This article is written for owners, managers, and admins who need to manage the company's backend workflows. In this article, we will guide you through the various features and functionalities that HomeGauge offers to support multi-inspector firms. Whether you're assigning appointments, sharing reports, templates, and settings, or performing inspections with multiple inspectors, HomeGauge has you covered.
Assigning Appointments to Inspectors
You can schedule appointments for a single or multiple inspectors in your company. Once an appointment is scheduled, inspectors can start a report for that appointment. Follow these steps to assign appointments:
- The steps to schedule an appointment are outlined in this article Inspector Dashboard: Creating and Managing Appointments
- While following the above article, there is a section titled Inspectors. Here you can move the inspector(s) you want to assign from the Available column to the Selected column.
If you need to reassign an appointment to a new inspector:
- From the Dashboard, click Appointments > Calendar
- Find the appointment and either click on it and then the Edit Appointment button, or double-click the appointment
- Scroll down to the Inspectors section
- Move the new inspector to the Selected column and remove the previous inspector from the Selected column
- Click Save Changes
- Have the new inspector download the appointment on the Companion App or Desktop software. Or create the inspection from an appointment.
If, when scheduling appointments, the calendar shows the appointment in gray, it is because there are no inspectors assigned to it. Go into that appointment and add an inspector and save or schedule it. If it still is gray and there are inspectors assigned to it, HomeGauge support.
Sharing Reports Between Inspectors
Effortlessly share inspection reports among inspectors using Cloud Transfer. Here's how:
- Open Desktop Report Writer and click HG Services on the top menu bar
- Select Send Report to Cloud and choose the reports you want to share
- Click OK
- Click HG Services > My HomeGauge Dashboard to open your dashboard in a web browser.
- On the Dashboard, click Cloud Transfers.
- Locate Report Transfers" and ensure the recent transfer is displayed
- Select another inspector from the drop-down list
- Next to Copy selected report transfers from YOUR NAME to, then click Copy Reports
- The other inspector can retrieve the report from the cloud by clicking HG Services > Get Report From Cloud in Desktop Software
Sharing Templates and Settings Between Inspectors
If PDF forms are included in the cloud upload, forms with paid license keys will be replaced with the license of the team leader when the template is downloaded. This will cause issues with paid forms on the devices of other team members. This issue has been fixed. If you or your team are experiencing an issue, please update Desktop Report Writer (Desktop Report Writer: Checking For Updates).
Harmonize your inspection process by sharing templates and settings among your team members. You have control to share or not Forms, Contacts, Invoices, and Autofills to inspectors in your company. Follow these steps:
- Open the Desktop Report Writer and click HG Services on the top menu bar.
- Choose Upload Cloud Templates & Settings and select the templates you wish to share
- Select from Forms, Contacts, Invoices, and Autofills to be included or not in the upload
- Click OK
- Access your dashboard by clicking HG Services > My HomeGauge Dashboard
- Navigate to Cloud Transfers under All Reports
- In the Templates & Settings section, find your recent upload
- Select an inspector from the drop-down list next to Copy templates & settings from YOUR NAME to and click Copy Templates & Settings
- To share with all inspectors, use the Copy Templates & Settings to All Inspectors button
- The other inspectors can retrieve the templates and settings from the cloud by clicking HG Services > Download Cloud Templates & Settings
View Inspectors Reports
As an owner or manager, you can view reports that have been published or uploaded to the dashboard. To view other inspector's reports:
- Access your Inspector Dashboard
- Click the User drop-down above the list of reports
- Select the inspector's name
Backing Up Files in a Multi Inspector Firm
Performing backups is essential for data protection. When a backup is executed by one inspector using their unique account, it won't affect other team members in the company. For more details, refer to our guide on performing a backup Desktop Report Writer: Backup HG User Settings.
Access to Reports by Past Inspectors
Even if an inspector leaves your company, customers can still access their past reports from that inspector for at least 5 years. The company owner also retains access to all uploaded reports.
Public reports can't be accessed once an inspector's HomeGauge Subscription or Services are canceled.
Performing Inspections With Two Companion Devices
Inspecting a property with two Companion devices is possible and efficient. The best practice is each inspector inspects different parts of the property then back in the office the reports get merged using the Desktop software. Here's how:
- Ensure that each inspector involved will be using the same version of the 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.
- Each inspector inspects their designated portions of the property
- Transfer both reports to the cloud
- 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.
- This inspector will then download both reports into their desktop report writer.
- They will then merge the two reports. Follow the directions outlined in this article Desktop Report Writer: Merging Reports