HANK TOOL · PROJECT OVERVIEW
A single-file, browser-based field tool for fiber optic teledata work. Built for crews coordinating lost-link triage, link documentation, and tech accountability on data center jobs. Operates entirely on the device. No server, no account, no cloud round-trip.
SECURITY & DATA SOVEREIGNTY
Local-only storage
Every project, ticket, optical reading, and activity log entry resides in the device's browser storage. Nothing leaves the device unless the operator explicitly exports a file.
No backend service
There is no server to compromise, no API endpoint to harden, no credentials to manage, and no accounts to provision or deprovision. The application is the data layer.
Zero telemetry
No analytics, no usage tracking, no third-party scripts, no external network requests after the initial page load. What you do in the field stays in the field.
Air-gapped operation
Fully functional offline. The application is distributable as a single HTML file by email, AirDrop, internal file share, or USB. Survives basements, server rooms, and signal-poor work sites.
Forensic-grade audit trail
Every state change writes a stamped entry to the relevant ticket's activity log with technician identity and timestamp. Disputes about who did what and when are settled by reading the ledger.
No vendor lock-in
All data is exportable at any time as portable JSON. No subscription, no usage limits, no proprietary database. Organizational data remains organizational property.
KEY CAPABILITIES
01
Bulk Import
Parses 250+ tickets in seconds from XLSX, CSV, TSV, or LINK DOWN syslog format. Auto-detects column headers. Source row numbers preserved for cross-referencing.
02
Smart Re-Import
Existing tickets are matched by ID or endpoint signature. Re-uploading an updated spreadsheet propagates status changes from cell colors without creating duplicates.
03
Syntax Reader
Project-scoped field aliases let operators teach the parser new column terms when source spreadsheet formats change, without a software update.
04
Multi-Segment Link Documentation
Chain editor for fiber paths through patch panels, splices, and cross-connects. Per-segment loss calculation against project-defined budgets. Four-state validation indicators.
05
Optical Power Reading Capture
Readings with wavelength selector, sign toggle for glove-friendly entry, and automatic tech-name and timestamp attribution.
06
As-Built Tracking
Three-state label verification per endpoint. Inline endpoint correction with full audit trail. Original imported records preserved alongside corrections.
07
Tech Accountability
Every state change is logged with technician identity. Per-tech assignment counts, completion statistics, and a project-wide cross-ticket activity feed.
08
Crew Distribution
Multi-tech assignment per ticket. MY TICKETS and UNASSIGNED filters. Bulk assignment over filtered selections.
09
Embedded Knowledge Base
Searchable reference covering TIA-598-C color codes, connector polish standards, fiber types OS1 through OM5, wavelength windows, transceiver budgets, MPO polarity methods, and troubleshooting trees.
10
Reporting
Print-ready HTML and CSV export. Per-project scope for handoffs and customer deliverables, or full-database export for backup.
11
Field Checks
Three per-side checkboxes (Link, Cleaned, IR Light) document verification work at each endpoint. Setting any check auto-promotes the ticket to IN PROGRESS. Each toggle is timestamped and attributed in the audit log.
12
Pair Work Mode
Per-ticket toggle enabling two technicians to split a link between origin and destination ends. Each side carries its own assigned technician; flag changes are credited accordingly. Auto-claim engages when an unassigned side is first touched.
13
Top-Down Floor Visualization
True two-dimensional map of the data module reflecting hot/cold-aisle layout and rack-numbering conventions. Cross-rack links rendered as colored curves by ticket status. Focus filter narrows to a single rack and its connected partners.
14
Unified Status Color Palette
Five-state color scheme — yellow open, blue in progress, amber no-cable, green completed, red unfixable — applied consistently across every visualization, list, badge, and chart.
15
Shareable Test-Order Lists
Filtered ticket sets exported as plain text, formatted HTML, or CSV for two-technician coordination. Native device share-sheet supported on mobile platforms.
16
Print Label Queue
Per-ticket LABEL MISSING flag, with a Both Sides option for two-end label installs. A dedicated LABELS tab gathers flagged endpoints into a print queue. Sorts by location, time-added, or assigned technician. One-tap export to EasyMark-compatible XLSX for direct print on Panduit hardware.
17
Tech Roster & Admin Handoff
Per-project technician directory accessible from the header. First tech added becomes the project administrator and the default-on-load technician. Admin role transferable to another tech with full audit trail.
18
Resilient Startup
Defensive load with corrupt-data recovery, in-page error banner with one-tap retry / soft reset / factory reset on init failure. Async vendor scripts so weak field signal does not block the application.
WHAT IT'S FOR
This started as a way to stop re-keying cut sheets and chasing LINK DOWN lists by hand. It parses the spreadsheets the job already produces, turns them into trackable cable runs and trouble tickets, builds labels, plans pulls, and maps the room — all on the device, offline, no account. If something's clunky or missing, it gets fixed in the next build.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Platform
Any modern browser — Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox
Operating systems
iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS
Devices
Phones, tablets, laptops, desktops
Network requirement
None after initial page load
Storage
Browser localStorage, typically under 2 MB per project
Footprint
One HTML file, approximately 350 KB
External dependencies
None
License or subscription
None required
Distribution
Email, internal file share, USB transfer, messaging application
Deployment time
Open file in browser — no installation, no IT review
CUSTOMIZATION POINTS
- Loss budget thresholds configurable per project (per-fiber, per-connection, per-link caps, margin tolerance)
- Common cable type and connector type libraries scoped per project
- Device profiles support arbitrary switch and panel topologies including column-major numbering and physically flipped rows
- Rack height configurable from 12U through 48U or custom
- Project-scoped DM (data module / room) hierarchy for filtering and grouping
- Field-name alias dictionary for adapting to changing spreadsheet formats without software revision
BUILT BY
Hank Elsner — IBEW teledata technician. Built to solve real problems on real data center jobs, then refined build by build from field use. Not a product, not a subscription, no telemetry. Just a tool that does the job and travels as a single file.