TOPIC: Data Collection Template

I get what Troy is saying...however, it could become problematic if your inspection routine changes; ie...if it's snowing or raining outside, I wont start at the exterior...Then your'e jumping around HIP from normal anyway.  

My sections follow my normal work routine.

My old inspection report program (InspectIt), that was just a template add-on in Microsoft "Word", did just as you are asking. They used the LOC (Location) feature. The report format was set up as Exterior, then all the various systems (structure, elect, heat, cooling, etc.), then Interior (with walls, windows floors, etc.) and a separate Pool/Spa section unto its own. You could start and/or end in any section. So you could do your inspection of the exterior and click on  "missing exterior receptacle cover plate" then eventually do the interior, click on a missing receptacle cover plate, and both would show in the "Electrical" section instead of in the Exterior and the Interior sections.
Now, don't delete the LOC for the comment or you're "a helical ridge wrapped around a tapered cylinder" ed.  ;D

I'm in the same camp as Troy and the others.

For instance when we enter the bathroom, (for inspection purposes...) we would have an Electrical, Plumbing, Interiors, and Ventilation input sections. If this happens to be be the master bathroom, the comments from these input areas would show up in the report preceded by the section title they came from. For instance in the master bathroom section we go into the electrical tab and select "Receptacle not GFCI Protected" it would report under the electrical system as "Master Bathroom Receptacle not GFCI protected".

If "Master Bathroom" is the section title and "Electrical" is the tab and we can have the option to report that tab under the electrical section, it could be preceded by the section title from which it was collected. If the option is not selected to report the tab under another section, it would remain as it is now which would be the default.

I know we are all saying the same thing, but just in different ways.

I know you have a full load Dominic, but I too wanted to weigh in on this to possibly move it up the list a bit.

To be honest, when I first started looking at HIP I thought that this was how it worked. I would be willing to bet that there are other users that would jump on this as well. I also believe that this feature could revolutionize the software light years ahead of anything else.

Well, enough of my 2 cents.

Thanks again for all you do Dominic  

From what I have seen over the years most inspect homes with a combination of systems and location.  Something like this: Exterior; Kitchen; Electrical; Bathroom; Plumbing; Garage; Interior,,, etc.....

If you have an electrical problem in the kitchen like a bad GFCI it would go into the Electrical section and not the Kitchen.  If you had leaking dishwasher it would go into the Kitchen section and not under the Plumbing.  If you had a leaking trap under a shower it would go into the Plumbing section, possibly with a note in that Bathroom about the shower drain.  etc....

You can make your template just about anyway you want.

This has more to do with your reporting method....system by system, or room by room.  I personal do a combination format, as I believe many of us do.

Most inspections are conducted room by room which is no problem if you are reporting room by room, but if you want to report system by system you find your self opening several different sections to input the appropriate information from each room. What is being proposed is  a way to channel the information to each system without having to leave the "tab" for the particular room that is being inspected. This could eliminate a great deal of flipping back and forth through the template during the inspection.

Basically HIP does great for room by room field data collecting and room by room reporting, but it is not so efficient at a room by room inspection with a system by system report.