Compliance Minute – Waste Profiles
When looking for a GHG reporting program, there is one element that is typically overlooked. This short video gives us more insight.
Powerful EHS Reporting Tools – Formatted Excel Reports
When looking for a GHG reporting program, there is one element that is typically overlooked. This short video gives us more insight.
Software that Rapidly Reviews your Environmental Data
When looking for a GHG reporting program, there is one element that is typically overlooked. This short video gives us more insight.
Multi-site Database with EIM
When looking for a GHG reporting program, there is one element that is typically overlooked. This short video gives us more insight.
Tracking Safety Activities with your Smartphone
When looking for a GHG reporting program, there is one element that is typically overlooked. This short video gives us more insight.
Environmental Software that Listens to You
When looking for a GHG reporting program, there is one element that is typically overlooked. This short video gives us more insight.
Q&A with the Locus Support Team
The biggest differentiator between Locus and other EHS software providers is our support team. Not only do we pride ourselves on the quickest and most efficient resolutions in the industry, but on our human approach to support. Get to know our support team as we recently sat down (virtually) with them to talk about the ins and outs of their field, how it is working for Locus, and more.
What is your most common support case?
Our most common support case is user management related. Many times, our customers need assistance adding new users or updating their user lists. We receive a lot of requests for resetting passwords.
What is the most unique case you’ve seen?
Almost ten years ago, there was a bug within SQL itself! It was quite a mystery. We would venture to say that we have at least one unique case every week. No single case is the same! It certainly keeps us on our toes. We also had a case once where an organization was acquired by another organization. Due to this, we had to rename the users and organizations which ended up resulting in over 300 user changes which impacted historic records.
What is your average response time?
It is our policy to respond to all cases within two hours of receiving them (given that they come in between the hours of 5am and 3pm Pacific Time). If they come in outside of those hours, we respond within 2 hours of beginning our normal hours. We get many compliments on how speedy our response times are! It is the policy of the team for Tier 1 staff members to check new cases every thirty minutes or so. Critical issues typically receive almost immediate responses! Quick response times are one of our proudest achievements.
Can you name a case that made a great impact on the user?
We have had many cases where we have received numerous thank yous from the customer. There has been a time or two when a customer did a widespread data update without meaning to. Our quick response and ability to revert their changes was much appreciated. We have also been known to help our customers with some very interesting issues that require quite a bit of troubleshooting on our end. The Support Team is incredibly patient and willing to dive deep into questions that customer’s come to us with.
What is something people may not know about the support team?
The Locus Support Team consists of many individuals from a variety of backgrounds ranging from Environmental Engineering, Biology, Environmental Science, Environmental Health and Safety, Mathematics, Data Management, GIS, and much more! The Tier 1 team consists of three outstanding individuals who work across the Support Team, Engineering Team, and Configuration team. The Tier 2 team consists of a wide variety of developers, configurators, and specialists in the field. Together, the Locus Support team has over 75 years of combined experience in the Environmental field. We have a few folks on the team that have outward appearances outside of the norm ranging from long hair, piercings, tattoos, and even purple hair.
How has working more hours remotely affected your team?
Because our team is spread across the United States, with team members working out of the Asheville and Mountain View offices, as well as remote employees, we haven’t been impacted as much by the stay at home COVID-19 orders. Our team has always excelled at communication through email and other online chat services. The ability to talk through tools such as Teams and Skype, has given us the advantage edge during this pandemic. In addition, a large number of our Support Team are remote employees ranging across California, Tennessee, Indiana, Utah, and many other states.
What is your favorite part about working on the Locus support team?
The first answer that came to the team was that we are all a family! We are incredibly supportive and encouraging of one another and we have FUN while working! One of the fun things that we all have in common is our deep–rooted love for animals. One of our favorite pastimes is sharing pictures of our animals, as well as their silly antics! We also like to share about our parenting concerns, particularly during COVID-19 times! Locus is an amazing place to work, in part because of the educated, experienced and awesome personalities we have working as a WHOLE team, rather than just a support team. When asked, the number one response was the friendly and family-like atmosphere.
What certificates/degrees does the support team hold?
Master of Applied Science
- Environmental Policy and Management
- Environmental Engineering
- Biology
Associate’s
- Crisis, Emergency and Disaster Management
- Emergency Management
Bachelor of Science
- Environmental Science
- Environmental Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Physical Geography
- Mathematics
- Integrated Science and Technology
Certifications
- FEMA Certifications
- ISO 9001, 9000 and 14000 Internal and Lead Auditor Certification
- Accredited GHG Verififier
- 40-hr HazWoper
- Graduate certificate in GIS
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An EHS&S Look Into the Tech Used in the Iowa Caucuses
The Importance of User Implementation and Quality Assurance from an EHS&S Software Provider
After reading about the IowaReporterApp used during the 2020 Iowa caucuses, it struck me how remarkably similar it is in intended function to the EHS&S software developed by my employer, Locus Technologies. Both their application and Locus’ mobile technology collect large quantities of sensitive data from several remote users at multiple facilities, allowing for instant calculation and reporting. What surprised me though, is just how vastly different their user implementation and data management methodology was from what is standard operating procedure at Locus.
