HORIZON UPDATES
One of the real benefits of using Horizon is that it updates
the content and information automatically and seamlessly.
Our clients never have to worry about installing updates
or paying for updates - we do it all for FREE! This saves
you time, money and hassles!
UPDATE HISTORY
Part of our customer service commitment to our clients
is to always strive to make incremental improvements to the
Horizon system. We implement updates every 4 months on average. Not
only do we regularly ask for customer feedback and suggestions,
we also have a detailed development plan that we are following
rigorously. We are committed to the evolution of Horizon
so that we can maximize the user experience and the benefit
to you and your business.
RECENT UPDATES
November 8th, 2011
- Horizon Photo ver 1.5 app for iPhone and iPad has been released you can download it HERE
November 1st, 2011
- Horizon Laptop has been updated. Use Horizon Laptop to backup your inspections on your local machine when things go wrong you can recover lost reports as a PDF file.
October 6th, 2011
- Android update v1.1 – Builting camera functionality. Use Horizon Photo's camera viewfinder to frame up your shots, then snap them and watch the preview get re-sized and uploaded straight into your report!
July 24th, 2011
- NEW inputs to collect Model# and Serial#. Clearly identify Model# and Serial# for HVAC appliances, Water Heaters, Spas, etc. Yes even Asphalt shingles! Or ignore them if you don't use them.
- NEW Appliance Inventory categories added to Interior Descriptions section. See instructions below to turn these ON.
- NEW for RecallChek users! Collect appliance info right inside the regular Horizon report writing interface and then one-click generate a RecallChek report.
- NEW update for inspectors using HORIZON Laptop field program. HORIZON Laptop will update Microsoft patches and fixes and include updated fields and appliance categories if configure
April 14th, 2011
- Auto-complete capability added to custom work order fields.
- Instead of loading a full report Appendix files can be accessed individually by clicking on the file icon.
- Features optimized for Internet Explorer 9.
- Agent names now identified in the work order log file.
March 31, 2011
- New Contract tab added to the work order screen.
- It’s easier to select from multiple contract
versions or edit contract text as needed.
- Setup multiple
Contract versions from Profile\Text options
- Each new inspection will use your default contract
automatically.
- To add a contract where an Inspection was previously
booked, open the work order to the contract
tab and click the Yellow
Exclamation to add your contract.
- Include inspection Fee right in your contract.
NEW!
- Turn contract fee ON or OFF in the Profile\Inspection
type and fee
- NEW QR Codes available! QR code is
short for Quick Response and readable by camera phones
or barcode readers.
QR codes are simply a bridge to a
website or in this case your inspection report
when added to your Horizon report title page.
- Turn QR codes ON or OFF in Profile\Title page logos.
QR codes can be added or replace logo
#4 on your Horizon title page.
- Great tool for real estate agents,
Insurance professionals or anyone with a
smart-style camera phone. QR code
readers can be downloaded Free
to your phone.
- New layout for printed work orders providing more clarity.
January 10, 2011
Add online booking to your website
- Embed inspection booking form into your web page or open as a new window.
- Easy to plug in with basic HTML skills or have your Webmaster include it for you.
- Settings & Instructions available in Profile section.
NEW Pivot table reports for advanced analysis of your business.We like to drill down and discover how we perform. Analyse your business geographically, by inspection type, by agent referral and under any time frame. Settings & Instructions available in Profile section.
Graphic upgrades to Location/Task/Time window in Recommendation section. Choosing locations,task,time and costs has been optimized for multiple environments.
December 16th, 2010
- Spellcheck can be turned Off or On - limits conflict with competing spellcheckers.
- Easier to open Sub-headings - click anywhere in the heading bar.
- Report checkboxes replaced with item buttons.
- Provides a larger target to click - great for when using mobile iPads or tablets.
- Easier to find
- Easier to see what you've checked
November 14th, 2010
Full access to over 1700 illustrations from the Carson
Dunlop Illustrated Home series of images. Add illustration
to any item in your report or rely on auto-included illustrations
added to your recommendations.
Auto-complete fields for Inspection address and client
name. Horizon remembers and offers possible matches when
you start typing. Save typing when matching information
populates for you.
Horizon web and database server upgrades. New advanced
hardware and system improvements.
Back
to Top
- Upgrade to Microsoft Silverlight photo editor. New, faster,
easier photo upload and editing capabilities.
- Customize Work order Building types descriptions. Add/Edit
or change sort order for Building descriptions in your
work order.
