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Quick Start Guide: Templates

Step-by-step process on editing your templates that will be used for all reports

Katie Walls avatar
Written by Katie Walls
Updated over a week ago

Your templates will populate as a report on every inspection you schedule. You can set your default template for each service type by setting up your Services & Fees.

Here's a video demo for template editing:



What's the Difference Between a Template and a Report?

Spectora saves you time through the concept of templates.

A template is a set of pre-written comments (a.k.a narratives, observations, defects, etc.) organized into sections and items.

Screen Recording 2022-11-23 at 06.13.33 PM

You can preview and download different prebuilt templates in our template center! Click here to check out our template center.

When an inspection is scheduled, a Report is created based on the information in the template. Think of it like a house; if the Report is the fully built house, then the Template is the blueprint!

The Report is "stamped out" from the Template and built on the morning of the inspection.** This ensures that the Report reflects the latest Template changes you have made. After that "stamp out" process, changes to the Template do not affect the report.

**Note: The report is built early morning on the day of the inspection, not the day the inspection is scheduled.

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While performing the inspection you will check certain comments in the report to be included, edit text to make it specific to that property, and include photos of the home.

Screen Recording 2022-11-23 at 06.19.33 PM

While filling out your report, you may want to add a new comment. When adding a new comment to your report, you can select the option of "Save to template for use in future reports." This allows your template to evolve.

460 SE 4th Ave - Spectora Report Editor 2022-11-23 at 6.22.39 PM

Finding New Templates

We're excited to share our Template Center that you can use to continue building your growing business. Spectora account holders can access hundreds of free, pre-written templates available for your use in report writing. Simply add any template to your account and you're ready to go!

The Template Center offers a variety of options, including basic templates, specialized PDF templates for specific states such as Texas or Florida, and shared templates generously provided by other inspection companies. We hope you find our Template Center a valuable resource in streamlining your report-writing process.


How to Preview a Template in the Template Center

This option lets you get a feel for the template and see if it meets your needs before downloading it to your account. Be mindful that this feature only allows you to view the template, but don't worry - if you decide it's the perfect fit, you can easily download it to your account. Happy exploring!

The templates can only be read during the preview process and can't be modified. If a template is being previewed, it will be labeled as "Read Only."

  1. From your dashboard, click "Templates."

  2. Click "Template Center."

  3. Click on the template you would like to preview.

  4. Click "Preview."

💡Quick tip: Click on the video above to expand it in another window.


How to Download a Template from the Template Center

In this section, we'll guide you through adding a template from our Template Center to your Template Library. Once you have downloaded the template, you will find it in "My Templates." From there, make any edits or changes to the template to suit your needs. Let's get started!

  1. From your dashboard, click "Templates."

  2. Click "Template Center."

  3. Click on the template you would like to add to your library.

  4. Click "Add Template."

💡Quick tip: Click on the video above to expand it in another window.


FAQ

  • Can I upload my Template?

    Absolutely! Check out this article for step-by-step instructions on how to upload your pre-built template.

  • Can I share my template with the Template Center?

    Yes! Follow this article to share your template with the Spectora community.

  • Are there any other Templates that you offer?

    If you don't find a template that meets your needs, we are happy to assist you. You can either submit a feature request to have a new one created or connect with other inspectors on our Facebook User Group who may be willing to share their templates with you.

  • Can I import templates from my current inspection software?

    Absolutely! Whether you're using InspectVue, HomeGauge, InspectIT, Whisper, or Home Inspector Pro, we've made it simple to bring those templates into our software. Just click on the name of your current software in the list provided, and it'll direct you to an article that walks you through how to import from each software.

  • How do I preview my template?

    In order to preview what your template will look like as a report you'll need to create an inspection. For this we recommend creating a mock inspection, you can use your own home address for this and even set yourself as the client to see how the report looks from that perspective. You can also add your vote to this feature request for a preview option in the template!


❇️ Looking for more Template info? Check out these articles:


If you have any questions or feedback, write into our chat bubble or email support@spectora.com!

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