LinkoFOG is a tool to be used by Fats, Oil and Grease (FOG) programs to help manage the information that FOG programs need and generate in the course of implementing and operating your FOG program.  In order to use the software as an effective tool, it is important to understand the tasks you want to accomplish.  The following sequence of steps will help you map the tasks you want to accomplish and will show you how to use LinkoFOG to help.

 

1) Document your FOG Program - Before you start using LinkoFOG, it is most helpful to consider the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's) currently in use within your FOG program:

·       What activities are you currently performing or plan to implement? 

·       What letters and/or reports do you send to Food Service Establishments (FSEs)?

·       List the reports / correspondence that you receive from FSEs.

·       Typically, FOG programs manage FSEs through inspections and/or tracking trap pump-outs (cleanings).

 

2) Setup and Configure LinkoFOG- Once you have outlined the tasks, letters and reports important to your FOG program, you are ready to configure LinkoFOG to fit your SOPs.  In this step, you will use the System Administration functions to enter the types of events you perform (Inspections, etc.), the types of events that the FSEs perform (Pump Out reporting, BMP training, etc.) as well as other Valid Value lists that are used in LinkoFOG System Admin.  You can change the way the screens appear and customize reports and letters to fit your exact needs.

 

3) FSE Inventory - After you have configured LinkoFOG, you need to enter all of the FSEs into LinkoFOG.  The Facility Management screen is used to store and report information about FSEs.  By entering your 'inventory' of FSEs into Linko along with the information that characterizes each of the FSE (address, connection location, type of FSE, trap/interceptor information, contacts, notes, etc.) you will then be able to sort, group and manage a large number of FSEs simply and completely.  The FSE Inventory becomes the basis for using LinkoFOG.

 

4) Scheduling Your Events - LinkoFOG can be used to manage both the Authority's schedule and FSE compliance events.  Typically, Authority events are inspections of the FSE, distributing BMP documents to the FSE and follow-up events.   Using the Event Management Screen, you can build your schedule one facility at a time or schedule by groups of facilities.

 

5) Scheduling FSE Events - LinkoFOG is often used to track the compliance events that the FSE must perform, such as Pump Out (trap cleanings) and/or Maintenance Log Reporting.  The user can schedule these events, or enter the completion of these events as they occur.  You can configure LinkoFOG to create the next scheduled event when you complete an event.  This allows you to search for, report or send letters for late FSE events.

 

6) Day-to-Day Operations - Once your FSE inventory and your schedule are entered, you will use the Event Management screen to view activities that you need to complete, events that the FSE must complete and then update those events as they are completed.  There are many sorting and reporting capabilities to help you view the events.

 

7) FOG Program Performance Review - Using the LinkoFOG reporting capabilities to analyze where your FOG program is succeeding and finding where it needs to be tuned up.  Ask and answer questions such as "What is the average depth of grease observed in fast food restaurant traps?" or "How many violations have we issued in the past 6 months?"