- More flexibility! You can choose any system for your
Appendix files to appear in. Append additional .pdf’s
to any system.
- Multi-select enabled for Location/Time/Task/Cost fields
in Recommendations.
- Reference numbering now included for your Recommendation/Observations
items. Easy number reference when reviewing your report
with your customers.
- Over 30 new items added to Electrical, Air-conditioning
and Plumbing system Descriptions and Recommendation sections.
- Increase character limit of Work order Notes field. Add
more detail than ever before.
- Office tracking – the Work order report now lets
you track staff members booking the inspection. Helpful
aid for Office managers managing work flow.
- Report delivery emails can be configured to be seen as
sent from one central email address. Useful for busy
offices wanting to coordinate email delivery.
December 29, 2009 -
Customize Location, Task, Time and Cost lists
- Add, edit, sort or delete
pick list items from Locations, Task, Time or Cost
columns for Recommendations.
- Reset values back to original default values if you
change your mind.
- PocketHorizon version 3.1 includes ancillary optimization.
December 15, 2009 - Show / Hide
items
Horizon includes over 3500 items to choose from. Many
asked if they could hide checklist items they don't need?
Now you can!
Use the Show/Hide Items button to optimize
your checklists and hide items you don't need. Back
to Top
November
23, 2009 - Report notes saved for you!
Save
reporting time, re-use your comments and notes. If
you add Notes to Standard Items (Descriptions, Limitations
or Recommendations) Horizon Web and Horizon Laptop will
remember your last 10 notes and will offer them as suggestions
(Google like) when you start typing a new note.
Horizon will look for matching characters in your note.
Your Notes library is specific to every Standard Report
Item and is inspector specific.
November 4, 2009 - Update to final reports and New
Reports on real estate agents
What we have done to reports
Some of you said the Notes: feature is great but
sometimes Note: is not the right word. So now when
you add
a note, there is no title. You can type NOTE: to
start your note
if you like, but otherwise what you type is what
you get.
Some also said in Recommendations the Note
is in the wrong place. It has historically
appeared after
the
Condition, Location, Task, Time & Cost
entries. Most notes add more detail on
the Condition, so
we moved the note to appear
right after the Condition. If you want to
edit or add more detail to the Location,
or Task, for example,
you can edit
those text boxes in the Notes screen.
The last thing we have done to reports is also
in Recommendations. Sometimes the Headings and
subheadings look like one
long heading and it is difficult for the reader.
We made the
heading all capitals so it is clearer.
New agent reports
We have three new agent reports accessed from Profile.
You can get a report with
The agents who
have stopped using you for any date range.
a.
You may
want to call and ask them why
Agents who have used you
for the first time for any date range.
a. You may want to call, thank them
and ask about their experience.
All the agents with the usage
history for each agent.
a. So you can see where
your business is coming from
b. You may want to communicate
with or market to your agent
community.
Back
to Top
October 26,
2009 - Horizon Laptop + Database updates
Horizon Laptop Dictionary update
The built-in dictionary for Horizon spell check has been
includes changes to add new terms to the list. Be aware
that dictionaries between the Laptop and the Web do
not synchronize.
We have made ten minor changes to the database that
we hope will help with report writing.
Typical life expectancy – many inspectors
are not comfortable predicting Failure Probability.
They
are more comfortable telling someone how old a
furnace is, and then telling them the statistical
average life
expectancy. Clients can draw their own conclusions
about failure probability. We have added a Typical
life expectancy heading and a few items for
a. Heating systems
b. Cooling systems
c. Water heaters
You can add more items to include your anticipated
your life expectancies.
Insulation Description – R-32
for example, is not technically an insulation
amount. It is an insulation value. We have changed
the headings
to reflect this.
Heating and Plumbing Descriptions - We have changed
Fuel to Fuel/energy source to recognize the fact that
strictly speaking, electricity is not a fuel.
Roofing Description – We made some changes
to make it a little easier for the client.
a. We changed Sloped – to Sloped roofing
material
b. We changed Flat – to Flat roofing material
c. We changed Asphalt to Asphalt shingles
d. We changed Slate to Slate shingles
e. We changed Fiber cement to Fiber cement shingles
f. We changed Wood to Wood shingles/shakes (if
you aren’t sure what they are)
g. We added Wood shingles (if you are sure they are
shingles)
h. We added Wood shakes (if you are sure they are shakes)
i. We changed Composition to Composition shingles (and
moved them beside asphalt shingles since this is alternate
wording for the same material)
j. We changed Built-up to Built-up membrane
k. We changed Modified bitumen to Modified bitumen
membrane
Interior Description – We changed Windows
to Window type/material to make for easier reading.
