FieldKo’s AI Shelf Recognition feature lets you quickly audit store shelves using your phone’s camera and powerful image analysis. Instead of manually checking product placements and counts, you can simply take a photo of the shelf in the FieldKo mobile app. The photo is then sent to an AI service, which analyses the shelf layout for compliance with your planogram (the ideal shelf layout) and other criteria. Within a couple of minutes, FieldKo returns a structured summary of what the AI found – giving you instant insights into things like planogram accuracy, product placement, and facing counts.
This article explains how to use AI Shelf Recognition in the field, how you’ll be notified of results, and how to view the AI’s findings, all within the FieldKo mobile app.
Taking a Shelf Photo for AI Analysis
To get started with AI Shelf Recognition, you’ll capture a photo of the shelf through the FieldKo mobile app. Here’s how to do it:
Open the relevant visit or survey in your FieldKo app where a shelf audit or merchandising check is required. (For example, you might have a task or survey question prompting you to “Capture a photo of the cereal aisle shelf.”)
Tap the camera icon (or the “Add Photo” button) in the app to launch the camera. Frame the entire shelf or the section you need to audit. Make sure the products are clearly visible and in focus – good lighting and a front-facing angle help the AI recognise items accurately.
Take the photo of the shelf. You can review the picture and retake it if needed. Once you’re satisfied that the photo shows the shelf clearly, confirm or tap Use Photo to attach it to the survey/task.
Upload and continue: After you confirm the photo, it will automatically upload within the FieldKo app. There’s no extra button needed to send it for analysis – FieldKo handles that in the background. You can now continue with other parts of your visit or form while the AI does its work.
Tip: For best results, capture the shelf head-on and include all products and price tags if possible. Avoid angled shots or ones where products are too far away or obscured, as this could affect the AI’s ability to recognise everything. A high-resolution photo is ideal (the FieldKo app will handle resizing if needed), since sharper images lead to more accurate analysis.
What Happens After You Snap the Photo?
Once you’ve taken and uploaded the shelf photo, FieldKo’s AI service swings into action behind the scenes. Here’s what to expect:
Background Processing: The app will send the image to the AI for analysis automatically. This happens in the background – you don’t need to stay on the photo screen. In fact, you can fill out other survey answers or perform other tasks in the app while waiting. The AI will be checking the shelf image for product details such as which items are present, how many facings each product has, and whether the layout matches the planogram.
Processing Time: Typically, the analysis takes about a couple of minutes to complete. (The exact time can vary depending on your internet connection and the complexity of the shelf image.) It’s normal for this to not be instant, since the image is being analysed by a sophisticated AI model. Use this time to continue with your visit – for example, you might speak with the store manager or answer other non-photo questions in the survey.
Notification of Completion: You will be notified once the AI has finished analysing the photo. FieldKo will notify you in-app when results are ready. If you stay on the survey screen, you might see a small message or icon indicating “Analysis complete” next to the photo question.
Viewing the AI Shelf Analysis Results
After the AI processing is done and you get the notification, you can view the structured summary of the shelf inspection right in your FieldKo app. To see the results:
Open the Photo or Survey Results: If you’re still on the same screen where you took the photo, simply tap the photo or a “View Analysis” button (if provided). The app will display the AI-generated summary below the image or in a results section. If you navigated away, return to the task or survey where the photo was taken – the results will now be attached to that item.
Read the Structured Summary: FieldKo presents the AI findings in a clear, structured format for easy reading. For example, you might see a list of products the AI recognized on the shelf, each with a count of facings (the number of product fronts visible). The summary might highlight compliance metrics, such as a planogram match percentage or any detected issues:
Planogram Compliance: e.g. “✅ Planogram match: 92% – Most products are in the correct position.” If the AI noticed something off, it may say “❗ One expected item not found on the shelf (missing Facings for Brand X).”
Product Facings Count: e.g. “Product A: 5 facings; Product B: 3 facings; Product C: 0 facings (out of stock).” This helps you quickly see stock levels and facing counts without manually counting.
Placement or Arrangement Notes: e.g. “Note: Product B is placed where Product C should be according to the planogram.” The AI can flag if items are misplaced.
The summary will be tailored to the specific analysis your organisation set up. In some cases it might be a simple text summary (“All required products are present and correctly placed.”), and in others it could be a detailed breakdown or even a visual indicator in the photo (like boxes around detected products – though at this time FieldKo’s summary is primarily text/data based rather than augmented reality overlays).
Confirmation: There’s usually no need to manually confirm anything at this stage – the AI results are automatically attached to the visit record. You can use the information as guidance for any actions you need to take (for example, correcting the shelf if something is wrong, or noting the compliance score).
Tip: Treat the AI’s findings as a helpful assistant. It’s very good at recognising products and patterns, but if something looks odd in the summary (for instance, if you know a product is there but the AI missed it due to it being hidden or the photo being unclear), you can always double-check physically and even take another photo if needed. The AI summary is there to save you time and give objective data, but your field expertise is still valuable for interpretation.
How You’re Notified of Results
FieldKo is designed to keep you informed when AI results come in, so you won’t be left guessing. Depending on your app version and settings, here’s how you might receive the notification:
In-App Banner or Icon: Many users will see an in-app notification. For example, a small “AI Results Ready” banner might appear at the top of the screen, or the photo you took could get a checkmark or AI icon overlay. Tapping the banner or icon will jump you directly to the results.
Push Notification: If you have the FieldKo mobile app notifications enabled on your device, you may also get a standard push notification. It could read something like, “FieldKo: Your shelf photo analysis is complete. Tap to view results.” Tapping it will launch the app and show you the outcome for that specific photo.
Within the Survey Workflow: If the shelf photo was part of a larger survey or checklist, the app might also update the survey in real-time. For instance, the question that requested the photo could now display a snippet of the results (e.g. “Compliance: 92% (auto-calculated)”) right in the answer field. We’ll cover this more in the next section on AI Scorecard Automation, but it’s worth noting here if you see answers fill in automatically – that’s the AI at work summarising the photo.
In any case, the workflow is seamless: snap a photo, carry on with other tasks, and let FieldKo alert you when the data is ready. This means no more staring at your screen waiting – the app will let you know when it’s time to review the AI’s shelf report.
Using the Shelf AI Results in the Field
Once you have the AI’s shelf analysis, you can take appropriate action during your store visit:
Validate Compliance: If the AI summary shows high compliance (everything in place), you can confidently move on, possibly just snapping a quick note or confirming that the shelf looks good.
Address Issues: If any issues are flagged (like a missing product or low facings for an item), you now have data to back it up. You might decide to correct the shelf layout on the spot (e.g. bring stock from the backroom if something is missing, or rearrange products to match the planogram). After fixing, you could even take another photo to verify the changes, if your workflow allows.
Document the Visit: The AI’s structured summary becomes part of your visit record. You can reference it later when discussing store compliance with your team or the store manager. There’s no need to manually write out a long shelf report – FieldKo has captured the key points for you.
By leveraging AI Shelf Recognition, field users save time and ensure accuracy. The tedious parts of a shelf audit – identifying each product and counting facings – are handled by technology, so you can focus on solving issues and engaging with the store. It’s like having a smart assistant that scans the shelf for you! All you need to do is take a clear photo, and the FieldKo app takes care of the rest, delivering insights right to your fingertips.