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Resco Field Service 2.0 vs. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service Mobile: What are the key differences?

Daily agenda showed in Resco Field Service 2.0 app with Microsoft Field Service Mobile app in behind
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Since 2015, Resco has been filling the mobile gap for Dynamics 365 Field Service. And since 2018, Microsoft’s Resco-based Field Service mobile app is provided with every Field Service license.

This partnership between Resco and Microsoft started as a temporary one. And last year, Microsoft announced they’ll be rolling out a new Dynamics 365 Field Service Mobile app, based on Power Platform.

Unsurprisingly, this announcement raised concerns among many existing Microsoft Field Service clients. Do they have to go back to ground zero with a new mobile solution and re-train their technicians? Will the new Power Platform-based app be as reliable and powerful as the Resco-based one? Can they rely on it in every scenario?

The current Resco-based app will be supported until the summer of 2022. And after countless discussions with our partners and customers, we started working on a solution to address their concerns and needs. We wanted to ensure that they can continue moving forward with Resco technology and that none of the time, energy, and resources they invested into mobility so far will go to waste.

In June 2020, we introduced our new Field Service 2.0 offering – a powerful combination of everything we’ve learned about mobility in the past 21 years. Our most sought-after products merged into a single powerhouse solution for in-the-field operations.

Field Service 2.0 vs. the Power Platform app

Offline capabilities

All Resco mobile apps work seamlessly offline and online. Resco’s offline mode is an out-of-the-box feature, so configuration is not necessary. The Power Platform-based app works in online mode by default, and configuration is necessary to enable its offline capabilities.

In Field Service 2.0, the offline capabilities are only limited by Microsoft Dynamics 365’s technical setup, while in Microsoft’s Power Platform app, more limitations apply. For example, Business process flows and Activity entities views (emails, tasks, service appointments) are limited to online mode only.

Synchronization

While Resco has no limitations in sync filters, Microsoft has several data filter limitations on the entity level (such as limited operators or no condition grouping), and on the profile level (maximum 10 relationships).

Inspections management software

The main difference here is that Resco Inspections is a full-fledged solution that can be used to speed up data collection even on its own. Microsoft’s Inspection is merely a limited extension of the Work Order service task.

Given that one is a complete solution and the other a feature, the scale of Resco Inspections’ capabilities is much wider. It offers 12 simple and 4 complex question types, while Microsoft’s Field Service Inspections offers only 7 simple and 2 complex question types.

In Resco Inspections, you can further customize your digital forms by setting a custom logo and changing the form colors to reflect your organizations’ brand identity. It also offers advanced formatting options, the possibility to reuse answers from previously filled out forms, and smart features such as question scoring. And entire digital forms can be easily reproduced through snippets.

Thanks to its integration with DocuSign, users can also add legally binding signatures to their Resco Inspections digital forms – even offline. On the other hand, it’s not possible to add legally binding signatures to Microsoft Inspection forms.

Location monitoring

Both apps offer location tracking support, geofencing, and the ability to see resources on a map. In addition to that, Resco’s Location Monitor also allows back-office users to predict and visualize routes and see the past locations of resources on a map via the TimeShift functionality.

Reporting

Users can create and run reports on mobile devices in both apps, and both provide Power BI support.

However, reports can be easily configured alongside Resco Inspections digital forms in Field Service 2.0. For complex report requirements, Resco also offers a separate, comprehensive form designer. Yet, no coding is required.

And only in Resco’s Field Service 2.0 can users add legally binding signatures to the generated reports.

Key advantages of Field Service 2.0

  • Unrivaled offline capabilities: Field Service 2.0, just like any other solution from Resco, works seamlessly even in the most challenging conditions. Working hundreds of miles offshore or three floors underground? No problem. You can rely on the app even in the most remote and challenging scenarios.
  • A full inspection solution included: Ready-to-use templates, complex logic, branching, and a powerful no-code form designer tool. AI image recognition, photo tagging, multimedia upload, versioning, pre-filled answers, question scoring… These are just some of the capabilities that make Field Service 2.0 an inspection powerhouse.
  • Completely customizable functionality and UI: The Resco mobile app can be used out-of-the-box, but it also offers extensive customization options. So you can adjust it to your unique needs and preferences. And you can also tailor its looks to make sure it reflects your company’s brand.
  • Runs on any device: Desktops, laptops, tablets, phones, watches, glasses, AR/VR headsets, and ruggedized devices for industrial use such as Zebra. Whichever you prefer, you can leverage the app on all of them.
  • In-app remote assistance: AR video calls are also available directly in the mobile app. Experts from the back office can effortlessly guide technicians in the field to make sure they finish the job on the first visit.

Keep your investment safe with Field Service 2.0

If you’re a long-time Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service user, you’ve already spent a lot of time customizing the Resco-based app to create a reliable system. Your technicians got used to it, and it serves them, as well as your entire company.

With Field Service 2.0, we want to offer a solution that helps you further leverage state-of-the-art technology and keeps your investment safe. But that’s just the beginning. We also want to help you level up your field service operations with the brand-new additions mentioned above.

For more information, visit the official Resco Field Service 2.0 product page or get in touch with us at fieldservice@resco.net.

Please note all that information in this blog is related to version 13.3 of the Resco app and version 3.20065.1 of the Microsoft Power Platform Dynamics 365 Field Service app.

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