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Best Land Surveyor Apps for Tracking CE Credits

Posted by Justin Farrow on August 14, 2024 at 4:43pm in Continuing Education, Land Surveyor Education, License Requirements

Table of Contents

CE Broker

CE Broker

CE Broker is a popular app used in several states for tracking continuing education credits. It integrates directly with state boards, making it easy for professionals to stay compliant.

  • Tracks CE requirements and completed hours.
  • Upload and store certificates.
  • Automatic reporting to the state licensing board.
  • Reminders for upcoming deadlines.
  • Availability: Available on both iOS and Android.

MyNCEES

MyNCEES is an app provided by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). It allows surveyors and engineers to track their professional development hours.

  • Manage and track CE credits.
  • Access to exam results, application status, and other NCEES services.
  • Integrates with the NCEES record for easy license management across multiple states.
  • Availability: Available on both iOS and Android.

PDH Academy

PDH Academy offers a platform for professionals to take CE courses and track their progress. The app is designed to make earning and tracking credits convenient.

  • Browse and enroll in CE courses.
  • Track completed courses and credits.
  • Certificates are stored and accessible within the app.
  • Availability: Available on both iOS and Android.

Certemy

Certemy is a comprehensive platform for managing licenses, certifications, and CE credits. It’s used by various professions to stay on top of their CE requirements.

  • Tracks CE credits, licenses, and certifications.
  • Automatically calculates CE compliance.
  • Provides alerts for renewal deadlines and CE requirements.
  • Securely stores and organizes certificates.
  • Availability: Available on both iOS and Android.

Simple CE

Simple CE is a straightforward app for tracking CE credits across multiple licenses and certifications.

  • Simple interface for tracking CE hours.
  • Allows for manual entry of credits and certificate uploads.
  • Generates reports and summaries of CE progress.
  • Availability: Available on iOS.

CEU Events

CEU Events is an app that professionals can use to track CE credits earned through various events and courses. It’s especially useful for those who attend live events.

  • Manage and track CE credits from various events.
  • Access event details and schedules.
  • Generate CE certificates.
  • Availability: Available on both iOS and Android.

Evernote

While not specifically a CE tracking app, Evernote can be a powerful tool for organizing and tracking CE credits, especially if you prefer a highly customizable system.

  • Create notebooks and notes for each CE course.
  • Attach certificates and course materials.
  • Set reminders and create checklists for CE deadlines.
  • Availability: Available on both iOS and Android.

EduTrack

EduTrack is designed specifically for educators, but its tracking capabilities can be applied to any profession that requires CE credits.

  • Track CE credits by category (e.g., ethics, technical).
  • Upload and store certificates.
  • Generate reports and summaries.
  • Set reminders for renewal dates.
  • Availability: Available on iOS.

Conclusion

  • CE Broker and MyNCEES are highly recommended for surveyors because of their direct integration with state boards and professional organizations.
  • Certemy and PDH Academy offer robust features for tracking and managing CE credits with an emphasis on user convenience.
  • Evernote and Simple CE provide more flexibility and customization for those who prefer to organize their credits in a specific way.

Key Differences Across the States

  • Oregon: Requires 30 PDH units biennially, including for new licensees.
  • Pennsylvania: 24 PDH required every 2 years, with no additional specific guidelines mentioned.
  • Rhode Island: Requires 20 PDH biennially, with a maximum of 10 hours from correspondence or internet courses.
  • South Carolina: CE requirements are available on the SCLLR website, with no specific details provided in this summary.
  • South Dakota: Requires 30 PDH biennially, with courses needing to meet Board requirements.
  • Tennessee: Requires 30 hours of CE for renewal, though no further specifics were provided.
  • Texas: 12 CE hours annually, with 3 in ethics required. Up to 9 hours can be carried over.
  • Utah: 30 PDH units required every 2 years, with specific timing (ending March 31st of odd years).
  • Vermont: No specific CE requirements detailed, but live virtual courses are accepted.
  • Virginia: Requires 16 hours of CE biennially.
  • Washington: CPD requirements specific to Washington State regulations; details not included here.
  • West Virginia: 8 PDH required annually, with a specific course on state standards required every 4 years.
  • Wisconsin: Requires 20 CE hours biennially.
  • Wyoming: CE requirements are mentioned in proposed amendments, but specific details were not provided.

