TOPIC: Mobile template

I have toyed with the idea of a report reference section. (like Horizon software)

This way the long version of the comment is already in place. It would be designated with a letter, # to correspond with report. I was also going to include related illustrations in reference section.

This way the mobile version would be brief to the point, the reference section would be larger but already created.

EX

Mobile    ALUMINUM WIRE  short direct comment, reference # 9D

Reference 9D has lengthy detailed comment with illustration if applicable.

What you think??

Little confused there Dave.Had Horizon but do not recall hashtags.

Just saw this thread and adding my two cents prefer close to Scotts method.

System by system with Bathroom and Kitchen Hybrid .
Those two rooms have the most combinations of all systems and it would involve to much jumping around in comments
to have a straight system by system.

That's an interesting idea Dave. You could have an entire secondary report/template already made which you merge together with your inspection report and it automatically provides additional details too involved for the mobile version. You might want to reserve it for specific issues otherwise referencing through pages of comments might drive a client mad. 

I've also toyed with the idea of having a library of pre-loaded files with illustrations and notes I want to add to a report. The most common ones would be individualized and I would simply merge those with my inspection report. This would allow me to add detailed samples/illustrations and corresponding notes one by one to maintain a customized report look.

for example:

- if I have a deck with a couple attachment issues...
- I have an HIP file (Deck Construction.hzf) with one or two nice illustrations, further information and captions already loaded into my deck section
- I merge that file with my inspection report and Presto!

It's definitely less work to merge it into the report than to load it into the mobile or add those photos and comments each time on the desktop.

Cameron have you ever tried a preloaded document file with maintenance tips plus graphics
which could be stored ?

How about using the sketch pad for large illustrations saved in a separate report .
Say you save a empty report with nothing but large graphic illustrations that could be checked off when needed then merge
into the working report later.

Would that be possible ?

I'm having to re-do a lot of the notes because they're too long. The most important words have to come first. It's tricky because I sometimes offer to or three slightly different versions of the same narrative. For example, I have long and short narratives about aluminum wiring, giving inspectors a choice in how much information they want to provide.

I offer choices in some things about recommending a qualified contractor or a structural engineer, so in the notes, I not only have to describe the condition covered by the narrative in a couple of words, I also need to mention the recommendation choice. So it can get tricky.

I use footnotes for some of my recommendations, but not as a way of standardizing them, rather they just keep me from accidentally not including a recommendation.

If your recommendations were somewhat standardized, you could pick 4-6 symbols which would tell the inspector what the included recommendation was. ? There are tons of special characters which can be used.

$$ - Major Repair, Contractor Recommended
<o> - Recommend Monitoring
?? - Further Evaluation Suggested
? - Safety Hazard

Cameron have you ever tried a preloaded document file with maintenance tips plus graphics
which could be stored ?

How about using the sketch pad for large illustrations saved in a separate report .
Say you save a empty report with nothing but large graphic illustrations that could be checked off when needed then merge
into the working report later.

Would that be possible ?

That's what I have been kicking around in my head. HIP seems to take the information from the file you are adding to the current file, and places it at the end of the sections already present. What you describe above would work perfect by setting all that additional info and sample illustrations after the actual defects.  I think it would be really slick in the end result.

I just got my stationery all finished after working here and there on it for months(too many interruptions), this would be a nice next addition to the report.  Incidentally, it might be a way of speeding up report times if some of the descriptive info was pre-loaded into another file and merged into the work done onsite.

What Dave described could actually be at the end of each major section or as an intro with descriptive info. For example, you could have another tab just after or before the Plumbing section(and others) which includes supply and drain materials, a couple illustrations of plumbing systems and some maintenance tips, all loaded into another file. When you do the inspection you select "Galvanized" and "Copper" for supply pipes, HE Water Heater, Natural Gas, Etc. and then when you merge that file, all the detail about those types of systems is available for the client. In addition, other materials and descriptions are there as well which gives them an idea of how well their house is constructed, what changes/improvements could be made, different installations they could choose. This actually might be really valuable for a client if it was concise.

You could even have a couple versions, one for old houses, one for condos, one for new homes, etc. all with custom information. Merge that baby and half the report is written. Dang, that's a good idea!