Interior Description – We changed Exterior
doors to Exterior doors type/material to make for
easier reading.
a. We also added Hinged as a door type and changed
the order to put the types first and the materials
second in the list.
b. We added Metal-clad and Vinyl-clad as additional
materials.
You can also add your own, of course.
Exterior Recommendations – We changed
the heading Windows and skylights to Exterior
glass. This reduces
the confusing heading/subheading combination
of Windows and skylights/Skylights and solariums,
for example.
Exterior Recommendations – We changed
the sub-heading Skylights and solariums to Skylight
to make the report
read more specifically about this house.
Exterior Recommendations – We
added the sub-heading Solarium so you can report
specifically on the solarium.
Interior Recommendations – Windows –We
separated Skylight and Solarium into two recommendations
for the same reason as mentioned above.
Back
to Top
July 27, 2009 - web work order feature added
Auto-complete for Agent screen.
The ‘Auto-complete’ feature
recently added to the Find tool on the Home screen was
a hit with booking staff. Many have asked if we could
add this to the Agent section of the web work order, so
we
did. To save time and typing in the Agent Information
section of the work order, simply start typing the first
few letters
of the agents first or last name to display a list of
agents to pick from.
July 10,
2009 - New web feature + enhancements
1. New- The ‘Find’ tool on the Home screen
now includes ‘Auto-complete’. As you start
typing a dropdown list of choices shows quick pick
options and saves a few key strokes. Time saved will
add up.
2. Enhanced Profile screen has a new layout. Grouping
for system settings makes it easier to manage custom
settings.
Back
to Top
June 26, 2009 – New
Horizon Laptop feature
Horizon Laptop includes a built-in Sketching tool.
We built this sketcher to allow Carson Dunlop inspectors
meet ecoEnergy
report requirements. We thought we’d roll
it out to everyone.
This graphic sketcher lets you create simple floor
plan images. Add dimensions for length, width and
height the
sketcher will draw the floor plan and calculate perimeter
and volume of the room.
April 30, 2009 – Enhanced features
1. New screen view and Faster scheduler navigation makes
it easier to pick and choose dates. Report information
is more accessible and graphically appealing.
2. Added report flexibility! Change the name or
sort order of Descriptions, Limitations or Recommendations
sections
of your report. You may want to say ‘Observations’ rather
than Recommendations and place it first in the list,
for example.
Back
to Top
January
19, 2009 – feature enhancements
1. Rotate Photos enabled in the photo editor – web
side
2. New set your own system defaults
o Inspection duration – you can set from .5
to 12 hrs, we use 2.5 hrs
o Confirmation email settings
i. Include Inspection address, Date/Time, Fee, Duration
and link to Contract.
3. Set your report Title page image easily from the
Photo panel
4. Report Publishing - Set Appendix forms to
appear in every report.
January 9, 2009 - Horizon Web updates
1. Ability to attach PDF documents to your inspection
reports.
2. Easier to add title page photos. Click the New title
page link added from the Photos screen.
3. House Direction field now in Inspection Address screen
of the work order. Previously found in Property Description,
removed to reduce conflicts or confusion.
4. Online Contract acceptance. Include a link from your
Confirmation email to your contract for automated contract
acceptance and work order tracking.
5. Confirmation email Salutation. The salutation text
can be edited to your agent, 2nd client or anyone you
like,
will default to Client 1.
6. Change the default inspection time duration to any
time. We default to 2.5 hours. New feature found in
Profile>>Work
Order.
7. Map Zoom! Inspection Address screen map now appears
larger and it shows the Map view rather than the Hybrid
view.
8. Section tab titles turn RED. Added indicator to help
you keep track of where you are in the Home screens.
9. Back button changed to ‘Save and Close’ on
the Callback screen.
Back
to Top
Horizon
Update - December 08, 2008
Horizon Laptop
Photo related
1. You can upload photos quickly, by the folder or the
individual file.
2. Horizon will always go back to the last folder where
pictures were loaded when looking for photos. This speeds
up your browsing.
3. You can set your previews to large or small.
4. If you uploaded the wrong folder, you can delete all
the photos at once.
5. The Photos button on every report writing screen lets
you add photos no matter where you are.
