Revolutionising Property Management: Alto and Inventory Base Launch Seamless Integration

Enhancing efficiency for property managers through real-time data sync and streamlined workflows.

London, 1st October 2024 – In a game-changing move for the property management industry, Alto, the market-leading software for estate agents, and Inventory Base, the UK’s leading inventory and inspection platform, have joined forces to unveil an innovative new integration. 

This strategic partnership sets a new standard for efficiency, offering real-time synchronisation of key property data, tenant information, and inspection reports – effectively revolutionising property managers daily workflows.

Real-Time Sync: Less Work, More Results

Imagine a world where property details automatically update across platforms. No more double data entry, no more chasing updates. With Alto and Inventory Base, property managers can import properties in bulk, and new property data is updated instantly, ensuring that everything is always accurate and in sync.

With tenant and property details effortlessly mirrored between both systems, property managers can focus on higher-value tasks rather than the administrative burden. The automation of tenant notifications, signing, and report delivery creates a seamless experience, saving time while improving communication with both tenants and owners.

The result? Reduced setup times, faster tenant notifications, and instant report delivery – all with the click of a button.

One Platform, Countless Hours Saved

Why juggle multiple platforms when you can have everything in one place? This integration centralises all your property data, reducing the time spent switching between systems. With inspection reports instantly synced to Alto, property managers can move faster, respond quicker, and handle more properties with ease.

“We’re thrilled to announce our integration with Inventory Base, which marks a major milestone in our ambition to simplify property management workflows,” said Tara Lynch, Head of Product at Alto. “We’re giving property managers the tools they need to be more efficient and deliver top-tier service without compromising data security.”

Cutting-Edge Features for the Modern Property Manager

Inventory Base’s rapid-fire camera feature allows users to capture property details quickly and efficiently, providing high-quality images that enrich professional, fully-customisable reports. These detailed reports can be branded to reflect each client’s unique identity, elevating the professionalism of property managers.

“We’re excited to partner with Alto to offer a seamless integration that addresses the real-world needs of property managers,” said Steve Rad, CEO of Inventory Base. “Together, we’re driving the next wave of innovation in the industry, giving our users the tools to work smarter, not harder.”

Save Time, Maximise Efficiency

The integration is designed to save users considerable time at every step of the property management process. Customers can expect to save an average of 25 minutes per operation, 25 minutes on-site, 30 minutes on admin, and an impressive 30 minutes on post-inspection tasks per property. 

This new partnership delivers a unique combination of efficiency, convenience, and outstanding value – empowering property managers to achieve more in less time, transforming the way you work.

For more information about the integration and to book a demo, contact our account managers on 03333 444 506.

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Contact: Warrick Swift, Marketing Director 

About Inventory Base: Inventory Base is the UK’s foremost inventory and inspection software, offering innovative features and solutions to property managers. Committed to quality and efficiency, Inventory Base empowers users to deliver professional, detailed reports and streamline their operations.

About Alto: Alto is a leading estate agent software designed to simplify property management for estate agents and property managers. With a focus on efficiency and user-friendly solutions, Alto helps streamline property management processes and enhance service delivery.

Inventory Base & Belvoir Group Partner to Elevate Property Inventory Standards

London, 20th May – Inventory Base, the UK’s leading provider of property inventory and reporting software, is thrilled to announce a landmark partnership with Belvoir Group, one of the UK’s largest estate & lettings agency chains and property franchises. 

As part of this exciting collaboration, InventoryBase Academy has been appointed as Belvoir’s recommended inventory training provider for over 180 offices nationwide, signifying a huge step forward in enhancing inventory reporting management standards across the property industry.

InventoryBase Academy will deliver Continuing Professional Development (CPD) certified courses on inventory management, industry knowledge and professional skills, supporting and empowering Belvoir’s franchisees and an extensive network of passionate, local property experts. 

Designed to cater to property professionals of all levels, the courses will provide a comprehensive, supportive and accessible learning experience to every Belvoir professional, further developing the high standards of expertise that Belvoir Group is known for across the country.

The courses cover a range of topics, including best practices in property inventory management and reporting, legal compliance, and the effective use of Inventory Base’s award-winning software. 

