Getting started

Sites, groups, and sample locations

A group is used to display multiple related sites on one page. For example, "East Coast Facilities."
A site is a physical place where samples are taken from. For example, "New York Manufacturing Facility."
Sites can contain multiple sample locations, which are specific locations within a site where you have collected a sample from. For example, "Inlet #1."

Adding a site

Guided Tour Available
From the Census in-app Help Center, select Guided tours → "Add sites"

Select the Main menu at the top right corner of your screen.
Select Sites & Groups
If you have already set up site groups, select +ADD NEW SITE within the group you would like to add it to. Give your site a name, then select the checkmark to save it.
If you do not yet have any groups set up, first select +ADD NEW GROUP. Give your group a name, then select the checkmark to save it. Once saved, select +ADD NEW SITE within your new group to create a site.
You can repeat this process to add as many sites and groups as you need.
We recommend limiting groups to a maximum of 10 sites, to keep the load time fast.

Adding a sample location

Guided Tour Available
From the Census Help Center, select Guided tours → "Add sample locations"

Select the Site setup icon from the top of the site you want to add sample locations to (the gear icon beside the RUN TESTS button).
Select Sample locations.
Select +ADD SAMPLE LOCATION. Give your new location a name, and then select the test kits you plan to use at it from the dropdown. When you are done, select the checkmark to confirm your new location.
You can repeat this process to add as many sample locations to your site as you need.

Connecting to a PBM

Guided Tour Available
From the Census in-app Help Center, select Guided tours → "Connect your PBM"

Note: If you have previously installed Cloud Connector for use with a previous version of our software, please close it before proceeding.

Plug your PhotonMaster into your PBM using its connected USB cable.
Plug your PBM into your PC using its provided USB cable.
Turn on your PBM and check that it has enough battery to operate. If not, wait until it charges enough to function. Note that the first time you plug it in to your PC, Windows may download its drivers in the background to allow it to be used; if you see a notification, please allow this process to complete.
Select PBM not connected from the top right of the Census screen.
A dialog window will open, showing a list of all the devices connected to your PC. Select the PBM, then select Connect.

Connection tip: On older systems or PBM models, you may see a generic device name in the selection window instead of "PBM" (e.g. it may show as "USB Serial Device"). You can check this by selecting "PBM not connected" to open the device selection pop-up, then plugging in your PBM to see what it uses for a name when it appears in the list.

Running a test

Guided Tour Available
From the Census in-app Help Center, select Guided tours → "Run a test"

Select RUN TESTS on any of your sites, to open the test running workflow.
Follow the calibration preparation steps in your test kit instructions. Place the calibration test tube in the PhotonMaster, then press the READ button to take the measurement (if your PBM is not connected, you can enter the value with your keyboard).
Select the Location you took the sample from and the Test Kit you would like to use.
Work through the test kit instructions to enter all input values. You can use the READ buttons to interact directly with the PBM, or input the values manually. When all values are entered (including calibration), your results will show.
Select SAVE TEST.

Editing a test

From any site table, select any test's tray button at the right side of the row to expand the detailed results.
Select the pencil icon to edit the test.
Make any adjustments you need to the Sample, Inputs, or Results fields.
Select SAVE TEST.

Deleting a test

From any site table, select any test's tray button at the right side of the row to expand the detailed results.
Select the trash icon to delete the test.

Exporting results

Select the export icon from the top of the site you want to export results from.
Select the Sample Locations, Test Kits, and Date Range you wish to export.
Select EXPORT to download the results to your PC as a CSV file.

Advanced functions

Alarms

Select the Site setup icon from the top of the site you want to add sample locations to (the gear icon beside the RUN TESTS button).
Select Alarm settings.
The result parameters for each sample location and test kit combination used at your site will display in the table. Enter the values you wish to use for alarm ranges for each combination.
By default, alarms are set to be one-way, i.e., to warn you of high results. If you would like to set alarm values for low results as well, flip the One-Way Alarm toggle to switch to Two-Way Alarms.

Important: For new sites, we recommend running at least 25 tests before considering alarm values, to establish a representative baseline for your site. Default alarm settings are provided for each test kit, but appropriate ranges for "good control," "preventative action required" and "immediate action required" will vary from site to site. For help establishing a baseline for your sites, please contact support.

Sharing sites

Select the Site setup icon from the top of the site you want to add sample locations to (the gear icon beside the RUN TESTS button).
Select Manage users.
To share your site with a colleague, select +SHARE WITH NEW USER.
Enter your colleague's email address, then select Send Invite.
The user will receive an email notification that they now have access to the site you shared.

Working offline

When you lose internet, Census automatically switches to offline mode (you'll see a pop-up and a banner letting you know). You can continue to run and save your tests as usual, and when you reconnect the app will automatically switch back to normal operation.

Notes:

Offline capabilities are still under development, and not all of Census's features will work offline just yet.
When you save a test in offline mode and then go back online, it might take some time for it to sync back up and show in your site's results.