The QuickFile Android App is here!

Blog
26

Hi QuickFile people

Delighted to read apps are incoming, as though the browser-based version works on a phone, I’ve always felt it could be easier with a dedicated mobile interface.

Though I don’t disagree that Receipt scanning is a required feature, personally, I am more keen to see the ability to setup new customer accounts and raise and submit invoices via the app. Though I have always found doing this to be acceptable via my iPhone 6S Plus, it’s always been slightly awkward process, as the desktop interface requires repeated adjustments to zoom level to allow viewing on a mobile screen. It’s workable, but fiddly and can take more valuable time than is ideal.

With that in mind, I’d really like to see new customer setup and invoice generation made a priority, if possible, as that’s what gets me paid.

When ready for testing, I’d be more than happy to assist with the iOS app, if needed.

Thanks for all your efforts

:+1:t2:

3 Likes
27

Please can I be included in the beta testing

28

Just out of interest:

We have opted to use a technology that will allow us to support Android and iOS simultaneously from a single code-base

Which one is that? I’m looking at developing an app for my SaaS platform myself. Thanks.

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Hi @tom_44, we’re using a framework called Xamarin.

1 Like
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Hi @Big-Dan

I’ll send you a private message shortly to get a few details from you.

31

Hi there,

Please include me in the list of beta testers. I will be delighted to help testing the app. And congratulations for that improvement!

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Hi @rodolfo

I’ll send you a private message shortly to get some details from you.

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Thanks.

We may end up going with Ionic https://ionicframework.com/ because we are planning to solve two problems at once - by updating desktop CMS/user side to be fully ajax/javascript/react/angular/vue.js and then using ionic. That way desktop cms is updated same time.

That way we have one code base and similar interface across every device using responsive. But we’ve not got there yet so not 100% sure. However it’s worth looking into.

34

Hi Glenn, I would like write you a little feedback about your app and hope this is the right place. So far the app is working very stable, no crashes or so. The app does exactly what you described at the beginning and I am looking forward to the new features in future. The only thing which keeps the app from 100% - it takes a very long time for the app to open. I know it is a beta and may it has something to do with my phone. All the other apps on my phone open normal. May other users experience the same. So, just to let you know, may you have a look into it later.
Keep up the good work
R.

1 Like
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Hi @rhc

Thanks for the feedback!

Can I ask what phone (make and model), and what version of Android you are using please?

It you prefer, you’re welcome to send the details across in a private message.

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Thank you for your feedback @rhc, I agree that the initial load time is too slow. We’re looking into ways we can optimise this now.

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Also I unable to send any messages. I am more than happy to test out the android version off the app

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Hi @Tartanarmyman I will send a message to you to get some more info. Look for a green bubble notification here in the top right.

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I’m very excited to hear about this, especially this soon. I wasn’t really expecting anything tangible before the end of the year.

I guess everybody’s use case will be different, but I’m somehwat disappointed to see that creating invoices, the one feature I need more than anything else, is at the very bottom of the list.

Due to the nature of my work I need to create invoices on the fly, on site, and this is what I struggle with most on my mobile devices. I don’t use or need a laptop, so I solely use small screen devices to create my invoices. The web interface works, yes, but I have to do an awful lot of scrolling and pinch zooming to enter all data and tick the right boxes. Creating invoices is very cumbersome indeed. All other activities I tend to do from home on my desktop PC.

Regardless, I’m happy to give the app a try and provide feedback where possible, so I’ll send a private message as requested.

One thing is very important to me from a usability point of view, and that is full UI support for landscape mode.

My main device is a Planet Computers Gemini, soon to be replaced with its successor, the Cosmo. These devices are heavily focused on productivity on the go, and use landscape orientation by design, so the UI of the app needs to have full support for this. My use case isn’t unique as many tablets are designed to be used in landscape mode (tablet covers with integrated stand are all made for landscape orientation). It also affects users who use their mobiles phones in landscape mode when using their devices as a desktop PC, for example Samsung Dex.

Apps often force themselves to portrait mode, which makes text entry using the Gemini’s and Cosmo’s integrated full keyboard very difficult. The Gemini provides an option to enforce landscape mode, but if the app’s UI is not designed to support this functionality is often broken. Examples are buttons disappearing off screen, dialogs getting cancelled, no support for scrolling, or other parts of the UI becoming inaccessible, to name but a few.

Once the Cosmo has been released (September/October this year) it will replace both my mobile phone and Gemini, so landscape support is very important to me. I’m more than happy to assist with testing, if required.

1 Like
40

Thank you for your feedback @Aerion. We’re committed to supporting invoices and we may prioritise this before some of the other read-only views.

The landscape switch is something we’ll consider, but it essentially involves creating bespoke views for every screen in the app. Very few apps we tested actually handle this at all and are locked to potrait orientation, maybe due to the degree of work required to get it right? We’ll definitely explore this as an option but I can’t really make any promises on that front just yet.

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Glad to hear about the commitment to invoices, I look forward to how the app will develop.

As for the landscape situation, the vast majority of the apps I use work fine in landscape without needing to be forced, and the UI just follows suit. A few apps are locked to portrait mode, where technically they don’t need to be; I’m happy to scroll a UI that’s designed to fit a portrait screen.

The Gemini comes with a taskbar app, designed to mimic the Psion Series 5 devices, of which the Gemini is a spiritual successor. This app includes an option to force screen rotation for apps locked to portrait, and this usually works just fine. Apps should ideally respect the device’s screen rotation, however.

When it comes to entering text, landscape mode is a must for keyboard based devices, as trying to write text on a landscape screen in an app locked to portrait is an absolute pain. See this example of the Discogs app on my Gemini:

Discogs_feedback_3_(cropped)

As you can see, dealing with any component of QuickFile like this would render the app pretty unusable. I certainly wouldn’t want to enter invoices this way.

Discogs are addressing this, but I couldn’t say if this is an easy thing to do. I have no idea what framework they use to develop their apps, other whether they have a shared code base between the platforms they support.

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I’d also like to be an app beta tester. I have a standard android phone. I’ve PM’d the email with my android account email.

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Thanks got it now. Seems nice and fast.

I would primarily use this app for:

  • creating invoices to existing clients
  • modifying existing invoices
  • amending/creating reoccurring invoices
  • checking unpaid invoices

Basically, invoice management really.

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It’s still early stages, but more functionality will follow. At the moment, we’ve focused on the one part which is often done on the go.

Watch this space! :wink:

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Hi, unable to send private message.

I’ve only recently joined Quickfile, but I am interested in testing out the new reciepts app, if you’re still accepting testers.

The other two options seem a bit cumbersome and although I use Dropbox for personal use, I prefer to GDrive for my business. I would primarily use the app to upload reciept data on the go to cut down on administration time.

Many thanks,
Eve