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Beginner friendly · 6-minute read

How to use LSA & FFE

A quick tour of every feature. Follow the sections in order, or jump to what you need.

1

Getting started

Install and open. Fully offline from the first tap.

  1. Install LSA & FFE from the Play Store.
  2. Open the app — the register loads fully populated with a sample vessel (m/v UNITY SPIRIT) so you can see the layout.
  3. All groups start collapsed by default. Tap a group header to expand it, or use the collapse/expand icon in the top-left to open every group at once.
  4. Tap the gear icon in the top-right to open Settings.
  5. Enter your Ship Name, IMO Number, Call Sign, and Record Date (tap to open a date picker). Tap Save.
Nothing is uploaded anywhere. The sample data — and any photos you attach — sits entirely on your phone.
2

The main screen

Everything you need in one view.

  1. Collapse/expand icon (top-left) — collapses or expands every group at once.
  2. Vessel header — your ship name, IMO, call sign, and record date.
  3. Search bar — filters items by name, maker, quantity, or remarks.
  4. Status chips — All, Overdue, Due soon, Valid — each with a live count.
  5. Progress bar — thin line under the chips showing the percentage of items you've verified.
3

Understanding status pills

At-a-glance validity for every item.

  1. OVERDUE — past its next service or expiry date.
  2. DUE SOON — service or renewal coming up within 90 days.
  3. VALID — no action needed; earliest date is more than 90 days out.
  4. NO DATE — neither Next nor Expiry is filled in.
The earlier of the Next and Expiry dates determines the item's status. Fill both in for every item.
4

Working with groups

Customise the register for your vessel's layout.

  1. Tap a group header to expand or collapse it. The chevron points right when collapsed and down when expanded.
  2. The badge on the right of the header shows how many items are inside.
  3. Your collapsed/expanded state is remembered between app launches.
  4. Tap the small ＋ next to a section title (LIFE SAVING APPLIANCES or FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT) to add a new group. Type a name (e.g. "Immersion Suits") and tap Add. The new empty group appears at the bottom, already expanded.
  5. Long-press any group header to open a menu with Rename group and Delete group. Deleting a group removes every item and photo inside it — you'll be asked to confirm.
Rename groups to match your vessel exactly — e.g. rename "Lifeboat Equipment" to "Free Fall Lifeboat #1".
5

Adding & editing items

Individual equipment records with service dates and notes.

  1. Expand the group you want to add to, then tap ＋ Add item at the bottom of the group.
  2. The Item Editor opens full-screen. Only Item / Equipment is required — fill in as much as you know.
  3. Fields: Item name, Manufacturer, Total No. / Quantity, Last Serviced / Renewed, Next To Be Serviced / Renewal, Expiry Date, and Remarks.
  4. Every date field opens a themed calendar picker. Pick a date and tap OK, or tap Clear to empty it.
  5. To edit an existing item, tap its row from the register (or tap Edit records from the Detail screen).
  6. Tap Delete this item at the bottom of the editor to remove it (confirmation required).
6

Detail screen & photos

Attach up to 3 photos per item as proof of condition and expiry reference.

  1. Tapping any item row opens its Detail screen — a hero photo pinned at the top with the item name and status pill beneath it.
  2. Tap Edit records (the full-width accent-blue button) to open the editor, or tap the Verification row at the bottom to toggle the check without editing.
  3. If no photo is present, the hero shows a placeholder with a ＋ and the hint Tap to add a photo.
  4. Tap any empty photo slot (＋ placeholder) in the Detail screen or Item Editor to attach a photo. Choose Take a photo (camera) or Choose from gallery (system photo picker).
  5. Photos are downscaled to 1200 px and saved as JPEG, entirely on your device.
  6. The first photo becomes the hero on the Detail screen. If an item has 2 or 3 photos, a thumbnail strip appears below the Edit button.
  7. Tap any photo (hero or thumbnail) to open the fullscreen viewer — pinch to zoom up to 5×, double-tap to zoom to 2.5×, drag to pan. Tap the ✕ or Android back to close.
  8. To remove a photo, tap the small ✕ in the top-right corner of its thumbnail.
Items with photos show a small 📷 N badge in their meta line on the register list, so you can spot photographed items at a glance. Photos are stored on your device only — never uploaded anywhere.
7

Verifying equipment

Your physical inspection record.

  1. On the register list, tap the circle on the left of an item — it turns green with a tick, and the name gets a strikethrough.
  2. On the Detail screen, tap the Verification row at the bottom of the details section for the same toggle.
  3. Tap again to un-verify.
  4. The progress bar at the top of the register shows what percentage of items you've verified.
Verification is not the same as Validity. Validity is calculated from the dates you enter. Verification is your manual confirmation that you physically checked the item.
8

Search & filter

Find any item in seconds.

  1. Type into the search box to filter items by name, manufacturer, quantity, or remarks. Case-insensitive.
  2. Tap the ✕ on the right of the search field to clear it.
  3. Tap a status chip — All, Overdue, Due soon, Valid — to filter the register by status.
  4. Search and filter combine. Example: tap Overdue + type "lifejacket" to see only overdue lifejackets.
  5. Groups with no matching items are hidden automatically while a filter is active.
9

Data management

Export, import, and reset. All in Settings.

  1. Export as CSV — writes the register to a spreadsheet-friendly .csv file with one row per item. Columns include Section, Group, Item, Manufacturer, Quantity, Last Serviced, Next Service, Expiry, Status, Verified, Photos, Remarks. A share menu lets you save it to Drive, email it, or send it to a colleague.
  2. Export as PDF — generates an A4-formatted PDF with a title block (vessel particulars), all sections and groups, and every item with its status, dates, and remarks. Multi-page for long registers. Ideal for printing or sending to the office.
  3. Import register (CSV) — loads a previously exported CSV file. Validates the file and asks for confirmation before replacing your data. Useful for restoring a backup, transferring to a new phone, or loading a register prepared on shore.
  4. Clear all check marks — un-verifies every item without touching the item data. Use it at the start of a new inspection round.
  5. Reset to default register — restores the original sample register. Permanently deletes every edit, addition, deletion, checkmark, and every attached photo. Confirmation required.
Round-trip safe: export as CSV, edit in a spreadsheet if you like, then import the CSV back into the app. PDF is for review and printing only — it cannot be re-imported.

Tips for daily use

Small habits that make inspections painless.

  1. Fill in Next and Expiry for every item. Status pills are only meaningful when at least one of these dates is set.
  2. Attach a photo of every critical item. In a port state control inspection, a picture of the extinguisher's service tag or the liferaft's certification plate is worth a thousand words.
  3. Export as PDF after every change. A PDF backup takes seconds and protects you against losing your phone.
  4. Use the Overdue chip before every port call. It's the fastest way to spot items that need attention.
  5. Use the checkmark pass once a month. Clear all checks at the start, then verify every item as you walk the vessel. The progress bar turns your inspection into a visible metric.
  6. Put serial numbers and service station details in Remarks. The note field is free-text and accepts anything.

Still stuck?

We read every message and usually reply within a day.

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