Questions and answering items

Most of the work in a report happens at the question level. Questions are the individual inspection items you answer as you work through each section and system. Here is how they work.

Types of questions

Questions can have different answer formats depending on what they are asking:

• Yes / No — a simple binary choice. For example, "Is the panel properly labeled?"

• Multiple choice (single answer) — pick one option from a list. For example, "Roof covering material: Asphalt Shingle / Tile / Metal / Wood Shake."

• Multiple choice (multiple answers) — select all that apply. For example, "Defects observed: Damage / Missing material / Improper installation."

• Text — free-form typed answer for narrative observations.

• Number — a numeric entry, for things like age of equipment or measured values.

The answer type for each question is set in the template. You answer whatever format the question presents.

Answering a question

Click on the answer area for a question and select or type your answer. Answers save automatically — you do not need to click a save button after each one.

Some questions have a comments field below the answer area. Use comments to add detail beyond what the structured answer captures — for example, noting the exact location of a concern or the brand of a component.

Triggered questions

Some questions only appear based on the answer to a previous question. For example, if you answer "Yes" to "Is there evidence of moisture in the attic?", a follow-up question might appear asking you to describe the location and extent. These triggered questions are hidden until the trigger condition is met.

Required questions

Questions marked as required must be answered before you can publish the report. Required questions are indicated in the editor. If you try to publish with unanswered required questions, the editor will show you a list of what still needs to be completed.

Skipping a question

If a question is not applicable to the inspection — for example, a question about a dishwasher in a home that does not have one — you can mark it as Not Present or Not Applicable (depending on how your template defines the option). This tells the reader you considered the item and it was not there, rather than leaving a blank.

Limitations

If there is something you were unable to inspect — for example, a crawlspace that was inaccessible due to standing water — record a Limitation on that section or item. Limitations appear in the report as a clear note that your inspection was restricted in this area. See Adding deficiencies and narratives for how limitations relate to deficiencies.