With decades of experience earned from founding a successful inventory management company and as an active voice in the industry championing the highest possible standards, the training will be led by Sián Hemming-Metcalfe, Operations Director of Inventory Base.

Sián Hemming-Metcalfe said: “We are delighted to team up with Belvoir to raise the bar for inventory standards. Since inception, InventoryBase Academy has provided unparalleled support and high-quality CPD-certified courses to thousands of professionals. This collaboration signifies a remarkable opportunity to push the boundaries of excellence in our industry and we couldn’t be more excited about the impact we’ll make together as we equip Belvoir’s professionals with the expertise they need to support their clients and keep tenants safe.”

Garth Stinson, Senior Trainer at Belvoir Group, commented:

“Our Group has recently started using Inventory Base for all inventory training. Delegate feedback has been excellent from the outset. Delegates love the interactive nature of the training and the clear, knowledgeable, and professional way in which Sián explains the practicalities and complexities of conducting inventories.

The course explains why inventories are so important and provides our agents with the knowledge and understanding to ensure inventories are both legally compliant and professionally written products that avoid any future disputes or complaints.

The modern, fresh look of the course and the post-course learning materials and support, has been first class. From initial communications with Sián to the delivery of the first course, Sián and Inventory Base have been excellent, and we look forward to that relationship going from strength to strength.”

While Inventory Base has gained a strong reputation for its industry-leading property inventory software, it has also been at the forefront of inventory management training through InventoryBase Academy, with its library of professional courses, it serves as a voice for the industry and collaborates with experienced providers to highlight the key role that professional property reports play in lettings and management.

It aims to help elevate standards and provide companies with long-term relationships with their clients and staff through our CPD-accredited inventory clerk professional courses.

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About Inventory Base

Inventory Base’s property inventory software is trusted by professionals across the UK, including lettings agents, inventory clerks, sales & conveyancing professionals, landlords, property managers, and housing associations. Inventory Base has a reputation for innovation and feature-rich functionality. The software not only assists professionals across various property sectors but also facilitates the creation of new revenue streams and service options through its cutting-edge technology.

If you’re interested in discovering more about Inventory Base or their professional training academy, reach out to us to explore how we can enhance your reporting procedures.

www.inventorybase.co.uk

About Belvoir Group

Belvoir Group operates a nationwide property franchise group with 364 offices operating across four brands specialising in residential lettings, property management, residential sales and property-related financial services, the group manages over 61,000 properties across the UK and reported revenue of £11.3m in 2017, making Belvoir the largest property franchise group in the UK.

www.belvoir.co.uk

Inventory Base Rated Exceptional Again By EA Masters!

We are extremely delighted and proud to announce that Inventory Base has received yet another industry award by being rated as one of the top 5% of suppliers in this years EA Masters Supplier Guide.

Rated as ‘Exceptional’ is a true testament of our customers and suppliers ability to deliver a quality service and cements our position within the inventory and property reporting sector.

About the awards

Each year, EA Masters invites estate agents to rate the UK Property Industry’s suppliers and highlight the best in the Best EA Supplier Guide.

Based on the Best EA Supplier Guide, estate agents voted to rate their suppliers and more importantly, how likely they would be to recommend them to other agents.

With over 5,700 votes cast, the top 10% performing suppliers in the survey were awarded an “excellent” rating and the top 5% rated as “exceptional”.

Our commitment to exceptional service

Steve Rad, CEO of Inventory Base comments: ‘In 2020 and again in 2021 we were rated as ‘exceptional’ by EA Masters. To continue that level of performance and receive yet another exceptional rating for 2022 reflects our ongoing commitment to both our customers and the wider industry.

Our goal has and will always be to achieve ‘best in class’ so we work hard to meet not only the protective needs of landlords and tenants but those of the supplier market with specific, measurable, actionable, reliable and target driven software.

But service doesn’t stop at delivery – it is a continual cycle of innovation, learning, development, implementation, quality assurance and support – so our goal is to continually challenge ourselves and our solutions to meet those needs and find the ‘best fit’ for users’.

If you want to know more about the awards – EA Supplier guide 

Top 40 Estate Agent Supplier Innovations

In association with Kerfuffle & EA Masters 2020, the Top 40 Estate Agent Supplier Innovations were announced on 8th October.

