Purpose Statement
The purpose of this article is to guide users through creating and configuring an Inspection Type in First Due that does not require a physical address or existing occupancy record.
This functionality allows departments to conduct inspections for standalone units or spaces, pre-development projects, and special events without associating the inspection with a traditional property address.
Background Information
First Due allows departments to configure Inspection Types using different Location Modes based on the type of inspection being conducted.
When creating or editing an Inspection Type, users can select from four available Location Modes:
Available Location Modes:
Standard Street Address: Inspections associated with an existing physical address or occupancy.
Standalone: Inspections involving a unit or space without a traditional physical address.
Pre-Development: Inspections for projects that have not yet been assigned a physical address.
Special Event: Inspections associated with temporary events or activities.
Standalone, Pre-Development, and Special Event allow departments to create Inspection Types without requiring a physical address.
Each Inspection Type can be configured with its own checklist, result options, associated code items, forms, email settings, billing, and Business Portal configuration.
Important: Addressless Inspection requests are available through the Business Portal only and are not available through the User Portal.
Required Permissions
Access to Inspection Type configuration is dependent on the user's assigned role and permissions within First Due.
Users must have the appropriate permissions to access Inspections > Inspection Types and create or edit Inspection Types.
Note: The specific permission names required to create and modify Inspection Types should be verified against the current First Due Roles and Permissions configuration.
Video
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Navigate to Inspection Types
Step 2: Create or Edit an Inspection Type
1. From the Inspection Types page, choose one of the following options:
Create a New Inspection Type: Click Add New Type.
Edit an Existing Inspection Type: Locate the Inspection Type you want to modify and click Edit.
2. The Inspection Type configuration screen will open.
Step 3: Configure the Inspection Type and Location Mode
1. Locate the required Inspection Type field.
2. Enter or review the Inspection Type name.
3. Locate the Location Mode dropdown.
4. Select the appropriate Location Mode from the available options:
Standard Street Address: For inspections associated with a physical address.
Standalone: For inspections involving a unit or space.
Pre-Development: For projects without an assigned physical address.
Special Event: For inspections associated with temporary events.
5. To create an Inspection Type without a physical address, select Standalone, Pre-Development, or Special Event.
6. Complete the remaining applicable Inspection Type configuration fields.
Note: The remaining Inspection Type fields follow the standard Inspection Type configuration process.
Steps 4 - 7 for more Details go to KBA's for under Inspection Types
Step 4: Configure the Inspection Checklist
1. Navigate to the Checklist section of the Inspection Type configuration.
2. Click Add a Section to create a new checklist section.
3. Enter the applicable section information.
4. Once the section has been added, use the available controls to add Checklist Items.
5. Configure the applicable Checklist Options for the inspection.
6. Review and configure the Result Options.
7. Add any applicable Associated Code Items.
8. Repeat this process as needed to complete the inspection checklist.
Note: Checklist sections, items, result options, and associated code items are configured using the same process as standard Inspection Types.
See the KBA on creating a checklist for more information.
Step 5: Review Forms, Email System, and Billing Settings
1. Navigate to the Forms section.
2. Review and configure any applicable forms associated with the Inspection Type.
3. Navigate to the Email System settings.
4. Review the available email configuration options.
5. Navigate to the Billing settings.
6. If your organization uses a connected Stripe account, review the available options for assigning a fee to the Inspection Type.
7. Configure the applicable settings based on your department's inspection workflow.
Note: Billing configuration depends on your organization's available payment integration and settings.
Step 6: Configure Business Portal Settings
1. Navigate to the User Portals section of the Inspection Type configuration.
2. Review the available Business Portal settings.
3. Configure the applicable options for businesses to request the inspection through the Business Portal.
4. Review the available configuration areas:
Attachments: Configure any applicable attachments associated with the inspection request.
Payments: Review payment settings for inspections that require a fee.
Instructions: Add instructions to guide businesses through the inspection request process.
Notifications: Configure applicable notifications associated with the inspection request.
