How GridPoint Energy Saved 4 Hours Per Inspector Per Week

The Challenge

GridPoint Energy operates a vast electrical distribution network spanning 12 counties. Their 200+ field inspectors were conducting routine pole inspections, line surveys, and equipment maintenance checks using a combination of paper forms, clipboard maps, and handheld GPS units.

The paper-based workflow created serious bottlenecks:

• Data entry delays: Inspectors would complete 15-20 inspections per day in the field, then spend 2-3 hours each evening transcribing handwritten notes into the company database.
• Location inaccuracy: GPS coordinates were manually written down and later typed in, leading to transcription errors. Some inspection records had coordinates that were hundreds of feet off.
• No offline capability: The previous digital form solution required internet connectivity, which was unreliable in rural service areas. Inspectors often had to complete forms on paper anyway.
• Photo chaos: Photos were taken on personal phones, manually tagged with pole numbers, and uploaded via email. Matching photos to the correct inspection record was time-consuming and error-prone.
• Compliance gaps: Paper forms were sometimes lost or damaged in the field. When audits came around, the team couldn't always prove that required inspections had been completed on schedule.

The operations manager knew that the company was effectively paying inspectors to be data entry clerks for 10-15 hours per week. The workflow was costing the company money and slowing down maintenance response times.

The Solution

GridPoint Energy evaluated several mobile data collection platforms, but most were either too expensive (requiring enterprise contracts with minimum user counts), too complex to deploy quickly, or lacked true offline capability.

Mapalyze checked all the boxes:

Offline-First Architecture

Inspectors could load their assigned inspection routes at the start of the week and work for days without connectivity. All data—form entries, GPS coordinates, photos—was stored locally on the device and automatically synced when the inspector returned to the office or found a WiFi connection.

This was essential for GridPoint's rural service areas where cell coverage was spotty or nonexistent.

Custom Forms for Every Inspection Type

The team built custom forms for each inspection scenario:

• Pole inspections: Condition ratings, hardware checks, vegetation clearance notes
• Line surveys: Span measurements, conductor condition, insulator status
• Equipment audits: Transformer condition, equipment serial numbers, repair notes

Forms included conditional logic—if an inspector marked a pole as "needs repair," additional required fields appeared for repair details and priority level.

GPS Accuracy Without the Hassle

Mapalyze automatically captures GPS coordinates when an inspection starts. No manual entry required. The accuracy was consistently within 10 feet, and inspectors could see their location on the map in real-time.

The team could now generate accurate maps of infrastructure condition by exporting data to GeoJSON and loading it into their existing GIS system.

Integrated Photo Capture

Photos were taken directly within the inspection form. Each photo was automatically tagged with the inspection record ID, timestamp, and GPS location. No more email uploads or manual photo matching.

Inspectors could attach up to 20 photos per inspection, capturing everything from close-ups of damaged hardware to wide shots showing vegetation clearance.

Faster Data Export and Analysis

The operations team could export all inspection data to CSV or Excel with one click. Data was structured, consistent, and ready for analysis immediately after sync.

Reports that used to take hours to compile manually were now generated in minutes.

The Results

GridPoint Energy rolled out Mapalyze to all 200+ field inspectors over a six-week period. The results were immediate and measurable:

60% Faster Inspection Workflow

Inspectors went from completing 15-20 inspections per day to 24-30. Eliminating the evening data entry backlog freed up time for more fieldwork.

The average inspection time dropped from 18 minutes to 7 minutes. Inspectors no longer had to manually log GPS coordinates, write down pole numbers multiple times, or worry about legible handwriting.

4 Hours Saved Per Inspector Per Week

At 200+ inspectors, that's 800+ hours per week returned to productive work. Over a year, the company recovered over 40,000 labor hours.

At an average loaded labor cost of $45/hour, that translated to approximately $1.8 million in annual labor savings. The Mapalyze subscription cost was a fraction of that.

$125K Annual Cost Reduction

Beyond labor savings, the company reduced costs in other areas:

• Eliminated paper form printing and storage (~$8K/year)
• Reduced data entry contractor costs (~$45K/year)
• Avoided compliance penalties by maintaining complete inspection records (~$72K in avoided penalties based on prior years)

Zero Missed Inspections

With GPS-stamped timestamps and photo evidence, the company had an auditable record of every inspection. During the most recent regulatory audit, GridPoint Energy demonstrated 100% compliance with required inspection schedules for the first time in five years.

Better Decision-Making

Operations managers now had real-time visibility into inspection status. They could see which inspectors were ahead or behind schedule, which areas had the most maintenance issues flagged, and where to allocate repair crews most effectively.

The data export feature allowed the team to analyze inspection trends over time and prioritize infrastructure upgrades based on condition data.

What's Next

GridPoint Energy has expanded Mapalyze use beyond routine inspections. The company is now using it for:

• Storm damage assessments
• Vegetation management surveys
• Customer site visits
• Contractor work verification

The operations manager is working with Mapalyze to explore custom integrations with their work order management system, so that flagged repairs automatically generate maintenance tickets.

"Mapalyze transformed how our inspectors work in the field," says Carlos M., the utility operations manager. "They spend less time on paperwork and more time actually inspecting infrastructure. That's exactly what we needed."