Create & Manage Checklists

This guide will explain how to create a checklist and how to link the checklist to an inspection type or to a specific project (planning/zoning) type/use. 

Checklists are available for the following:

• As attachments within inspection records. This includes inspections for permits, code enforcement, fire inspections, license inspections, and project (planning/zoning) inspections. The checklists are associated with the inspection type. Inspection types must exist prior to attempting to link a checklist to an inspection type.
• Fire Safety System checklists have a separate area for creation, but the process is the same.
• Checklists are also available as a tab within a project (planning/zoning) system record. These are used by staff to ensure all required items have been completed as it relates to project records.

Create a Checklist

1. Navigate to Admin Tools > Database Management
   
   
2. Select the Inspections Module
   
   
3. Click Inspection Checklists in the right column
   
4. Ensure Add New Checklist is selected
   
   
   Note: You can also copy an existing Fire or Building Checklist and select Append to edit content. 
   
5. Enter the Name of the checklist being added
   
   
6. Click the Add Checklist Section link
   
   
   Note: Checklists consist of sections and items. A checklist must have at least one section.
7. Change the Section Name, as needed
   
8. Add data to the remaining fields:
   
   
   • Question: The question column is where the standard, question, or item-to-track description is entered. Enter the required checklist item question.
   • Values: This is used to create a dropdown list for that specific checklist question. Each question can have its own dropdown list of values. Some questions have yes/no answers, some have pass/fail, others have complete/not complete, or received/open. There can be as many values as required. We suggest using N/A as the first value. If not, all the checklist value options will default to the first value entered, and if that value is pass or yes, it implies the checklist item was complete or compliant.
     • The format for entry is:
       
       • No spaces.
       • The first value will appear first. Each value should be followed by a comma.
       • Example: To create a list of N/A, Yes, No, and Maybe we would type: N/A,Yes,No,Maybe
   • Dead Line: The deadline is used if staff want to alert on specific checklist items. These alerts of dates past due will appear in the status tab of the associated record. 
   • Pass/Fail Value: If staff wish to track and print documents that include checklists where the document only lists all failed or negative checklist items vs. all items in the checklist or only all pass or similar status values, the user must populate the value that should be considered a pass or fail value. 
     • Example: One of our checklist values is “not received”. We want to generate a document that includes the checklist but only lists those items that we did not receive but are required. Since “not received” is the value and that value is not easily identified as “failed” we have to type not received” in the fail value column. This will allow the system to run a failed checklist report and only list those items that are tagged as “not received”.
   • Max Result: This field is used in very specific examples where customers have to track a score associated with a checklist. It is most commonly used in food service inspection operations. This feature is still under development. 
9. (Optional) Select the Add link to add additional items to the section
   
10. (Optional) Repeat steps 5-8 to add additional checklist sections
11. Click Save Checklist
    
    
12. You can now associate the checklist with Permitting, Code Enforcement, or Licensing Inspection Types, Fire Safety Inspections, or the Project System

Return to Article Navigation

Associate a Checklist to an Inspection Type (Permitting, Code Enforcement, & Licensing)

1. Navigate to Admin Tools > Database Management
   
   
2. Select the Inspections Module
   
   
3. Click Insp Type Checklists Relation in the right column
   
4. Select the Inspection Type to link the checklist to
   
   
   Note: Only inspection types for permits, projects, licenses, and code enforcement will appear on the list.
5. Click the Add Checklist link
   
6. Select a Checklist to link to the inspection type
   
7. Click Save Checklists
   

Return to Article Navigation

Associate a Checklist to a Fire Safety Inspection

1. Navigate to Admin Tools > Database Management
   
   
2. Select the Inspections Module
   
   
3. Click Fire Insp Checklists Relation in the right column
   
4. Select the Inspection Type to link the checklist to
   
   
   Note: Only inspection types for fire safety will appear on the list.
5. Click the Add Checklist link
   
6. Select a Checklist to link to the inspection type
   
7. Click Save Checklists
   

Return to Article Navigation

Associate a Checklist for Use in the Project System (Planning/Zoning)

The project system is the only system that contains a checklist tab within a project application. This allows checklists to be used within a project application to ensure the required steps and items have been received. Configuring the checklists and associating the checklists to project records is the same as identified above for the other modules except there is an extra step to ensure the inspection type is identified for use with a checklist and not a regular inspection record. 

1. Navigate to Admin Tools > Database Management
   
   
2. Select the Inspections Module
   
   
3. Select Projects from the Select Module for Managing Inspection Types drop-down
   
4. Ensure there are inspection types created for each checklist that needs to be created and used in projects
   
   
   Note: This area is used for two purposes. The first is regular inspection types used for inspection records like permit inspections and to create a placeholder (like an inspection) to attach a checklist to. The third column identifies if the inspection type will be used for regular inspections or to make a checklist visible in the project application, Checklist tab. In the example image above, 01 Subdivision/Site Plan” is used in the project system and will appear under the inspection tab of an application because “show on inspections” is selected in the third column. The "Applicant Checklist for subdivision" will not display for use as an inspection type in the project application. It will display in the checklist tab of the project application because the “Show on checklist” value is selected.
5. Ensure those inspections used for projects have the second column set to Hide in Portal
   
6. Scroll to the bottom and click Save Inspection Types
   
7. Follow the instructions to Associate the Checklist with an Inspection Type
   
8. Link the checklist to the project type and use:
   1. Click the Case Type Insp Type Relation button
      
   2. Select Projects from the Case Code drop-down
      
   3. Click the Load Inspection Types button before clicking a dropdown list in type or use
      
   4. If needed, set the checklist to only be used for specific project Types or Uses
      
      
   5. Click the Add Inspection Type link
      
   6. Select the Inspection Type (checklist) to apply to the project application type and use
      
   7. Click Save Relationships to make the checklist available within the identified project application type/use
      
      
      
9. Add the checklist to a project application:
   1. Navigate to Projects System > Search and select a record
      
      
   2. Click Edit
      
      
   3. Select the Checklist tab
      
   4. Click Add New under the Actions column
      
   5. Select the checklist under the Checklist Type drop-down
      
   6. Click Save Checklist
      

Return to Article Navigation

Supporting Articles

• Use Inspection Checklists
• Create & Manage Inspections