Mobile App: Getting Started

Summary

The skillSYMS mobile app brings field work to your phone — capturing evidence with the camera, checking in to sessions, clocking time, and working offline when signal is poor. This guide covers install, sign-in, and the core mobile features for each role.

Who This Guide Is For

• Learners capturing evidence and checking in on site
• Facilitators, assessors, moderators, and employers working in the field
• Provider staff who need on-the-go access

Prerequisites

• A skillSYMS account (see your role’s getting-started guide)
• A smartphone with a camera and location enabled (for geo features)

Step 1: Install and Sign In

iPhone and iPad — skillSYMS is on the App Store, free, in every country. Search “skillSYMS” or open the link and tap Get. There is no invite code and no TestFlight step any more.

Android — the app is still in open testing on Google Play, which is two steps and only works in that order:

1. Join the test with the Google account you use on the phone.
2. Then install from Google Play. The store page will not open for you until you have joined — if you go straight there you get a “not found” page, not the app.

Once it is installed:

1. Open it and sign in with your skillSYMS credentials.
2. If you belong to more than one provider, choose your tenant when prompted.

Tip: The app adapts to your role — learners, facilitators, assessors, moderators, employers, and admins each see a tailored set of tabs.

Step 2: Capture Evidence

1. Open Evidence (or Capture).
2. Take a photo/video or attach a file.
3. Tag it to the correct module/outcome and add a short description.
4. Submit — or save as a draft to finish later.

Step 3: Attendance and Timeclock

• Attendance — check in to sessions, including QR and geo-fenced check-in when on site.
• Timeclock — clock in and out; staff approvals happen back in the web app.

Step 4: Work Offline and Sync

The app works offline. Anything you capture without signal is saved locally and uploaded automatically when you reconnect.

• Use the Sync Center to see pending items and force a sync.

Tip: Before heading somewhere with no signal, open the app while online so your latest data is cached.

Step 5: Notifications

Enable push notifications so you don’t miss deadlines, assessment assignments, or messages from your provider.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Location turned off — geo check-in and geo-fenced clock won’t work without it.
2. Forgetting to sync — confirm drafts have uploaded before assuming they’re submitted.
3. Tagging evidence to the wrong outcome — double-check before submitting.

Verification Checklist

• App installed and signed in (correct tenant)
• Captured and submitted one piece of evidence
• Checked in to a session or clocked in/out
• Confirmed the Sync Center shows no stuck items

Next Steps

• Getting Started as a Learner
• Learner PoE Submission Guide
• Attendance & Session Management