# Capability Matrix | Evaluate G& by Category | G&

> Compare G& against legacy desktop logging tools and enterprise cloud incumbents across capture, validation, AGS 4.1 submission, governance, migration and data exit — by category, not by brand.

## Categories compared

### CAT A — Legacy desktop logging

File-based tools installed per machine, driven by templates and local project databases.

- **Strength** — Familiar log layouts and offline drafting.
- **Limit** — Files fragment, templates drift, and validation happens after the deliverable is assembled.

### CAT B — Enterprise cloud incumbent

Hosted data estate paired with per-seat desktop clients inside a wider civil design suite.

- **Strength** — Central storage, wide standards library and large-programme procurement track record.
- **Limit** — Long configuration effort, split licensing, and submission control still handled by process, not the system.

### G& — Ground And

One controlled line from field capture through laboratory, validation and signed AGS 4.1 delivery.

- **Strength** — Validation and approval are built into the record, not bolted onto the export.
- **Limit** — Newer entrant: assurance programme in progress and no design-suite integration.

## Capability matrix

| Capability | Detail | Legacy desktop logging | Enterprise cloud incumbent | G& |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Field capture on site | Recording rig, sample and groundwater data at the point of work. | none — Paper sheets re-typed later | partial — Mobile capture as a separate module | full — Native field capture, offline tolerant |
| Handwriting transcription | Turning legacy or hand-written field sheets into structured records. | none — Manual re-entry | none — Not part of the core estate | full — OCR with reviewer confirmation |
| Laboratory test lifecycle | Scheduling, results entry and status of each test against its sample. | partial — Result tables, limited lifecycle | full — Laboratory module available | full — Test lifecycle through to certificate |
| Validation before submission | Rule checks on units, dictionary use, derived parameters and classification consistency. | none — Checked by the engineer, after export | partial — Export-time checks and reports | full — Continuous checks on the live record |
| AGS 4.1 output control | Producing an AGS package with its dictionary version and validation state recorded. | partial — Export depends on template fidelity | full — Configurable AGS export | full — Package carries its validation outcome |
| Approval and sign-off trail | Who approved which record, at what state, and when. | none — Held in email and file names | partial — Workflow via configuration | full — Approval state stored on the record |
| Single source of truth | One authoritative record set across field, laboratory and engineering teams. | none — Per-machine project files | full — Central hosted estate | full — One estate, one record per artefact |
| Legacy archive migration | Moving historic project archives into a current, standards-aligned structure. | none — The archive is the problem | partial — Migration as a services engagement | full — Structured migration to AGS 4.1 |
| Browser-only access | Working without a per-machine desktop install. | none — Desktop install required | partial — Cloud estate, desktop client for logging | full — Browser for every role |
| Published, readable pricing | Being able to size the commercial exposure before a sales conversation. | partial — Reseller-dependent | none — Quotation-led, split licensing | full — Bands and seat rates published |
| Data exit without penalty | Retrieving the full estate in open formats on request. | partial — Files are local but proprietary | partial — Export supported, process-led | full — AGS 4.1 and Excel, no exit fee |
| Design-suite integration | Direct hand-off into a wider civil design and digital-twin stack. | none — Not applicable | full — Native to the suite | none — Open formats only, by design |
| Independent assurance | Third-party certification of the information security management system. | partial — Depends on the vendor | full — Established certification programme | partial — Controls documented, certification in progress |

## Evaluation questions

- Where in the workflow does validation actually happen — on the live record, or at export time?
- Can the vendor show the approval trail for a submitted package, per record?
- What does the migration of a historic archive cost, and who carries the risk of a failed submission?
- What is the total licensing exposure for the roles who only need to read the data?
- In open formats, what exactly comes back if the contract ends tomorrow?