So for Horizon, you can migrate to Spectora but from their site that leaves these not transferred:
Historical inspection reports
Historical work order data
Report PDF files
Inspection photos and attachments
Third-party integrations and connected services
Payment connections
Existing bookings and scheduled jobs
Login credentials (username/passwords)
So I was wondering what format those work order, inspection report files, photos are in? Just PDFs or what? And what people are doing for record keeping for this?
Morning, Rowan. Hope to find you well and in good spirits today.
Having just learned Horizon can migrate to Spectora I have no answers for your questions.
Good luck.
It helps (practically essential) if you can navigate your computers filing system. This is where Windows shines! Nested folders.
The next important item is your system. I label report folders (which I create temporarily on the desktop prior to the inspection) with the 2 digit year, 2 digit month, and 2 digit day followed by the initial of the client’s last name. Today would be 260920K ( my last name).
Inside that folder I create a photo folder I label RAW for unedited inspection photos. I also save the listing for that property and the Tax records showing year built, basement, etc. which may contradict the listing (agents make a lot of mistakes).
I email reports (.pdf) so the finished report is also saved in this folder. When finished the report folder is stored in a “Completed Reports” folder which is divided into sub folders by year.
If you want to look up a historical report you go to “Completed Reports” open the correct year and scroll down to the date and initial.
Maryland requires I retain reports and notes (just pictures in my case) for 5 years. I use Home Gauge, who also has their own folder, titled “Home Gauge.” The home gauge folder is where my templates and narratives are stored so obviously it and “Completed Reports” are both backed up to a local SSD drive.
A separate folder called “IHI books” contains Excel spreadsheets that keep track of itemized dollar amount income and expenses (double entry bookkeeping). This folder is also backed up locally.
Lastly all bank statements are backed up in a separate folder call “The Name of Your Bank.” This is also backed up locally.
The goal here is for all the information to be locally accessible with no “cloud” interference.
Exactly!
And a side note would be to make sure you employ REDUNDANCY techniques!
For me, that includes two (2) External Hard Drives. One of them are dedicated to Reports and Report Software ONLY, and the other contains all business related Documents, along with a Backup to my Backup of Inspection Reports and Report Software.
In the last 20+ years of backing up my own Reports, (I no longer use Cloud Based backups), I have had two fatal computer crashes, and have lost ZERO files from these Hard Drives.
Remember… assume that Skynet is REAL, (which it is), and it may be lurking just around the proverbial corner… at midnight on a Saturday!!