In this blog, I will highlight some of the pitfalls of the IowaReporterApp, and compare it to Locus’ EHS&S software. Note, this article is not a political critique, but is an examination of data collection and data quality methods used during the caucuses.
Implementation
Users were introduced to the IowaReporterApp just days before the caucuses and received no app-specific training. Many users were downloading the application on the night of the caucuses.
The Iowa caucuses have been held biennially for almost a half-century as the first major contest of the primaries. The date of the caucuses was a surprise to no one. As a result, app development deadlines should have given enough time for user implementation, through one-on-one training or presentations with appropriate support staff. If app deadlines were not met, there should have been a fallback to redundant reporting systems, like in the case of Nevada, who were also planning to use the app but have opted out after the debacle in Iowa.
When Locus introduces new users to our software, we take implementation seriously. Our customer support team is composed of domain experts who have actively built and used Locus software. We know the deadlines and the problems users typically face during the implementation process. From one-on-one and on-site training to quick turnaround, our support team does everything they can to ensure that users are comfortable with our product as soon as possible.
Untested Software/Quality Assurance
User implementation deadlines are all the more important given that the software had no real-world use to this point. While it is not advisable to go live with untested software, at the very least, having users stress test a product before field-use could have staved off a few issues.
This is something we see frequently with newer products and newer companies. Locus has over 20 years of experience creating EHS&S software used by U.S. government organizations and Fortune 500 companies. Our quality assurance team rigorously tests any update we bring to customers and doesn’t rush changes to sell a platform update, since every user is always on the same version of Locus software.
Data Redundancy
No one can question that Excel or Google Spreadsheets can perform math correctly, but what is frequently overlooked or not even considered, are the macros, custom functions, and calculations that are often added to spreadsheets when deployed for managing data and other tasks. If one fails, there need to be backups for reporting and storing data.
When the untested application predictably failed, users flocked to the phone lines as a redundancy. Manual data collection on such a scale created confusion and could not carry the load, and had no way of accounting for errors in data entry. At Locus, we understand the importance of EHS&S data, and maintain backups and full audit trails for all critical data, with quick restoration available so you can keep going if anything should happen.
Security
The IowaReporterApp was not released in time to get approval in Apple’s app store, and it was sent out through beta testing platforms which required suspension of smartphone security settings.
ProPublica, a nonprofit organization who produces public interest investigative journalism, did a report on the security of the IowaReporterApp after the Iowa Caucuses. Shockingly, they found security problems to be “elementary” and that the app was so insecure that vote totals, passwords, and other sensitive information could have been intercepted or changed. Luckily, there seems to be no evidence of hacking or tampering with results.
Locus understands the need for security with sensitive data, and hosts our entire infrastructure in the most secure and reliable cloud, Amazon Web Services. AWS has an unmatched portfolio of cloud services that Locus fully utilizes to the benefit of their customers.
Summary
Overall, I think that the mishaps related to the IowaReporterApp show just how easy it is for a data collection and management application to fail if not properly implemented and ran by those with years of practical expertise. Subverted data quality will always be extremely costly to your organization, both financially and otherwise, and should be avoided unequivocally.
Locus Technologies was founded in 1997. Locus’ environmental data management software currently handles over a half billion sensitive records taken from over one million unique locations and is used hundreds of organizations including the government agencies and Fortune 500 companies. Aaron Edwards received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UNC Asheville and is Marketing Associate for Locus Technologies. He is an active voter, and is unaffiliated with any political party.
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Top 10 cool features in Locus Mobile
Maybe you’re already using Locus’ iOS app for field data collection, or maybe you’re just curious about how it integrates with Locus’ cloud software. Either way, we’ve put together a list of the ten coolest features of Locus Mobile.
1. Locus Mobile works with both EIM and Locus Platform applications
The full-featured version of the Locus Mobile iOS application works for either Locus EIM or Locus Platform. This means that customers using both our key products can manage their work in a single, unified mobile application.
2. Get temporary coordinates for new sampling locations using the mobile device’s GPS
Locations can be added to EIM without coordinates (Latitude/Longitude or Northing/Easting). If a location without coordinates is used in a Provision File, the location will have a 
symbol associated with it (a 
symbol if coordinates are known). When a location with a triangle is selected, the user is prompted with the option to ‘Set Location’ – capture the current coordinates (Lat/Long) of where the user is located. When the provision file is loaded to EIM, the data manager will have the option to update the location in EIM with these coordinates. The accuracy of these mobile captured coordinates are below survey grade, but can be updated another time.