Most Common CE Requirements

  • Biennial CE Requirements:
    • 30 Professional Development Hours (PDH): This is the most common requirement, with many states, including Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, and Montana, requiring 30 PDH every two years.
  • Annual CE Requirements:
    • 8 to 16 PDH/CE Hours: States like Virginia (16 hours biennially) and West Virginia (8 hours annually) have lower requirements, but they spread them out more frequently.
    • 12 CE Hours: Texas requires 12 hours annually, including specific hours dedicated to ethics.
  • Ethics Component:
    • Ethics or State-Specific Courses: Many states, such as Texas, Minnesota, Nevada, and Nebraska, include a specific requirement for ethics-related courses within the broader CE hours.
  • Carryover of Hours:
    • Several states, such as Texas and Minnesota, allow surveyors to carry over a certain number of excess hours to the next reporting period.
  • Flexible CE Options:
    • Variety in Course Types: States often allow a mix of course types, including online, in-person, and self-study, to meet CE requirements. For example, Vermont accepts live virtual courses as equivalent to in-person sessions.

States with Flexible Continuing Education Requirements

1. Texas

  • Annual Requirement: 12 CE hours required annually.
  • Carryover: Up to 9 hours can be carried over to the next year.
  • Self-Study: Allows 4 hours of self-directed study, which must be documented but can be done independently.
  • Content Variety: Includes a mix of technical, ethical, and business-related content.

2. Minnesota

  • Biennial Requirement: 24 PDH required every two years.
  • Carryover: Up to 12 hours can be carried over to the next renewal period.
  • Course Variety: Allows a broad range of activities, including online courses, workshops, and self-study.

3. Rhode Island

  • Biennial Requirement: 20 PDH every two years.
  • Course Variety: Allows a maximum of 10 hours from correspondence courses, internet courses, or other approved activities.

4. Nevada

  • Biennial Requirement: 30 PDH required every two years.
  • Home State Rule: If a licensee resides and is licensed in another state with equivalent requirements, Nevada waives its CE requirements, applying the "home state" rule.
  • Flexible Content: Includes options like self-study and webinars, and requires specific hours in ethics and Nevada state laws.

5. New Mexico

  • Biennial Requirement: 30 PDH every two years.
  • Carryover: Up to 15 hours can be carried over to the next period.
  • Content Variety: Ethics hours cannot be carried over, but the state allows a range of CE activities, including online courses and seminars.

6. Vermont

  • Flexible Format: Allows synchronous (live or interactive) virtual courses to count as live, in-person training, providing significant flexibility in how surveyors meet their CE requirements.

7. Nebraska

  • Biennial Requirement: 30 hours required every two years.
  • Carryover: Excess PDHs can be carried over to the next biennium, up to 15 hours.
  • Diverse Activities: CE activities can include teaching, publishing, attending workshops, or online courses.

How to Track Your Own Using Google Sheets

Step 1: Set Up Your Spreadsheet

  1. Create a New Google Sheet:
  • Open Google Sheets and create a new spreadsheet.
  • Name the sheet something like “CE Tracker.”
Set Up Column Headers:
  • A1: Course Name
  • B1: Provider
  • C1: Date Completed
  • D1: Type of Credit (e.g., Ethics, Technical, Business, State-Specific)
  • E1: Hours/Credits Earned
  • F1: State Requirement (e.g., Required, Elective)
  • G1: Carryover (Y/N)
  • H1: Carryover Hours (if applicable)
  • I1: Certificate Link (URL link to the certificate)
  • J1: Renewal Period (e.g., 2023-2024)
  • K1: Notes (Any additional information)

Step 2: Add Data Validation and Dropdowns

  1. Type of Credit (Column D):
  • Create a dropdown list with common credit types (e.g., Ethics, Technical, Business, State-Specific, General).
  • Select the cells in Column D (e.g., D2
     
    ), then go to Data > Data Validation.
  • Set the criteria to List of items and enter the options separated by commas: Ethics,Technical,Business,State-Specific,General.
State Requirement (Column F):
  • Create a dropdown for whether the course is Required or Elective.
  • Use the same Data Validation method as above, entering Required,Elective.
Carryover (Column G):
  • Create a Yes/No dropdown.
  • Use the same Data Validation method, entering Yes,No.