6. Once photos are added, you can mouse over the Photos
button and see your photos!
7. Previews here will appear large or small, based on your
setting.
8. Previews that are not yet used are identified by a red
border.
9. When you have selected a photo for a report item, you
can mouse over the item on the reporting screen and the
photo will pop up.
10. A significant bonus is the fact that photos you do
not include in your report are archived in the background
with your file.
Non-photo related
11. When you mouse over the Required Items button, you
will see how many Required Items are missing from the
report.
12. When you mouse over Report so far, you will see how
many items are in the report.
General
1. We've been working hard to minimize sync times. Our
changeover to a new Microsoft service for syncing has
been interesting.
2. Microsoft strongly advised us to do this, since the
older system is to be replaced with this new ‘Sync
Services’.
3. While syncing has become more stable and reliable, it
has not gotten faster. In fact, it has slowed down in several
respects.
4. Microsoft is aware of this and is working on it. They
have assured us we have done everything we can at this
end.
5. We have made some improvements to the PDA and laptop
sync processes, including additional compression. From
our testing, sync times are modestly improved. We are hoping
Microsoft can do more for all of us.
Pocket Horizon
1. New Quick sync!
We have been working hard to improve the sync times on
the PDA, with some success. Microsoft has acknowledged
that they have an issue here and they are working on improvements
as well. We have added a Quick Sync button on the PDA,
which is right below the original Sync button. The original
Sync button has been renamed Full Sync. A Quick Sync moves
work orders down and completed reports up. It does not
do a full database scan and does not bring down any new
My Items from the Web the PDA for example. If you make
any changes to your database or settings that trickle down
to the PDA, you should do a full sync. For day-to-day work,
the Quick Sync is perfect and will be a little faster than
the Full Sync.
2. Templates on the PDA now appear in the same order as
the Web.
3. Database optimization, this helps to improve speed and
screen changes.
Thanks for your support and suggestions. We are very excited
at the progress we have made through 2008. Horizon remains
very much on the cutting edge, thanks in large part to
you folks.
Back
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Horizon Update - October 14, 2008
Horizon
Laptop
What
is it?
It's a compact version of the Web side of Horizon,
designed to work off-line (no Internet connection required!)
in the field. Horizon Laptop installs
on your computer giving you the ultimate in mobility to write and print reports
anywhere you go. If your computer runs Windows XP or Vista, you’ll have
no problem running Horizon Laptop.
The
report writing interface is virtually identical to
the Web.
The
Photo Manager - Fast uploader,editing tools, rotate
image, large preview option, picture order is maintained
and lot more...
New
Quick Edit tool provides speed entry to complete
required items
New
Report so far feature provides speed review and data
entry to sections you’ve completed.
Create
simple field reports (PDFs) to be printed, burned
to a CD-ROM, or saved to a memory stick, for example.
Inspection
Booking and Report publishing is still done on the
web.
Watch
an online video
Watch this short video to find out how Horizon
Laptop helps manage reporting in the field or anywhere
you need to write a report.
Agent
statistics - instantly benefit from knowing who helps
drive your business and where to focus your efforts.
Sattelite/Hybrid
mapping - Inspection addresses from your schedule mapped
for easy management.
Photo
editing - Simple Photo upload, editing and storage.
Unique
title pages - Over 256 professional designs to choose
from.
Back
to Top
Horizon update - March 13th,
2008
MAKE YOUR REPORT STAND APART
Want a report title page that makes you look
great?
Horizon steps it up with a wide array of Graphic
images, Format designs, and Colors. Over 256
Title page combinations to help you stand apart!
Add up to 4 images! – add
more than one logo, be creative and personalize your
cover page.
Add a photo of yourself or action shot
Photo of your truck
Association logos
Part of our regular maintenance includes
optimizing Horizon for reporting speed.
Performance updates where users informed us of unusual
behaviour
Business reports and Blank items
Improved screen layouts
Maps now appear as the last page of the download
and can be printed or not.
If you haven’t seen Horizon screen tips click ‘Show
tips’ at the top of your screen. This is a great
tool if you need a refresher or are training new staff.
Horizon update - February 8th,
2008
STREAMLINING FEATURES
Home Page
More inspections per screen view! We’ve bumped
up the list to show you 12 inspections on the Home page
screen.
Easier to Find reports and work orders.
