Overview on Data Collection Tools

Last updated: 15 Feb 2022

KoboToolbox allows data collection in multiple ways. Because KoboToolbox is built on the Xform/ODK standards, our forms are compatible with a number of different tools that can be used for data collection.

For Android devices, we recommend using Collect Andoid app app, which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store and installed on any standard Android phone or tablet.

For any other devices (including iPhones, iPads, or any laptop or computer), we recommend using the webform for collecting data.

A quick rundown on the differences between the two options

	Webforms	KoboCollect
Devices	Any mobile device or computer	Android only
Runs in…	Browser	Native Android application
Configurable	Server-wide	On each device
Default form display	All questions on the same screen	One question per screen
Data upload	Automatically when connection available	On user request or immediately if connection available
Phone-specific meta-questions (subscriberid, simserial, phonenumber)	No	Yes
barcode question type	No (except manual entry)	Yes
Different form styles	Yes	No
Encryption	Not for storage, but always during transfer	Can be enabled on-device, always during transfer
hide-input appearance for maps to hide manual GPS inputs	Yes	No
Advanced map appearance options (streets, terrain, satellite, [other])	Yes	No
Text formatting in notes and labels (bold, italics, links)	Yes	No
Combine subsequent notes into a single note on the screen	Yes	No
multiline appearance for text questions	Yes	No
horizontal-compact appearance for select-type questions	Yes	No
likert scale appearance for select-type questions	Yes	No
compact-2 appearance for select-type questions	No	Yes
no-calendar appearance	No	Yes
Advanced image appearances (annotate, draw, signature)	Yes	Yes
Calculation command repeat_count()	Set a minimum number of repeat groups	Set an exact number of repeat groups

Collecting data using KoboCollect

After deploying a project, you can go to Form - Collect data, and then select the Android application.

For details on how to set up KoboCollect on any Android devices, read this article.

Collecting Data using the Enketo Webform

To use the webform, after deploying a project, you can go to Form - Collect data, multiple options (online or offline, single or multiple submissions) are available. The default option is Online-Offline (multiple submission).