There are several key things needed in every operation to make it run smoothly and safely. Some things may seem insignificant at first, but can really make a big difference. Having a solid method of logging events and activities as well as communicating important items to your team can mean the difference between a good day or a bad month. Do you have a good system in place for keeping records? Have you thought about an upgrade? Here are 3 reasons to consider a digital logbook for your team.

3 Reasons You Need A Digital LogBook

Ease of Entry. The easier it is to do, the more likely they are to do it. I talk to plant managers and operation managers all the time and they all say the same thing, if it’s confusing or complicated it’s not likely to get done. Paper logging is “easy” but too much information is either unreadable or has little to no structure. A good digital log can make note entry fast and easy and keep your notes uniform and easy to read.

Sticky notes, white boards, napkins, and voice messages are all ways we try to remind our team of important information that they need to know as they come on shift. But too often they are missed, blow away, get erased or are ignored. A good digital log like LogBook, has mechanisms in place to ensure turnover or shift handover notes are seen and acknowledged. This fosters a stronger situational awareness within your operation. An operator that is more aware of what they are getting into will be safer and can address specific issues during their shift more effectively. LogBook even allows users to be notified of abnormal or out of range values that are collected during rounds and inspections.

Find information Fast. Another consistent pain that I hear is trying to find or gather information when it is needed. When an issue arises, managers are looking for the source or cause. Digging through notes and inspections to find where the problem may have originated is arduous and frustrating if you are dealing with paper or even spreadsheets. There is just no easy way to find what you are looking for. With a digital log, you can easily and quickly search for the information and even generate reports to help the team understand where things broke down and develop countermeasures to prevent future occurrences. LogBook even has a built in charting feature to help you trend your data. 

Strengthen Accountability. Did they do the inspection? Who took the note down? Did they make comments when they saw the abnormal condition? Did they answer all of the questions required? These are important questions that plant managers ask daily about their team. Paper, spreadsheets and even some systems leave too many of these unanswered questions. A system like LogBook ensures accountability throughout the data collection process. Users log in under their specific username and to help identify who recorded the note and when. Managers can receive notifications when inspections are completed or even not completed by a specified time. If abnormal conditions are observed, LogBook can require comments to be added in order to complete the inspection or note. And of course specific questions may also be required to be completed before the user can submit the note. All of these features build better documentation and strengthen the communication within the operation.

Sounds interesting? Visit trylogbook.com to learn more or send us any questions you may have!. Want a free demo of LogBook? Click here to schedule a time to chat. We can’t wait to get to work helping you!