Type an address, report# or client name in the Find box
and click go
It’s now faster to filter by report status or inspector,
just select from the drop-down list and the screen will
update automatically. Booking an Inspection We’ve changed the order of text fields
to collect the inspection address first then the client
name. This frequent request from booking staff is geared
to keep the flow of your customer service process smooth
and efficient. Back
to Top
Work Order Screens
NEW Yahoo web maps integrated
with Horizon! Daily Map includes web
images and satellite map view of your inspection address.
Just click on the Daily Map link to
see the home and nearest intersections!
Inspection Address section includes new Mapping
fields to note intersection, map number.
Mouse over the address on the schedule will display
a Quick tip of map info.
Work order download will show Intersection and
Map number.
Agent information section now displays the email address
for you can easily confirm.
Adding a new agent allows you to quickly include
more notes. We’ve eliminated the need
to make changes from the profile section to
make it even
faster!
More clarity when choosing a Realtor’s company
when adding a new agent.
Agent phone number now appears in the Work order
summary panel on the left side of the screen.
Now you can quickly edit and make changes from
this screen too.
Property Description – It’s now faster to
include the age of the home in your work order with fewer
clicks when selecting the ‘Year built’. Profile Section
Manage Real Estate Agents now, lets you search for agents
or companies equally as fast. Work order download
New additions:
Yahoo Map, Map number and Intersection
List of attendees
Inspection Date and Time now appears at the top
Scheduler
Quick link to Map view. Inspectors highlighted with push
pins for easy identification.
Mouse-over tips gives you quick reference to Map number
and Intersection info. Back
to Top
Report Changes
Some of the report feature buttons (green buttons) have
moved to give you more screen space for report viewing.
Required items stay open until you close
them, allowing you to move through your report faster.
Saves clicks and faster navigation !
More choices added to the Location, Task, Time & Costs
lists
Columns have been sorted for better organization.
[NOTE: These changes apply
to the web side of Horizon only and will not appear
in Pocket Horizon]
Changes:
Floor level, Room and Task items
now listed in alphabetic order.
Direction – new items
added to the list
Middle
Center
Floor level– new item
added to the list
Unit #
Task – new items added
to the list
Service Annually
Inspect Annually
Demolish
Remodel
Upgrade
First Cost column
Minor and Major displayed at the top
of the list
Second Cost column – new
item added to the list
Per Room
Show Tips
Need help with the next step? New screen
tips have been added to help you with the fundamentals
and the most frequently asked questions. Easy to
turn them on or off, drag or hide.
Horizon update - December 7th,
2007
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENTS
Putting inspectors in order
You now have the ability to sort the order in which your
inspectors appear on the schedule. Sort order will also
be reflected on inspector dropdown lists on the Home
page, and work order. Grouping inspectors by geographic
location, experience or seniority can help with organizing
a multi-inspector firm.
Has a confirmation email been sent yet?
Some of you asked for a visual indication that a confirmation
e-mail has been sent to a client. Save a click! Instead
of opening Confirmation Email from the work order navigation
panel, you will now see the date the confirmation e-mail
was sent (By the way, if you send confirmation e-mails
more than once, the most recent one will show.)
Back
to Top
Contract Confirmation Some of you send
your contract as part of the confirmation e-mail, and
ask your clients to agree to the contract by return e-mail.
This is very useful, especially since the courts are
making
it clear that we should get the contract into our client’s
hands before the inspection. You asked us to help you
manage that process. Here's what we have done:
In your e-mail, you can ask the client to accept
the contract by clicking Reply on
the Confirmation E-mail, typing I agree into
the Subject line and hitting Send.
(It's a total of less than 10 keystrokes for your
client.) Check with your legal advisor to make sure
this is acceptable in your area.
The return e-mail will go back to the inspector
by default.
What if you would rather have the return e-mail
go back to the office? You can do that with the Reply-to
Override button on the confirmation e-mail
screen in the Work Order. Just click on the  and
select the person to whom the reply should go. Horizon
will default to the first person on the list. You
can add names to the list in Profile/Text Options/E-mail
Targets.
How will you know if the client has accepted the
contract by looking at the work order? We added a
switch at the top of every screen of the work order
that says by default, contract not yet accepted.
You can click on this to change to contract
accepted. So when the client sends a
reply e-mail accepting your contract, you just
flip the
switch and anyone who looks at the work order
knows that the client has ‘signed’ the
contract already. This eliminates the need to
get the contract
signed onsite.
Who gets a copy of confirmation email?
