Research is an important part of the land surveying process and is best done during the planning stage. A surveyor should check any past surveys for a section of land or property, no matter how old they might be, because they can reveal important information that might not be readily apparent now. This can include information relating to any past issues or repairs to the land that may come up again.
These survey records and plot plans were kept on paper for centuries, physically stored away in libraries, office file cabinets, and personal basements. If the record was lost or destroyed, there was little chance of getting the data back. This, along with how difficult tracking down these scattered records could be, made researching land surveys an unfortunately necessary hassle. But with the advent of modern technology, research no longer has to be such a chore.
Digital databases can hold a huge amount of survey records, all in one easily accessible place. You no longer have to waste extra time trying to complete relevant, accurate research on your own. The following features put digital databases several steps ahead of traditional recordkeeping in terms of simplicity and saving you valuable time.
Search Feature
The ability to search for certain client names or keywords in the database is an incredible help and time-saver. When someone scans a document into the database, the computer system reads over the text and remembers everything in it, creating a separate file using optical character recognition, or OCR. The database uses this file for search purposes. This makes it easier to search through large, well-developed databases for specific details.
A client name, specific property listing, and even the name of a real estate agent are good search terms to start with. The database will list every document in which these words or phrases show up, and you can choose whichever results are relevant to your project.
Easy and Mobile Access
Authorized personnel can pull up these survey records anytime, anywhere using online databases. There’s no to need to keep a paper document safe and within your reach; just pull up the database from your laptop or, if the option is available, your smartphone. Whether you’re at home, the office, or out on a job, you can find the documents you need to succeed.
You can also share digital documents with your entire team at once, further cutting down time spent delivering and retrieving paper records. Anyone else with access to the survey database can use the same document, so no one else must stop work at an inconvenient time, either.
File Security
Records entered into a digital database can't be accidentally lost or thrown away. The wrong people can't access them, neither can they steal or destroy them. An encrypted database and its files can be used only by people with the proper network authorization. Databases can be password-protected to grant an extra layer of security.
It’s of note that digital databases are a lot less expensive to maintain than physical storage. Rooms full of file cabinet storage can be messy to install and keep clean, and they take up office space that could be put to better use. The more records are made, the more filing systems a company needs to purchase, and each cabinet may need its own locking mechanism.
With an online database for your records, you pay once for the computer system and database setup, and likely not again. That initial cost may be rather high, but the company will save a lot more by having instant access to files whenever they’re needed.