Step 3: Set Up Conditional Formatting

  1. Highlighting Expired or Soon-to-Expire Credits:
  • Apply conditional formatting to the Date Completed column to highlight courses that are older than 1 or 2 years.
  • Select the cells in Column C (e.g., C2
     
    ), then go to Format > Conditional formatting.
  • Use a custom formula like =C2<=TODAY()-365*2 and set the formatting style (e.g., red text or background) to flag these courses.

Step 4: Add Formulas for Automatic Calculations

  1. Total Credits Earned:
  • At the bottom of E (e.g., E101), use the formula =SUM(E2:E100) to automatically calculate the total number of credits earned.
Total Carryover Hours:
  • At the bottom of H (e.g., H101), use =SUM(H2:H100) to calculate the total carryover hours available.
Credits by Type:
  • Use the SUMIF function to calculate credits by type. For example, to sum Ethics credits:
    • =SUMIF(D2:D100, "Ethics", E2:E100).

Step 5: Add Certificate Links

  1. Insert Hyperlinks to Certificates:
  • In Column I, insert hyperlinks to your certificates stored in cloud storage (e.g., Google Drive).
  • To add a link, right-click on a cell, choose Insert Link, and paste the URL to your certificate.

Step 6: Create a Dashboard or Summary

  1. New Dashboard Sheet:
  • Add a new sheet named “Dashboard.”
  • Set up key metrics, such as total credits earned, total ethics credits, or credits needed to meet state requirements.
Charts and Visual Summaries:
  • Use Google Sheets’ chart tools to create visual summaries of your CE progress.
  • Example: Create a bar chart showing how many credits you’ve earned per category.

Step 7: Set Up Notifications and Reminders

  1. Google Sheets Notifications:
  • Use Google Apps Script to set up email notifications when your credits are close to expiring or when your renewal date is approaching.
  • Go to Extensions > Apps Script and write a script to send reminders based on the dates in your sheet.

Step 8: Mobile Accessibility

  1. Access on Mobile Devices:
  • Ensure the sheet is easily viewable and editable on mobile devices.
  • Test the sheet on your mobile device using the Google Sheets app to make sure it is user-friendly.

Final Touches:

  • Regular Backups: Periodically back up your Google Sheet to ensure you don’t lose your data.
  • Sharing: If you work with a team or need to share your tracker, you can easily share the Google Sheet with others while controlling access and edit permissions.

This Google Sheets template provides a flexible, user-friendly way to track your CE credits, ensuring you stay organized and compliant with state requirements.

CE Tracker Template Download (Make a Copy)

Comprehensive Requirements By State

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Continuing Education Requirements

