Construction industry book publisher partners with canvas to offer forms as mobile apps
January 17, 2012—Canvas launched an App Store for Craftsman Book Company, a publisher of construction books and software. Craftsman will be offering business forms as mobile apps from Construction Forms for Contractors by Karen Mitchell and Craig Savage. This will allow contractors to complete proposals, change orders, accident reports, subcontract agreements and more on their Android, Apple, BlackBerry and Windows smartphones and tablets.
Every Canvas application is customizable by the end user and comes with GPS/location, image capture, barcode scanning, electronic signatures and accessibility to a customer’s own data such as parts catalogs and patient records. Once a form is completed, the output PDF can be emailed and is stored in the user’s account.
Craftsman requires that each app have an educational component. Before completing a specific form, contractors can read a detailed description of the form’s purpose and when and how to use it.
“Many long-time ‘ink on paper’ customers are starting to demand Craftsman’s products in digital format. Canvas apps offer the best of both worlds, by bringing Craftsman’s paper construction forms and educational components to mobile devices everywhere,” said Ben Moselle, Publisher of Craftsman Book Company, adding “The option to use the program with unlimited risk-free access for 30 days really speaks to the confidence Canvas has in their product. The flexible pricing options make their solution more affordable than Canvas’s competition.”
“Canvas is serving a fast-growing community of contractors as the industry realizes the potential of using mobile devices to capture information and data. Our partnership with Craftsman, a leading brand in this publishing space, now provides contractors of all specialties with pre-built apps they can download and use immediately,” added James Quigley, CEO of Canvas.
About Craftsman Book Company
Craftsman Book Company – originally Cal Pacific Builders (1952-1953) – developed from a partnership between a construction contractor and licensed civil engineer. The first Craftsman book, California Home Estimator, was published in 1953. Since that time, Craftsman has published hundreds of technical and professional references for the construction industry. Craftsman’s Construction Contract Writer software is a productivity tool used by construction professionals to meet increasingly more stringent state contracting standards.
About Canvas
Canvas publishes data collection apps on smartphones and tablets as well as other devices such as laptops, netbooks and barcode scanning devices. Canvas reduces paper consumption, redundant data entry, and excess processes for businesses and mobile professionals. The Canvas software service enables mobile professionals to collect information using their mobile devices and share that information across their business community. This information can even be integrated with backend software systems.
Canvas also offers the first mobile business app store of its kind, allowing businesses from diverse industries to find mobile applications specific to their business that work on Android, Blackberry, Apple, and Windows mobile/desktop devices. Every Canvas application is customizable by the end user, and comes with GPS/location, image capture, barcode scanning, electronic signatures and accessibility to a customer’s own data like parts catalogs and patient records.
