Utilities

Utilities struggle to meet objectives when GIS and asset data no longer reflect conditions in the field. In our T&D World on-demand webinar, we examine why those gaps persist, how they affect day-to-day utility operations, and what can be done to correct them.

Issue 57 of Fulcrum Insider turns its focus to electric utilities and the operational realities shaping the grid in 2026.

AI is reshaping transmission and distribution fieldwork by aligning digital workflows with how inspections actually happen in the field. Applying artificial intelligence helps teams reduce documentation friction while improving the consistency of inspection outputs. Through AI-guided fieldwork, structured workflows, hands-free data capture, and in-workflow guidance reduce friction for crews while improving the consistency and usability of inspection data across transmission line inspection and substation inspection programs. Over time, these changes help inspection results move more directly into planning and asset management with less rework.

Most field tools stop at collection. Insights from Fulcrum continues where they leave off. It reads incoming data, understands the structure, and delivers clear outputs: summaries, charts, maps, and patterns that help teams make decisions faster.

The video showcases how Fulcrum’s Audio FastFill feature allows users to effortlessly fill out information using voice dictation. By simply pressing the record button, users can input details such as pole ID, classification, and accessibility without manual entry. The AI technology behind Fulcrum intelligently processes the spoken information, automatically selecting the correct values for the form fields. This innovative approach streamlines data entry, making it easier for users to manage their tasks efficiently.

The utility landscape is shifting rapidly as we enter 2026. The industry faces a convergence of AI-driven load growth and rising reliability risks. While data centers move at the speed of software, the physical grid often moves at the speed of concrete. This timing gap is forcing a rewrite of how utilities manage projects and financial risks when developments fall through.

Electric utilities manage a wide range of field activity, including inspections, maintenance, reporting, and emergency response. These operations depend on accurate, timely data — but many teams still rely on outdated systems.

Realizing the full potential of AI in utiltiies depends on a workforce empowered to capture high-quality data at every point of contact with the grid. By modernizing field workflows and prioritizing a human-in-the-loop approach, organizations establish the reliable data foundation necessary for long-term resilience and advanced automation.

Your core systems — EAM, GIS, and ERP — are hungry for good data. You made a massive investment in them, expecting streamlined operations and critical insights. But what are they actually getting from your field teams?

As the year ends, field operations teams are closing gaps and preparing for 2026. A cluttered or disconnected data pipeline stalls your planning.

AI data center power demands are reshaping how utilities plan, build, and maintain their electric grids and distribution systems. Faster development cycles, shifting load patterns, and new on-site assets create conditions that rely heavily on accurate, timely field intelligence. Utilities that adopt field-first workflows gain a clearer picture of evolving sites and a stronger foundation for decisions that support smart grid technology throughout each phase of AI-driven growth.

Fragmented systems drain budgets, complicate regulatory compliance, and burn out crews, but modern utility asset management offers a fix. We explain how integrated asset management eliminates the chaos of disconnected spreadsheets to lower operating costs, guide smarter infrastructure investments, and extend asset life across the entire infrastructure life cycle. Read on to see how utility operations can improve electric grid reliability and transform utility infrastructure management from a headache into a strategic advantage.

Utility operations face pressure from every direction: rising costs, regulatory scrutiny, workforce shifts, climate risk, and aging infrastructure. This on-demand session brings together experts in process improvement, digital twins, AI, and mobile data collection to show how utilities turn those pressures into practical wins.

Modern electric utility operations run on data from operational technology, GIS, asset systems, information technology applications, and field crews, but silos between those utility systems create blind spots that slow outage restoration, complicate business continuity management, and raise risk. See how breaking down those silos and creating a connected operational picture turns raw operational data into faster, safer decisions in the field, the control room, and the utility field operations center. 

Geospatial data collection captures what happens in the field and links every detail to its exact location. It connects site observations, asset conditions, and environmental records to the maps and systems that drive real work. When teams collect consistent, location-based information, organizations gain a dependable view of their operations and the context that shapes them.

The first wave of utility digitization is over; the new executive mandate is to get predictive. Fulfilling that mandate requires a new breed of field technology built on three pillars: active intelligence at the point of capture, seamless enterprise integration, and immediate operational insight driven by modern data analytics and artificial intelligence. The combination of the three pillars creates a resilient operational model, helping utilities manage grid complexity and adopt smart grid technologies. It also supports the shift from reactive responses to predictive operations.”

Your app backlog keeps growing, the data coming from the field is inconsistent, and your GIS experts spend too much time building simple forms. These are not separate problems. They are symptoms of a single, foundational mismatch between your work and your tools.

If your data pipeline breaks between the field and the office, the rest of your process never had a chance. This month’s newsletter focuses on how to fix that disconnect for good.

