Templates, inspections, and reports
Last updated: July 2026
Three things that sound similar and are often confused. Getting them straight makes everything else easier.
The short version
| What it is | Who touches it | |
|---|---|---|
| Template | The reusable form — sections, questions, and what each answer should trigger | Built once by an admin |
| Inspection | One run of that form against a specific asset or site, with answers and photos | Filled in by whoever is on site |
| Report | The printable document of a single completed inspection | Read by managers, clients, auditors |
One template → many inspections → one report per inspection.
Templates
A template defines:
- Type —
ASSET(against a specific piece of equipment),AUDIT(against a site),INCIDENT(the form behind an incident type), orSOP(a procedure attached to a task) - Asset type, for asset templates — which decides where the template can be used
- Sections, to group questions
- Questions, each with a response type, optional hint, required flag, and optional conditional logic
- Response options, and what each one should trigger
Template status controls availability:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
DRAFT | Being built. Not available for inspections; edit freely |
PUBLISHED | Live and usable |
ARCHIVED | Withdrawn from use; past inspections are untouched |
OBSOLETE | Superseded by a newer version |
ERROR | Configuration problem — must be fixed before it can be published |
Building one: Create templates.
Inspections
An inspection is created from a published template and carries:
- An inspection number generated for you, like
INS-2026-0258 - The template version it was run against
- The asset (asset inspections) or site (audits)
- The inspector, start and completion times
- Status —
IN_PROGRESS,COMPLETED, orCANCELLED
Answers save as you work. Photos and notes attach to individual answers, and photos can be annotated. Once completed, an inspection is locked.
Reports
A report is the formatted, printable view of one completed inspection — logo, summary, flagged responses, the full results table, and a photo appendix. It's generated from the inspection each time you open it, and exports as PDF.
There is only one kind of report, and it covers one inspection. See Inspection reports.
For anything across many inspections — trends, pass rates, overdue work — use Analytics.
How a failed answer becomes work
This is what separates a digital checklist from a paper one. A response option can be configured so that selecting it automatically raises one of:
- a work request — something needs looking at
- a work order — planned work to carry out
- a flag — a compliance finding, with the audit type from the template and a severity
Options can also require a photo or a note before they'll accept, so the evidence is captured at the moment the problem is found.
Incidents are not raised this way. An incident is something a person reports directly — see Incidents.
Versioning
Templates are versioned. Each inspection records the version it ran against, so changing a template never rewrites history: an inspection completed against version 1 still shows version 1's questions, wording, and scoring.
New inspections use the latest published version.
Frequently asked questions
Can I edit a published template?
Not in place. Publish a new version instead — that's what keeps completed inspections trustworthy.
Can I edit a completed inspection?
No. It's a record of what was observed at a point in time.
What happens when I archive a template?
It stops being available for new inspections. Every inspection already run against it is preserved and still readable.
Why can't I pick a template for this asset?
Asset templates are tied to an asset type, and only published ones appear. If nothing shows, either no template exists for that asset type or it's still in draft.
Where are actionable answers configured?
On the response options, in the template builder. See Create templates.
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