For new starters or those with replacement phones, you should find your phone pre-configured with the telephone number, Google account, Outlook and Slack. If however, you need to reset the phone and start over, or if some elements are missing from your phone, there are details below on how to do this.
Signing in with a Google account
When you first turn your new phone on, as part of the set-up process it will ask you to sign in with a Google account. You should use your Safe Families email address and password to do this (not a personal Google account). Follow the on-screen set up instructions to complete setting up your mobile phone.
If it does not accept your Safe Families email, you will need to convert it to a Google account. You can do this by following this link. This works best on a laptop.
Once signed in, you will be able to download apps from the Play Store - you may find it helpful to download Outlook, Slack and Whatsapp to stay in contact with the team when you're out and about.
Activating your SIM card
When you first put your SIM into the phone, you may find that it's not activated. If this is the case, call Purchase Direct on 01707 299 080. Let them know you work for Safe Families and have recently received a new SIM card that's not active, and they will be able to activate it for you. They are very helpful and lovely too! They will need the mobile number and the SIM number. The SIM number is printed on the actual SIM card.
Accessing emails and calendar on your phone
To access email and calendar we recommend that you download the Outlook app from the Play store.
Once downloaded and installed, open the app and select 'Add account'. Enter your Safe Families email address and password when prompted (Note: This password is the one originally sent to you on Slack, not the one you set up for your Google account). If you need a reset, get in touch.
Installing Slack on your phone
For Slack access, download the Slack app. You'll need your Safe Families email to sign in and also the Slack workspace url which is safefamiliesuk.slack.com
Once installed, you'll be able to set up notifications and also configure these differently to the settings on the laptop version.
Accessing documents on your phone
If you want to access documents on your phone, download the Microsoft Office 365 app from the Play Store. Sign in with your Safe Families email address and password, and you will be able to access and edit any documents saved in the 'OneDrive' folder on your laptop, as well as create new documents.
Scanning documents from your phone
For scanning, use Microsoft's OfficeLens: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft.office.officelens
It is ad free and the good thing about OfficeLens is that being a Microsoft product it connects into OneDrive and so you can send your scanned documents immediately there and have them sync to your laptop for uploading to the database without needing new accounts, or to store sensitive information outside the Safe Families systems and then remember to delete it as you would have to if using Google/Dropbox/etc as some of the other apps require.
Accessing the database on your phone
The database is not currently optimised for us on a mobile phone, so we recommend looking up any info you need for visits and meetings on your laptop before heading out, and using your laptop to write up notes, review forms etc. when you are back. However, if for any reason you do need to access the database while out and about, you can go to https://db.safefamilies.uk/auth/login from your phone and sign in with your usual details.