1. How to start using TallyExpress?
(i) get a good recent Android phone or tablet, with a good camera (min 8 megapixels), at least Android >= 5 and 3,5GB of RAM. We recommend the following phones: Samsung Galaxy S10 / S10 Plus / S9 / S9 Plus / Note 8 / Note 9. If the idea is to measure offline then its best to have a bigger screen and the Samsung Note 9 is a good choice. We also recommend if you buy the Samsung Note 9 to also buy the S-Pen that goes with it. If you plan to do all measurements online then it's best to take a phone because the cameras are usually better.
(ii) Download the Tally Express mobile app from Play Store. To find it type ”TallyExpress” in 1 word in the search bar of the Play Store.
(iii) Order our plastic references
(iv) Check our video tutorials on the homepage
(v) Start taking pictures and measuring your lumber bundles.
2. How much does TallyExpress cost?
3000 USD/year/user
3. Does TallyExpress work with all devices?
For accurate results, TallyExpress must be installed on a device with a high quality camera (minimum 8 megapixels) and a strong processor, with at least 3.5 GB of RAM memory.We recommend the following phones: Samsung Galaxy S9 / S9 Plus / S10 / S10 Plus / Note 9 and the tablet: Samsung Galaxy Tab S4
If the idea is to measure offline then its best to have a tablet (bigger screen). If you plan to do all measurements online then it's best to take a phone because the cameras are usually better.
4. Can I export the data back into my inventory system?
You can export your tally files in xls or pdf by e-mail. We can also connect our system with your inventory system through our API. Ask your inventory software partner to contact us and we will take care of this. We charge an additional yearly amount of 2000 USD for this connection.
5. Editing results of Tally Express online versus offline
The software is not perfect and you will need, in some cases, to check/edit the results. There are 2 ways to do this:
6. Where can I order the plastic references?
7. How does Tally Express measure bundles with various lengths?
After you take the picture and when filling in the form with details of the bundle you can enter different lengths. Enter first the length you have most since this is the one that the software will use per default for all boards.
If you measure offline you will be able in the last step, to mark the odd lengths on the screen of your device. Our clients usually work in one of the following ways:
- They mark the odd lengths at the end of the boards. In this case the user can stay on the front side of the bundle and tap on his screen the odd lengths on the relevant boards. So for ex if there is a majority of 7ft and then a lower number of 8ft the software will allow you to indicate only the 8ft boards on the screen.
- If you are used to first count the odd lengths and then consider that the first X boards are of that length this can also be done.
- If the odd lengths are not marked, the user can go to the back of the bundle, flip the picture he already took to see the boards as he sees them at the back, then use his finger to mark the odd length boards on the screen.
If you measure online you will be able to work as described in the first 2 bullet points above.
We are currently working on recognizing automatically marks at the end of boards… more on this soon.
8. What can I do if I do not want to measure one bundle now and just want to take the pictures?
After taking the picture and entering the details of the bundle, we added a button which looks like a clock and which you can use to save incomplete measurements. When clicking on this button, the measurement will appear with an orange flag instead of red one in the list of measurements. After this, you can simply go back to it and measure it at a later time, offline or online.
9. Can I see both net and gross values?
Now you can see both gross & net values in TallyExpress. We added the option to set a shrinkage factor, default to 8%. In order to enable it, you have to go to the three dots on the top right side -> Global Settings -> check the "Shrinkage factor" checkbox.Further on, if you want to see net values instead of gross values, go to Settings and check the "Net values" checkbox.
10. How can I export my measurements or share them with my clients?
You can share and export your measurement tally reports from both web and mobile app. Just go on any measurement and click on "Export". You will be then prompted to choose how you want to export it: by email, pdf, or .xls file.
11. Can I have a custom rounding method for my tally reports?
Since the app gives results up to 1/16th of an inch precision, in the tally report the values are rounded. We have more than one method for doing so, besides the classic rounding at 0.5 inches. If you let us know how you build your tally reports, we can implement the same rounding in your version of the application.
12. One of the pictures taken in my warehouse is not ok ( blurry, too dark etc). Can I notify the person taking the pictures?
If you are checking the pictures on you web interface and notice that something went wrong with one of your bundles, you can mark the measurement and the employees taking the pictures in the warehouse will be notified. To do so, in the first editing step, where you mark the corners of the bundle, there is a button called “Redo measurement”. it is located on the right side, between the “Zoom in” button and the “View original image” button. Once clicked, it turns red and the measurement is marked as “Needs to be redone”.
13. How is the volume calculated in TallyExpress?
By default, the volume is calculated using the thickness you added in the measurement details screen. This means that if you added 1 inch as the thickness, all the planks will be considered to be of 1 inch thickness, even though some of them might be 1 1/16 inches or 15/16 inches. To calculate the volume using the real height, detected by the algorithm behind TallyExpress, you can go to Global Settings -> Weight calculation thickness and select “Real thickness” instead of “User thickness”.
14. How can I order a reference?
Go to tallyexpress.com and buy it directly from there. We will then ship it to the address you specify as “Delivery address”.
15. I cannot find one of the species I cut in the app. What do I do?
You can add new species or rename existing ones by going to your web storage module. Go to web.tallyexpress.com -> Settings -> Planks and customise all the properties linked to a measurement: Species, Qualities, Colors, Cuts, Dry status, Surfaces or Specifications.
16. I changed my phone / tablet and cannot connect with the new device to my TallyExpress account. What do I do?
In order to use TallyExpress on a new device, you have to disconnect the old one first from your account. To do so, go to your web storage module -> Settings -> Devices and unlink the device you no longer user. After doing so, you will be able to connect with your new device to the same account.
17. I selected incorrectly the unit system I use. Can I change it?
Yes, you can do so by going to Settings -> Unit system and change it according to your needs.
18. I don’t have enough space on my device. Can I save only a part of my measurements?
On TallyExpress you can choose how many measurements to save on the phone / tablet. Go to Settings -> Sync limit and choose whichever limit suits you. Keep in mind that on the web you will see all your measurements at all times.
19. I want to group my measurements. Can I do it with TallyExpress?
TallyExpress gives you the option to group your measurements based on various criterias: warehouses, custom groups or category (Incoming / Outgoing). To see these options in your measurement details form, go to Settings and check the checkboxes for the options you want added.
20. How do I use the references correctly?
- Red chips need to be on top
- Reference needs to be fully contained inside the bundle & placed in center
- Reference needs to be hanging in the form of a diamond
21. How close should I be when I take the picture of the bundle?
We have found that best results are obtained when the bundle occupies around 70-80% of the image. It is extremely important that the entire bundle is visible in the picture (otherwise, there will be missing boards which will result in inaccurate tallies). If the user stays too far away from the bundle, the app will notify the person taking the picture that he / she is too far and should move closer in order to get the best results possible.
22. How much do the background and lighting conditions matter?
The background is not extremely important, since the software knows to distinguish between wood boards and background. The algorithms detect the bundle margins and the boards and are not affected by the environment. However, the lighting is very important; it is essential that the boards are not covered by very dark shadows and the environment itself is not very dark. If the boards are visible for a human looking at the picture, then our software should be able to detect them. We have tested the detection outside, in sunny / cloudy weather, as well as inside, with artificial light, and the results were good.
