Managing Inspections - Overview

This article applies to managing Building, Employee, Jail (Holding Facility), and Vehicle Inspections.

The Inspection process is designed to standardize and automate inspections across your agency.

How the Inspection Process Works

Employees complete inspections by reviewing a list of items and checking off those that are present and in good working condition.

• If an issue is identified, the item is left unchecked
• A narrative is required to describe the issue

Once the inspection is completed:

• The system automatically generates work orders
• Email notifications are sent to designated personnel regarding any issues

Key Concepts

The inspection system is built on four core components:

Templates

Templates define the overall inspection structure, including sections, items, and optional text fields.

Sections

Sections group related items together.

Email notifications are triggered at the section level.

Items

Items are the individual elements being inspected (e.g., emergency lights, radios, locks).

Text Fields

Text fields allow for free-form input and are:

• Added at the section level
• Optional or required (based on configuration)

Important Rules

• If an item is left unchecked, a narrative is required
• You cannot leave an item unchecked without a narrative
• You cannot enter a narrative unless at least one item in that section is unchecked

Template Assignment

• Templates are assigned to:
  • Vehicles
  • Buildings / Facilities
  • Jails (Holding Facilities)
• The default Employee Inspection Template is set in the administrative backend
• Inspections automatically use the assigned default template, but users can:
  • Select an alternate template using a hidden dropdown option

Special Vehicle Inspection Sections

Vehicle inspections can include dynamic sections that automatically pull in assigned equipment:

• AEDs
• Computers
• Equipment-Specific Items
• Firearms
• Tanks

Configuration settings determine whether:

• These items appear as checkboxes automatically, or
• Are manually added to sections

Additional Features

Save and Resume

• Inspections can be saved and completed later

Mileage / Hours Tracking

• Optional for vehicle inspections
• Controlled in vehicle configuration settings
• Includes a setting to limit variance from the previous entry

Workflow / Supervisor Approval

• Optional and configurable per module
• Supervisors can:
  • Approve inspections
  • Reject inspections with notes
• Employees receive email notifications if an inspection is rejected

Note:

Many agencies start with approvals enabled, then remove them later to streamline operations.

Work Orders & Notifications

After an inspection is finalized (or approved, if enabled):

• Work orders are created for any issues
• Email notifications are sent automatically

An optional screen allows users to:

• Choose whether to create work orders
• Choose whether to send notifications

Incomplete Inspection Reminders

Employees can receive reminders if an inspection is left incomplete after a set number of days (default: 3 days).

This setting is configurable.

Building Inspection Templates

To create a new inspection template:

1. Ensure all Items exist (create if needed)
2. Ensure all Sections exist (create if needed)
3. Create a new Template
4. Add Sections to the template
5. Add Items to each section
6. Add Text Fields (optional)
7. Assign the template to a:
   • Building
   • Jail
   • Tank
   • Vehicle