KoBoToolBox

Field Guide
Contents
• Introduction to KoboToolbox
• User Interface guide (Mobile App)
• Fill Blank Form
• Edit Saved Form
• Send Finalized Form
• View Sent Form (xxx)
• Get Blank Form
• Delete Saved Form
• Saved Forms
• Blank Forms

• Project settings
• Project settings
• Server connection
• Project display and management
• User interface
• Maps

• Protected
• Set admin password
• Form management
• Access Control
KoboToolbox
• KoboToolbox is a platform for field data collection in challenging environments. Our software is free and open source and works
both online and offline. Most of our users are people working in humanitarian crises, aid professionals and researchers working in
developing regions. Our team of developers, designers, support staff and researchers work tirelessly from countries around the
world to keep the tool accessible to everyone.
• What can KoboToolbox do?
• KoboToolbox allows you to easily develop digital data collection forms that work on both mobile devices and web browsers.
• Creating forms is quick and simple, thanks to our easy-to-use online form builder. You can also use the XLSForm specification and
upload your files directly to the platform, which will provide you with the flexibility to build more complex and customizable forms.
You can read more about getting started here.
• Completed forms can then be shared online or downloaded onto mobile devices, ready to use for data collection. The KoboCollect
Android app allows for offline data collection, storing recorded data in the device until an internet connection is available and the
data can be sent to the server. This ensures that even in network-constrained environments, data, from text to video to GPS
coordinates, can be collected without internet connection.
• In addition to the KoboCollect app, KoboToolbox also allows for online and offline data collection through the web browser using
any device or operating system, powered by Enketo web forms, and can work on any mobile phone, tablet or computer. Simply
share the URL of your form and you’ll be able to start collecting data.
• KoboToolbox allows you to manage your data by aggregating the data collected from different devices, accessible through the
KoboToolbox interface. This data can then be downloaded into multiple formats for use in applications such as Excel, SPSS or GIS
software.
 Default Screen Settings Tap

Server: server address

Option to fill a blank

form, user has to select
from the list of
downloaded forms
Sending to the server the finalized
Editing saved forms after form (s)
data collection, we can
Downloading blank form from,
edit forms if we notice
requires internet and lists all available
something isn’t right
forms. User can download form
during the review
required for the activity.
process

User can view the sent Version details,

forms, it also counts how currently the phone
many forms were sent, has App version
this could include sent 2022.1.2
forms from previous
servers or versions of the
same form.
Settings Server: setting up the server-type server
url, Account details: (username, and
password) to connect to the Kobo server

Maps: This is the offline maps quick Project Display: Project name is just a
start with below features:- heading for the project, e.g. DTM South
• Create MBTiles Sudan, Project Icon is an alphabet that
• Select your offline layer in the represents the Project, e.g. D for DTM,
reference layer settings and the project color is a color theme for
• Open a GeoPoint, GeoTrace, or the project, e.g. IOM Blue
GeoShape question
User Interface: setting up the server-type
server url, Account details: (username,
and password) to connect to the Kobo
Settings Tap server

Project management:
Form management: Option to • Reconfigure the App settings via QR
manage your forms code or share your settings with other
• Form update phones.
• Form submission • Reset settings of the Kobo server (url
• Form filling Set admin password and and account details) to default
Access control remain “Humanitarian-response” details.
• Form import restricted for all users, you are • Delete server settings from this App.
advised not to change
anything here.
Server Type: The type of server you’d like to
connect to. It’s clear that we intend to
connect to our Kobo server, note that it’s
Server: setting up the server-type server just message for the user to know what
url, Account details: (username, and server type they are dealing with despite
password) to connect to the Kobo server you can put any text in this field.

URL: Uniform Resource Locator

This is the direct link/address to the
server of interest. DTM server is
https://kc.kobo.iom.int

Username: Basically all secured servers

will require authentication to allow only
the trusted users to access the services.
Username here is XXXXXX

