Emailing Inspection, Permits, and Invoices together
Purpose Statement
This feature allows users to efficiently send inspection reports along with their associated permits and invoices in a single email communication. This streamlines administrative processes by eliminating the need for multiple separate email communications and ensures all related documentation is delivered together to recipients, improving workflow efficiency and reducing the potential for missing documents.
Background Information
The ability to email linked documents together is particularly valuable for fire departments and EMS agencies that need to provide comprehensive documentation packages to property owners, contractors, or other stakeholders. This feature recognizes that inspections, permits, and invoices are often interconnected documents that recipients need to review together. Common use cases include post-inspection communications where permit status updates and associated billing information must be communicated simultaneously, compliance documentation packages, and administrative efficiency improvements.
Required Permissions
Users must have the following permissions to complete this process:
- Inspection management permissions (view and manage inspection reports)
- Permit management permissions (access to linked permit documents)
- Invoice management permissions (access to associated billing documents)
- Email communication permissions (ability to send documents via email)
- Document export permissions (generate and attach PDF reports)
Video
Step-by-Step Guide
- Deselect any Permits that are not to be sent.
- Leaving Multi Permit selected will put all Permits on one Permit Form.
Best Practices
Document Review Before Sending
- Always review all linked documents before sending to ensure accuracy and completeness
- Verify that permit statuses are current and reflect the most recent inspection findings
- Confirm invoice amounts and billing details are correct
Recipient Management
- Double-check recipient email addresses to prevent misdirected sensitive information
- Consider adding appropriate subject lines and email body text for context
- Maintain records of when combined document packages were sent
Permit Selection Strategy
- Use the Multi Permit option when recipients need a consolidated permit view
- Send individual permits when specific permit details need emphasis
- Remove expired or superseded permits from the selection
Communication Timing
- Send combined packages promptly after inspection completion
- Coordinate with billing cycles when including invoices
- Consider recipient business hours and processing capabilities
Troubleshooting & FAQs
Q: Why don't I see any linked permits or invoices? A: Ensure that permits and invoices were properly linked to the inspection during the initial setup. Check that the inspection has been completed and saved. Verify that you have appropriate permissions to view linked documents.
Q: Can I add a custom message to the email? A: Yes, most email interfaces allow you to add custom subject lines and message body content. Look for email composition options before sending.
Q: What happens if I accidentally send the wrong documents? A: Contact recipients immediately to clarify any confusion. Send a corrected email with the proper documents and clear explanations of the correction.
Q: Why is the Multi Permit option grayed out? A: This typically occurs when only one permit is linked to the inspection, or when system permissions restrict permit consolidation functionality.
Q: Can I schedule these emails to send later?
A: Check your system configuration for scheduled email capabilities. This feature availability may vary based on your platform setup.
Related Articles
Inspection Record - Linking Invoices and Permits
Purpose Statement This feature allows users to establish connections between inspection records and related permits or invoices within the Fire/EMS software platform. Linking these documents creates a comprehensive audit trail, streamlines record ...Permits: Creating a New Permit
Purpose Statement The Create a New Permit feature allows authorized users to initiate and manage fire department permits within the First Due platform. This functionality streamlines the permit application process, enables efficient tracking of ...Bulk Permit Renewal with Auto-Invoice Generation
Purpose Statement: The bulk permit renewal feature allows administrators to efficiently renew multiple permits simultaneously while automatically generating and emailing invoices to permit contacts. This streamlined process reduces manual workload, ...Create Invoice while creating a Permit
Purpose Statement To demonstrate how to create an Invoice while creating a Permit, allowing users to generate billing documentation directly within the permit creation workflow. This streamlined process ensures accurate invoicing tied to specific ...Creating an Invoice
Purpose Statement To demonstrate how to create invoices on the First Due Platform for billing services, permits, inspections, and other departmental activities. This feature enables Fire/EMS departments to efficiently generate professional invoices ...