Accelerate sensor deployments with the Device Setup Assistant

Deploying hundreds or thousands of IoT sensors across a building can be a massive logistical challenge. With the Device Setup Assistant’s intuitive, mobile-friendly interface, even non-technical staff can deploy IoT sensors in no time. 

Onboard your device fleet in 3 easy steps

1. Prepare your device fleet

Start by preparing your device fleet in akenza. For this, you can leverage our bulk import function to register all devices in one go. During this step, you can assign relevant metadata with Custom Fields and Tags, like room, floor, or zone, to make sure all information is ready before deployment.

2. Scan the QR code 

Once you’re on site, open the Device Setup Assistant from the navigation menu in the akenza platform, and scan the device's QR code. The assistant instantly recognizes the device and pulls in all associated metadata from your setup.

3. Device appears on akenza 

Upon scanning, the device shows up in the akenza platform. It’s now onboarded, visible, and ready for use. 

A closer look at the full onboarding journey

Now that you’ve seen how easy it is to onboard a device, let’s take a closer look at the process that is behind it. 

How to prepare devices for rapid deployments

To speed up onboarding, a few preparations can be done ahead of time.

It’s possible to order hardware directly from the manufacturer with QR codes already attached, so every device arrives ready to scan. Once you have the devices, bulk import them into your akenza workspace. Bulk actions on akenza allow you to manage multiple assets at once. 

Next, you can add metadata to your devices. Prepare a CSV file containing the device IDs, Custom Fields, and Tags. These parameters let you assign important properties such as room, zone, or floor to each device. Upload this file to your workspace settings in your akenza organization.

On-site installation using the Device Setup Assistant

After importing your devices and assigning metadata in akenza, the on-site installation becomes quick and straightforward. 

Installers can take any sensor from the batch, scan the QR code using the Device Setup Assistant on akenza, and mount it in the correct location. As soon as the QR code is scanned, the sensor’s device ID is matched with the metadata. The only thing to enter manually is the placement of the device, such as the specific desk. 

In the Device Setup Assistant, confirm your sensor is online by checking its ‘last message time’ and reviewing signal strength and battery status.

Why deployment teams rely on the Device Setup Assistant

The Device Setup Assistant lets organizations efficiently manage and deploy sensors across extensive IoT installations. 

Its intuitive interface enables staff without technical expertise to deploy sensors. This simplifies the onboarding process and reduces reliance on specialized IT teams. Importing device metadata onto akenza significantly reduces the complexity and time of on-site installation.

Watch the assistant in action!

Check out the awesome video by our partner ISS Switzerland showcasing the installation process and instant visualization on the akenza Dashboard Builder.

You can read more on the Device Setup Assistant in our docs.