The inspection lifecycle

Every inspection follows the same path: you create it from a template, inspectors complete it in the field, it is reviewed if your template asks for that, and the report goes out. The status on the inspection's page tells you where it is.

The journey of one inspection

1. It starts from a published template. An inspection always uses the published version of a template, and keeps that version even if you publish changes later. Two switches in the template editor, under Form settings > Completion & access, decide what happens after the work is done: Requires approval and Requires sign-off. See Templates.

2. You create it and assign it. On Inspections, select New Inspection, then choose the location, the template, the inspectors, and when it runs. Your inspectors are notified right away. The inspection shows as Scheduled until one of them begins. A schedule can also create inspections for you on a repeating pattern, and turning on Inspectors can start this template in the same section lets inspectors start one themselves in the field app. See Inspections and Schedules.

3. Inspectors do the work in the field app. When an inspector begins, the inspection moves to In progress. They answer the questions, take photos, and record findings and corrective actions as they go, even without signal. When several inspectors share an inspection, each completes their own part. You can see their answers on the inspection's Responses tab. See Onboarding your inspectors.

4. Inspectors submit. Each inspector submits their part when they finish. When the last one submits, the inspection moves on: to Pending approval if the template requires approval, to Pending sign-off if it requires only a sign-off, or straight to Completed. If you don't want to wait for everyone, select Mark complete on the inspection's page to finish it yourself.

5. An approver reviews it, if the template requires approval. The inspection waits on Approvals. The approver opens it from there, checks the answers, and uses the Decide panel at the top: Approve, Request changes, or Reject. Each one asks you to confirm, and Request changes confirms with Send back. Admins can also decide from the inspection's own Approval & Sign-off tab. Request changes sends it back to the inspectors as In progress, so they can fix it and submit again. Reject closes it for good, and it shows as Archived. A comment is required to request changes or reject. See Approvals.

6. Someone signs it off, if the template requires sign-off. The inspector signs on the last screen of the field app when they submit. If the inspection still shows Pending sign-off, for example after it was approved, open its Approval & Sign-off tab and select Record sign-off. After the sign-off, it shows as Completed.

7. The report goes out. Once the inspection is Completed, Auditmark emails its report to the people listed under Settings > Email notifications > Report delivery, if you have set it up. To send it to anyone else, open the inspection's Report tab, where you can also view and download it. See Inspections and Settings.

8. Corrective actions are followed to the end. When the inspection is Completed, the actions raised on it are sent to the people assigned to them: team members in the app, and people outside your team by email and the portal. When an assignee marks an action resolved, an inspector checks the fix and closes it, or it closes on its own, depending on your choice under Corrective actions in Settings. You can follow every action on the inspection's Findings & Actions tab.

Good to know

• An inspection can't be submitted or marked complete while a required photo or note is missing.
• No one can approve an inspection they worked on.
• Rejecting an inspection drops the corrective actions raised on it, because they were never sent. The same happens if you archive an inspection before it is completed.
• You can archive an inspection at any stage from its actions menu, but you can delete it only while it is still Scheduled.

Related

• How Auditmark works explains templates, locations, findings, and the three apps.
• Dashboard shows how your inspection results trend over time.