Speaking of confirmation e-mails, we added another feature
to give you some flexibility. By default, Horizon sends
a blind copy of the confirmation e-mail to be inspector.
Some of you don't want the inspector to get that confirmation
e-mail, because the schedule may change, and the inspection
may be given to a different inspector. By using the beside
the BCC line on the Confirmation Email screen, you can
control who gets a blind copy of the Confirmation Email.
Have you ever wanted to retrieve a Cancelled
inspection?
Sometimes a client calls back to reschedule an inspection
after you’ve cancelled it. When you cancel a work
order now, it goes into a recycle bin for 90 days. Horizon
lets you revive that inspection if you want. By the way,
if you started to write the report, this data is also
saved for 90 days. Reviving a cancelled inspection saves
time
re-entering work order data, and perhaps even re-entering
a report.
Cancellation tracking
Some of you wanted to keep track of why people canceled
or did not book. Were you too expensive, could you not
respond quickly enough, etc.? Now you can record all
of this and produce reports on this data.
New feature to track Callbacks
Do you ever get customer complaints? We do. Tracking calls,
emails and letters during this process help to keep your
business in control and organized. We added a button
to the work order that opens a callback screen so you
can document what happened, and keep it attached to the
work order. It's very cool, or at least as cool as complaints
can be.
Back
to Top
Reports on your business
Several businesses wanted to have more flexibility working
with business reports. So we made the entire work order
exportable to Excel! You can dump any or all of the data
from your work orders for any date range into an Excel
spreadsheet. Sort, Filter, Total, Sum and manage your business
data any way you like. Here’s a sample of the reports
you can create from Horizon:
Number of inspections you did last year in each town.
Where do you do most of your business? Should I focus
in this area?
Inspection fees and type of inspections. Should I
add more services?
Number of requests a specific inspector got. What
is he doing right and how can we all benefit?
Number of inspections done by a given inspector.
Amount of revenue a given inspector earned. Helps
to calculate commissions.
Number of canceled inspections.
Most common reasons for canceled inspections. How
can we improve?
Number of complaints.
Number of complaints that every inspector gets.
The cost of complaints.
Most common complaint issues.
How long it takes on average to resolve a complaint.
How to refine this process?
Horizon update - October 1st,
2007
NEW PHOTO EDITOR AND ARTICLE LINKS
We are adding more tools and more articles into the Horizon
report writing software thanks to conversations and feedback
from inspectors like you. As always, this update is free
with no set up time required by you.
NEW - Our Highly Anticipated Photo editing
tool!
You'll be able to use colored arrows, circles, boxes and
even text to highlight important parts of your inspection
photos. We've made this application very simple to use
and learn, and it is built right into the new Photo Management
tool! Learn more with this Photo
editor tutorial.
NEW - Reference article library
Each Horizon report is unique for each home. Now you can
include an added library of home information for your customer
reports.
Back
to Top
Horizon update - September 18th
2007
NEW HORIZON ILLUSTRATIONS
We have added 45 new illustrations to Horizon for you!
The list below details the Recommendations where the new
illustrations can be found. This
sample PDF shows what the illustrations look like.
(Note: The PDF shows some old illustrations as well.)
We have included only one example of the new illustration
in most cases, although many of the illustrations have
been added to all relevant recommendations. There are well
over 100 illustrations added in total.
Roofing
1. Sloped roof flashings/roof-wall flashings/missing
2. Sloped roof flashings/roof-sidewall flashings/no
kick out flashing
3. Flat roof flashings/installation/ponding
on wall flashings
Exterior
1. Walls/wood siding/too close to grade
2. Walls/stucco and EIFS/moisture penetration
3. Walls/stucco and EIFS/too close to
grade
4. Windows and skylights/exterior trim/flashings
loose, missing or deteriorated
5. Porches, decks, patios and balconies/joists/ledgerboard
problems
6. Landscaping/walk and driveway/improper
slope or drainage
Structure
1. Floors/columns or piers/rot, insect
or fire damage
2. Floors/sills/rot, insect or fire damage
3. Floors/joists/notches or holes
4. Floors/joists/sag or springy
5. Floors/engineered wood/inappropriate
notching or holes
6. Floors/concrete slabs/cracked
Electrical
1. Distribution system/wiring-damaged or exposed/exposed
on walls or ceilings
2. Distribution system/wiring-damaged or exposed/too
close to ducts, pipe, chimneys etc.
