A crucial part of pool water testing and maintenance is the logging of data. Pool logs with testing data are required to be kept on file by many states and their health departments. Traditionally, testing data is logged in physical paper printable pool log sheets, but this method of data logging is becoming outdated and can be quite flawed. Modern alternatives include digital data logging, which can offer a multitude of features that make manual logging in physical log sheets obsolete. One of the best digital logging software options on the market today is the Pool Shark H2O app. Switching to a digital data logging solution can change the way pool owners and managers store logged data, protect that data, keep the data accurate and access the data, all while saving money.
Storing Commercial Pool Log Data
Many local health departments require pool testing data to be stored for up to seven years in pool log books on site with the pool. Unfortunately, printable paper pool logs can be a hassle to store long term. For one thing, paper log books take up large amounts of space, as a log book only covers 1 to 3 months of pool testing data. This means that seven years of data can require 28 to 84 log books to be safely stored on site. Another issue is that log books must be available on site for surprise health department visits, and must therefore be very well organized. If log books aren’t in order or are placed back in the wrong place after being checked or used, they can get lost, resulting in fines from the health department.
Digitally logged data with Pool Shark H2O can solve these problems by putting all of the data in your pocket instead on a shelf. Water testing data can be immediately logged in the app by a user or over bluetooth if using a digital tester, and is then logged in a secure cloud database. Since the data is stored in the cloud, there is no need to keep physical copies of testing results, meaning that physical pool logs will no longer be taking up space in an office or storage room on the premises. Additionally, the convenience of digitally logged data is that it can be automatically organized by date, meaning data can’t be misplaced and is far easier to find. Rather than searching through shelves of possibly disorganized data, health inspectors and pool managers can immediately find the data they need in the app or by pointing a camera on their mobile device at a special QR code in the pump room.
Protecting Commercial Pool Log Data
Another shortcoming of paper log books is that they can be damaged or lost in a number of ways. Pool logs can be water soaked, as a paper log being used next to a pool can sometimes lead to this type of accident. They can also be accidentally thrown out before the date health departments required them to be stored to. Paper logs can even simply be misplaced or stored in the wrong place, leading to pool staff losing track of their location.
In digital data storage solutions like Pool Shark H2O’s cloud database, data is secure and can’t simply be lost. In the cloud, testing data is safe, and can’t be harmed or erased by any physical force or substance. This data also can’t be misplaced or put back on the wrong shelf, as it remains organized even if it is opened frequently for viewing or inspection.
Keeping Pool Log Data Accurate
Unfortunately, the data recorded in paper pool logs can also be inaccurate for several reasons. Some are simple mistakes, like an employee simply copying or transcribing data incorrectly when logging the data. Others are a bit more serious, including employees falsifying data. This can occur due to laziness, or failure to conduct an actual test.
The data stored in Pool Shark is often far more accurate and reliable, and can be better trusted to represent actual pool conditions as a result. Part of this is due to log entries being stamped with the date and time of entry and not allowing entries to be backdated, leading to a more accurate record in the case of liability issues. Additionally, geo-fencing is used to show where the data was recorded in the app, discouraging off-site employees from logging false tests. If an employee is recording data manually in the app, unfortunately there is still a chance that transcribing errors or inaccurate testing results may be recorded in the log. Using a digital tester like the LaMotte Spin Touch can prevent this by automatically transferring the data to Pool Shark H2O via bluetooth, ensuring transcribing errors don’t negatively affect logged data.
Access To Pool Log Data
Unfortunately, the only way to view the testing data stored in physical log books is to travel to the site of the pool and have the log book in hand. This means that to access current or past pool data, employees must either travel or have someone at the site send the data to them, possibly doing so inaccurately. This can be inconvenient due to travel time and expense, and can be erroneous if data is sent by another employee.
Meanwhile, the data stored in Pool Shark H2O can be viewed any time, anywhere, provided the user has an internet connection. This can allow off site managers and supervisors to view the most recent tests and any past tests they wish to see. The data can be viewed in real time, meaning that if testing results were uploaded even two minutes before, they can be viewed in the app. The app’s organized database also offers quick, easy access to data, allowing health inspectors to be out of a facility in minutes, rather than having to flip through numerous paper logs for an extended period of time.
Commercial Pool Log Expense
Many paper log books only hold enough room to record 1 to 3 months of data, as mentioned before, meaning that many log books have to be purchased and stored on site to be ready for data entry. The price of these log books can add up quickly, particularly if a pool owner or manager wants to shell out the extra cost for laminated, waterproof log books.
Pool Shark H2O’s digital app can cost much less than physical log books, and can provide far greater convenience and usability with more features and better security. Pool Shark H2O even performs instant calculations based on testing data to determine how much of each chemical should be added to keep the chemicals in the pool balanced. Paper logs, of course, are incapable of calculating how much of a chemical to add based on data entered into them.
Best of all, when recording data in Pool Shark H2O’s app, users don’t need to spend 20 minutes looking for a pen that works!
Converting pool log records to digital records instead of paper can change the way pool owners and operators manage their pools. Data security is increased, as digital data can’t be destroyed or modified as easily. Usability is increased, as it is far easier to access data in a cloud database than on a shelf full of data. Data records are more accurate, which is vital if liability issues occur. Lastly, convenience is increased, as the data doesn’t take up physical space, data can be viewed from anywhere, and managers don’t need to travel to see what’s happening at all of their pools. Digital records outperform physical logs in almost every category, so don’t let paper testing logs hold your pool management capabilities back any longer.
Learn More - The Ultimate Guide to Pool Log Books
