TOPIC: New software ideas

Hello everyone, my name is John, I'm new on here and I've come up with some ideas for the software.  The first idea apparently has been brought up before but I left it in here to show what I had come up with.


1.While in the edit template mode, the right hand side (Inspection Side) does not have a scroll bar if your list is long.  It does allow you to add to the list but you can’t view the items. -Added 7/19/08 -Dominic

2.Also while in the edit template mode on the left hand side (menu side) I would like to be able to carry the multi-level list out one more, i.e. 

Folder = Interior
       Living Rooms
              Living Room Doors

Then I could list all the inspection items I would do for the door. 

3.Also it was recommended by an attorney to add another signature line to the contract page.
4.I would like to see a save button in the contract page edit mode.  I would not have known how to save the contract if it hadn’t been told

It will take time for me to read everything on here and catch up with everything that you all have discussed, but I'm eager to learn anything you can tell me.

Thanks  John

Hey John,

Welcome to the site Thanks for the input, the more the merrier. I've already implemented your first suggestion so it will be included in the next beta release.

I'm not sure I really understand what you're asking in #2. You can see all the inspection items for the door by going to the actual section within the program, why would you need to see them under Edit Template as well? Please explain!

#3 is already on our to-do list.

Regarding #4, we're actually completely redoing the contract section so it will be much closer to the Edit Documents section. They will save automatically without any button, and you will be able to choose from multiple contracts depending on your template.

I don't want to see them under the edit mode.  What I wold like to do is break my inspection down by sections. Interior, exterior, roofs, electrical etc.

Then by sub sections living room, hallway, bathroom etc. 

Then for each room I want to make a list of each part of the room I am going to inspect, walls, ceiling, doors, windows etc. 

Then for each part of the room I would have a list of items to inspect like, trim, glass, hardware, frames, sashes, screens, etc.

And for each item from here I can have a list of possible problems to highlight and put in the inspection as a black or red deficiency.

What this would do is standardize the inspection for me and for possible employees I may have in the future.

I hope this isnt too confusing, Its 1AM here and my brain is shutting down.

Hi John,

I think I see what you're saying. If I see this right....

If you actually broke down the report so far that within the bedroom-doors you were inspecting you'd exponentially increase the number of areas listed on the report and in the program. Right now on the default template there are 300 tabs to click on. If you break that down so each tab had 10 items (like a window having trim, glass, hardware, frames, sashes, etc) you'd now have 3,000 tabs to click on. Realistically during an inspection you are primarily talking about things wrong with the property, some guys include upgrades and a few other tidbits but 90% if still what's wrong or material types. Would you actually want the report to say

Bedroom
---Windows

---

Trim

---

Problem 1

---

Problem 2

---

Glass

---

Problem 1

---

Problem 2

Because now you are also turning a 30 page report into a 50 page report.

The software is designed to be used in the field. To be able to see 50+ comments at a time, click your way around and have minimal keyboard use. I see the direction you are going but I think it's breaking things up to much.

One suggestion you could do. And I've seen guys do this.

Within the program if you are on the Bathroom->Window section you can add breaks as your comments so you have

<--Trim-->
comment 1
comment 2
<--Glass-->
comment 1
comment 2
<--Hardware-->
comment 1
comment 2

etc...

That way you can break up your comments within the program (Click Edit Comments to add, delete, rearrange your comments) but have them combined on the report.

Does this make sense? Any other inspectors out there want to comment?

Yes I think you have the picture, and yes it “could” lead to a long Inspection.  I countered that problem by printing continuously instead of a new page for each section and any sub section that I don’t use, does not show up.  But as it stands right now when I generate a report,  all the primary sections do show up and that’s why I would need the extra step in the multi level.
 
My report shows up like this with no inspection info done to it.

Living Room Doors
Living Room Floors
Living Room Ceilings
Living Room Walls
Living Room Windows
Living Room Electrical
Kitchen Doors
Kitchen Floor
Kitchen Ceiling
Kitchen Walls
Kitchen Windows
Kitchen Electrical
Kitchen Plumbing Fixtures & Faucets
Appliances
Dining Room Doors
Dining Room Floor
Dining Room Ceiling
Dining Room Walls
Dining Room Windows
Dining Room Electrical

Etc.

If I had the extra level the report would only bring up (with nothing reported):

Living Room
Kitchen
Dining Room

Etc.

Setting things up this way forces an inspector to be very thorough and consistent.  And that’s good for us newbie’s in the field and/or future employees.  On the other side of things, it may turn out that I don’t like doing things this way and scrap the whole template.  Only time and inspections will tell.

You lost me on the last post. Which way do you want it to be? You only want it to list the 3 sections? You can make it so a section doesn't print by unchecking the box under Report Settings->Section Colors & Print Order.

Looks like you already found the 'don't print if no comment' and 'continuous' mode. Most guys actually end up removing quite a few of the sections as they think there are too many!

Explain more what you want, and definitely play around with a few mock inspections on what you have now so to get an understanding of the time involved.