How Fieldwork V2 Works
A quick guide for Lifehouse doorstep fieldworkers — how to record visits, submit data, and use the organiser tools.
Telegram — Primary Method
RecommendedWrite your notes on paper during or immediately after the doorstep visit. Include name, full address, postcode, and outcome.
Open Telegram and find @lifehousedoorbot. Take a clear photo of your notes using the Telegram camera and send it as a message.
That's it. The bot reads the photo using AI vision, extracts all the key information, and stores it automatically. No typing required.
Alternatively, send a voice note to @lifehousedoorbot instead of a photo. Speak naturally — describe the visit, say the name, address and postcode clearly.
Tips for a good photo: Good lighting, flat surface, all text in frame. Avoid shadows across the writing.
Postcode is critical — write it clearly (e.g. WV6 0HQ). This is used to place the contact on the map. A missing or unreadable postcode means no map pin.
For voice notes: Say "Name: [name], Address: [address], Postcode: [postcode]" early in the recording so the AI picks it up reliably.
What to Include in Your Notes
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Name | First name at minimum. Full name if given. |
| Address & Postcode | Full street address. Postcode is required for the map. Write it clearly — e.g. WV6 0HQ, not WV60HQ. |
| Outcome | Interested · Not home · Declined · Needs callback · Moved away |
| Follow-up | Note if they want a call back or more info. Write "follow up" clearly. |
| Skills | Any skills they mentioned — trades, teaching, driving, cooking, etc. |
| Concerns | Housing, health, isolation, cost of living, employment, etc. |
| Resources | Things they already access or would like access to. |
| Phone / Email | Only if freely given — record as written. |
Map & Geocoding
Every contact with a valid address is automatically geocoded — the address is looked up and converted to a map pin using the postcode.
Go to the Map page to see all contacts plotted. Pins are colour-coded: green = interested, amber = follow-up, red = not home/declined, blue = unknown.
Click any pin to see the contact summary, outcome, and a link to the full record in the dashboard.
If a pin is missing: Check the dashboard record — the postcode may have been unreadable or missing from the notes. Use Edit to correct the address, then reload the map.
Organiser Dashboard
The Dashboard shows all submissions in real time. Select any record in the feed to see the full extracted contact details on the right.
Confirm a record to mark it as reviewed and accurate. Edit to correct any details the AI extracted incorrectly — name, address, outcome, notes. Reject to discard a bad or duplicate submission.
For OCR (photo) submissions, the original image is shown alongside the extracted text — click it to zoom and check the AI's reading against the handwriting.
The dashboard auto-refreshes every 20 seconds. New submissions appear automatically — no need to reload the page.
Web Upload — Backup Method
If Telegram is unavailable, go to the Upload page and submit a photo of your handwritten notes directly from your phone or computer.
You can also upload a voice recording (mp3, wav, m4a) if you prefer to record a verbal summary of the visit.
Both are processed through the same AI pipeline as Telegram submissions — the same extraction, the same dashboard, the same map.