Professional mobile app development

Mobile app development: for what use cases?

Mobile app development comes into its own when the work happens away from a desk: jobs, equipment tracking, inspections, taking photos, signing off or looking up information on site. An app can also serve a regular internal process that requires permissions and reliable handover to the rest of the company. We start from the actual task to be carried out, the time available, and the people who will later receive the data, rather than starting from a list of phone features.

This service covers professional and business apps. We don't build games, consumer social networks, or plain brochure sites transposed onto a mobile screen. If the need is mainly to check a dashboard at the office, a web app adapted to small screens may be enough. So the right project may not be an app published on a store at all: that's a decision to make after observing actual use.

• Entering and looking up data during jobs
• Photos, checks and signatures as needed
• Handover to the office and action tracking

iOS and Android mobile app development: which to choose?

A native app can make sense if offline use must last, if the camera or geolocation is used intensively, or if QR code scanning is central. An installable web app, sometimes called a PWA, can suit when those constraints are more moderate and updates without going through an app store are desirable. The choice depends on the devices used, network coverage, data volume and user journeys.

We don't assume two separate apps for iOS and Android are needed. We first check which functions are actually required on each device and which solution stays simple to maintain. Building a mobile app can also include a desktop web interface. In that case, we decide which data flows between the two spaces and when it becomes visible.

A professional mobile app that works offline

On site, a lack of network must not stop a planned job. An offline solution must have prepared the necessary data on the phone beforehand, keep entries locally, and send them on once the connection returns. What's still waiting to be sent must be clearly shown. Photos may need separate processing so they don't hold up the whole report. These behaviours are worked out before the first screens: they change how the data is structured.

When two people modify the same information offline, synchronisation can reveal a conflict. Depending on the type of data, we define a priority or keep both versions for arbitration. An entry must never disappear without warning. Conversely, if your teams always have a reliable connection, building full offline support would be unnecessary complexity. We assess the duration and situations of disconnection during scoping.

From the phone to the web dashboard

A business mobile app doesn't stop at the screen of the person entering data. The information can feed a dashboard to organise jobs, check reports and handle reservations. The office must know which data is synced and which is still waiting on a device. This link avoids re-keying data and makes the history available to authorised people. We define roles, approvals and expected exports with you.

If a tool already exists in the company, we look at how to connect it to the new mobile journey: exchange via API where appropriate, or data migration where the old system must be replaced. We don't promise an automatic connection to software we haven't examined. File quality and available access are checked early. The goal is to keep information consistent between the field and the office, not to add an isolated screen.

Our method as a mobile app agency in Lille

Based in Lille, we work across France. We start with a day on site with users to observe what they actually do, their forms, their exceptions and conditions of use. This scoping produces a document that stays yours even without a follow-up, then a quote based on the scope. The choice between iOS, Android and installable web comes from these findings, not from a preference imposed before understanding your business.

A first usable version arrives early, to be tried out by the teams concerned. We reorder what isn't yet built based on their feedback and handle data migration at the start of the project. Training and documentation are part of go-live. The source code is on your repository from the first commit, third-party service accounts are in your name, and there is no licence on your software or exit fees. You keep the same point of contact for future changes.

1. Observe usage and scope the project
2. Choose the form suited to the devices
3. Test early with users
4. Migrate data, train and deploy

Budget and proof of use: our product Trackary

The price depends on the journeys, devices to cover, phone features, data to migrate, connections to other tools, and the level of offline operation required. The timeline also depends on these elements. We don't give a figure without scoping; our guide on custom software pricing explains the factors to compare. Scoping is billed separately and its deliverables belong to you. A first testable version then lets you check direction before completing the scope.

THE LEVEL CODE publishes Trackary, a web and mobile CMMS for construction equipment fleets. Its mobile app works offline. This product shows our approach to a service used on a phone and linked to a web app. It is not a promise that your project would have the same features: we define yours with your users. If you're only looking for a consumer app, that's not our specialty; if you're looking for a professional tool, let's first talk about the work to be done.