Setting up the Samsung SM-T230
Notes on android mobile device setup for data collection
This document provides specific guidance on how to setup the Samsung SM-T230 tablets for data collection using Open Data Kit (ODK). These notes are specific to the five (5) Samsung devices that have been provided.
Setting up device from reset
This section describes how to setup a Samsuing SM-T230 that is new or has been factory reset. These notes are specific to 2 of the devices (out of the 5) that have been factory reset. These notes focus on specific steps of the setup process and assumes that the user is able to go through the guided setup process provided by Samsung on start-up. For notes on general mobile device setup, please refer to this guide.
These steps will require the internet so please make sure to setup an internet connection first before doing these steps.
Setting up Google account
Android devices can run without a Google account. However, for the purposes of these specific tablets and for the ability to monitor the use of the tablets remotely, we would like to setup these tablets with a Google account. We will use the same Google account used in the other 3 devices that already has a Google account.
To setup this account on the device, go to Settings > General > Acccounts > Add account (see Figure 1).
Click on Add account and then follow the instructions after that. Use the following Google account credentials:
username: ernest@validmeasures.org
password: TO BE SENT ON EMAIL
This account is an Google Workspace account and is at enterprise level with added security. When this account is used, a security measure for authentication will be initiated and the administrator will have to approve the login. Please notify Ernest Guevarra when devices are being setup so that this authenication can be approved in real time.
Once this has been approved and the account has been authenticated, the device will now be setup for that specific Google account.
Installing ODK Collect
ODK Collect is an open-source Android application used for data collection in the field, often in places with limited or no internet connectivity. It’s part of the Open Data Kit (ODK) suite, which is widely used in research, humanitarian work, agriculture, health surveys, and more. The latest version of ODK Collect is v2025.1 and can be installed vai the Google Play Store.
However, the Samsung SM-T230 is a relatively old mobile device with Android v4.4.2 (KitKat) version installed. These devices do not support later Android versions (v5 and higher). Because of this, these devices can only install up to a certain version of ODK Collect (specifically v1.25). Whilst this doesn’t have any implications with our being able to run the survey using ODK Collect (v1.25 has all the features that we need for our current form), it does mean that we have to install ODK Collect v1.25 via sideloading rather than via the Google Play Store.
Following are the steps on how to sideload ODK Collect v1.25.
Allow installation of apps from unknown sources
To allow installation of apps from unknown sources, navigate to Settings > Security, scroll down to Unknown sources* option then toggle the button to allow installation of apps from unknown sources.
Download the APK file for ODK Collect v1.25
On the tablet’s built-in browser, download the APK for ODK Collect v1.25 using this link.
Install ODK Collect v1.25
Navigate to the download folder and find the file ODK-Collect-v1.25.0.apk. Tap the file and then follow the prompts to install this version of ODK Collect.
Setting up ODK Collect for data collection
This section is for all five Samsung SM-T230 devices provided after they have all been setup with a Google account and ODK Collect v1.25 installed.
Open ODK Collect
Go to the ODK Collect application and then tap on it (Figure 2 (a)). The ODK Collect app menu will then be seen (Figure 2 (b)).
Reset ODK Collect
Go to Admin Settings of ODK Collect (Figure 3 (a)).
Select Reset application… (Figure 3 (b)) option.
Tick the boxes for (Figure 3 (c)):
All settings (internal settings, saved settings)
Saved forms (instances folder, instances database)
Blank forms (forms folder, forms database, itemsets database)
Form load cache (.cache folder)
Connect ODK Collect to the KoboToolbox server
Go to General Settings of ODK Collect (Figure 4 (a)).
Select Server option (Figure 4 (b)).
Enter URL for the KoboToolbox server (Figure 5 (a)). This should be set to
https://kc-eu.kobotoolbox.org.Enter username for the KoboToolbox server account (Figure 5 (b)). This should be set to
ihtmbot.Enter password for the KoboToolbox server account (Figure 5 (c)). Password will be provided separately on an email.
The ODK Collect server settings has now been set/updated (Figure 6)
Get blank forms
- In the main ODK Collect menu, select Get Blank Form (Figure 7 (a)). ODK Collect will connect to the KoboToolbox server (Figure 7 (b)).
- Select the blank forms to retrieve and tap Get Selected (Figure 8 (a)). ODK Collect will retrieve the selected forms from the server (Figure 8 (b)).
Filling blank forms
In the main ODK Collect menu, select Fill Blank Form (Figure 9).
Select blank form to fill (Figure 9 (b)).
