Purpose Statement

The Inspection Contacts feature allows users to manage occupancy and vendor contacts while recording an inspection. Users can select the Inspection Contact, add or update contact information, choose who receives the completed Inspection Report by email, and manage vendor contacts associated with the inspection.

Contacts may also be used in other areas of First Due, including Pre-Plans, helping maintain consistent contact information across the platform.

Background Information

Accurate contact information helps inspectors and operational personnel communicate with property representatives, key holders, vendors, and other stakeholders.

While recording an inspection, users can review existing contacts, update contact details, select the Inspection Contact, designate a Primary Occupancy Contact, identify a Default Billing Contact, and determine which contacts should receive the Inspection Report by email.

Contacts may be shared with other areas of First Due. Because of this, editing or deleting a contact from an inspection may affect where that contact is available elsewhere in the system.

Vendor Contacts are pulled from the Vendor Directory. Vendor information can include multiple contacts, contact details, certifications, attachments, notes, and history.

Required Permissions

Users must have the following permissions to manage inspection contacts:

• Inspection Module Access - Basic access to the Inspection module
• Edit Inspection Records - Ability to modify inspection data including contacts
• Contact Management - Permission to add, edit, and delete contact information
• Vendor Directory Access - Access to view and manage vendor contacts (if using vendor features)

Access to certain functions, including the Inspection module, Field Management configuration, and Vendor Directory, may depend on the user's assigned permissions.

Video

Step-by-Step Guide

Managing Occupancy Contacts

1. Open the Contacts section of the Inspection Record.

While recording an inspection, navigate to Contacts to view the contacts associated with the occupancy.

Existing contacts may also be associated with other areas of First Due, including Pre-Plans.

2. Select the Inspection Contact.

At the top of the Inspection Record, use the Inspection Contact field to select the appropriate contact from the available contacts.

Selecting a different Inspection Contact automatically changes the Inspection Contact designation in the Contacts list.

Only one contact can be designated as the Inspection Contact at a time.

3. Review the existing Contacts list.

Review the available contact information and attributes to verify that the contacts are still associated with the occupancy and that their information is current.

Additional columns, such as Company Name and Location, can be added to the Contacts list when needed.

4. Edit an existing contact.

Select the Edit pencil for the contact you want to update.

Review and update applicable information, including:

• Contact Type
• Name
• Company Name
• Location
• Phone numbers
• Email address
• Notes
• Contact attributes
• Inspection Report email preference

Select Save after making the necessary changes.

5. Add a new contact.

Select Add from the Contacts section.

Enter the appropriate contact information.

Providing complete contact information is recommended, particularly phone numbers and email addresses that may be needed by inspectors or operational personnel.

6. Assign contact attributes.

When adding or editing a contact, select the applicable attributes:

• Primary Occupancy Contact — Designates the contact as the primary contact for the occupancy. Only one contact can have this designation.
• Default Billing Contact — Designates the contact as the default billing contact.
• Inspection Contact — Designates the person as the Inspection Contact. Only one contact can have this designation.

If a new contact is designated as the Inspection Contact or Primary Occupancy Contact, the designation is removed from the previously selected contact.

7. Choose whether the contact receives the Inspection Report.

Select Receive email for inspection report when the contact should receive the completed Inspection Report by email.

An email address must be entered for the contact before this option can be selected.

Multiple contacts can be configured to receive the Inspection Report.

8. Select a Contact Type.

Use the Contact Type field to identify the contact's role, such as a key holder.

Available Contact Types can be configured under Admin > Field Management.

9. Add useful contact notes.

Use the Notes field to record information that may assist inspectors or operational personnel.

For example, notes can identify that a contact is a key holder, how far away they live, or other information that may be useful when access to the occupancy is needed.

10. Save the contact.

After entering or updating the contact information, select Save.

The contact will appear in the Contacts list.

Deleting Occupancy Contacts

11. Delete an individual contact when necessary.

Select the delete option for the individual contact you want to remove.

A confirmation message may indicate that the contact is also associated with another area of First Due, such as Pre-Plans.

Review the confirmation carefully before deleting the contact.

12. Use mass delete with caution.

The Contacts section also provides the ability to delete multiple contacts.

Because contacts may be used elsewhere in First Due, verify the selected records carefully before completing a mass deletion.

Managing Vendor Contacts

13. Open Vendor Contacts.

From the Contacts area of the Inspection Record, navigate to Vendor Contacts.

Vendor Contacts can be useful for inspections involving vendors, including sprinkler acceptance testing, alarm system testing, or inspections where vendor representatives are involved before a building is occupied.

