Download to iPad, edit, upload to cloud

[Hairymonster]

Hi Everyone,

Noob here, normally a Windows guy (I know, I know) but acquired a 9th gen iPad for a project, and was wondering whether anyone could give me some pointers.

A worker using an iPad needs to download a diagram of a factory floor layout from a cloud-based SaaS solution, onto the iPad.

He then needs to be able to edit the drawing, marking it (with pencil/stylus) with a combination of text and random squiggles, before saving the latest version and re-loading this to the software from which it was downloaded.

The diagram is a jpeg file, but could be stored as a PDF or WORD document. Whatever makes it easier to process once downloaded to iPad.

I would like some pointers on which iPad apps would accomplish this in an easy and logical manner, such that the whole process may be trained to the people using this system on the factory floor.

Is it easiest to use Adobe? Something like Freeform, or something else?

Any input gratefully received - thanks in advance folks

Philip

 

[twerppoet]

I'm not familiar with SaaS, but am guessing it is a service where you interact/upload/download using a web browser, possibly through a secure virtual network. That part is all possible on the iPad, though the company may need to grant access to the iPad by some means. You'd have to ask.

You''ll have to learn some new workflows. Best to throw away your expectations as to how it works in Windows.. Long times PC users (both Windows, and Macs) often find it difficult to adjust if they get hung up on 'how it should be'.

As far as editing/marking up documents. Not a problem.

Paired with an Apple Pencil (or one of the cheaper but compatible alternatives) an iPad is an excellent markup solution.

PDF files are probably the easiest to work with, and there are a ton of apps out there including Adobe's. I like Documents by Readdle. PDF Expert, by the same company, is the same editor without a lot of the file management tools. The newest version of iPadOS has some basic PDF annotation tools available when using Quicklook in the Files app.

The Files app is a somewhat limited file manager, but it's usable if you don't need anything more than moving files around folders and other basic tasks.

If you need to do images Apple's Photos app has basic markup tools. For more extensive tools I suggest Annotable. But again, there are lots of choices.

 

[Hairymonster]

Hi Twerppoet,

Thanks for your reply - that's really helpful. When I said SaaS - it was just a generic term 'Software as a Service' to indicate a cloud-based software app, Compliance Tracker, from compliancesystems.co.uk which happens to be my company. Compliance Tracker isn't a true 'app' running on tablet/iPhone, it's a web-based app written on a Laravel/PHP open source platform. Maybe one day I'll get it turned in to a proper app.

Adobe was my first thought, but I shall investigate other stuff too.

I always have to adjust my thinking when using Apple stuff - as an IT dinosaur coming over from mainframes, to client servers, then Windows PC's - old habits die hard!

Thanks again!

 

[twerppoet]

No problems.

From what you said, I think you have one old habit that will server you well. Learning new things. Best of luck.