How to Work with Multiple Inspectors

Topics covered in this article

• About Multi Inspector Firms
• Assigning Appointments to Inspectors
• Sharing Reports Between Inspectors
• Sharing Templates and Settings Between Inspectors
• Backing Up Files in a Multi Inspector Firm
• Access to Reports By Past Inspectors
• Performing Inspections With Two Companion Devices

About Multi Inspector Firms

Multi Inspector Firms can utilize HomeGauge to share reports, templates and settings, appointments and more. Note: Each inspector working independently should have their own service account. 

Assigning Appointments to Inspectors

Once you have multiple inspectors under your team in HomeGauge, you will have the ability to assign appointments to them. Assigned appointments will work in the same way that normal appointments will, in that the inspector will be able to download the appointment into their Companion device or the desktop report writer.

In order to assign an appointment to one of your inspectors:

1. Log onto the HomeGauge Dashboard at www.homegauge.com.
2. Click Appointments > New Appointment from the navigation menu on the left.
3. Fill out the appointment like normal, being sure to include date, location, services, etc. For more info on scheduling an appointment, click here.
4. Scroll to the section titled Inspectors.
5. Move the inspector you want to assign from the Available column to the Selected column.
6. Add a customer and REP and then click Schedule Appointments.

If you needed to reassign an appointment to a new inspector:

1. From the Dashboard, click Appointments > Calendar.
2. Find the appointment and either click on it and then the Edit Appointment button, or double-click the appointment.
3. Scroll down to the Inspectors section.
4. Click on the inspector who you now want to assign the appointment to, and move them to the Selected column. Remove the inspector from the Selected column who no longer should be assigned the appointment by clicking on them and move them to the Available column.
5. Scroll to the bottom and click Save Changes.
6. Have the new inspector download the appointment to their HG Companion or desktop report writer.

Sharing Reports Between Inspectors

Sharing reports between inspectors is made easy using Cloud Transfer. In order to use this feature, all inspectors working as part of a multi-inspector firm must be set up with a multi-inspector account within the same company. Each inspector must have their own HG software license, as well as active services.

Currently, the primary inspector (usually the company owner) is the only one who has this option on the HG Dashboard. Follow the steps below to share a report:

1. Open the HomeGauge Software and click HG Services on the top menu bar.
2. Select Send Report to Cloud. You will be prompted to select the report you want to share. Be sure to click in the left column to add an X next to the report you want to share.
3. Click OK.
4. Click HG Services and select My HomeGauge Dashboard; your internet browser load your dashboard.
5. From the Dashboard, on the left side of the screen click Cloud Transfers.
6. On the next screen you will see your name at the top right next to Change Team Member. This means you are looking at your current cloud uploads.
7. About halfway down the page find Report Transfers. Notice the date and time should reflect that you just sent this info to the cloud.
8. In this area you can copy your report to the cloud of any other inspector in your firm by selecting them from the drop down next to Copy selected report transfers from YOUR NAME to and clicking the Copy Reports button to the right.
9. Once you have transferred the report(s) accordingly, they must go to their HG5 software, click HG Services then Get Report From Cloud to retrieve the report from the cloud.

Sharing Templates and Settings Between Inspectors

Multi-inspector firms often prefer for all inspectors to use the same template(s). This is made easier using the Cloud Transfer feature. In order to use this feature, all inspectors working as part of a multi-inspector firm must be set up as part of the same company. Each inspector must have their own HG software license as well as active services.

Currently, the primary inspector  (usually the company owner) is the only one who has this share option on the HG Dashboard. To share template(s) and settings with other inspectors in the company:

1. Open the HomeGauge Software and click HG Services on the top menu bar.
2. Select Upload Cloud Templates & Settings. You will be prompted to select the template you want to share. Be sure you click in the left column to add an X next to the template(s) you want to share.
3. Click OK.
4. Click HG Services at the top menu bar and select My HomeGauge Dashboard; your internet browser will open to your HG Dashboard.
5. From your HG Dashboard, on the left side of the screen click Cloud Transfers.
6. On the next screen notice your name at the top right next to Change Team Member. This means you are looking at your current cloud uploads.
7. About halfway down the page find Templates & Settings. Notice the date and time should reflect that you just sent this information to the cloud.
8. In this area you can copy your templates and settings into the cloud of any other inspector in your firm by selecting them from the drop down next to Copy templates & settings from YOUR NAME to and clicking the Copy Templates & Settings button to the right. Use the Copy Templates & Settings to All Inspectors button to share them with everyone in the company.
9. Once you have transferred the info accordingly, they must go to their HG5 software, click HG Services then Download Cloud Templates & Settings to retrieve the template from the cloud.

Backing Up Files in a Multi Inspector Firm

When a backup is done by one inspector in your firm, as long as the inspector is logged into their unique account in the HG software (HG Services - Enter Inspector HG Username), the backup will not effect any other peron in the company. Click here to learn more about performing a Backup. 

Access to Reports By Past Inspectors

If an inspector leaves your company, customers will still be able to access their past reports by that inspector for at least 5 years. The owner of the company also retains access to all of the uploaded reports. You can also elect to have these reports transferred into your list of reports, but this is non-reversible. 

Performing Inspections With Two Companion Devices

It is possible to perform an inspection on a single property by two inspectors using separate Companion devices. Each inspector will inspect different parts of the property and then the two reports can be merged together.

1. Ensure that each inspector involved will be using the same template for the inspection. If one or both inspectors do not have the specified template, transfer it to them so they can download it to their device.
2. Have the inspectors inspect their agreed upon portion of the property.
3. Transfer both reports to the cloud.
4. The inspector who will be uploading the final report will need both versions of the report. Using the methods outlined above, transfer the report(s) from one inspector's cloud to the one who will be uploading the report.
5. This inspector will then download both reports into their desktop report writer.
6. They will then merge the two reports. Follow the directions here on how to merge reports.