Microapp ideas for Surrey businesses, by industry
Real examples of small tools that save time every week. If one of these sounds like your business, we can usually build a first version quickly, and microapps are included with our managed IT services.
Trucking & Logistics
Driver pre-trip inspections on the phone
Before: Paper inspection sheets go missing and defects get reported days late.
After: Drivers tap through a checklist with photos. Defects alert the shop instantly and every report is filed by unit and date.
Proof of delivery and BOL photos
Before: Drivers text photos to dispatch and someone retypes them into the system.
After: One upload screen saves the BOL, signature and photos to the right load automatically.
Fuel and expense receipts
Before: Shoeboxes of receipts at month end.
After: Snap a receipt, pick the truck, done. Totals by unit go to your bookkeeper.
Construction & Trades
Daily site reports
Before: Foremen fill out reports at night, if at all.
After: A two-minute phone form with photos, crew count and weather, saved to the job folder and emailed to the PM.
Toolbox talks and safety sign-offs
Before: Clipboard sign-in sheets that are hard to find when WorkSafeBC asks.
After: Workers sign on a tablet. Records are searchable by date, site and worker.
Timesheets by job
Before: Hours written on paper and re-entered for payroll.
After: Crew logs hours per job code. Payroll gets a clean export every week.
Manufacturing
Downtime and scrap log
Before: Nobody really knows why a line was down on Tuesday.
After: Operators log a reason in two taps. You see the top causes every week.
Digital job traveller and QC checklist
Before: Paper travellers get lost or stained on the floor.
After: Each job has a QR code. Scan it to see the spec and sign off each step.
Low-stock alerts
Before: Someone notices the bin is empty after it is empty.
After: Counts entered on a tablet trigger a reorder email when stock falls below a set level.
Agriculture & Greenhouses
Picker and crew tally
Before: Hand-written tallies and arguments at payday.
After: Supervisors record crates or hours per worker on a phone, totals feed payroll.
Greenhouse and cooler alerts
Before: A failed heater is found in the morning.
After: Sensors or readings that go out of range send a text to the right person at any hour.
Spray and field records
Before: Spray logs kept in a binder in the truck.
After: A simple log by field, product and date, ready for buyers and certification audits.
IT for agriculture & greenhouses
Dental & Medical Clinics
New patient intake
Before: Clipboards, scanning and retyping at the front desk.
After: Patients fill a secure form before the visit. Staff review it instead of retyping it.
Sterilization and fridge logs
Before: Paper logs on the wall that are easy to miss.
After: A tablet checklist with reminders. Missed checks alert the office manager.
Recall and reminder lists
Before: Staff export lists and call by hand.
After: A daily list of who is due, with one-click text or email reminders.
IT for dental & medical clinics
Accounting & Bookkeeping
Client document collection
Before: Chasing T4s, receipts and bank statements by email every spring.
After: Each client gets a checklist link. Uploads land in their folder and the checklist updates itself.
Engagement and file status tracker
Before: Status lives in someone's head or a messy spreadsheet.
After: A shared board shows every file, who has it and what is missing.
Deadline reminders
Before: Manual calendar reminders for remittances and filings.
After: Automatic reminders to clients and staff before each due date.
IT for accounting & bookkeeping
Law Firms & Notaries
Client intake and conflict check form
Before: Intake notes scattered across email and paper.
After: One secure form captures the matter details and flags names for a conflict check.
Document request tracker
Before: Following up on missing documents by memory.
After: Each matter has a checklist; clients get automatic, polite reminders.
Limitation and deadline alerts
Before: Key dates kept in individual calendars.
After: Deadlines entered once alert the lawyer and assistant on a schedule you choose.
Real Estate & Mortgage
Listing and closing checklist
Before: Tasks tracked in texts and sticky notes.
After: Every deal has a checklist your assistant and you both see, with due dates.
Showing feedback collector
Before: Calling agents for feedback after every showing.
After: A short link agents fill in. Feedback goes straight to the seller report.
Mortgage document checklist
Before: Back-and-forth emails about which paystub is missing.
After: Borrowers upload to a checklist that shows exactly what is still needed.
Automotive & Body Shops
Digital vehicle inspection
Before: Technicians write notes that customers never see.
After: Techs take photos and tick items on a tablet. Customers get a clear report to approve work by text.
Parts order tracker
Before: Calling suppliers to ask where parts are.
After: One list of parts on order, by job, with expected dates and alerts when late.
Loaner and courtesy car log
Before: Keys and fuel levels tracked on paper.
After: Check-out and check-in with photos, mileage and fuel recorded.
IT for automotive & body shops
Retail & Grocery
Stock count and reorder app
Before: Counting on paper and typing it in later.
After: Scan or tap counts on a phone. Reorder suggestions are ready for the buyer.
End-of-day cash reconciliation
Before: Cash sheets that do not match the POS.
After: Staff enter counts, the app compares to sales and flags differences.
Price change and promo tracker
Before: Shelf tags missed during promos.
After: A list of changes per aisle with sign-off when tags are updated.
Restaurants & Food Production
Food safety temperature logs
Before: Paper logs filled in at the end of the shift.
After: Staff log fridge and hot-holding temps on a tablet with reminders. Ready for the health inspector.
Waste and prep tracking
Before: No idea where food cost is going.
After: Quick waste entries by item show weekly trends.
Shift swap and availability
Before: Group chats and missed shifts.
After: A simple request and approve flow that updates the schedule.
IT for restaurants & food production
Warehousing & Distribution
Receiving and damage reports
Before: Damage noted on paper and lost before the claim.
After: Scan the PO, snap photos, and a damage report goes to the carrier and the customer.
Cycle count app
Before: Full shutdowns for inventory counts.
After: Daily small counts on a scanner or phone, with variances flagged.
Dock appointment board
Before: Phone calls and a whiteboard for dock times.
After: Carriers book a slot by link. The board updates for the floor.
IT for warehousing & distribution
Non-Profits & Community
Volunteer sign-in and hours
Before: Paper sign-in sheets added up for grant reports.
After: Volunteers sign in on a tablet. Hours roll up by program automatically.
Program intake forms
Before: Paper intake re-entered into spreadsheets.
After: A secure form with only the fields you need, stored with access controls.
Grant reporting dashboard
Before: Days pulling numbers for every funder.
After: Key numbers update as staff work, ready for reports.
IT for non-profits & community
Professional Offices
Client onboarding checklist
Before: New clients get a different experience depending on who answers.
After: One checklist with forms, ID upload and welcome email, every time.
Renewal and follow-up reminders
Before: Renewals tracked in a personal calendar.
After: Automatic reminders to staff and clients before each renewal date.
Secure file request link
Before: Sensitive documents sent by plain email.
After: Clients upload to a secure link that files documents for you.
Questions
How do we pick our first microapp?
Start with the task that is done most often, by the most people, with the most re-typing. That is usually the biggest win.
Do microapps replace our main software?
No. They fill the gaps around it: the forms, checklists and handoffs your main software does not cover.
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