aLine
Freight management application. We designed and developed an Android app.
About the project
Freight transport companies are engaged in the supply of construction aggregate cargo. Trucks arrive at the quarry, load granite and sand, and take them to construction sites.
Our application allows drivers to quickly enter delivery data, process invoices, and view total earnings. Customers can track the transportation of goods and charge drivers upon completion of the work.
Our application allows drivers to quickly enter delivery data, process invoices, and view total earnings. Customers can track the transportation of goods and charge drivers upon completion of the work.
Task
The customer already had an application to control and monitor routes, trucks, and drivers. However, it did not have all of the necessary functions and it only worked with an internet connection. Therefore, it was necessary to improve this system.
There’s no internet connection at the quarries where cars are loaded. Therefore, the new application must collect data offline, and after connecting to the Internet, send it over to the server.
Rustam Mukhamedyanov
Head of WINFOX
Decision
Drivers who transport this type of cargo are almost always at the wheel and cannot control receiving and sending data on invoices and requests. The application works on these tasks for them.
The main challenge was to ensure stable sending and receiving of data in the harsh conditions of quarries. These stations are often located far away from populated cities and in areas where cellular communication and internet signals are poorly picked up.
The synchronization task was also complicated by the fact that several drivers used the same smartphone. However, all applications, documents, and personal information should be available only within the selected account.
Since the release of Android 6.0, the operating system helps conserve battery power by disabling background application usage when the device is idle.
Due to this, it was more difficult for us to develop an application with background synchronization. Testing costs increased since synchronization had to be tested on different modes of device operation.
The main challenge was to ensure stable sending and receiving of data in the harsh conditions of quarries. These stations are often located far away from populated cities and in areas where cellular communication and internet signals are poorly picked up.
The synchronization task was also complicated by the fact that several drivers used the same smartphone. However, all applications, documents, and personal information should be available only within the selected account.
Since the release of Android 6.0, the operating system helps conserve battery power by disabling background application usage when the device is idle.
Due to this, it was more difficult for us to develop an application with background synchronization. Testing costs increased since synchronization had to be tested on different modes of device operation.
Despite all this, we managed to achieve fast and smooth synchronization. We used the capabilities of the operating system and protected ourselves with push notification mechanisms combined with the request for additional permissions in the system.
Alexander Khrushchev
WINFOX Technical Director
Application main screens
Main screen
The main screen displays data including the driver's earnings, product list, and fuel card. If an internet connection is available, the information is updated every 10 minutes.
Profile
In this section, the driver can view their current orders, invoices, and money transfers. They can also set up notifications, change their password, and switch to another account.
Application Features
Switch users
The smartphone where the application is installed will be used by different drivers. Therefore, we took into account the possibility of using a unique username and password to quickly switch between accounts.
Select a Car
After entering the application, the driver will need to indicate which truck he plans to use. Once he starts to type the name of the car, he can quickly select the desired model from the drop-down list.
View Orders
The driver can see what orders are currently in the system and pick which ones he wants to fulfill. For each order, the most important data is displayed, including: what needs to be transported, where, and how much it costs. When you click on the map at the top of the screen, a detailed route will open.
View and Delete Invoices
All invoices that the driver is currently working on and has worked on are visible on one screen. Once you open the invoice, you can change or delete it.
Invoice Processing
When the driver accepts the cargo, he is issued an invoice. He can enter this information into the system in a few seconds: just enter the document number and the volume of the cargo.
Application data can be synchronized with our customer's CRM system. So the managers who work in the office will know at which stage the order is at, how many tons of cargo the driver is carrying, and when the cargo will arrive at its destination.
Bohdan Melnik
WINFOX Project Manager
Work Offline
The driver does not need to constantly check if an internet connection is available. He can easily enter data into the application and, when the smartphone connects to the Internet, the data is automatically synchronized with the server.
Reminders
If the driver has an unfinished invoice, the application will remind him. By clicking on the pop-up window, he can quickly enter the missing data.
View Balance
The driver can easily find out how much he earned in a couple of clicks. In the "Transfers" section, the amount of money for completed orders is displayed. If the payment failed for any reason, the transfer amount is highlighted in red.
Result
The customer received a simple and convenient tool for tracking cargo and monitoring employees, that works without an internet connection. It also became more convenient for drivers to accept orders, create invoices, and build routes, while office managers can easily track deliveries and control payments.
In the future, the customer can easily refine the application, add new functions, and integrate the service into various accounting systems.
In the future, the customer can easily refine the application, add new functions, and integrate the service into various accounting systems.
We have already developed services for CRM systems designed for managers to work in the field. Therefore, we had experience in solving background synchronization problems for such systems, which helped to successfully implement this project as well.
Alexander Khrushchev
WINFOX Technical Director
Project
team
team
Project Manager
Bohdan Melnik
Developer
Nikolay Eskov
Technical Director
Alexander Khrushchev
UX / UI Designer
Alexander Klochko
Other works
Amber CRM
CRM-system for remote business management: design, development and testing of the Android application
