Keeping Teams Productive with Qodea’s Grab and Go Solution

Grab and Go allows employees to make use of self-service stations so they can quickly borrow and return devices, streamlining the temporary allocation of ChromeOS devices. This means users visiting different offices no longer need to carry a device with them, simply checking out a device and checking it back in when done, or providing devices when the user’s primary device is faulty so they can simply log back in and pick up where they left off.

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The Challenge

With more businesses moving to remote and hybrid ways of working, they’re looking for more flexibility, portability and convenience. This means more and more laptops are being used as the primary device for workers, making the transitions between office based and remote working much easier. 

Google initially launched Grab and Go as a trial and whilst initially providing contributions to the open source project, the last released version was in December 2018, archiving the original Grab and Go repository in 2022. Seeing the gap this concept fills for customers, Qodea has developed their own solution, simplifying the architecture while still providing the key functionality.

The Solution

Without active development, the original Grab and Go loaner solution has become increasingly hard to support. Since 2018, the landscape has changed and products like AppSheet make it easier to develop and deploy user interfaces across multiple platforms, both web and mobile.

The Qodea Grab and Go solution makes use of AppSheet, the no-code development platform, making it a more robust solution that’s also easier to maintain. Working closely with select customers, Qodea built something that suited customer requirements, while still maintaining the broad appeal to a variety of businesses. 

The Grab and Go project enables the automatic assigning, returning and monitoring of enterprise registered Chrome OS devices. As a part of this, users are able to self-checkout a loaner Chromebook and use it straight away, decreasing the workload on IT support while keeping users productive.

How Did Qodea Do This?

Qodea has made use of three key technologies; ChromeOS, AppSheet and Google Workspace Enterprise APIs, making this solution possible and cost effective:

• ChromeOS, and in particular device management options, make it possible to remotely manage devices
• AppSheet was essential in terms of being able to rapidly develop an interface and administrative processes, which can be handed back to the customer. This allows them to take ownership of operations or any needed customisation
• Google Workspace APIs make it possible to integrate different Google products into a single solution

The Results

Flexibility
Qodea's Grab and Go solution supports modern ways of working by enhancing flexibility for workers whether they’re office based, at home, or on the frontline. Users can transition between devices, simply log back in and pick up where they left off last time. 

Business scalability
By using AppSheets own API, the new Grab and Go solution allows customers to choose any of the database solutions supported by AppSheet. This means customers can quickly scale the solution, going from a Google Sheet to BigQuery in a couple of clicks. 

Tracking and reporting
Businesses can issue loaned devices simply and have them returned to the pool when employees are done. They can access reporting of who the device is loaned out to and usage metrics. 

Creating efficiencies
When it comes to managing downtime through faulty devices, it can end up being a financially costly and time consuming business. With Grab and Go, employees can simply log back on to another device and pick up where they left off with their work stored in the cloud.

Who Is Grab and Go for?

Qodea's Grab and Go is a great solution for businesses who require temporary and flexible access to devices for employees. Such as:

Remote workers
Support your employees who need to travel between offices or between the office and home in a more efficient and secure way than carrying a device with them during the commute. 

Frontline workers
Workers at the forefront of your business who will only need to log onto a device for short lengths of time. This could be while helping a customer, collaborating with HQ, completing training, or to access company communications. 

Shift workers
Employees who work on shared devices, like in call centres, benefit from Grab and Go. Easier transitions for staff as they log on for the time needed, with the device ready to go for the next person on the following shift