3. Distribution system/wiring-damaged or exposed/too
close to edge of studs or joists
4. Distribution system/outlets/AFI test
faulty
Heating
1. Gas furnace/gas meter/poor location
2. Gas furnace/cabinet/missing components
3. Gas furnace/ducts, registers and grilles/weak
airflow
4. Gas furnace/ ducts, registers and grilles /poor
location
5. Gas furnace/electronic air cleaner/dirty
6. Gas hot water boiler/cabinet/missing
components
7. Gas hot water boiler/radiant heating/balancing
valve problems
8. Chimney and vent/masonry chimney/loose,
missing or deteriorated masonry
9. Heat recovery ventilators/ducts and grilles/warm-side
fresh air duct not well connected to the furnace duct
10. Heat recovery ventilators/ducts and grilles/balancing
dampers missing
11. Heat recovery ventilators/ducts and grilles/poor
termination or inlet location
12. Space heater/floor furnace/restricted
airflow causing overheating
Cooling and heat pumps
1. Air conditioning/duct system/weak airflow
2. Air conditioning/ duct system /poorly
located registers
Plumbing
1. Waste plumbing/drain piping-performance/split,
damaged, crimped pipe
2. Waste plumbing/ drain piping-performance /rust
3. Waste plumbing/ drain piping-performance /poor
slope
4. Waste plumbing/traps-installation/nonstandard
shape or material
5. Waste plumbing/ traps-installation /wrong
type
6. Fixtures and faucets/bathtub enclosure/leak
Interior
1. Walls/plaster or drywall/bulging
2. Ceilings/ plaster or drywall /sag
3. Windows/general/water leaks
4. Windows/glass (glazing)/excess condensation
5. Doors/doors and frames/racked
6. Carpentry/cabinets/not well secured
to wall
Back
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Horizon update - August 8th
2007
NEW HORIZON REPORTING INTERFACE – More than 50% faster!
The web reporting interfaces just got a whole lot easier
and faster.
1. We’ve eliminated many layers and designed them
into one system screen.
You can see more information at one time, which means
less searching for items.
No more clicks to open sub-levels.
No more moving in and out of screens.
Add more inspection data to your report at one time.
Keep relevant sections open while minimizing sections
you don’t need.
No more long Drop-down lists. Larger view lets you
survey more choices. You’ll save an incredible number of clicks - this
makes it easier and faster for you! Adding a typical recommendation,
with defect, location, task, time would require 19 clicks
with the current system. Amazingly, the new interface reduces
your time and effort to just 7 clicks!
2. Introducing Horizon’s fantastic New Photo
Management Tool!
Inserting and managing photos and images into your Horizon
report have been kicked up several notches! Our customer
focus groups raved about the new photo tools!
Now you’ll be able to…
Upload all your inspection images at one time – no
longer one at a time.
Upload any size image – no dimension or file
size restrictions.
See your whole collection of photos when you need them – no
more searching through folders.
Captions have auto-spell check
All images stored with each report – even if
not used in the report.
Able to use the original photo uploader (slow) if needed. This is a huge time-saver, you will be able to upload
~90 MB of images in less than 2 minutes over a wireless connection.
And all at one time!
3. NEW HORIZON PRICE PLAN – Save up to 75%
One low price - $79 per month, unlimited reports!
Whether you are new to the home inspection business, or an
experienced sole proprietor or multi inspector firm, Horizon
is priced to fit your budget and the needs of your business.
Click
here to see just how much you could save on our
new flat rate pricing plan!
Back
to Top
UPDATE OVERVIEW. Don't
hesitate to call for more details.
Home Page Refinement! – subtle changes allow you
to view more information.
Profile Page Reorganized
New ‘Text Options’ feature added (Very Cool!
Huge flexibility for a busy office.)
PocketHorizon is faster! enhancements to really speed
up the PDA screens. Back
to Top
We have performed an update to the Horizon database.
Adding more Description, Limitations and Recommendations
to help ensure that you adhere to the various standards
of practice and licensing requirements. To view the complete
details about this update Click
Here. Back
to Top
The new panel on the right side will include more information
links. The photo you've seen in this panel will disappear
as we make way for more.
Agent Information screen on the Work Order to speed
up your search. You'll be able to find agents more
quickly by clicking on the appropriate letter above
the text box.
We have updated the Home Improvement Costs to show
cost estimates for 2007.
Back
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The improvements are both global and subtle. We have been
working on incremental performance improvements, and you
may notice even faster responses.
We have changed the size of the screen to take full
advantage of the 1024x768 screen resolution, moving the
entire site to a more panoramic view.