There’s no doubt that this year has been a challenging one for all businesses, but the adoption of digital technology and automation has helped meet those challenges with many companies able to react quickly which has accelerated change and led the market to thrive and develop exponentially by offering new innovations to their customer base.

According to Gartner, 40 percent of organisations have brought digital initiatives to scale and with the digital transformation market expecting to grow at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 22.7 percent from 2019 to $3,294 billion by 2025. (Research and Markets)

PropTech is now an even more vital component for many businesses and here at InventoryBase, we try our very best to deliver not only the ‘best in class’ service but to remain at the forefront of the industry with innovation.

As part of this year’s EA Masters (Estate Agency Conference) hosted by Property Academy, Kerfuffle were the key partner for the ‘Best Estate Agency Supplier Innovations 2020’ award assisting with the research and list accumulation of all companies considered.

The list was broken down into the Top 10’s innovations reflecting four different categories at the EA Masters: 2X Profit, Leadership, Marketing and Masterclass of the best company innovations of 2020 with InventoryBase coming in the Top 10 Leadership category.

Simon Whale founder of Kerfuffle said “We asked for one innovation and got two brilliant ones from Inventory Base which says it all about this company and the quality they’re putting out there for agents. Their self-service model which was so successful for agents during lockdown made it a no-brainer for us to include, but also the flexibility of their proposition – combine the software for in-house reporting with access to a network of professional inventory providers, or just outsource single jobs as and when you need to right, it’s brilliant.”

InventoryBase are delighted that principle partner Kerfuffle included us within the Top 10 Leadership category for the ‘Best Estate Agency Supplier Innovations 2020’

“The team has been working extremely hard this year in all things tech, from developing new upgrades and features for our customers, to rapidly adapting to the ‘new-norm’ and constantly striving to give our absolute best. From launching our new and responsive website, innovative features and services such as Self-Service Reports, InventoryBase Workstreams, and delivering a trusted voice in the proptech industry for property managers and professionals via our InventoryBase Academy, we are extremely proud of our team and their combined efforts in 2020″ Warrick Swift – Commercial Manager, InventoryBase

We’d like to thank Kerfuffle for their support and awarding us this great achievement and encourage Estate Agents looking to streamline their suppliers or who are looking for the next best thing in proptech to support their business, to give Simon at Kerfuffle a call.

What is Kerfuffle?

Helmed by Chief Kerfuffler, ‘Simon Whale’, Kerfuffle helps estate agents discover new suppliers and they help suppliers discover new customers. They offer a simple search mechanism, detailed supplier profiles, authentic user reviews, and best in market deals to help kick-start great partnerships.

With the explosion of Prop Tech, there are now hundreds of suppliers operating in the estate agency industry. Kerfuffle are there to help agents make sensible product and price decisions using their honest reviews and group buying power to negotiate the best deals.

Join to gain access to the definitive black book of suppliers within the industry here.

Kerfuffle – Make sense of the noise!

InventoryBase release free tenant self-service inspections facility to assist the lettings industry in remote working

As part of their standard service, the proptech leader has now included a tenant report template and self-inspection facility.

As we move into a period of nationwide lockdown, and all non-essential travel and work is prohibited (unless operated from home), InventoryBase has released an update to their core service to enable self-service reporting functionality to enable customers to continue to facilitate inspections. 

Whilst many letting agents have the ability to work from home, inventory clerks and providers cannot physically complete a property inspection without a visit – until now. 

InventoryBase has now launched its free self-service model as part of their property inspection platform. The service enables inventory providers and letting agents who use the software to send a link directly to tenants, including a basic report template and instructions. Tenants can complete the report using their mobile device, including uploading photos and video. 

Property inspections are now more important than ever. Landlords and managing agents still have a responsibility to ensure that rented property is safe and adheres to the standards set out in the Fitness for Human Habitation Act. 

With some members of the public already having to self-isolate for a minimum 12 weeks, it is vital that smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, amongst other concerns, in all rental properties are checked regularly. 

Steve Rad, managing director of InventoryBase said:

“We understand the need for property inspections to continue from a health and safety aspect despite the lockdown, so have moved swiftly to provide the facility for clerks and agents to liaise with tenants directly and ensure that their safety is maintained. Our new self-service facility provides a zero-contact way to complete reports, which can then be reviewed instantly and advice given or action taken by the landlord or managing agent if needed giving peace of mind to all.”

