Thread: new HI need advice

Inspect it software compared to the others. Any comments would be appreciated..before I buy one of them..

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I use it exclusively and enjoy it. I've tried others but have always came back to the Inspect-it program.

rick

It's all in what you get use to. I have been using 3D software since 1996 and have spent many hours adding comments and details. The only thing about any of these programs is:
1) when you upgrade to a newer version - you may lose some data if not backed up properly.
2) the soft ware programers always have to change out the format, which you have to get use to.

Derek, did you look at discover horizon?

Palm-Tech has evolved into a very nice program. They all have features that are unique to them. I've used 3D, Jeff Knight's old company (Borealis), and recently returned to Palm-Tech. Very easy to use and support is outstanding.

Originally Posted by Derek Kelly

Inspect it software compared to the others. Any comments would be appreciated..before I buy one of them..

My experience is that most software is about the same in terms of use. Generally, the comments that are included with the software are useless and it is up to the inspector to create a library of comments that reflect the conditions that have been inspected. There are inspectors that will sell their comments and it might be something to consider if their comments are worthwhile. I prefer to make my own, but it took a LOT of time.

Primary considerations when purchasing inspection software should be:
Ease of use.
Support.
Quality of the finished product.
Do other inspectors in your area use the software?

I feel that the last is particularly important as long as you have a good relationship with the other inspectors in your area. That way, you can call and get help from someone that is nearby.

Originally Posted by Derek Kelly

Inspect it software compared to the others. Any comments would be appreciated..before I buy one of them..

I used Inspect It for 4 years with mixed results. Inserting photos was a real pain, and editing photos with comments even worse. I spent more time feeling like an editor than inspecting. When you select a phrase to go into a certain section of the summary, it places it in one large paragraph. Clients and Realtors would see this and have a stunned look on their face at the paragraphs of information and get overwhelmed. AHIT developed it to rely on Microsoft Word so you get those problems that come with it instead of being a stand alone product. If you decide to upgrade your computer, check with AHIT because the software may not work. In that case it may take weeks/months for the patch to come out to make it work.

Do not let them talk you into the Inspect It Office Pro. This thing has not worked properly for several years and good luck getting a refund. E mail does not work, reports do not populate properly from the inspection order section, etc. The whole thing was a posture building experience.

I recently purchased 3D reporting system, Northern Focus Edition. Then I upgraded to the Premium for the word editing features, etc. There is a fair amount of setup in the beginning, once you get through that it has worked well so far. Inserting photo's with text is a breeze.

The work order section flows over to my outlook calendar with applicable notes such as contact info, directions, etc. The report populates like it should. This thing even sends the financial info over to my quickbooks for processing. It does not, however, make curly fries.

The only thing I do not like about 3D is the support. Tech support is in E mail format. You E mail tech support with your problem and they send an E mail response back to you usually within 24 hours. The time you spend E mailing back and forth, someone from the company could just get on the phone, help you fix your problem and be done with it. You cannot call 3D and get a human to help you unless you want to pay a fee per 15 minutes. With AHIT you pay an annual support fee, call 800 number and get a human who has the ability to log onto your computer, show you how to fix it then leaves.

My advice is to try all the report demo software that seems to interest you then make your decision after you have created several reports from each and talked with your inspection bretheren about pro's and con's of each.