Get with the program

It is perfectly possible to test electrical appliances and installations and complete the necessary paperwork without the need to resort to form-filling software. However, in today’s highly competitive market serious consideration should be given to available software. Contractors cannot afford to spend valuable time recording test results and completing reports by hand. With the large amount of data and difficult writing conditions, errors are commonplace. The alternative is to use a software package designed to make form completion and reporting faster and more presentable.

When it comes to choosing a software package it will generally fall into portable appliance testing (pat), electrical installation testing or a combined package since contractors have different needs. The needs of a contractor whose requirements centre mainly on pat are very different from those whose work is related to large industrial installations. A package designed for the latter would simply be too complex and probably cost too much to be a good choice for the former.

It would be equally short-sighted for contractors whose businesses expand or change to find themselves locked into a simple package that no longer met their needs. A straightforward and affordable upgrade path from the entry-level package to more powerful software solutions is, therefore, highly desirable.

Software selection

Let’s take a look at the functionality that can be expected from software packages aimed at various sectors of the market, starting with small contractors, whose work mainly involves testing domestic and small commercial installations in line with the 16th Edition of the IEE Wiring Regulations. For these contractors, fast and accurate recording of test results and easy generation of certificates are the prime requirements.

The first of these can be met by software that displays forms on screen and allows direct entry of data into the appropriate spaces. Nowadays on-screen forms are virtually identical with those used for paper-based recording. The learning process is minimal, but the benefits are large. For example, keyboard data entry can be more accurate than writing and legibility problems are eliminated. Also, once entered, test results can easily be checked for errors and reports printed.

Where faster and more reliable data entry is needed, test instruments that support automatic downloading of results can be used. Good software will have common certificates and forms built in to it. Users can call up a test certificate, transfer the appropriate results to it and print a professional-looking certificate.

Meeting larger needs

Software for larger contractors can be expected to offer all of the functionality of the entry-level software, combined with enhanced database facilities, greater opportunities for customisation and administrative support options.

The database becomes increasingly important when testing involves a large number of clients and/or sites. Ideally, it should allow results to be indexed by client, site and location. It should also hold identification or asset numbers for the circuits or equipment tested, making location and retrieval of test results fast and easy, even when thousands of results are stored.

A customer database that works in conjunction with the test results database is another desirable feature. If well implemented, details for each contractor’s customers can be entered just once and incorporated into as many reports and certificates as needed.

A customer database also offers a convenient and readily accessible way of keeping track of essential customer information. Another useful feature offered by good software is straightforward archiving of data. It’s much more convenient to store CDs than several filing cabinets full of paper.

Both pat and electrical testing can create hundreds of records from a few hours’ work. Downloading instruments can save considerable time in transferring this data to a computer. Most packages will support different manufacturers’ instruments, but buying from one that produces both instruments and software ensures full compatibility and a single source of support.

The diverse work carried out by many contractors produces administrative challenges, such as ensuring repeat testing is carried out on time. A good solution is an organiser module within the software, which shows re-test dates, routine maintenance needs and other significant events.

Networking solutions

Another special need of large contractors is for several people to access data simultaneously.

Network-capable software is available, with data stored on a central server and accessible to as many of the other computers on the network as necessary. Well designed systems will maintain data integrity by ensuring that no two operators can update the same record at the same time.

Networked systems can also be expected to offer flexible security facilities, so network managers can restrict some users to reading but not changing data. Typically, it will also be possible to ensure that users only have access to data relating to the projects to which they are directly concerned.

In large organisations, networked testing software has many more benefits. Security is improved and central data storage means that there is only one set of data to keep up to date. The risk of different users having different data relating to the same equipment is eliminated, along with concerns over which of multiple sets of data is the most accurate or recent. Finally, meeting the statutory requirements of the Data Protection Act is simplified by having customer records held at a single location.

As we’ve seen, contractors large and small who are regularly involved in the testing of electrical appliances and installations can benefit significantly from the use of appropriate software aids. Good software is readily available and, when considered in relation to the benefits it offers, it is remarkably inexpensive. If users are to enjoy the maximum benefits, however, it is important for them to choose a package that accurately matches their needs.