While INSPECTEXPRESS™ can be used right out of the package to create a quality report, many inspectors will want to customize reports to match their own style. Also, once a comment has been edited to match a particular circumstance, inspectors may want to save this comment for easy retrieval later. Customizing features also allow the inspector to change both the program and the reports to match specific regional requirements.
The following sections describe how easy it is to customize your software package. There are also many default settings that can be configured through the Main Program Settings form (see Program Settings for more info) and other related settings forms. All settings can also be exported if required (see Export-Backup Program Settings for more info).
Editing Check Box/Option Button Labels and Comments:
The default labels and comments for most check boxes and option buttons can be edited by clicking on the check box/option button that you wish to edit with the right mouse button. The only check boxes that cannot be edited are the ones that are grouped with other selection boxes to create a single comment (full narrative mode only).
Use this feature if you want to change a default comment rather than having to retrieve it from your archived comments each time, or to expand the comments that are available as defaults by editing the checkboxes marked as 'Custom Comments'. This is particularly useful when you want to create a check box specific to your own regional requirements.
For more information on editing Check Box and Option Buttons see Customizing Check Boxes/Option Buttons.
Adding to Drop-Down box selections:
You can add additional choices to many selection (drop-down) boxes throughout the program including all introductory and concluding comments. To add or edit these fields, click with the right mouse button on the box that you wish to add a selection to. This will load the 'Edit Drop Down List' form where you can add new entries, or set the default selection to appear in the box. See Editing Selection (Drop Down) Boxes for more information on this topic.
If you are adding to an existing selection box - such as a location for a floor drain for example - remember to check the wording on the other items in the selection box first to make sure that your entry will make sense when inserted into a sentence.
The introductory and concluding comments are designed to allow the inspector to quickly add their own preface or conclusion to each section. These comments are an excellent place to add disclaimers regarding the particular report section, or to make comments on regional differences in inspection standards.
Archiving Comments:
Any comments available in the program can be edited and saved for future use. Simply click the Add to Archived Comments button whenever you want to save a comment that you have edited.
To retrieve the comment in the future, click on the View Archived Comments button after selecting the check box or selection box (known as a 'group') that you wish to retrieve the comment for.
All archived comments are saved with a reference to the particular check box or selection box that you had chosen when the comment was saved so it is easy to locate a comment to add to the report. After you click the button, the 'Comment Archive' form will load and the list of comments that you have previously saved for that group will be displayed. Select the archived comment that you wish to add to your report from the list and click the 'Use' button. The comment you selected will now be inserted into your report.
For more information on managing your archived comments see the Comment Archive Form.
Related Topics:
Quick Command Button Reference
Comment Archive Form
Customizing Check Boxes/Option Buttons
Editing Selection (Drop Down) Boxes
Program Settings
Form Editor and Settings
Export-Backup Program Settings