The work of capturing and collecting shorthand data and coordinates in the field can be carried out with various tools. In order to carry out this field work, it is necessary for the technician in question to go to the field to carry out the different actions.

The collected data can be written down manually on a sheet or paper, or digitally stored on a memory card that the device used for this operation may have.

Planning:The data capture operation must start with a knowledge of the terrain where it is going to be carried out, therefore it is good to have studied the relief and disposition of the geological, topographical elements or civil structures of the terrain since the data capture procedure will depend on them.

These control points are provided with coordinates and must be marked by signs such as targets or be easily recognizable within the model, for example a crack, a break or an easily recognizable single element, preferably close to a well-marked edge or a vertex.

Signage: After drawing up the action plan, the physical intervention of the signage is carried out with different elements, such as permanent or semi-permanent signs.

Permanent signs are those that require greater intervention to increase their life and remain visible, and are of interest after the study, while semi-permanent signs are only of interest at the time of the study, and can be built or simply marked with different elements such as construction site waiting times, anchoring of metal rods or marking with special paint.

Data capture: this is the last of the processes carried out in the field with human intervention. In this step, with the help of different tools, the technician can take data at the selected positions, noting down important data in addition to the coordinates, such as slope, inclination, climate or atmospheric weather.