The Excel-and-retype workflow, and the app that replaces it.
What we heard on the call, in plain terms - and the purpose-built web app we recommend in response.
The current situation
Today
- · Two separate Excel sheets per inspection (Checklist 1 + Checklist 2).
- · Field crew walks the home, marks items, then manually re-enters the room and item into a third repair sheet.
- · No photo capture tied to the location or item.
- · One Excel file per customer per inspection, then uploaded to BuilderTrend.
- · Field tools are iPads - Excel-on-iPad is awkward for checkbox-heavy workflows.
What it costs you
- · Double entry on every repair item - slow, easy to skip a step.
- · Formatting drifts between inspections; the “template” gets edited by accident.
- · Repair details live in text, not photos, so back-office and trades have to guess.
- · No structured handoff: every inspection has to be cleaned up before it lands in BuilderTrend.
In Katherine's words
“If somebody marks the checkbox, then it automatically comes down and puts the location and the item, and gives them space to add what's wrong. Living area entry, front door, paint touch-up - like that.”
The recommended approach
A purpose-built web app, designed around how your crew actually inspects a home. No app store. No third-party form builder. Opens like an app, behaves like an app.
One combined checklist
Checklist 1 and Checklist 2 merge into a single guided inspection per home. Same content, cleaner flow.
Smart repair popup
Tap 'needs repair' on any item. A popup opens already knowing the location and the item - they just add the detail.
Photos attached to the item
Take photos right from the iPad, attached to the exact room and item. No more guessing what 'crack in window' means.
iPad and phone friendly
Installs as a home-screen icon. Tap it, log in once, stay logged in. Works in the field.
BuilderTrend-ready PDF
One clean PDF per inspection: full checklist plus the consolidated repair list with photos. Upload to BuilderTrend and you're done.
History, per home
Every inspection is saved against the home it was done on. Pull it back up later without digging through Excel files.
What a walkthrough looks like
- 01
Open the app
Tap the home-screen icon. Stay logged in between visits.
- 02
Start an inspection
Pick the home/lot. The combined checklist loads in the right order.
- 03
Tap, describe, photo
Anything that needs repair triggers the popup. Detail + photo + next.
- 04
Finish & export
Download the PDF, upload to BuilderTrend, send to trades.
Why custom, not Zapier + Excel
On the call we talked about whether this could be wired up with Zapier and Excel macros. Honestly, that route ends up taking longer to build, looks worse on an iPad, and is fragile. For about the same time investment we can ship a real little app that your team will actually like using.