Deviceid contains letters, not IMEI

User Support Data Collection
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1

Hello all,

My field team is collecting data for a survey using mobile phones and KoBoCollect. The team bought a set of new phones on location (Middle East) for this round of data collection. In the data set, the deviceid field shows an unfamiliar string of numbers and letters. For privacy reasons, I will not share the actual strings, but here is an example that I adapted: 8ae6723b9b52ea06

Before data collection, I noted the IMEI numbers and the names of the enumerators, so I would know how much progress each of them is making. Now, I don’t know which deviceid belongs to which enumerator.

I do not think it has to do with the survey itself, because when I tested it with my own phone, it recorded my IMEI number as it has always done. I use ODK Briefcase to download the encrypted data, but I tested it with a non-encrypted survey and the same thing happened.

Any insights would be very much appreciated!

2

Kindly please be informed that the recent versions of Collect android app has slightly modified on how the device ID is captured while collecting data.

To know the device ID of each device the enumerators are using, please

  • Open your Collect android app
  • Press General Settings
  • Press User and device identity
  • Press Form metadata. You should then see a sample of what is seen at my end:
    Image 1
    Image 1718×1448 74.2 KB

So the device ID that you are seeing at your end is OK and it should be like the one you are currently seeing.

3

That explains everything. Thank you so much!

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