How to use Dispatch

Dispatch allows you to pre-populate GoCanvas apps and then assign them to any users in your account. This is a great way to assign jobs to your mobile workers so they know:

• where to go
• who to talk to when they get there
• what needs to be done.  

Jobs can be dispatched via our website or in bulk by uploading a CSV file. You can also use Webservices to push dispatches automatically to GoCanvas from your own system.

Dispatch is only available on Android, Apple (iPhone/iPad), and the Windows desktop client.

Enable Dispatch

To get started, you need to enable it on your apps.

1. Go to your Apps page.
2. Click on the name of the App you want to activate Dispatch on.
3. Under Settings, find Dispatch and click the Settings button:
   
   
   
   
4. Check the box and push Save to enable Dispatch.

Now you can use Dispatch for this app. Note: You need to have more than one user assigned to an App for Dispatch to be configured. 

How to Dispatch individual jobs 

1. Click Workflow & Dispatch under Home.
2. Now you are in the Dispatch Manager page. Click the Create Dispatch button.
   
   
   
   
3. Choose the app you wish to create a dispatch for.
4. Fill out these fields before sending:
• Select App - While already chosen, you can change it now if you like.  
• Dispatch Name - This will be displayed on the Dispatch Calendar and in the calendar invitation sent to the person assigned to the dispatch.
• Item Description - Additional information about the Dispatch. It will show up on the Dispatch Manager screen and on the user's mobile device. 
• Assign Item to - This is the user that you are assigning this dispatch to. If you need help adding users to GoCanvas, please read our help topic.
  
  
  
  
5. If you want the Dispatch work to be done in the future, you can schedule it by deselecting the "Immediate Dispatch" checkbox. 
   
   
   
   
6. After you've entered the Dispatch information, you can pre-populate fields in the app so that when the user opens it up on their mobile device, information will already be there. You'll see the available fields from your app. You must populate one field, but can fill in as many as you'd like. 
7. Hit Save at the bottom when finished.

Return to the Workflow & Dispatch page see the Dispatch you created.

You have now assigned a dispatch out to your mobile worker.

How to create Dispatches in bulk

Here's how to create multiple Dispatches at the same time.

1. Go to the Workflow & Dispatch page
2. Click on Download in the Sample Dispatch File area next to the App you want to create Dispsatches for. GoCanvas will create a CSV file for you that contains the fields (as columns) you need to assign dispatches in bulk.
   
   
   
   
3. A CSV file will be downloaded to your computer. Open it in Excel. The first three columns represent the three fields you must complete in order to assign a dispatch to a user. 
   
   
• App Name - This will auto-populate the app name in the second row based on the sample you downloaded. Drag that value down to populate more rows.  
  Note: You can dispatch to multiple apps in a single file. Make sure your app name is accurate.
• Description - This is the name of the dispatch that will show up in the Dispatch Manager and on the user's mobile device. They appear alphabetically on the mobile device. 
• User email - This is the email address of the mobile worker you want to assign the dispatch to. The email MUST match the email the user used when creating their GoCanvas account (it is also their username).
  Note: You must add users to your account if you intend to assign dispatches to your mobile workers. 
  Here's an example of a Dispatch file: 
  
  
  
  
4. Save the file. It must be a CSV.
5. Return to the Workflow & Dispatch page. Click Upload in the Upload Dispatches area. 
   
   
   
   
6. Push Choose File and select the file from your hard drive.
7. Push Save button to upload. 

That's it! Your dispatches will then appear on the Workflow & Dispatch screen and on the Dispatch Calendar.

Dispatch on the Mobile Device

Once you have created dispatches and assigned them to users, the information is available on their mobile device. 

1. The user will need to Synchronize their device to receive the dispatch. The message below will appear when a dispatch (or multiple dispatches) is received by the mobile user. You will also see a round black icon next to the app.
   
   
2. Click on the app with the dispatch assigned and see a list of dispatches available to the remote user. The dispatches will be named by Item Description. Dispatches will show up on this list alphabetically. The user simply clicks on the dispatch to see the pre-populated data. Dispatch details can be viewed as far as 7 days out from the scheduled dispatch time, but can only be filled out the day of. 
   

   Note: at the top of the screen the user can select New if they need to fill out this app for another job not related to the dispatch.

3. You can also view any current or upcoming dispatches from the Tasks screen. Click the Tasks banner at the top of the Apps page to view all available tasks:

   

   Note: Selecting a dispatch that is taking place on a day that's up to 7 days away will allow the user to see fields that have been filled out by the dispatcher in advance, but will not become a Submission that's ready to fill out until the day it was scheduled for. (The ability to view future dispatches is currently available on a by-request basis. Contact our Support team if you are interested in enabling it.)

   Viewing a future dispatch presents static information like this:
   
   

4. If the user opens a dispatch assigned for that day, they will hit Next to fill out the app like usual
   
   

Tracking the Dispatch & Viewing your Data

The status of your Dispatch will change in the Dispatch Manager as the user fills out the App. This allows admins to see where your mobile worker is in the process of completing this job. 

Below are the different statuses you may see.

Dispatch Received - When your user downloads the dispatch to their device.

Dispatch Completed - When the dispatch is complete. Next to it, there is a blue icon that will link you to the Submissions area  to view the data from your mobile user.

View Submission - This link takes you into the submission that you dispatched. You can view the data on screen or you can push PDF to generate the same PDF that is emailed when you email submissions.