Data collection on PC laptop offline - whats a good solution?

User Support Data Collection
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1

We have a small number of enumerators who have laptops but no spare smartphones / tablets who will be collecting data by phone (talking to people) then we want them to enter data into their laptops but they have no internet connections. Is this possible with Kobo Collect? Or is there another application that is recommended?

I have read this page: https://support.kobotoolbox.org/kobo_local_computer.html
and they want me to create a virtual machine to be able to install Kobo on my laptop (which i have no idea what it means and I am hoping that i can avoid teaching myself this this week).

Thanks for your experience

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Hi @ttrkobo,

Welcome to the community! Kindly please be informed that you could enter data in a laptop using Enketo aka web forms as you would do while collecting data in a smartphone using KoBoCollect android app. The only thing is that you will require internet twice i.e. once to set the form and once to submit the collected form.

Maybe the following support article should help you understand more on what you wish to use (i.e. either a KoBoCollect android app or Enketo aka web forms:

Collecting Data through Web Forms

Collecting Data with KoBoCollect on Android

Adding more to Enketo:

The first time you load any Enketo Express survey, a copy of the app and survey are stored in the browser. An offline-enabled icon icon will be shown in the top left of your screen to confirm that it has been stored. From that point onwards you can load that survey even when you do not have an Internet connection. When an application update is available the cache will automatically be updated when the user is online.

You can safely shut down your computer and go to the field to collect data. Any data you collect will also be stored persistently in the browser. Enketo will check regularly to see if there is an Internet connection available and try to upload any records that have not been marked as ‘draft’. Once the server has confirmed that the data was received successfully, the record will be deleted from the browser storage.

Have a great day!

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