The self-service facility is available now to all existing InventoryBase customers and via clerks using the software to provide reports to letting agents and landlords. 

Guidance for providers can be found here. 

Guidance for tenants to complete reports online can be found here or guidance to complete the report in-app can be found here. 

InventoryBase has the facility to transfer existing reports from alternative reporting systems should providers want to switch to carry out mid-term inspections remotely – sign up here.

InventoryBase Workstreams service prepared to support letting industry logistics amid Coronavirus crisis

The on-demand, UK wide facility enables agents to book reports & inspections with available inventory clerks as well as providing an additional work source for those seeking bookings. 

Industry-leading proptech platform, InventoryBase is at the forefront of promoting ‘business as usual’ during the current situation. They are encouraging as many agents and providers within the lettings sector as possible to work together and support the property industry via their online Workstreams service. 

At this time of uncertainty, everyone is rightly concerned and unsure of what to expect next, however, it’s important to be as prepared as we can be and help our colleagues and businesses whilst trying to remain calm and keep things ticking over as much as possible. 

With the government now advising anyone with a new persistent cough or fever, or those considered to be at risk advised to self-isolate under shielding, this will no doubt leave many agents in a difficult position. When it comes to completing inspections and reports, as people continue to move house and landlords need to understand maintenance concerns throughout this period, additional support will no doubt be required. 

InventoryBase Workstreams enables providers of inventory reports & property inspections to continue to work and support businesses in need of assistance. 

Independent clerks and providers of inventory reports & property inspections are able to register as suppliers and then bid for jobs submitted by local agents and landlords who need property reports to be completed. 

Estate Agents & Letting Agents can benefit from InventoryBase Workstreams by being able to book inventory reports and mid-term inspections ad-hoc, whilst not having to worry about finding replacement staff.  Clerks and providers benefit by being able to offer support to those in need and potentially increasing workload. 

InventoryBase has also increased the level of support offered through its InventoryBase Academy platform to offer advice and guidance to all those working independently or as part of a larger team throughout this time.  

Steve Rad, managing director said;

“With Coronavirus having an effect on almost every industry, it’s really important for us as a provider to do what we can to assist our customers and the wider property market. By using Workstreams, it enables Agents to keep providing a service to their customers, as well as giving those who are not affected by the Coronavirus an opportunity to take on additional work. 

As a company, we are committed to taking positive action during this time and will continue to monitor updates and follow all current advice and instructions from the Government. We are also offering additional support to clerks and customers via InventoryBase Academy to help ensure everyone is working safely and are equally committed to helping as much as we can during the coming weeks and months.” 

Agents – if you’re looking to book an inspection or report, do so here.

Clerks/providers – sign up to bid on jobs in your area here. 

‘The Inventory Professional’ podcast from InventoryBase Academy is now live!

As we continue to strive to bridge the gap between independent inventory clerks and the lettings industry, InventoryBase Academy has now launched its new podcast channel; The Inventory Professional. 

A free service; the podcast has been added to their training platform to help support and inform inventory clerks across the UK and compliments the webinars, blogs and regular posts on topics that matter to the inventory professional and wider industry.

By launching The Inventory Professional podcast Sián Hemming-Metcalfe, who is the leading force behind InventoryBase Academy’s training and development, understands how important it is for clerks to be able to be involved in discussions around issues that they deal with on a day-to-day basis, as well as shed light on legislative changes that may be complex or less known mainly due to the lack of information and direction from the industry that all inventory professionals serve.

Sián commented: 

“ As an experienced inventory professional, I know first hand how busy clerks are managing a myriad of portfolios, a diverse client base and with most being self-employed there is often very little time to keep up to date and well informed whilst going from property to property, so a podcast is a perfect solution.

I want to be able to discuss the subjects that matter most to clerks so they each feel supported and empowered in their role and so that we can help them to be recognised as the professionals they all are “.

Our first podcasts are already live; 

• Introducing The Inventory Professional
• No smoke without fire – Are wood-burning stoves for the chop?

