Popola Documentation

Popola is a web-based data collection and election monitoring platform designed to support observation missions. It enables enumerators and field observers to submit structured data in real time via Android devices (using ODK Collect), SMS, or directly through a web browser.

Mission coordinators and analysts can use Popola to build custom forms, manage observers and user accounts, review submitted responses, and generate reports and data exports for analysis. The system is designed to operate across multiple simultaneous missions, each with their own users, forms, and data.

Key capabilities include:

  • Form building — Create structured data collection forms with a wide range of question types, display logic, skip logic, and multilingual support.

  • Multi-channel submission — Collect data via web browser, ODK Collect on Android devices, or SMS.

  • User management — Manage observers, coordinators, and administrators with role-based access control.

  • Review and reporting — Search, filter, and review submitted responses; generate tally and list reports.

  • Data export — Export data as CSV, XML, or via the OData API for integration with external tools such as Power BI.

Popola can be self-hosted on your own infrastructure and gives you full control over your data.