Text recognition lets you transfer text captured with the camera into an editable field in Spotilla. For example, you can read a device identifier into a device card or transfer a written observation into a task description. Check and correct the recognized text before applying it: recognition is a typing aid and does not verify that the information is correct.

Before you start

You need your phone's camera, permission to use it, and permission to create or edit the information in question. Permission to view an item alone is not enough to edit it. Recognition is available in fields that display the combined microphone and text recognition icon. Recognition cannot be used in a locked field.

This feature captures text with the camera. It does not import text from a gallery image or a PDF file. The image taken for recognition is not saved as an attachment to the item by this feature; add any required photo attachment separately.

Keep an internet connection available, especially when using the feature for the first time on Android. The item is only confirmed as saved to the service once its actual save operation succeeds.

Where do I open text recognition?

First open the correct item and editable field. On Android, the recognition icon is usually on the right side of the field. On iOS, it is the combined microphone and text recognition icon next to the field. Always select the icon for the specific field where you want the text.

Device card value or definition

In the Spot details, open View Device Card and select the edit icon on the row of the information field you want. In the edit view, use the recognition icon belonging to the Value or Definition field. Editing requires permission to edit the Spot.

You can use recognition to fill in the value of text, web address and number fields. Dates and selection field values are selected using their own controls; you can use recognition for their definitions. The value and definition are separate pieces of information, so check the destination field before applying the result. If needed, see Finding Spot details on mobile.

New task, service request or Spot message

In the Spot details, open Add items and select Add task, Add service request or Add message.

  • When creating a task, use the icon in the Task description field.
  • When creating a service request, use the icon in the Title or Description field. Recognition is also available in additional text fields that display the icon.
  • For a Spot message, use the icon in the message text field. Recognition also works when editing a message.

These uses are available on both Android and iOS. Check that you have the correct Spot and that the other form details are correct: recognition fills in only the field you select.

Task form

Open Fill task form from the task and select the section you want to complete. On both Android and iOS, you can use the recognition icon belonging to a text or number field. For a field-specific comment, open that field's comment function and use the icon in the comment window.

If the section has been saved and its fields are locked, open the section's Edit function if your permissions and the task status allow it. Recognition does not bypass the lock or mark the section or task as complete. See also Completing a task form.

Editing additional service request information

You can also use recognition when editing additional text fields in an existing service request on both platforms. Open the edit icon for the service request's additional information fields and use the recognition icon for the field you want in the form that opens. On Android, the fields are under Additional fields. Editing requires permission to edit the service request; permission to comment does not allow you to change additional information.

Comments, Work Chat and time entries

Open the comments for a task or service request and the window for adding or editing a comment. Use the recognition icon next to the text field. On Android, recognition is also available in the purchase order comment window.

You can recognize the opening text of a new work chat on both platforms: open Work Chat, select its add button and select the item the conversation concerns. Use the icon for the first comment in the window that opens. More detailed instructions for selecting the item are available in Using Work Chat.

When editing a time entry, open Add Comment or View Comment and use the icon in the comment window. This works on both Android and iOS when the comment is editable. On Android, you can also use recognition for the comment on a product row opened from a task's or service request's Products view, using the same comment functions.

Capture, crop and check the text

  1. Tap the recognition icon for the destination field and select Use camera to scan text in the window that opens.
  2. Allow camera access if your phone asks for permission. Capture the text as clearly as possible.
  3. Crop the image to include only the text area you need. On Android, confirm the crop using Crop in the crop view; on iOS, use the confirmation button in the crop view.
  4. Check all the text in the results window that opens and correct any errors there. The Android window may be titled Edit recognized text even when the app is in Finnish.
  5. Transfer the corrected result into the field using Apply on Android or APPLY on iOS. If you do not want to use the result, select Cancel or CANCEL in this recognition results window.

The applied result replaces all the existing text in the destination field. It does not append the recognized text to the existing text. If you want to keep any previous content, copy it before applying the result and combine the texts in the field before actually saving. Canceling the recognition results window leaves the result untransferred to the field.

Pay particular attention to letters and numbers in identifiers, the decimal separator, minus sign, unit and line breaks. Text transferred into a number field must be corrected to a number format accepted by the field. Recognition does not convert measurement units or check whether a number matches the actual measurement.

The field's normal format and character limit also apply to recognized text. Android's shared comment windows show the character count and maximum length, and recognized text that is too long is truncated to this limit. Be sure to check the end of the text transferred into the field as well.

Save the actual information and verify the result

Apply in the recognition results window only transfers the text into the field. Then perform the actual save operation for that form:

  • Device card: select Save in the edit view and confirm the save. The saved value or definition replaces the previous information, and the change is included in the information field's normal change history.
  • New task: also fill in the task name, Spot, responsible party and due date, along with any other required details. Create the task using the form's create button. Recognizing the description alone does not create a task.
  • Service request: check the service request type and title, along with the Spot and mandatory additional information required by that type. Save the request from its form. See also Creating a service request.
  • Spot message: check the Spot, message type and entry date and time, then save the message form. A numeric message must contain a valid number. Saving uses the message's normal functions, including any notifications associated with the message type. See Recording a message or measurement.
  • Task form: confirm the field comment if necessary and select Save at the end of the section. Mandatory fields must be filled in for the section to be completed. Marking the entire task as complete is a separate action.
  • Comment or new work chat: send or save the text using the comment window's own button. Applying the recognition result does not yet add the comment to the conversation.
  • Time entry or product row comment: confirm the comment in its window and also save the entry or product row itself. If needed, see Correcting a time entry.

Wait for the actual save operation to succeed. Reopen the item or refresh its details and check the correct field, including the beginning and end of the text. The comment must appear in the correct item's comment list; a form value must appear in the correct section. If saving reports an error, seeing the recognized text in the field does not mean that the information has been saved to the service.

If recognition fails

If the camera does not open, check your phone's camera permission for Spotilla. If there is no result or it is incorrect, take a clearer picture and crop the text area again. iOS may display No text recognized. Please try again. You can always enter or correct the information manually.

If the icon is missing or unavailable, check the field type, editing permission and the status of the item or section. On iOS, the same icon also serves speech recognition, and a change in speech recognition availability may disable the shared icon.