Camera & Field Capture
Mobile App Feature
The Camera screen in the mobile app is the primary way field technicians document their work. Photos and videos are automatically tagged, sorted, and routed to the correct project — no manual filing required.
Camera Screen
The camera screen has three elements visible while in capture mode:
- GPS context bar (top) — Shows the current project name based on GPS location: "On Site: 445 Maple Street — Roof Repair"
- Mode selector — Swipe to choose capture mode: Before / Progress / After / Receipt / Video
- Auto-attach label — Confirms which project this capture will be attached to
Capture Modes
| Mode | Description | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Before | Pre-work condition documentation | Roof condition before tear-off, leak location, existing damage |
| Progress | Work-in-progress documentation | Sheathing installed, flashing complete, mid-project state |
| After | Completion documentation | Finished work, clean site, final product |
| Receipt | Material or expense receipt capture | Any job-related purchase — OCR extracts vendor, amount, line items |
| Video | Field video with audio | Walkthroughs, scope documentation, issue documentation |
Auto-Tagging
Every captured photo is automatically tagged using five methods:
GPS Matching (300 ft radius)
The system checks the GPS coordinates at capture time against all active project addresses. If the photo was taken within 300 feet of a project address, it is automatically assigned to that project.
EXIF Fallback
If GPS matching fails or has low confidence, the photo's EXIF metadata (including embedded GPS) is used as a secondary source to determine location.
Time-of-Day Matching
If a tech is scheduled at a specific project during the time the photo was taken, that schedule entry boosts the confidence of the GPS match.
Manual Override
The tech can always tap the project name in the context bar to override the auto-assignment. A short list of their currently active projects is shown — one tap reassigns.
Before/After Sequencing
When photos are captured using the Before mode and then After mode on the same project, the system automatically pairs them. Before/after comparisons are viewable side-by-side in the project record and in the customer portal.
Key principle: The camera captures the work. The system figures out where it belongs.
Receipt Capture Flow
5-step process from photo to expense entry:
- Tech switches to Receipt mode and photographs the receipt
- OCR extracts: vendor name, date, total amount, line items
- GPS at capture time is checked against active projects — nearest match is suggested
- Tech sees confirmation: "$142.50 at Home Depot → 123 Oak Street" — tap Confirm or pick a different project
- Expense is logged to the project cost breakdown; receipt image stored as supporting documentation
Video and AI Video Pipeline
Videos captured in the field feed into the AI Video Pipeline:
- Video audio is transcribed automatically
- Tasks and issues mentioned are extracted and added to the project timeline
- Field walkthroughs are assembled into marketing videos at project completion
- See: Video Pipeline documentation for the full flow
Photo Storage & Visibility
| Capture Mode | Visible to Customer (Portal) | Visible to Team | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before | ✓ | ✓ | Shared with customer by default |
| Progress | ✓ | ✓ | Shared with customer by default |
| After | ✓ | ✓ | Shared with customer by default |
| Receipt | ✗ | ✓ (Owner + Bookkeeper) | Always private — financial document |
| Internal Note Photo | ✗ | ✓ | Team-only documentation |
What This Replaces
| Old Behavior | With Field Capture |
|---|---|
| Texting photos to the office | Photos go directly to the project record — no forwarding needed |
| Paper receipts handed in at end of week | Receipt photos logged in real time with auto-extracted data |
| Verbal project updates | AI transcribes field video — notes are written automatically |
| Separate photo storage (Google Drive, Dropbox) | All photos live in the CRM, attached to the correct project |