TOPIC: Descriptive panel

I would like to ask the Hippies for some assistance on creating a descriptive section.

I like having just a damage panel so I just have one page and I can see the entire screen of comments. When a selection panel is used it splits the screen and makes it more difficult to find the specific comment.

I do use a few areas with 1 selection and damage.

This is what I would like to make me report look like.

EXTERIOR (Section Name)

DESCRIPTION  (Panel) 

The walks are constructed with:  * Concrete  * Brick/Pavers

The drives are constructed with: * Concrete

The decks are constructed with: * Composite  * Wood

LIMITATIONS  (Panel)

Inspection limited/prevented by:  * Underneath area of deck not visible/deck on grade


WALKS/DRIVES (1 damage panel)

Inspected, no deficiencies observed

DECKS   (1 damage panel)

Repair/Replace, damaged boards


The descriptive area is what I need help with. Right now I use just one selection panel and it just not look good. Most other report systems have a really good looking descriptive section. (Horizon, Home Gauge, Palm Tech)

Dom states I could use 2 selections and a damage to do the descriptive section. I do not see it.

Do you guys have any ideas???

I have been getting my inspections and reports done quickly and I feel it is a detailed report.

I do about a 90% room by room report.

I also would like to discuss doing interior rooms if any one is interested.

I would like to thanks Serge for the personal phone call and the tips he shared with me.
My descriptive area looks great!!

Thanks Serge!!!

Attached Word document shows one possible method:

Section “6. Water Heater Description” is two Selection panels with added line spacing and a bullet “•”  for an organized-looking display.
(I do realize this is "jumping though a few hoops" -- [above and beyond the normal template building  ] -- to get the right and/or good looking descriptions.!)

Section “7. Water Heater Condition” is one Damage panel only.

Hi Dominic,

What would help with this issue, is to give us HIP users, the option to add more than two Selection panels (maybe up to six), and perhaps, you can throw in a couple of more "Item Separator" options with the Edit Comments feature.

P.S.  .... I think I'm expressing the feeling of a lot of us HIP'rs, when I say again that we CANNOT WAIT FOR YOUR NEXT HIP VERSION UPDATE!

...................maybe you can "throw us a bone" or something........... ;D

Karma for you Serge!!

This is exactly what I am talking about!!!

Once I finish today's report I am going to work on my template and I will send you a copy of the revised plumbing page.

I am cutting down on clicks/tabs and it is working great in the field.

I am in the process of combining my heater page into the plumbing page to cut down on clicks and taps. I may use 2 selection panels, one for age, brand and then another for fuel type and tank capacity.

Your ideas for Dom are good ones and I hope he looks into it as it does take a lot of work to set up.

HIP right now has over 80% of inspectors who purchasing it, still in business after 3 years. The industry standard is less than 50%. So I don't want to change things unless they are going to be better. There's very few sections where I think that putting all the materials up front would look good and in most cases would add confusion. Seeing the material right next to the observations is extremely easy for the client which is what's most important. I had to point out to the inspectors this weekend that they used quite a few terms that even I didn't know (I'll send you the reports in a few minutes). So this probably isn't something I'd make the default, but definitely something you could do.

The selection panel names do not show up on the report. What you'd do is name the damage panel WALKS/DRIVES. Set the selection panel name (which doesn't show) to Walkway Description and the item description text to be DESCRIPTION on one panel and then Walkway Limitatarions & LIMITATIONS on the other. Set the separator to be New + Blank Line.

Check out the attached image for an example. This is 2 selection panels + 1 damage panel using the New Line + Blank Line separator.

Serge, what ideas do you have for more item separators? Those are easy enough to add.

The problem with adding more  selection panels is screen space. That's why we removed the 3 damage panel option. Though I could see 3 selection panels fitting, hmm.

Sorry about the version delays. I definitely started too many new features in the latest release, plus had to finish the new Texas TREC 7-2 form. Things are finally closing up so that I can get out another release. Then I'll definitely be going back to the 1 big feature and a few small with each update so get them out every other month like we used to.