I’ve done it that way as well. Only [slight] issue is the fact you need to add it again in the reports section areas.
I would like to know if you can edit the .htc file directly and import it back to the software. Should eliminate the the fact of phantom characters.
Any comment from HG on if this can be done?
Are the narratives included in the global comment list of one template limited to that template only, or are they available to other templates in the HG software of that inspector? In other words, are they global for all templates in one copy of HG, or just for the single template in which they’re located.
I still don’t really have a picture in my mind of the differences between global and local lists, like what purpose one serves that the other doesn’t. I don’t suppose there’s a flow chart anywhere showing how this program works.
The global list that you create in a template can be exported out and then imported into another template. The comments will not be populated in the local list in the template and you have to go into the global list again and pick and choose which comments you want in you local list and which ones you just want to have available in the global list for future use.
It’s one of the features that makes HG so nice to use for all different types of inspections. If you set up your template in a combination system by system and room by room, you are constantly working with the same global list no matter what type of inspection you are doing. If you want to do room by room on a property, you simply turn off the system by system section of the report.
I’ve seen just a bit of your report some time back and it was really nicely done, cool deal Scott!
Remember when you add a comment to the global list to make sure you add it to the category it is intended. I have added some in roof and then wanted to add another into electric and forgot to switch the global to electric and then couldn’t locate the electrical comment until I went into roof. Just an FYI for those that know they put a comment into global but can’t find it.
The global list is where you store all of your comments for that template. At the inspection item level you can select the auto-comment button and see only those comments for that item. This is your local list. You use the add button at the auto comment window and it will take you to the global list. You can then select, multiple select (shift or ctrl key) and then select ok and it will bring those selected from the global list down into the local list of that item.
The benefit is that you can use the same comment at more than one local item. If you later edit that item, it will show up as edited in any other area where you have it. This means that you can delete from the local list and not affect the comment at the global list.
I hated the fact that HG had a template specific comment list at first. But Now that I have created multiple templates for each service I provide, having a global comment list for each template would not be as easy to maintain.
The trick is getting the layout for the Global list (GL) going. Once you have the GL in the order that works for you…which could simply follow the word document that you created, you just start plugging away. It took me months upon months upon months to tweak my comment list and if I lost it I would hunt Russel DOWN!!!
I am pretty handy with HG. I even went as far as scripting html tables into sections of the report to add model and serial numbers at one time, but that grew irksome so I just stopped doing it.
Point is…if you hit a roadblock let me know and I can probably help.
Good luck and viva HG
That’s one of the issues with HG.
There are many variables and one needs more control to alter the many different situations rapidly.
nope…I don’t follow you there Bob. With HG you have many options and full control. Please tell me where you need more control?
Again, I think its fair to say you haven’t tried HG at all. If you have then please be more specific because I don’t follow your comment?
We have an automatic back up feature in HG Services! If you don’t use it then you need to store your template every so often on a hard drive. or I can give you back all your comments if you upload a report with that template. Several ways to protect your work.
Here are some words of advice for those reading this thread.
Instead of creating multiple templates for your various inspection types and trying to maintain multiple Global List comments between them all, simply create a template that includes all of your templates combined into one. Turn off the sections that you don’t use on a regular basis. If you have common property types or inspection types that you do on a regular basis, save the starting point for that type of report as a Report Fill instead of creating another template. This means you only have to maintain one global list instead of constantly exporting and importing comments every time you want to save something new. The comment will always be available to you this way.
Good advice. I use one template for 99% of my inspections.
I only use three different templates for inspecting. My main go to template, multi-unit template and commercial template. I am constantly upgrading the multi unit and commercial template with comments from my go-to template as that’s the one I use 80% of the time.
I do wish there was a way when upgrading comments to a different template that you would see only the new comments in one location so you can spread them out where they need to go easier.
We just added mold testing so I’m building a template for that right now.
I have not tried HG in a long time but have many report samples including the video one you did Russell.
I use them to look at and see what parts I like or do not like.
From what I could tell HG does not allow caption specific comments other than what is auto generated .
…11.1 Item 2(Picture…
What if you want to say the pipe is leaking under the picture in text ?
You write it in the caption box below photo, or you can write in the text box and put the comment anywhere you want directly on the photo.
All three of those templates should be combined so that your comments are always available. A multi-family building is no different than a single family home except most people wind up duplicating report sections for each unit. This creates an unnecessarily long report and summary. Start with a standard residential template and add summaries for each unit instead of duplicating them. This way, if you have a section for bathrooms, you itemize your comments and assign that summary item to the unit it pertains. Adjust your summary print options to group like summaries.
For small to mid scale commercial buildings, use your standard template but add in the sections that specifically pertain to commercial properties and exclude them by default. Simply turn them on when needed. Save your section headers and footers in your global list and any other default comments you have that auto populate in that type of report. Save your starting point for that type of inspection as a report fill and apply it when needed. It is also helpful to search through each one of your stored narratives and change the word “home” or “homeowner” to a generic term like “property” or “building” which allows you to use the comment for both residential or commercial. There is a search feature in HG where you can find specific words or phases in the global list.
Nothing is more aggravating than having your favorite canned narratives spread out over multiple templates. I used to have to open up different templates all the time to grab something I saved in while doing some other type of inspection. I learned that if you simply make the template generic and applicable to most inspections, maintaining one global list and using report fills was much easier than using HG the way it was actually designed to be used out of the box.
Actually you have 3 areas of text. The one you mentioned is automatic and you can remove the word item or the word picture. 11.1 is section and inspection item… number 2 is the second picture of that inspection item. That happens automatic and if you use a video it will say video not picture (type) but you can remove all that labeling or change it around.
The second ability is to click the T (when in edit picture mode) and add a short text to the picture and it goes on the picture itself with color, font size capability etc. There is an auto-comment library for this built in (i.e. leaks, deteriorated, loose etc.)
The third ability is to label the picture location and it has an auto comment library for it by clicking the magic wand beside the picture you dropped in:
Master bedroom, DR ceiling, Rear deck etc.
I’m tracking Russel! I only meany my comment about losing my template in jest…but seriously…I’d find you.
lol…oh I know…I just wanted to make sure everyone knows how to back up. I can’t out run everybody…
I know I saw it in a tutorial, but I can’t remember how to duplicate a template. Would someone please post that information for me? HG support is closed for the day.
thnx