Using Blue Notes and Exceptions

A Blue Note or Exception is a feature that allows you to add extra notes to a form when something unexpected happens.

You can use Blue Notes to explain an exceptional occurrence and, if needed, assign a follow-up action to ensure the issue is resolved.

How to Add a Blue Note on the Mobile App

There are three main ways to add a Blue Note.

Method 1: The Standard Blue Note

This adds a general note to the entire form. You can add one standard Blue note to a form.

1. Open the form on the mobile app.

2. Tap the Note icon in the bottom-left corner.

   

3. Type your note and save it.

Method 2: Reason-Based Blue Notes

If your form uses "Reason" answer types, a Blue Note is automatically created when you provide a reason.

• No/Yes + Reason: When the answer is YES, you are required to add a reason, which is saved as a Blue Note.
• Yes/No + Reason: When the answer is NO, you are required to add a reason, which is saved as a Blue Note.

Method 3: Adding a Note to a Specific Question

This method allows you to add a note against specific questions. You can add one Blue Note per question.

1. On your form, tap the three dots icon (...) next to the question you want to add a note to.

   

2. Select Add Note from the menu.

   

3. Type your note and save. This Blue Note will be directly linked to that specific answer in all reports.

Speeding Up Your Notes with "Blue Note Snippets"

If you find your team is constantly writing the same explanations, you can create "Blue Note Snippets" to save time and keep your reporting consistent.

How to Use Snippets (Mobile)

1. When adding a Blue Note, tap the "Insert a code/text snippet" button.
2. Select the pre-set reason from the list that appears.

How to Set Up Snippets (Admin)

1. Log in to the Admin Console (computer login).
2. Click on the Resources tab.
3. Click the tab at the top labelled Fault Reasons/Corrective Actions.
4. Click the orange plus icon (+).
5. Add a Code (a short-form name) and a Description (the full note you want to appear).
6. Select the Form Type this snippet relates to. This is very useful, as it ensures only relevant snippets appear on the correct forms.
7. Select a Category.

What Happens Next? Using Follow-Up Actions

A Blue Note is for logging an issue, but a Follow-Up Action is for fixing it. After adding a Blue Note, you can escalate it into a trackable task.

1. After adding your Blue Note text (using any of the methods above), tap the "Add Action" or "Add Corrective Action" button.
2. Fill in the details: who the task is assigned to, a due date, and a priority level.
3. This now becomes a formal Corrective Action task that must be closed out, ensuring the loop is closed on the issue you found.

How to View and Monitor Blue Notes

It's important to monitor Blue Notes, as they are your team's way of flagging issues.

• On the Mobile App: forms with Blue Notes will show a blue icon on the To-Do List.

  

• In the Admin Console: On your Dashboard, you can see Blue Notes in the Activity Stream (look for the blue icon) or filter the stream to show only Blue Notes.

  

• In Reports: Blue Notes are visible in your Completed Form Report, Form Report, and Completed Calendar Report. You can also run a specific report of all Blue Notes from the Summary Reports page.

How to Set Up Blue Note Notifications

You can get an email or push notification as soon as a Blue Note is added.

1. Log in to the Admin Console.
2. Go to Team & Users.
3. Click the pencil icon next to the user who should receive the alerts.
4. Scroll down to User Notifications.

5. Tick the notifications for Blue Notes (Form Alerts)