Inspection Item Columns play a crucial role in creating professional and tailored inspection reports. They allow you to control the content, include or exclude specific inspection items and enhance the overall presentation of your reports. This article provides step-by-step instructions on how to add, edit, exclude, and manage inspection item columns effectively within your reports.
Note: Because changing your columns or headers will affect the meaning of your report, we always suggest making these changes in a blank/new report. Open a new report before proceeding!
Add an Inspection Item Column or Header
Open the template you would like to change
From the top-level menu, click Template > Edit Column Headers
Click Add Column. If a warning box appears, choose Yes to continue
Give the new column a name and abbreviation, then click OK
Click Save T to save your changes
Edit Column Headers
Open the template you would like to change
From the top-level menu, click Template > Edit Column Headers
Click the white box beneath the column header to select the column you would like to edit
Make your edits and click OK
Click Save T to save your changes
Create an Exclude Column
Follow steps 1-3 from Edit Column Header section above, then:
In the middle of the window, click the radio button next to Use this column to exclude certain items from the report. The column will not print on the report
Click OK
Click Save T to save your changes
Control Content in Summary Based on Column Selections
Follow steps 1-3 from Edit Column Header section above, then:
Choose how the column sends inspection items to summaries
If you would like the comment to go to the summary when the column is checked, check the box labeled When This Column is Selected, "Quick Set" Summary Selections
If you would like the comment to be removed from the summary when the column is unchecked, check the box labeled When This Column is Selected, "Unset" Summary Selections
Choose which summary(s) the inspection item is sent to
Click Select Summaries
Click to select the summaries you would like the comment to be sent to. (Click them again to de-select)
Click OK
Click OK
Click Save T to save your changes
Allow Only One Column to be Checked at a Time
Follow steps 1-3 from Edit Column Header section above
Check the box near the bottom of the window labeled Only Allow One Column To Be Checked At A Time. Now, checking any one column will un-check any other columns
Delete an Inspection Item Column or Header
Open the template you would like to change
From the top-level menu, click Template > Edit Column Headers
Click the white box beneath the column header to select the column you would like to delete
Click Delete Column. If a warning box appears, choose Yes to continue.
When asked to confirm, click Yes.
Click Save T to save your changes.
Note: You must leave the Exclude column header if you delete all other column headers. If you delete all column headers, including Exclude, your changes will not save.
Updating your Comment Key or Definitions
It's important to remember that your Comment Key Definitions is an auto-comment. To get this change to save in your template, you need to edit the auto-comment that automatically inserts into your reports. Changing the text in the text box will change it for that specific report but not for future reports.
Please follow the instructions laid out in section Edit Comment Key (Introduction Text in General Info) in the article Desktop Report Writer: Managing Auto Comments in your Template