Password: Password to authenticate the

registered user to the server.
Form management
• Form update
• Blank form update mode: How blank forms are updated in case of changes in the server, default is to manually
remove and download the latest version of the forms, you also have the choice to allow only “previously downloaded
forms only” or “Exactly match server”
• Automatic update frequency: Users can set a schedule to check for an update and download, only application if
“Blank form update mode” is not set to Manual.
• Automatic download: Once this option is checked, the Kobo App will automatically download the latest versions of
forms based on the above settings.
• Hide old form versions: This option allows Kobo to hide old versions of a form to avoid confusion, especially when
Kobo is set to download updated versions automatically.
• Form submission
• Auto send: Automatically send all finalized forms when the phone is connected to the internet
• Delete after send: Automatically delete forms once sent (sent forms)
• Form filling
• Default to finalized: makes filled forms to finalized which can be sent if auto send is on, not advisable in situations
where forms need thorough review prior to submission.
• Constraint processing: Advance option to process constraints mainly for validation purposes
• High res video: Videos taken will have high resolution, and requires enough storage capacity
• Image size: Allows you to select the size of an image to capture, usually high-quality image requires enough storage
space
• Show guidance for questions: Clicking
• Use an external app for audio recording: Advance option to allow other external apps use for audio recording
• Form import
• Finalize forms on import: Finalizing forms imported from other devices thus restricting them from being altered and
auto-sends when the feature is turned on. This should be disabled all the time unless advised by the admin based on
the type of data collection.
Project management
• Reconfigure with QR code
• Scan: Using your camera to scan QR code from
another device to replace your current settings,
usually we scan from a device having the settings
we need to use for our project
• QR Code: This option allows the device to display
its own QR Code (containing all settings required to
connect to our server and download forms and
upload data) for another device to scan
• Reset
• Select what to reset: All selected data (Settings
information) will be deleted permanently, there is
no undo.
• All settings (internal settings, saved settings)
• Saved forms (instances folder, instances database)
• Blank forms (forms folder, forms database, itemsets database)
• Form load cache (cache folder)
• Map layers (layers folder)

• Delete
• All blank forms, submissions and settings will be
permanently deleted.
 Maps
Source: setting up the Offline maps quick start:
server-type server url, Get or create your MBTiles file with TileMill or other software.
Transfer tiles to devices. The MBTiles file must be placed on your device in the layers subdirectory of
Account details: your Collect directory, and the filename must end in .mbtiles.
(username, and password) Select your offline layer in the reference layer settings.
to connect to the Kobo Open a geopoint, geotrace, or geoshape question.
While viewing the map, you can also select the offline layer using the button that looks like a stack of
server layers.
MBTiles files typically contain metadata that specifies the range of zoom levels in which they are visible. If
you are viewing at an appropriate zoom level, your offline layer should be displayed. If you don't see it,
Reference layer: setting up you might need to zoom in or out until the zoom level is in the range specified by the MBTiles file.
the server-type server url, If the tileset has transparency (PNG or PBF tiles only), the selected basemap will show through. If it does
not have transparency or you are offline, only your offline layer will be displayed.
Account details:
(username, and password) Transferring offline tilesets to devices:
to connect to the Kobo
MBTiles files must be manually transferred to Android devices to be available to Collect. Place the MBTiles
server files in the layers subdirectory of your Collect directory, and ensure their filenames end in .mbtiles.

To transfer files, you can upload them to an online service such as Google Drive, connect your device to a
Using Offline Maps:
computer and transfer them via USB, or use adb.
Collect's location question types, select from map question, and filled form map can be
Once an MBTiles file has been transferred to the layers subdirectory of your Collect directory, it will be
configured to display different map data. The Maps Settings let you select a basemap to show, as
available for selection as a reference layer. A reference layer provides useful reference information for a
well as a reference layer to show on top of the basemap. Those settings are shared between all
data collector. A reference layer with no transparency acts like a basemap.
mapping components in a single project.
The data for all the available basemaps comes from services on the Internet, so the basemap will
There are two ways to set the reference layer:
only be visible to users who are online. To choose a basemap, select a Source and then a Style if
multiple styles are available.
• from Maps Settings
For the reference layer, however, you can select a file on the device, and it will be visible offline.
• by tapping on the button that looks in a stack of layers in a geopoint, geotrace, or geoshape question
Offline layers are useful to present custom geospatial data layered over standard basemaps or as
Both options set the reference layer for all geopoint, geotrace, and geoshape questions.
basemaps for low-connectivity environments. Use them to display high-resolution imagery,
The choices in the Collect layer selection menu will show the name of the tileset (from the Metadata
annotated maps, heatmaps, and more. ODK Collect can display any map layer saved as a set of
table in the MBTiles file), as well as the path to the file.
tiles in the MBTiles format.
 GeoPoint
Geopoint with map display
The default Geopoint widget does not display a map to the user. When the appearance attribute is maps, the widget
displays a map to help the user get oriented and confirm that the selected point is correct and sufficiently accurate.
When the device's geolocation is available, it is displayed on the map by a blue cross. A blue shaded circle around the
cross represents the accuracy radius of the geolocation. The "add marker" button at the top right of the screen can be
tapped to add a point at the location indicated by the middle of the blue cross. The selected point is represented by a
small circle with a red outline.
When the map view is opened again with a selected point, the map is centered on that point. To change the selection,
first tap the "trash" icon and then select a new point.

