How to Scan PIT Tags in Survey123 Without Typing
Fisheries biologists and wildlife researchers often collect hundreds or thousands of PIT tag readings during monitoring and tagging operations – commonly using PIT Tag Scan Survey123.
Many teams use ArcGIS Survey123 for mobile field data collection.
However, one problem slows down many workflows: Manually typing PIT tag numbers into Survey123 forms.
Manual entry creates several challenges:
- transcription errors
- slower data collection
- time-consuming data cleanup
- reduced confidence in datasets
A better approach is to scan PIT tags directly into Survey123 without typing.
This is possible using SerialMagic Keys Pro, which automatically sends RFID tag data from a reader directly into the active form field.
Why Typing PIT Tag Numbers Causes Data Errors
A typical PIT tag collection workflow often looks like this:
- Scan PIT tag with reader
- Read the tag ID on the reader screen
- Type the number into a Survey123 form
- Move to the next fish
Even with experienced technicians, this process introduces errors such as:
- Transposed digits
- Missing characters
- Incorrect tag IDs
- Duplicate entries
When collecting thousands of fish tag samples, even a small error rate can create significant data integrity problems.
You’ll find it very well reached*: humans are error prone. For example: compare the common error numbers:
- Human typing: ~1 in 300
- Barcode scanning: ~1 in 3,000,000
- That is about 10,000× improvement
*See the book Reading Between the Lines: An Introduction to Bar Code Technology (Craig K. Harmon & Russ Adams, 1989)
Ideal for Biomark HPR Lite PIT Tag Readers
Many fisheries programs use Biomark HPR Lite readers for PIT tag identification.
When paired with SerialMagic Keys:
- the PIT tag is scanned
- the reader sends the tag ID via Bluetooth
- SerialMagic Keys enters the tag number directly into the Survey123 form field
This eliminates the need to manually copy numbers from the reader display.
The result is faster sampling and improved data accuracy during field collection.
Works With countless RFID, Barcode, Reader models, and scales, sensors and more.
SerialMagic Keys supports many professional wireless & wired scanning devices including:
- RFID readers
- NFC readers
- PIT tag scanners
- Barcode scanners
- Wireless scale heads like TRU-TEST S3
- BlueSnap wireless serial RS-232 dongles for scales, sensors & calipers
- Cabled scanners
This allows organizations to integrate specialized scanning hardware with almost any mobile data collection system.
Works Seamlessly With Survey123 Field Forms
Survey123 is widely used for:
- fish population monitoring
- hatchery operations
- habitat surveys
- wildlife tracking
- environmental monitoring
With SerialMagic Keys running on the mobile device, RFID tag reads automatically populate the current Survey123 form field.
No programming or custom integration is required.
If the form field accepts typed input, SerialMagic Keys posts RFID data directly to it instantly.
Best Data Integrity for Fisheries Data Collection
Accurate PIT tag data is essential for:
- Fish population studies
- Migration tracking
- Hatchery management
- Ecological monitoring
Manual typing introduces errors that can compromise research datasets.
Automated RFID data entry provides:
- Consistent fish tag capture
- Eliminate transcription mistakes
- Faster data collection
- Improved data integrity
By eliminating manual typing, SerialMagic Keys helps ensure reliable and trustworthy field data.
Start Scanning PIT Tags in Survey123 Without Typing
Your workflow still requires manually typing PIT tag numbers into Survey123 forms? NOW is time to automate the process.
SerialMagic Keys Pro connects RFID readers to mobile apps and automatically enters scanned data where you need it.
Stop typing PIT tag IDs.
Start scanning with confidence.
Contact Serialio.com today to eliminate Survey123 data entry errors.