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.

Add an Inspection Item Column or Header

1. Open the template you would like to change
2. From the top-level menu, click Template  >  Edit Column Headers
3. Click Add Column. If a warning box appears, choose Yes to continue
4. Give the new column a name and abbreviation, then click OK
5. Click Save T to save your changes

Edit Column Headers

1. Open the template you would like to change
2. From the top-level menu, click Template  >  Edit Column Headers
3. Click the white box beneath the column header to select the column you would like to edit
4. Make your edits and click OK
5. Click Save T to save your changes

Create an Exclude Column

Follow steps 1-3 above

1. 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
2. Click OK
3. Click Save T to save your changes

Control Content in Summary Based on Column Selections

1. Follow steps 1-3 from Edit Column Header section above
2. 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
3. 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
4. Click OK
5. Click Save T to save your changes

Allow Only One Column to be Checked at a Time

1. Follow steps 1-3 from Edit Column Header section above
2. 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

1. Open the template you would like to change
2. From the top-level menu, click Template > Edit Column Headers
3. Click the white box beneath the column header to select the column you would like to delete
4. Click Delete Column. If a warning box appears, choose Yes to continue
5. When asked to confirm, click Yes
6. Click  Save T to save your changes
7. 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