It is program or suits of computer program used in gathering
and storage of data using electronic device.
Offline Data Capturing
The following are top data collection software. Some of them
are Mobile apps that work offline, while some are web or cloud based data
capturing software.
1 Magpi
Magpi is a mobile app that can be used to create mobile forms for data collection. It used data capturing for agricultural research. It can also be used for health, environmental and industry sectors surveys. Some of its functions include mobile survey, photo and GPS stamping. Magpi is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. It is easy to use, starting from downloading app to setting up of account, create in a form, you can start collecting data straightaway.
2 Open Data Kit
ODK Collect is an open-source software app for collection,
management data in a resource-constrained environment. It is a replacement to
paper form for field data collection. With ODK you can collect data both while
with internet connection and offline, and the data collected while offline
updates automatically once connected to the internet. It is an easy-to-you
open-source tool that allows multiple types of data types (text, numerals,
pictures, videos, audio, geo-location, and barcodes).
Open Data Kit supports multiple languages for easy and wide
usage. It has mobile, destop and server devices versions, and allows for
customasation to suit survey needs. The Javascript customization allows for a
very flexible suite with further features longitudinal data entry,
bi-directional synchronization, and data management.
Program support: Android, Desktop, Web
Features: Study builder, offline forms, community
Price: Free, Open-source
3 TeamScope
Teamscope is a secure, easy-to use offline data collection
software, designed for sensitive data, especially clinical research. It has
both Android and iOs survey app that functions offline, allowing researchers to
create powerful mobile forms to collect data offline.
To make sure data are well secured, passcode are required to
unlock the app and data are stored encrypted on the devices. All sessions
opened sessions of the app time out after 30 seconds of inactivity or once the
app is closed, and the users will have to unlock the app or the session by
reentering their Teamscope passcode.
Teamscope case management feature can be used when carrying
out longitudinal research. The functionality of the case management feature
allows the users to create cases forindividual subjects, share them with other
users in their project, and upload data for their cases in multiple times.
Program support: Android, iSO and Web
Features: Cross-platform (iPad, iPhone and Android(, mobile
surveys, Study builder, case management, data visualisation
Price: Starting from 169Euro per months when paying yearly.
Has 7 days free trial
Does not have free version
Responsive customer support.
4 KoboToolbox
Developed by Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, KoBoCollect is
a free, open-source software for mobile data collection. KoBoToolbox works both
on the web browser as well as offline. The KoBoToolbox Android app known as
KoboCollect supports data entry on Android phones and tablets offline. The
KoboCollect can be downloaded from apps store. While the KOBoToolbox software
can be intall on computer server with two servers that allow free useage. You
can use KoBoToolbox web app forcollecton, visualization, analysis, sharing and
download of your research data, or install the KoboToolbox instance on your
local PC or server. Download at https://support.kobotoolbox.org/server.html
KobBoToolbox is a tool adopted by most humanitarian
organisations sich as United Nations Childrens Funds (Unicef), International
Rescue Committee (IRC) etc.
Features: Study builder, open source, offline forms,
community
Program support: Web and Android
Price: Available for free, open source
5 REDcap
Developed in 2004 at Vanderbilt University, REDcap is a
secure data capturing software for building case report forms electronically
and for database management. It was developed academic biomedical researchers,
students, as it meets the HIPAA and ICH-GCP compliance standards. It is an
easy-to-use software as researchers without any computer programming knowledge
and easily manage their databases. Before the development of REDcap, most data
gathering solutions were specifically designed for large clinical trial data
collection, and they were too expensive.
REDcap has cloud-based smartphone version. The smartphone
version has both iOSand Android apps, which enables data capturing in remote
areas with low or no internet, or when one is offline.
REDcap consortium offers free software licensing to
non-profit orgnisations (NGOs), which allow them (NGOs) to stall and manage the
software on their own IT infrastructure.
REDcap is currently used in well over 130 countries and
still counting.
Features: Longitudinal data collection, offline forms,
randomization and no-premise hosting
Price: Free for nonprofits; for profit use, contact
Program support: iOS, Android, Web
6 Jotforms Mobile
Jotforms is a comprehensive online form builder with mobile
data capturing app. The mobile data capturing app known as Jotforms Mobile has
features that enable users to collect data in different forms, such as text,
numerals, audio recordings, geo-locations, barcodes and electronic signatures,
and then organsie and present data in one place. It also grants access for
viewing, editing and sharing of the data.
The mobile data recording app functions offline on iOS and
Android devices and uses push notifications to notify the user of new data
entry from respondents or changes in data. It also allows enumerators to
download or share PDF copies of submitted forms.
Jotforms also enables group work and collaboration among
group team members. Jotforms works offline or with limited internet coverage.
Jotforms has a feature calle Kiosk Mode, which helps to
increase data security and makes easy and convenient to collect data in public
spaces. It does this by turning your device into a fixed survey while the mode
and give the respondents access to only a single form, blocking them from
accessing other submissions and forms.
Program support: iOS and Android
Features: Mobile form builder, Offline data capturing, Kiosk
Mode.
Price: Free basic version, paid pro and enterprise plans.
7 Forms On Fire
8 CommCare
9 Survey CTO
10 FORM OpX