5. Add any necessary instructions or attachments using the available controls.
6. Review the notification settings to ensure they align with your department's workflow.
Important: Addressless Inspection Types can be made available for inspection requests through the Business Portal only. This functionality is not available through the User Portal.
Step 7: Save the Inspection Type
1. Review the Inspection Type configuration, including:
Inspection Type name
Location Mode
Checklist sections and items
Result Options
Associated Code Items
Forms
Email System settings
Billing settings, if applicable
Business Portal settings, if applicable
2. Verify that the appropriate Location Mode is selected.
3. Click Save.
4. Return to the Inspection Types list and confirm that the Inspection Type has been saved successfully.
Note: The same process can be used to configure additional Inspection Types using the Standalone, Pre-Development, or Special Event Location Modes.
Best Practices
- Select the Appropriate Location Mode: Choose the Location Mode that best represents the inspection being performed.
- Use Descriptive Inspection Type Names: Create clear, recognizable names so users understand the purpose of each inspection.
- Avoid Unnecessary Physical Addresses: Use Standalone, Pre-Development, or Special Event when a traditional street address is not appropriate.
- Review Checklist Configurations: Ensure checklist sections, items, result options, and associated code items are appropriate for the inspection.
- Verify Billing Settings: If inspection fees are required, review the billing configuration and confirm that the appropriate payment integration is available.
- Configure Business Portal Settings: Review attachments, payment options, instructions, and notifications when allowing businesses to request Addressless Inspections.
- Provide Clear Instructions: Include relevant instructions for businesses submitting inspection requests through the Business Portal.
- Configure Notifications Appropriately: Review the available notification settings to ensure they align with your department's processes.
- Review Before Saving: Verify that all required information has been entered and that the correct Location Mode is selected.
- Test the Inspection Type: After saving, verify that the Inspection Type is available and functions as expected within the applicable inspection workflow.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
1. Why can't I access the Inspection Types page?
Your assigned role may not have the required permissions to manage Inspection Types. Contact your First Due administrator to verify your access.
2. Which Location Mode should I select for an inspection that does not have a physical address?
Select Standalone, Pre-Development, or Special Event depending on the inspection's purpose. Standard Street Address is intended for address-based inspections.
3. Can I edit an existing Inspection Type instead of creating a new one?
Yes. Navigate to Inspections > Inspection Types, locate the Inspection Type, and select Edit to review or modify its configuration.
4. Can I configure a checklist for an Inspection Type without a physical address?
Yes. Checklist sections, checklist items, result options, and associated code items can be configured using the standard Inspection Type configuration process.
5. Can I assign a fee to an Inspection Type without a physical address?
Organizations with a connected Stripe account can review the available billing options for assigning a fee to the Inspection Type.
6. Can businesses request an Addressless Inspection through the Business Portal?
Yes. Addressless Inspection Types can be configured to allow businesses to request inspections through the Business Portal. This functionality is available only through the Business Portal and not the User Portal.
7. Can I include instructions, attachments, and notifications for Business Portal inspection requests?
Yes. The Business Portal configuration provides options for attachments, payments, instructions, and notifications associated with the Inspection Type.
8. Can I configure multiple Inspection Types using different Location Modes?
Yes. Departments can configure separate Inspection Types for Standalone, Pre-Development, and Special Event inspections based on their operational needs.
9. Why don't I see the available Addressless Inspection Location Modes?
Feature availability may depend on whether the functionality has been enabled for your organization. Contact your First Due administrator to verify availability.
10. Do I need to configure the checklist and other settings differently for each Location Mode?
No separate checklist configuration process is demonstrated in the video. Checklist, forms, email, billing, and other Inspection Type configuration areas follow the standard configuration process.
11. Why isn't my newly configured Inspection Type appearing?
Verify that the Inspection Type was saved successfully and that the required configuration fields were completed. If the Inspection Type is still unavailable, contact your First Due administrator to review the configuration and feature availability.