Automating Reports: Introducing the Submit and Forward Feature in My Flutter App

In this week’s update, I’m excited to share a powerful new feature that enhances the way users can submit and share production summaries directly from my Flutter-based factory data logger app. Introducing the Submit and Forward function, a tool designed to simplify reporting and ensure that key stakeholders receive important updates promptly and efficiently.

The Challenge: Streamlining Reporting and Communication

One of the key challenges in factory management is generating, submitting, and distributing daily production summaries. Without an automated system, this process can be manual, error-prone, and time-consuming. Given that Flutter doesn’t natively support sending emails, I needed a solution to not only generate these reports but also send them to multiple recipients seamlessly.

The Solution: Submit and Forward with FastAPI & SMTP

To tackle this, I integrated a Submit and Forward function into the app. Here’s how it works:

• Generate Production Summaries: At the end of each day, users can click the Submit button, which generates the day’s production summary as a PDF file. This PDF serves as an easily accessible record of the day’s data.
• Send Emails to Multiple Recipients: Users can now forward these production summaries via email to multiple addresses using a buildable email list. This ensures that key personnel are kept in the loop without having to send individual emails manually.
• Email Copy Storage: For tracking purposes, a copy of the sent email is saved within the app, ensuring that records of previous submissions are always accessible.
• FastAPI & SMTP Integration: Since Flutter doesn’t support sending emails directly, I utilized FastAPI for the back-end and SMTP for handling email functionality. This integration allows the app to handle email sending efficiently and reliably.

Benefits of the Submit and Forward Feature

1. Automated Reporting: The app now automates the generation and distribution of production summaries, eliminating the need for manual reporting processes and saving valuable time.
2. Multiple Recipients: Users can send reports to multiple stakeholders with ease, ensuring that everyone gets the information they need without redundancy or delay.
3. Record Keeping: By keeping a copy of each sent email, the app provides a reliable audit trail of all reports, making it easier to track communication history.
4. Streamlined Workflow: This new feature further integrates data management and communication, making the app an indispensable tool for both reporting and decision-making.
5. Enhanced Efficiency: By automating a critical part of the workflow, users can focus on more pressing tasks, knowing that their reports are being handled accurately and efficiently.

Development Insights

Building the Submit and Forward function required integrating multiple technologies. Using FastAPI and SMTP allowed me to overcome Flutter’s limitation with email functionality. The challenge was to make the process as user-friendly as possible while ensuring that all reports are securely sent and stored.

Looking Ahead

With this new feature, my factory data logger app continues to evolve into a complete solution for data logging, reporting, and communication. As I gather more feedback and make iterative improvements, I’m confident that this app will continue to offer value to those looking for streamlined, automated solutions.

Conclusion

The Submit and Forward feature adds significant value to the app, offering users a convenient and efficient way to generate and distribute production summaries. By automating the process and allowing for multiple recipients, I’ve enhanced the app’s usability and ensured that key information reaches the right people on time. This update brings the app one step closer to becoming an all-in-one tool for factory data management.

Annex