Geopoint with user-selected location

Type -> geopoint and appearance -> placement-map
The default Geopoint widget does not allow the user to place the point anywhere other than the device's current
geolocation.
A geopoint with the appearance attribute placement-map allows the user to select any point from a map. The user can
either long press to place the point anywhere, or, if the device knows its geolocation, tap on the "add point" button at
the top right of the screen. The selected point is represented by a small circle with a red outline (see arrow in
screenshot).

The save button saves the selected point and returns to the question screen. If the point was selected by long pressing,
the accuracy radius and altitude will both be 0. If the device's geolocation was selected, the accuracy radius will be
greater than 0.

When the map view is opened again with an existing point, the map is centered on the selected point. To change the
selection, first tap the "trash" icon and then select a new point.
 GeoTrace
Once the trace has been saved, the coordinates of its points will
be displayed on the question screen. The trace can be opened for
manual editing by tapping to add more points, moving existing
points or deleting the last-added point. After a trace has been
saved once, it cannot be added to in manual or automatic
location recording modes.

The three location recording modes are:

• Placement by tapping
• The user taps the device to place points.
• Manual location recording

A series of points. Identical to geoshape except that the first and last point may be different The user chooses when to tap the "record a point" button at the top of
and at least 2 points are required.
the screen to capture the device geolocation at that moment.
Points can be entered either by tapping the screen to place each point, or by taking readings Automatic location recording
of the device's geolocation over time. On a map, each coordinate is represented by small The user is prompted to select a recording interval and accuracy
circles with red outlines. These are connected by red lines.
requirement. If the accuracy requirement is set to None, points are
To collect a geotrace, first select the location-recording mode by tapping the "add point" always collected at the recording interval. If the accuracy requirement
button in the upper right side of the screen. The selected mode will be displayed in the gray
bar at the bottom of the screen. While point collection is ongoing, the "add marker" button is set to any other value, a point will only be captured if it meets the
changes to a "pause" button. The "back arrow" button can be used to remove the last-entered requirement. For example, given a recording interval of 20s and an
point either when actively collecting points or when paused. Any point can be manually
moved at any time by tapping on it and dragging it. The mode can only be changed if an accuracy requirement of 10m, the app places a point at the device
existing line is first cleared by tapping the "trash" button. Recording must be paused to clear location every 20s if the location is accurate to 10m or better.
the existing line.
 GeoShape
Geoshape:

Type
• geoshape
appearance
• None

A series of points that form a closed polygon. Identical to geotrace except

that the first and last point are always the same and at least 3 points are
required.

Points can be entered either by tapping the screen to place each point, or
by taking readings of the device's geolocation over time. On a map, each
coordinate is represented by small circles with red outlines. These are
connected by red lines.

To collect a geoshape, first select the location-recording mode by tapping The three location recording modes are:
the "add point" button in the upper right side of the screen. The selected Placement by tapping
mode will be displayed in the gray bar at the bottom of the screen. While The user taps the device to place points.
point collection is ongoing, the "add marker" button changes to a Manual location recording
The user chooses when to tap the "record a point" button at the top of the screen to capture the
"pause" button. The "back arrow" button can be used to remove the last-
device geolocation at that moment.
entered point either when actively collecting points or when paused. Any Automatic location recording
point can be manually moved at any time by tapping on it and dragging The user is prompted to select a recording interval and accuracy requirement. If the accuracy
it. The mode can only be changed if an existing line is first cleared by requirement is set to None, points are always collected at the recording interval. If the accuracy
requirement is set to any other value, a point will only be captured if it meets the requirement.
tapping the "trash" button. Recording must be paused to clear the For example, given a recording interval of 20s and an accuracy requirement of 10m, the app
existing line. places a point at the device location every 20s if the location is accurate to 10m or better.
 Recording a GeoShape

GeoShape details get recorded User can proceed if satisfied

once user clicks the green with the GeoShape collected,
highlighted save button otherwise you have the option
to view or recapture/change the
GeoShape