Finished my first 3.6.

[Airstream]

1. Used the Total Mobile App on my IPHONE. It was very glitchy with the sketch. When you label a room, and then tap it to add the photo it doesn't work immediately. You have to tap the sketch again to open up the photo. Also we have to sketch the finished area separately from the unfinished in the basement. That didn't work so well, and I spent about 15 minutes trying to figure out what to do. Just gave up. Sketched the basement. Showed where the room was at. Gave the sf of the finished and unfinished in the report and moved on. In total the inspection time took about half hour longer, but much of that was messing with the sketching program trying to figure it out. Also I had pre-filled in some things ahead of time. But at least I have an idea how the mobile app works and it shouldn't take as long next time. I think.

The new photo feature was a life saver.

2. Everything synced back into the report from the mobile app. I was ready to go. Had to then simply fill out areas where the mobile app hadn't filled out. Once I got to my desktop I would have been done in about 2.5 hours, but I had trouble delivering it over the Mercury network. It took me about 30 to 40 minutes to figure out that I had to create a zip file, then deliver that on the mercury site. The plug-in just didn't work. Kept getting a stupid error message. THIS IS NOT READY.

3. The program is very very glitchy and slow; especially in the sales grid analysis. There were times I had a hard time filling things out because it was so stupid slow. Checks would not check. Cursors would write. etc.

4. It took me about 7 hours to do the entire report from inspection to completion. And that includes one hour drive time both ways. If I did't have to deal with software issues I could have easily done this in about 4 to 5 hours. Some of it is the software and some of it was me just figuring things out. Still haven't figured all of it out.

I clearly would NOT want to do this without the mobile app. Yes it may take a bit longer to do the inspection. But man does it save time back in the office!! No searching for photos, etc. Data already filled in. Wouldn't do it any other way.

 

[Trihard]

1. Used the Total Mobile App on my IPHONE. It was very glitchy with the sketch. When you label a room, and then tap it to add the photo it doesn't work immediately. You have to tap the sketch again to open up the photo. Also we have to sketch the finished area separately from the unfinished in the basement. That didn't work so well, and I spent about 15 minutes trying to figure out what to do. Just gave up. Sketched the basement. Showed where the room was at. Gave the sf of the finished and unfinished in the report and moved on. In total the inspection time took about half hour longer, but much of that was messing with the sketching program trying to figure it out. Also I had pre-filled in some things ahead of time. But at least I have an idea how the mobile app works and it shouldn't take as long next time. I think.

The new photo feature was a life saver.

2. Everything synced back into the report from the mobile app. I was ready to go. Had to then simply fill out areas where the mobile app hadn't filled out. Once I got to my desktop I would have been done in about 2.5 hours, but I had trouble delivering it over the Mercury network. It took me about 30 to 40 minutes to figure out that I had to create a zip file, then deliver that on the mercury site. The plug-in just didn't work. Kept getting a stupid error message. THIS IS NOT READY.

3. The program is very very glitchy and slow; especially in the sales grid analysis. There were times I had a hard time filling things out because it was so stupid slow. Checks would not check. Cursors would write. etc.

4. It took me about 7 hours to do the entire report from inspection to completion. And that includes one hour drive time both ways. If I did't have to deal with software issues I could have easily done this in about 4 to 5 hours. Some of it is the software and some of it was me just figuring things out. Still haven't figured all of it out.

I clearly would NOT want to do this without the mobile app. Yes it may take a bit longer to do the inspection. But man does it save time back in the office!! No searching for photos, etc. Data already filled in. Wouldn't do it any other way.

Working extra hours to fill data points that will be used to replace you, sounds awful.

 

[J Grant]

Thank you for your honest reporting - esp about having to create a zip file to send!

 

[Airstream]

Ok. I have been messing with the new form. And I am starting to like it!! I know that may sound almost heretical. But it is very customizable. Plenty of space to write commentary. Not necessary for addendums. I customized the form and made a template for SFR. Included a few more fields that I thought were necessary. Developed some quick lists to make things easier in the fields. Those transfer to the Mobile App so I don't have to type anything. Just hit the quick list. I still have things to learn about the new program. But I don't think the learning curve will be that steep.

And with the mobile app, once I get use to the workflow a bit and adapt a bit, I think the inspections will go just about as quickly as with 2.6.

A friend of mine has done 5 and he says basically the same thing and he doesn't use a mobile app at this time. Although I think he is going to try it since he uses Total.

Still doesn't mean we are ready for prime time. The program is very glitchy and slow. I feel a bit like a Beta tester that is paying Alamode to test it. If the GSEs would just delay this for a few more months and let the software people get up to par it would help a great deal.