You will see that we have added a sidebar panel to
the right side of the working screens. In the short term,
we will include messages and tips for you here.
Back
to Top
New Work Order screen
Check for Previous inspections
Agent Notes
Conflict detection
You can mark inspections as Tentative or Confirmed on
the Work Order
Notes text box shows you how many characters you have
left
Optimized Scheduler Screen
Automatic login
Email – on-the-fly editing, Email address selection
from To:, CC:, BCC: fields
Work Order log – tracking history Back
to Top
August 16, 2006
New Scheduler feature
Import Agent Names and Contact info – A simple
import and you can have your agent list available to
include in your Horizon work orders.
Title page customization – Choose from a variety
of colors and fonts on your title page.
Administrative privileges – Permissions set for
your staff access
Include agents’ email to your final report email –add
your buyer’s agent and/or seller’s agent email
address to the final report email.
Customizable Report Email – Edit the text of your
final report email
Horizon
Website – New look
Accounts Receivable report now includes the dollar value
for each receivable, not just a total column. Back
to Top
April 10, 2006
New Appendix section. upload scanned documents, screen
shots or any .jpg or .gif file
Larger report illustrations. Provide more clarity
Company Phone and Fax fields. - include ‘fax’ to
label this number on your reports.
Contract format. optimized space on the contract
Various buttons have been improved to provide more clarity Back
to Top
February 15, 2006
Ability to include multiple photos per report item, with
captions if you like.
You can now generate a 'Recommendations Only" report
Speed, speed, speed! We have made the web pages faster
to save you more time. Back
to Top
Pocket PC Update January
23, 2006
Required Items check has been added to Pocket Horizon
We have enhanced the search feature
Screens now offer faster data entry. Checkboxes allow
you to add multiple items on the same screen
Your selections are now visible in brackets besides the
titles on the top-level screens.
Added more items to the direction, floor level and rooms sections.
Added more items to the task, time and cost sections.
Add/Edit button to make it faster to
get to the Notes screen for any recommendation.
'Note Builder' section has been added on
to every edit screen in the Recommendations section. This
allows you to add multiple conditions for the same component.
report face-lift with improved font sizes, underlining
and bolding.
Several on-site reports:
Full reports
Recommendations only reports (new)
Bottom line only reports (new)
Invoice only
Inspection agreement only
Back
to Top
December
19 - Horizon update
We made the top banner smaller so you have more screen
real estate to work with.
New Description and Limitations screens
Recommendations section update
You can add multiple conditions for one item now from
the checklist
You can now generate more than one version of the
same report.
Reports are never locked down, but each version
is captured permanently.
You can track who received each version of the
report and how many times viewed
A new e-mail feature will alert you to emails that have
not reached the intended recipient (bad or non-existing
e-mail addresses)
We have condensed the My Profile screen to reduce the
need to scroll.
We have now added a Library of Reference articles in
the My Profile section. You can use these articles or links
in your own Horizon reports.
Back
to Top
October 11 - Horizon update
New Completion check - A reminder for
missed items in your report
Reporting indicators
When a photo has been added, a camera appears beside
the item.
When a note has been added, a check appears beside
the item. You don't have to open the item to read
your comment . You can mouse over the Edit button
to read the note.
When editing your Recommendations you have the
opportunity to review the added implication and choose
whether to use it.
We've added more selections to choose from in
the Recommendation drop down lists
Report Publishing Screen - We've made
it easier to decide what documents get published on a per
report basis.
Title page, contract, cover letter, invoice, illustrations,
Summary/Bottom Line can all be selected individually,
giving you better control on the final report.
Back
to Top
July 11, 2005 update
Search Functions
Final Report Changes We’ve added
color-coded Section Tabs to the Report
Administrative Privileges control inspector
permissions, can add or disable inspectors
Auto-Include Function for My Items add
the Item to your My Items list permanently
Templates
Business Reports
Accounts Receivable Function
Exporting to Excel
Bottom Line change the name to anything
you want.
More Convenience on the Work Order Back
to Top
April 11, 2005 update
Business at a Glance
Ancillary Reports
Bottom Line is now customizable! Set
up text and links
It’s faster to add one-of-a-kind comments.
Confirmation emails get better! Send
to anyone, anywhere, anytime.
You can save PDFs of work orders.
Adding an agent on the fly got easier.
Don’t double book yourself!
Illustrations and photos are easier to read!
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