Configuring the Inspection Module for Government Users

The HERA Registry inspection module allows government administrators to manage property inspections efficiently. This guide will walk you through the initial setup process, including configuring inspection fees, renewal periods, and creating inspection-specific questions.

Overview

Before you can begin performing inspections, you need to configure the inspection module for your jurisdiction. This involves two main steps:

1. Setting up inspection fees and renewal details in the jurisdiction license type configuration
2. Adding inspection-specific questions that will be asked during the inspection process

Step 1: Configure Inspection Fees and Renewal Details

The first step is to configure the inspection fees and renewal settings for each license type in your jurisdiction.

Accessing Jurisdiction Configuration

1. Navigate to the Jurisdictions tab in your government dashboard
2. Select your jurisdiction from the list
3. Click on the license type you want to configure
4. Open the License Type Configuration section

Setting Up Inspection Fees

In the jurisdiction license type configuration, you’ll find the inspection fee settings:

Inspection Fee Structure

Choose how inspection fees are calculated. Inspection fees support a limited set of fee structures:

• None: No inspections are required for this license type
• Flat Fee: A single fixed amount for all inspections
• Based on Number of Units: Fees calculated per unit (for multi-unit properties)
• Number of Units with Exemption for New: Fees calculated per unit, with exemptions for new properties based on building completion date

Note: Unlike registration fees, inspection fees do not support fee structures such as “Based on Year”, “Structure-Based”, “Commercial Managed Property Reduction”, fee tiers, or fee schedules.

Inspection Fee Amounts

Depending on your fee structure, you’ll configure:

• Base inspection fee (for flat fee structures)
• Per-unit fee (for unit-based structures)

Configuring Inspection Renewal Settings

Set up how inspections renew and when they expire:

Renewal Type

Choose how inspections renew. Inspection renewals support only two options:

• Periodic: Inspections renew at regular intervals (e.g., annually, biennially)
• One-Time: Inspections are performed once and don’t renew

Note: Unlike registration renewals, inspection renewals do not support “Fixed Date” or “Fixed Date Bi-Annual” renewal types.

Renewal Period

If using periodic renewals:

• Inspection Fee Renewal Period (Months): Set how many months between inspections (e.g., 12 for annual, 24 for biennial)

Example Configuration

Here are example configurations for typical jurisdictions:

Example 1: Simple Flat Fee

• Fee Structure: Flat Fee
• Inspection Fee: $150
• Renewal Type: Periodic
• Renewal Period: 12 months (annual inspections)

This means every property will pay $150 for an inspection, and inspections will be due again 12 months after completion.

Example 2: Unit-Based with Exemption

• Fee Structure: Number of Units with Exemption for New
• Per-Unit Fee: $25
• Exemption Period: 60 months (5 years)
• Renewal Type: Periodic
• Renewal Period: 24 months (biennial inspections)

This means properties pay $25 per unit, but new properties (built within the last 5 years) are exempt from inspection fees. Inspections are due every 2 years.

Step 2: Add Inspection-Specific Questions

After configuring fees and renewal settings, you’ll want to create inspection-specific questions that inspectors will answer during the inspection process.

Accessing Inspection Questions

1. Navigate to the Inspection Questions tab in your government dashboard
2. You’ll see a table of inspection questions:
   • Global inspection questions (read-only) - These apply to all jurisdictions and are created by operator users
   • Your jurisdiction-specific questions - These are questions you’ve created for your jurisdiction

Creating Inspection Questions

Note for Government Users: Government users can only create jurisdiction-specific inspection questions for their own jurisdiction. Global inspection questions can only be created by operator users. You can view global questions (read-only) but cannot edit or create them.