3. In EIM, more than one user can be assigned to a provision file– the data synced (uploaded) to EIM is separated based on the user that collected the data
If you’re not sure who will be sampling on a given day, you can assign multiple users to your provision files. Later, you can easily see who is responsible for certain sample collection data.
4. Locus Platform’s custom data type icons are displayed in Locus Mobile
Has your Locus Platform been customized to use specific icons and colors? These icons are also used in Locus Mobile, so if you use both Locus Platform and the mobile app, you’ll instantly recognize your data types while out in the field.
5. Check your sampling progress at any time during the sampling event, without having to search through your locations to see what locations you sampled and when
Although you can see the status on your map and location list, sometimes those lists are very long, and the map gets crowded when large field events are taking place. Tap the 
icon to see a log of the collected samples for the day.
6. You can set valid field data ranges with warnings or validation stops to help ensure you have not entered bad data
For EIM Locus Mobile users, when you’re collecting a lot of field data, the “fat finger” problem can make for some colorful data entry errors. That’s why we built in the ability to specify valid data ranges for any parameter— and provide a warning when you’re about to enter a bad value during field data collection.
7. Locus Mobile works offline
We know that not every field location is served by wireless or a strong cell signal, so Locus Mobile is built to keep working whether you’re online or offline. This gives you the flexibility to collect field data from anywhere, then sync back to Locus EIM or Locus Platform when you can.
8. You can configure default fields in Locus Mobile that will track with the dataset, but won’t show up in the field forms— making your forms less cluttered but still capturing all the information you need
Choose which required fields you want to be visible in Locus Mobile. You also have the option to include your optional field information without displaying them. This gives you control over which fields you see while in the field.
9. Search and filter for locations in a provision file
Dealing with a long list of locations? The search field above the location list lets you start typing the Location ID or Location Description to filter the list. Even better, the extent of the map will adjust to zoom to the matching selections!
10. Switch locations quickly with the QR code scanner
Locus Mobile can access your device’s camera and scan QR codes for quick and efficient retrieval of individual locations included in a given provision file.
Our product teams are constantly working to improve and add new functionality to Locus Mobile. If you’re a current user, please let your Locus Account Manager know if you have any ideas for how we can make your field data collection workflows faster and easier. If you’re not using Locus Mobile yet, please ask them for a free demo!
Top 10 cool features in Locus Platform (that you probably didn’t know about)
1. Create a custom view of any data with the click of a mouse
Users can create their own views to filter their data the way they need to without impacting others. Just click on “Settings” on the main app screen to create custom views for yourself or your team.
Pick which columns to display and how to filter or order the data. This is an easy way to see all the records that you need to address and filter out other users’ records, or look at records from a certain date or location.
2. Quick exports from the application view screens
Export your view data to Excel to share with colleagues who may not have access to the system, or if you or someone else might need to review or analyze the data offline.
3. Easy edit tracking
Track user edits to any record based on a workflow process in the transaction log. Users can see which person edited the workflow of a record or made updates, and exactly what they edited. Now you won’t ever need to ask “who made that change?!”
4. Bookmark anything in Locus Platform
You can bookmark any page in the system— an app, a dashboard, etc. Now when you log in, you go directly to the app you want without needing to navigate.
5. Search really works across all applications
The Applications > Search Records function works across all applications. For example, you can do a single search for any records added within the past week, and you can see incidents, tasks, permits, waste containers, etc.
6. Use intelligently auto-named records to make searching and reporting very easy
Ask your configurator to auto-name records. This makes it incredibly easy to find records in search and saves the time of creating record names. You can use any of the fields in the entity to create a unique, yet meaningful auto-name without any additional work on your part.
Then, if you want to search for “all equipment purchased in 2016”, for example, it’s very easy to grab the data and download a report.
7. You really don’t need Locus to create special apps for you— you can do it yourself!
Yes, it’s true— you can build your own apps if you have access to the Configuration Workbench tools in Locus Platform.
Locus provides tools, documentation and training to let you access the Workbench, make dashboards, create entire custom apps, build forms and rules, and make edits to existing apps. It takes a bit of learning, but for those that like to dabble in software configuration, it’s a great set of tools to build exactly what you want at your own pace and schedule.
8. Any form in any application can be mobile-enabled
That’s right— any form can be mobile-enabled. So all your custom or off-the-shelf forms can be instantly sent to your mobile device for mobile data collection, then sent back directly to the Locus Platform with the push of a “sync” button.
9. Integration with other databases is built-in
When Locus built the Platform, we included into the base product a quick and easy way to link to other data systems (either ours or someone else’s). This means we can hook into your SAP system with our incident data, or we can grab regulatory updates from other service providers.
10. Get notifications when scheduled reports are automatically generated
You can schedule reports and get notified with a report link once the report is run, so it’s easy to keep up to date on your information without manually running reports every time. You can send reports to yourself or to groups of users, which makes keeping your team up to date a simple as a one-time setup.