What do you do when your annual pole attachment requests suddenly leap from 300 to 5,000?

Fulcrum Insider Issue 53 tackles the kind of problems that don’t come with a template. You’ll get a breakdown of how to tighten environmental workflows, stop data fraud before it spreads, and keep GIS tools functional even when you’re offline and out of options. We’re also looking at how utilities are using field data to stay ahead of risk, and what happens when bad planning costs $60 million.

Your field data is only as powerful as the path it takes home. When information gets stranded on devices, every part of the operation suffers. Slow uploads, broken exports, or outdated dashboards create significant problems. They introduce risk, erode project confidence, and lead to decisions based on stale information. Fulcrum APIs are designed to keep that data moving automatically and in real time, from the moment it’s captured in the field to every system that depends on it.

Esri IMGIS 2025 centers on resilience, sustainability, and the growing role of AI in GIS to connect planning, operations, and field execution. Across sessions on digital twins, field mobility, and data integration, the message remains clear: real progress depends on accurate, timely field data. As an Esri partner, Fulcrum shares that focus, helping teams keep GIS systems current through connected, field-first workflows that complement ArcGIS Pro and the ArcGIS Utility Network.

Your inspection process probably takes more effort than it should. Extra taps slow things down. Workarounds pile up. Data gets messy fast. We see it every day. This Fulcrum app demo shows how to build a clean, efficient workflow that field teams actually want to use, and how to upgrade it in real time when things change.

Field teams managing critical assets can’t wait on slow software development cycles so they end up relying on costly workarounds. Fulcrum, a no-code field inspection app with intuitive digital form design, changes that dynamic by allowing teams to clone, adjust, and deploy apps instantly. With this approach, organizations move from reactive fixes to proactive, continuous improvement in how field data is captured and managed.

Environmental fieldwork never slows down, and neither do we. The September edition of Fulcrum Insider brings together fresh insights, practical strategies, and new resources to help environmental teams plan smarter, work faster, and capture more reliable data in the field.

Reliable GIS starts with field mapping workflows designed for accuracy from the outset. These workflows keep field data and real-time data in sync with web maps and feature layers so spatial data stays trustworthy from collection to decision. By combining automatic GPS tagging, in-field validation, and mobile tools that streamline data capture, teams produce consistent data that drives dependable maps and actionable insights. With better data capture and digital workflows, projects stay accurate without wasted effort in the field.

Fulcrum Insider Issue 51 brings together the stories shaping field operations, environmental work, and utilities. This issue covers regulation, compliance, and technology — all with a focus on how changes in policy and practice ripple through daily fieldwork.

Geospatial AI can forecast infrastructure needs, model environmental changes, and support critical decisions, but its accuracy depends on reliable field data. Fulcrum equips teams to capture precise, validated information in the field and send it directly into GIS and AI workflows. By maintaining accuracy from collection through analysis, Fulcrum helps ensure geospatial insights reflect real-world conditions. This streamlined connection ensures that your geospatial artificial intelligence models receive the most accurate, real-time spatial inputs possible.

Spreadsheets fall short when it comes to capturing reliable horizontal construction daily logs. Fulcrum mobile workflows replace spreadsheets with structured, real-time documentation that improves consistency, strengthens claims, and reduces risk. By using a mobile app for construction workflows, field teams streamline business processes and replace slow, error-prone manual entry with workflow automation that works anywhere they do.

Resilience planning relies on accurate, current field data that reflects real-world conditions. Structured, location-aware workflows make that data reliable, easy to use, and ready for action. When the right information flows quickly from field to office, infrastructure resilience stops being theory and becomes something teams can build and maintain.

Field data software makes or breaks the systems built on top of it. When it’s slow, inconsistent, or just not built for fieldwork, the whole operation pays for it in wasted hours, missed context, and decisions based on guesswork.

Explore how GIS keeps wildfire response moving from risk modeling and crew coordination to long-term recovery. See how wildfire data becomes actionable across the full lifecycle, and why usability in the field is just as critical as analysis at command.

Field teams are practical. They’ve seen enough overpromised tech to be skeptical of anything labeled AI for field teams. That reaction makes sense. Many still rely on patchy spreadsheets and tools that barely sync, so the leap to artificial intelligence feels like a stretch.

Fulcrum has always built tools that keep field teams moving. Issue 50 of the Fulcrum Insider lays out where we go next. We are introducing our long-term direction for hands-free, agentic AI: intelligent systems that guide the work without disrupting it.

What a week it’s been at the Esri User Conference! For the past five days, San Diego has been buzzing with the brightest minds in GIS. A large crew from Fulcrum was there, going to sessions, connecting with people at the booth, and, of course, socializing with peers after hours. It was a great week focused on pushing the boundaries of geospatial technology.