14. Add a Vendor Contact.

Select Add Vendor.

Begin entering the vendor's name or address and select the appropriate vendor from the results.

The available vendors are pulled from the Vendor Directory.

Select Save to associate the vendor with the inspection.

If the selected vendor has multiple contacts, those contacts can be brought into the inspection. The vendor's Primary Contact is also identified.

15. Open the Vendor Directory when a vendor is not available.

If you cannot locate the appropriate vendor, select Vendor Directory.

The Vendor Directory opens in a new tab, where you can search existing vendors or add a new vendor.

16. Review or update the vendor.

From the Vendor Directory, locate the appropriate vendor and select Edit.

Vendor information can include:

• Vendor name and information
• Vendor address
• Billing address
• Contacts
• Phone numbers
• Email addresses
• Work contact information
• Certifications
• Attachments
• Notes
• History

Select Save after making the necessary changes.

17. Manage the vendor's Primary Contact.

Within the Vendor Directory, a vendor contact can be designated as the Primary Contact.

Only one contact can be the Primary Contact for the vendor. Selecting a different contact as Primary removes the designation from the previous Primary Contact.

The vendor's Primary Contact cannot be changed directly from the Vendor Contact information within the Inspection Record. This change must be made in the Vendor Directory.

18. Edit a Vendor Contact from the Inspection Record.

Return to the Inspection Record and select the Edit pencil for the appropriate Vendor Contact.

Some vendor information is controlled by the Vendor Directory and cannot be changed from this screen.

Available options include:

• Vendor Signature — Enables the vendor's signature for the inspection.
• Receive email for inspection report — Sends the completed Inspection Report to the vendor contact.
• Email — Can be updated when needed.

Additional vendor information, including work contact information, certifications, and attachments, can also be viewed.

19. Save the Vendor Contact changes.

After selecting the appropriate Vendor Contact attributes, select Save.

Confirm that the appropriate vendor contacts are configured to receive the Inspection Report and that the correct vendor is configured for signature when applicable.

Best Practices

Keep contact information current.

Review occupancy contacts during inspections to confirm that each person is still associated with the property or business. Update phone numbers, email addresses, Contact Types, and other information when changes are identified.

Provide useful contact details.

Include phone numbers and operationally useful notes when possible. Information identifying a nearby key holder, for example, may help personnel gain access to a property without causing unnecessary damage.

Verify the Inspection Contact.

Confirm that the correct person is designated as the Inspection Contact before completing the inspection. Remember that only one Inspection Contact can be selected at a time.

Verify report recipients.

Confirm that all appropriate contacts are selected to receive the Inspection Report. Multiple occupancy and vendor contacts can receive the report when configured.

Enter an email address before selecting report delivery.

The Receive email for inspection report option cannot be selected until the contact has an email address.

Manage vendor information at its source.

Use the Vendor Directory when changes need to be made to vendor-level information or the vendor's Primary Contact.

Use caution when deleting contacts.

Contacts may be used by Pre-Plans or other areas of First Due. Review deletion confirmation messages carefully, especially when using the mass delete option.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Why can't I select Receive email for inspection report?

The contact must have an email address before the Receive email for inspection report option becomes available. Enter an email address, then select the option.

Can multiple contacts receive the Inspection Report?

Yes. Multiple contacts can be selected to receive the Inspection Report by email.

Can I have more than one Inspection Contact?

No. Only one contact can be designated as the Inspection Contact. Selecting another person as the Inspection Contact removes the designation from the previous contact.

Can I have more than one Primary Occupancy Contact?

No. Only one contact can be designated as the Primary Occupancy Contact at a time.

Where do I add or modify Contact Types?

Contact Types can be configured under Admin > Field Management.

Why can't I find the vendor I need?

Vendor Contacts are pulled from the Vendor Directory. Open Vendor Directory to search the complete vendor list or add a new vendor.

Why did multiple contacts appear when I added a vendor?

A vendor can have multiple contacts configured in the Vendor Directory. Those contacts can be brought into the inspection when the vendor is added.

Can I change a vendor's Primary Contact from the Inspection Record?

No. The vendor's Primary Contact must be changed from the Vendor Directory.

Why are some Vendor Contact fields locked?

Some information is controlled by the Vendor Directory and must be changed there rather than from the Inspection Record.

What happens if I delete an occupancy contact?

The contact may also be associated with other areas of First Due, including Pre-Plans. Review the deletion confirmation carefully before removing the record.

Can I delete multiple contacts at once?

Yes. A mass delete option is available. Use it carefully because the selected contacts may also be used elsewhere in First Due.