  • USA Requirements
  • International Surveyors
State Required Hours Allowed Course Types Requirements for Course Creators
Alabama 15 Online, in-person, webinars Course must align with the state’s surveying standards and cover topics relevant to state regulations.
Alaska 24 Online, in-person, webinars Courses should provide practical skills and technical updates, adhering to state’s licensing requirements.
Arizona Varies Online, in-person, webinars Creators must include industry best practices and legal compliance with Arizona land surveying laws.
Arkansas 30 Online, in-person, webinars Focus on state-specific survey methods and offer both theoretical and hands-on experience.
California Varies Online, in-person, webinars Creators need to ensure course meets California’s licensing standards and includes ethics training.
Colorado None N/A No CE required, but optional courses must align with modern surveying practices.
Connecticut Varies Online, in-person, webinars Creators should emphasize legal and regulatory updates specific to Connecticut.
Delaware 24 Online, in-person, webinars Must address state-specific laws and regulations and provide practical solutions to common survey challenges.
Florida 24 Online, in-person, webinars Focus on coastal surveying and ethical considerations in Florida’s unique geographic environment.
Georgia 15 Online, in-person, webinars Courses must cover the state's land surveying standards and integrate legal changes.
Hawaii None N/A No specific requirements, but creators should include updates on the latest technology and best practices.
Idaho 30 Online, in-person, webinars Courses should include a mix of theoretical knowledge and practical applications relevant to Idaho.
Illinois 20 Online, in-person, webinars Creators must ensure alignment with Illinois surveying regulations and provide continuing education in ethics.
Indiana 24 Online, in-person, webinars Courses should focus on state-specific surveying challenges and provide practical exercises.
Iowa 30 Online, in-person, webinars Creators must emphasize state regulations, practical experience, and hands-on learning.
Kansas 30 Online, in-person, webinars Courses must focus on local surveying challenges and best practices for accuracy and compliance.
Kentucky 8 Online, in-person, webinars Creators should provide detailed knowledge of state laws and integrate ethical standards into the curriculum.
Louisiana 8 Online, in-person, webinars Course must focus on Louisiana’s unique coastal and boundary surveying challenges.
Maine 8 Online, in-person, webinars Include a comprehensive overview of state-specific regulations and practical techniques.
Maryland 24 Online, in-person, webinars Course creators should address coastal surveying and legal updates pertinent to Maryland.
Massachusetts Varies Online, in-person, webinars Ensure that the course covers legal standards and technological advancements in land surveying.
Michigan 30 Online, in-person, webinars Creators should cover Michigan’s regulatory requirements and emphasize ethics and professionalism.
Minnesota 24 Online, in-person, webinars Must integrate updates on state laws and best practices in cold-weather surveying.
Mississippi Varies Online, in-person, webinars Focus on state-specific land use issues and technological advancements in surveying.
Missouri 20 Online, in-person, webinars Creators should include both theoretical and hands-on learning relevant to Missouri’s legal framework.
Montana 30 Online, in-person, webinars Include a focus on mountainous terrain surveying and updates on state land laws.
Nebraska 30 Online, in-person, webinars Ensure courses cover Nebraska-specific surveying challenges, including legal compliance.
Nevada 30 Online, in-person, webinars Courses should include desert land surveying techniques and local regulations.
New Hampshire 8 Online, in-person, webinars Emphasize state-specific regulatory and environmental factors in land surveying.
New Jersey 24 Online, in-person, webinars Must cover coastal and urban surveying practices in New Jersey.
New Mexico 30 Online, in-person, webinars Include state-specific boundary and desert surveying techniques.
New York 24 Online, in-person, webinars Creators should address legal changes and urban surveying techniques specific to New York.
North Carolina 30 Online, in-person, webinars Emphasize legal updates and practical surveying techniques for North Carolina.
North Dakota 30 Online, in-person, webinars Courses should focus on boundary issues and legal compliance specific to the state.
Ohio 24 Online, in-person, webinars Creators should include Ohio’s legal requirements, practical techniques, and case studies in land surveying.
Oklahoma 30 Online, in-person, webinars Course must align with Oklahoma's land surveying laws, focusing on both technical skills and ethics.
Oregon 30 Online, in-person, webinars Ensure courses address Oregon's specific environmental and legal considerations in land surveying.
Pennsylvania 24 Online, in-person, webinars Include state-specific legal updates, boundary disputes, and professional ethics.
Rhode Island 20 Online, in-person, webinars Focus on coastal and urban land surveying challenges in Rhode Island.
South Carolina 24 Online, in-person, webinars Ensure course material includes legal updates, ethics, and coastal surveying practices.
South Dakota 30 Online, in-person, webinars Creators should focus on state regulations and practical boundary surveying techniques.
Tennessee 30 Online, in-person, webinars Course should emphasize state-specific laws, boundary issues, and ethical considerations.
Texas 12 Online, in-person, webinars Ensure alignment with Texas’ legal standards and emphasize oil, gas, and boundary surveying.
Utah 30 Online, in-person, webinars Include a mix of desert land surveying techniques, state regulations, and ethical practices.
Vermont Varies Online, in-person, webinars Focus on rural land surveying techniques and Vermont’s specific land laws.
Virginia 16 Online, in-person, webinars Courses must emphasize legal updates, ethical conduct, and Virginia's unique surveying challenges.
Washington Varies Online, in-person, webinars Include coastal and environmental land surveying techniques and focus on compliance with Washington laws.
West Virginia 8 Online, in-person, webinars Course must cover local regulations and best practices for rural land surveying.
Wisconsin 20 Online, in-person, webinars Ensure coverage of Wisconsin’s legal requirements and focus on boundary disputes and ethics.
Wyoming Varies Online, in-person, webinars Course creators should emphasize rural surveying techniques and Wyoming’s state regulations.

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