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How to create a roof inspection checklist app

January 2, 2020

Regular roof inspections are critical for detecting damage from severe weather, improper construction, and even regular wear and tear. Using a mobile roof inspection checklist can help you streamline the process and conduct more thorough inspections in less time.

With Fulcrum, you can quickly and easily conduct all kinds of inspections with a mobile device (no internet connection needed!) and share your findings with builders, homeowners, and insurance carriers in a fraction of the time it takes with paper forms.

This post will show you how to create your own roof inspection app using our drag-and-drop form builder, or by simply downloading our pre-built roof inspection checklist template, which you can use as-is or modify to suit your needs.

Let’s start with the template.

How to create a roof inspection checklist from a premade template

Log in to your Fulcrum account on your desktop or laptop computer. From your account overview, click the green
“+ New App” button.

Click the green "new app" button

This will open up the app builder (which we’ll talk more about in a bit).

On the app builder page, click “Choose a template from the App Gallery.” This will take you to our collection of pre-built mobile form templates, which are organized by industry.

Choose a template from the app gallery

Once you’re on the app gallery page, click on Construction apps, then scroll down to and select the Roof Inspection App.

On the Roof Inspection App page, click the green button that says “+ Add this App to (your account name).”

Add the roof inspection checklist to your account

The app will then open in the app builder, where you can customize the inspection form for your company’s use if desired. When you’re finished making changes, click the blue “Save & Exit” button.

Save and exit from your app

The roofing inspection app will now appear in your account overview with any other Fulcrum apps you’ve downloaded or built.‍

How to build a custom mobile roof inspection checklist

From your account overview page, click the green “+ New App” button (as shown above). The app builder will open with a blank slate. This is where you will create your custom roof inspection checklist.

The app builder (or app designer) includes a list of field types on the left, a canvas (or layout area) for building your form in the middle, and a settings area on the right where you will enter details about your app.

The Fulcrum app builder

If your inspectors currently use a paper checklist for this process, you’ll want to reference it while building your mobile roofing checklist form.

Start with the Settings menu on the right. Give your app a name (such as Roof Inspection Checklist) and a brief description that explains the purpose of the app. (You can always edit these later.)

The Settings menu of the Fulcrum app builder

Next, you’ll want to click on a field from the Fields menu and drag it into the Layout area. A box will automatically open, prompting you to add a label to the field. For example, you might start with a Text field and label it “Inspected by,” for the roof inspector to enter their name.

How to add a field to your Fulcrum form

Once you have added a field to your app, hit the green “Save & Continue” button. We recommend saving often as you build your roof inspection form so you don’t lose any of your progress.

Hit Save and Continue to keep working on your app

Continue adding fields in the same manner, following along with your paper roof inspection checklist and adding the appropriate fields.

To create sections (such as the “Property Information” section pictured below), pull a Section field onto the canvas area and label it, then pull over a field you want to be nested within that section. Hold the field over the center of the Section until you see the dotted outline, then drop it just as you would any other field.

How to add a section to your Fulcrum app

Once you’re finished building your mobile checklist, hit “Save & Exit.”

Remember: You can always go back into your apps and make changes, and if the first roof inspection app you build doesn’t work for you, you can always make more! Whatever Fulcrum plan you’re on, you have the ability to make an unlimited number of mobile forms.

In fact, if you’re new to Fulcrum, we recommend building several apps and collecting data in them during your free trial so you can get familiar with the platform and make sure it’s the right roof inspection software for you. We’re sure that once you get comfortable, you’ll want to use it for all of your inspections!

For more, check out this detailed video tutorial on creating an app in Fulcrum, or head over to our Learning Portal for tips on building apps with more complex functionality. And you can always click the red bubble at the bottom right of your screen to get help from our amazing support team!

Fulcrum is a data collection platform that enables organizations to reduce costs, access critical data in real-time, and improve decision making at every level. With Fulcrum, you can create custom apps using our simple drag-and-drop builder to turn your paper documents into digital forms that your field teams can quickly complete on mobile devices.