Environmental field data serves as the backbone of credible ESG reporting. Mobile workflows bring structure, transparency, and real-time validation to data collection, helping organizations meet environmental standards, track impact, and prove progress with clarity and precision. Robust corporate sustainability reporting and climate‑related disclosure depend on the same reliable field metrics.

Fulcrum has a vision for how field systems evolve. The focus: practical, responsive AI for field operations.

AI generates slide decks, writes emails, and summarizes meetings. Office teams can’t stop talking about it. But out in the field? The work that drives inspections, infrastructure, compliance, and public safety? Nobody’s saying much. That’s why we mapped out how teams can start using AI for field data collection and where Fulcrum fits.

Utilities face growing pressure to identify and respond to environmental risk quickly and accurately. GIS platforms paired with mobile field data collection solutions empower utility teams by combining real-time location-based data with on-the-ground observations, enhancing environmental management strategies and compliance. By layering live and historical data while integrating field updates, this combination turns environmental risk from a reactive challenge into a proactive operational priority.

Insider Issue 49 keeps it simple: smarter forms, better mapping, and fewer steps between the field and your GIS. Every piece is built around what teams are already doing to stay accurate and move faster without creating extra work.

Connectivity should never dictate productivity. Fulcrum gives your field teams offline GIS tools that keep work moving, no matter how remote the site or how bad the reception. From data capture to geolocation, Fulcrum equips teams to collect, map, and validate accurate records — all without needing a live connection.

Fulcrum has always focused on improving fieldwork productivity by making data collection smarter, faster, and more flexible. Over the past year, we’ve sharpened that focus with one clear priority: improving the experience of GIS fieldwork itself in every way possible.

GeoAI combines artificial intelligence with geospatial data in a deep learning model to help field teams work faster, make better decisions, and stay ahead of operational challenges. This blog explains how GeoAI evolved, what it enables today, and how it’s reshaping asset management, risk detection, and resource planning across industries. It also explores practical considerations like implementation, data security, and future trends including IoT integration and adaptive machine learning.

GIS data is the cornerstone of planning decisions. It collects development project data and helps with project monitoring. Having GIS data in a project is a clear path to success when paired with a rigorous project management approach and a controlling process within the project team. GIS data helps us understand the relationships between a location and the surrounding environmental and social context. In sectors like utilities, environmental engineering, telecom, and others, GIS project managers use geospatial data to create accurate models and forecast possible risks. Project teams plan and oversee the completion of all major GIS-related projects. They depend on accurate field data to create timelines and allot resources. Because every stage must align with the team’s application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques, GIS project management is a complex job, with many moving parts. In addition to creating the overall workflow plan and timeline, the project manager also interacts with clients, oversees the budget, and supervises work teams.

Spring is here, and so are new ways to make GIS work harder for your field operations. In this Issue 48 of the Fulcrum Insider, we’re diving into practical, field-ready strategies to maximize your GIS tools. From tracking assets to defining boundaries and speeding up inspections, this issue covers practical field solutions. Plus, we’re featuring real-world applications from five industries and two insightful reads on leveraging GIS for real impact.

GIS field inspection software connects inspection data to real-world locations, giving field-intensive industries the visibility needed to reduce downtime, prevent theft, and improve asset performance. By enabling real-time data collection from mobile devices and linking inspections to geographic context, it transforms routine fieldwork into measurable cost control and stronger asset management.

Field operations have become more complex, but most tools still treat them like an afterthought. IDC Research, Inc., a global provider of technology research and advisory services, explains how modern field applications help teams move faster, make better decisions, and reduce friction between teams.

In this article we explore how field data collection with mobile GIS cloud platforms like Fulcrum enable seamless, real-time communication and coordination between field and office teams. By capturing geospatial data instantly and sharing it across locations; organizations can make faster, smarter decisions and operate more efficiently.

Learn how pairing field-first platforms with ArcGIS strengthens GIS accuracy and improves workflows, and how structured, real-time field data collection eliminates delays and integrates cleanly into ArcGIS systems.

Explore why regular field inspections are essential for maintaining operational efficiency across construction, engineering, and utility teams, and how a consistent, well-managed field inspection process helps teams catch issues early, improve coordination, and reduce costly delays.

Managing water and sewer systems takes more than plotting points on a map. Crews need to understand how everything connects — where flow begins, where it ends, and what lies in between. Applying GIS for water utilities builds a connected view of the network, improving how teams plan inspections, prioritize maintenance, and respond to critical issues. Without that level of spatial context, inspections drag on, risks grow, and small problems often escalate into larger ones.