a barcode has been added to a form, the user can open a camera to scan the barcode and insert the data. The user can also manually type in the barcode. When the item is saved, UtiliSphere will automatically generate a barcode if it was manually added.

Barcodes can be added to any form for additional data collection, printed off and attached to equipment, and used with the new “Calibration” module.

Data Retention for Work Items

Each customer has unique policies around how long data should be stored. For this reason, Irth Solutions added the ability to configure Data Retention policies to match each customers policy. Irth Solutions can configure the data retention policy for work items using the following criteria:

Type of Work Item

# of Days

Based on Created Date or Last Update Date

Purge only closed work items

After irth has configured the retention policy, when a work item meets the criteria, it will be purged from the database along with all of its attachments. Configuring the retention policy ensures each customer has the capability to meet the statute of limitation based on their internal compliance procedures.

For more information about the Data Retention configuration please contact your Customer Success Representative.

Changes to Process Designer

Copy Process Designer Rules

To make it faster to create new rules, Irth Solutions has added the ability for Administrators to copy Process Designer rules. This new Copy action can be accessed under the ellipse (…) when accessing a rule. When the Administrator selects the Copy action, all of the criteria from the prior rule will be copied to the new rule. This provides Administrators the ability to quickly setup new rules based on existing rules.

Changes to Mobile Web

External Links for Tickets on Mobile Web

irth has added the ability for Administrators to configure the External Links that get displayed on the Ticket Action in Mobile Web. When accessing the External Links under the System Management (gear icon), the administrators will see a new option: Available on Mobile

When this option is selected, the External Link will display under the Ticket Action in Mobile Web.

Changes to Ticket Management

Send Link to Attachments with Positive Response Email to Excavators

In an effort to provide Excavators with more information to reduce damages, Irth Solutions has added the ability for Administrators to configure attachments for tickets and other work items that get sent to the Excavator during Positive Response. A new configuration option has been added to the Excavator Positive Response sub menu under the System Management (gear icon) called Attachment Configuration.

Administrators have the ability to select the Tickets and/or Work Items that will be sent with the Positive Response email to the Excavator. If Tickets is selected, all of the attachments on the tickets will be sent. If any work items are selected, the PDF of the Work Item and all of the attachment for the Work Item will be sent via the email. The email will include a link. When the link is clicked on by the excavator all of the attachments can be downloaded.

For more information about sending attachments via Positive Response please contact your Customer Success Representative.

Positive Response via Text Message

For faster communications with the Excavator, Irth Solutions now supports sending Positive Response via text message from UtiliSphere. irth has added a new option to the Excavator Positive Response Setting under the System Management (gear icon). The new option provides the administrator with the ability to turn on the SMS for Positive Response. The Administrator can then access the Response sub menu and configure the SMS message for each response.

When a ticket is received for a configured excavator, and the Positive Response is completed, it will be sent via a text message (SMS protocol).

For more information about the sending attachments via Text for Positive Response please contact your Customer Success Representative.

New Update Ticket Action

Irth is making it easier to automate actions that come in for ticket updates. Irth Solutions has added the ability for users to choose Assignees and Folders for Update tickets. A new action has been added to tickets called: Set Action for Future Ticket Updates

When this action is selected, UtiliSphere will automatically assign tickets or put tickets into a Folder for the selected user/folder when all future updates are received for a ticket.

For more information about this new action please contact your Customer Success Representative.

Split Tickets for Facility Types based on Map Data

Irth Solutions has changed UtiliSphere to make it easier for customers to split tickets based on different Facility Types. The first feature that irth has added is the ability to split tickets for facility types based on the Facility Location. Administrators can configure and link a Facility Location to a Facility Type. When linked together and the bounding box of a ticket intersects with the facility location, the corresponding tickets will be created for that facility type. As an example, if a customer has the following three facilities, Gas, Fiber, Electric, and if the digsite of a ticket only intersects with the Gas and Fiber facilities, the ticket will only be split into one Gas Ticket and one Fiber Ticket.

Irth Solutions has also added the ability for users to manually split tickets. A new action has been added to the Ticket Details screen. When the user selects the new action, the ticket will be split by the Facility Type the user selected. As an example, the user can choose to manually split the ticket by creating an Electric facility type ticket.

For more information about splitting tickets based on Facility Location please contact your Customer Success Representative.

Changes to Integration API

New Web Methods

Irth Solutions has made it easier for customers to integrate with user and group data in UtiliSphere. Irth has added the following new web methods to the Integration API:

QueryUsers

QueryGroups

CreateUser

ModifyUser

Changes to Message Templates

QR Codes

For quickly scanning and finding items, Irth Solutions has added the ability for Administrators to configure QR codes in the Message Templates.

When the QR code is added and an email or PDF is generated, the QR code will display. When the QR code is scanned, the user will be taken to a link in UtiliSphere for the specific item that the message was generated for.

For more information about the QR Code capabilities in the Message Templates please contact your Customer Success Representative.

Update Link

To allow third parties to update items easier, Irth Solutions has added the ability for the Administrator to configure a “Link to Update an Item” on a Message Template.

When this is added to a Message Template and an email is generated, a link will be included in the email. When clicked on, the link will open up a page without a login for a third party to update an existing work item.

Insert Images

Irth Solutions has added the ability for Administrators to insert images into Message Templates.

When the message template is generated the image will display.

Choosing Paper Size and Orientation

Irth has enhanced the Message Templates to allow users to print anything from legal documents down to identification cards. Administrators can now choose both the paper size and the orientation when creating a Message Template for work items.

For more information about choosing the paper size please contact your Customer Success Representative.

Changes to Mapping

Map Layers in Native and Desktop

Irth has enhanced the mapping in UtiliSphere Native (iOS and Android) and UtiliSphere Desktop (Windows). Irth Solutions has added the same layers in UtiliSphere Full Web and Mobile Web to Native and Desktop. Now both Native and Desktop will display the following information in the map layers picker:

ESRI Streets

ESRI Satellite

ESRI Hybrid

Responsibility Areas

Facility Locations

Digsite or Item Location

Custom Map Layers

ESRI Rest API Layers

This will provide users with consistent maps across all of the UtiliSphere platforms when connected to the internet.

Tools

Changes to Help Menu

Irth Solutions has added two new tools in order to provide our customers with world class support and to provide our customers with the ability to help shape the direction of UtiliSphere. Irth Solutions has modified the Help menu in UtiliSphere. irth has added a link to the new Support Portal and to the new Feedback Forum. The new feedback forum provides users with the ability to add new product ideas which will help us to determine the most important changes to the production based on you and your peers’ suggestions. The new support portal will provide you with a direct link to connect with support as well as additional tools to learn the product.

Map Definitions

Deleting Old Versions of Facility Locations and Responsibility Areas

In an effort to improve the performance of mapping, Irth Solutions will be deleting old Responsibility Areas and Facility Locations from Map Definitions. Only non-active versions older than 180 days will be deleted. This will help to clean up the amount of unused items and will improve the performance of mapping in UtiliSphere.