Creating Jurisdiction-Specific Inspection Questions

Jurisdiction-specific questions only apply to your jurisdiction:

1. Click “Add Inspection Question”
2. The scope is automatically set to “Jurisdiction-Specific Inspection” (government users cannot create global questions)
3. Your jurisdiction is automatically set and cannot be changed (fixed to your jurisdiction)
4. Choose the license type this question applies to
5. Enter the question text
6. Select the answer type:
   • Text
   • Boolean (Yes/No)
   • Date
   • Number
   • Single Select (dropdown)
   • Multi-Select (multiple choices)
   • Information (display only)
   • Email
   • Phone Number
   • Address
   • Document Upload
7. Add answer options (if using single select or multi-select)
8. Set display order (controls the order questions appear)
9. Configure other settings:
   • Answer Required: Whether the question must be answered
   • Display Up Front: Whether to show during registration
   • Information Text: Additional context or instructions

Note: When you create a new inspection question, the system automatically sets it to be jurisdiction-specific for your jurisdiction. You cannot change the scope or jurisdiction - this ensures all questions you create are specific to your jurisdiction.

Question Types for Inspections

Common inspection question types include:

• Property Condition: “Is the property in good condition?”
• Safety Compliance: “Are all smoke detectors functioning?”
• Occupancy Limits: “What is the maximum occupancy?”
• Code Compliance: “Does the property meet all building codes?”
• Inspection Date: Automatically added at the start of each inspection
• Comments: Text field for inspector notes

Bulk Uploading Questions

You can also upload multiple questions at once:

1. Click “Upload Inspection Questions”
2. Download the template (CSV format)
3. Fill in your questions following the template format
4. Upload the completed file
5. Review the preview before confirming

The template includes columns for:

• Scope (must be jurisdiction_inspection for government users - global_inspection is not allowed)
• License Type ID
• Jurisdiction ID (must be your jurisdiction ID - automatically set for government users)
• Question text
• Answer type
• Answer options (comma-separated for select types)
• Display order
• Answer required
• Display up front

Note for Government Users: When uploading questions via CSV, you must use jurisdiction_inspection as the scope and your jurisdiction ID. The system will validate this and reject any attempts to create global questions.

Best Practices

Fee Configuration

• Start simple: Begin with a flat fee structure and expand to more complex structures as needed
• Consider property types: Different property structures may warrant different fee structures
• Review renewal periods: Balance inspection frequency with administrative workload
• Test calculations: Verify fee calculations work as expected before going live

Question Design

• Be specific: Clear, specific questions yield better inspection data
• Use appropriate answer types: Boolean (Yes/No) for compliance checks, text for detailed notes
• Order logically: Group related questions together using display order
• Include instructions: Use information text to guide inspectors
• Test questions: Review questions from an inspector’s perspective before finalizing

Organization

• Use consistent naming: Follow a naming convention for questions
• Group by category: Use display order to group related questions
• Document purpose: Keep notes on why each question exists
• Review regularly: Periodically review and update questions based on inspection results

Next Steps

Once you’ve configured inspection fees and added inspection questions, you’re ready to:

1. Assign inspectors to perform inspections
2. Begin the inspection process for properties in your jurisdiction
3. Review and complete inspections with pass/fail determinations

See our companion guide, “Completing Inspections in HERA Registry,” for detailed instructions on performing inspections once your module is configured.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Fees not calculating correctly:

• Verify your fee structure matches your intended calculation method
• Check that all fee amounts are entered correctly
• Review the fee breakdown during test registrations

Questions not appearing:

• Ensure questions are created for the correct license type
• Verify the scope (global vs. jurisdiction-specific) is correct
• Check that questions are not marked as deleted

Renewal dates incorrect:

• Confirm renewal type and period settings
• Verify fixed date settings if using fixed date renewals
• Check that inspection completion dates are being recorded

Support

If you need assistance configuring the inspection module:

• Review jurisdiction configuration documentation
• Contact HERA Registry support for technical issues
• Consult with other jurisdictions for best practice examples
• Test configurations in a development environment before production use

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Ready to start performing inspections? Check out our guide on “Completing Inspections in HERA Registry” to learn how to assign and complete inspections once your module is configured.