And podcasts will now be available on a monthly basis (as a minimum) and can be played through Apple Podcasts or Spotify. 

Got a hot topic you want to discuss, want to share your experiences or comment on the current challenges and changes to the lettings industry? Let us know here and you could be our next guest host!

InventoryBase App v5.4 Release Notes

InventoryBase 5.4 Release Notes

The latest update to the InventoryBase app is now live for Apple iOS and Google Play.

Take a quick look at what’s new…

Updated Interface 

Room photos are now accessible at the top of each room. In addition, we’ll now show your item-level photos underneath each item. No more clicking back and forth between photo pages and rooms. ​

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Multi-Select Photos

Tap the ‘View All’ button to view a page of thumbnails where you can multi-select to add captions, re-assign or delete in bulk. ​

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In-App Messages 

Inspection messages are now accessible in-app, via the Messages button towards the bottom of the Inspection Details page. ​

​Post messages and notes between staff and clients directly from the app. 

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Additional Client Details

View Client contact and address information by tapping on the client’s name in the Inspection Info page​

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Improved Camera 

Numerous improvements including press and hold for AE/AF lock, plus access to your camera roll directly from the bottom left of the camera window.​

​We’ve also updated the hardware camera with better support for wide-angle lens photos and use of front camera. ​

Pre-Set Action Comments

You can now setup pre-defined comments for a specific Action, to reduce repetition in typing. ​

​Head to Settings > Actions and click on any action to enter your common phrases.  These comments will appear as options with the Actions Comments window…​

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As always, we appreciate your comments and feedback, and we hope you enjoy the latest version!

Download for Apple iOS | Download for Google Android

InventoryBase Workstreams – Six years in the making

There’s a real buzz in the offices of InventoryBase. Every day we experience a win, whether it’s a great new customer, an exciting new feature launch, a completely off-the-wall innovation, or just a day not talking about Brexit.

We started as a team of four people back in 2012, today we’re a team of twenty, and we’ve never slowed down; continuously evolving and developing InventoryBase since the day we launched.

Our original vision was clear – become the market-leading platform for property inventories and inspections. We’ve evolved beyond that, as we cater to some of the largest companies in the world for facility/asset management, global short term rental management, health & safety, councils, universities, retail, leisure, housing, the list goes on.

But we also had a greater interest, something we knew we wanted to be involved with in the longer-term – the gig economy.

The property industry is full of suppliers looking for jobs, growing their own company whilst working for other companies all at the same time.

Inventory reporting, tenant changeovers and even inspections are commonly outsourced.

What if there was a way to streamline your in-house inspections, all the while knowing you have local professionals on-hand, round-the-clock, at the click-of-a-button?

Trawling through directories or recommendations for local suppliers is tedious, and who knows if they’ll do the job in a standardised way?

Enter Workstreams. The latest innovation from InventoryBase.

InventoryBase Workstreams is the ultimate solution for combining the flexibility of in-house inspections or other types of property reports while maintaining access to a network of local suppliers who can bid on your job and act on your behalf.

InventoryBase Workstreams collects payments for services upfront, holding funds in Escrow until the job has been successfully completed, then releases funds directly to the supplier’s bank account once reviewed and approved.

At a recent Agent Rainmaker Live event held for entrepreneurial estate and letting agents, outsourcing was one of the core themes. Simply put; Outsourcing allows you to get on with your highest revenue-generating tasks while maintaining a profit margin on other tasks you don’t have time for.

And Outsourcing, we learned, is not just for the property managers, but a realistic option for agencies and suppliers too. Agencies also have limited resources, and during periods of high-demand, it can be difficult to find and train additional staff who have the right levels of knowledge and experience needed often at short notice.

To bridge the skills gap, InventoryBase Academy was launched, aiming to bring more and more people up to a standardised approach to property inventory reporting, as well as other course content, and InventoryBase Workstreams is the next stage for these inventory clerks and property professionals to find full-time employment, or work independently.

So what a better way to find new staff than through InventoryBase Workstreams, where you know they have been vetted by InventoryBase Academy and who already know how to use your software? We feel this is a game-changer for the inventory supplier industry.

But what is the benefit of InventoryBase Workstreams, when local suppliers can just go out and get clients for themselves?

Enter a new player: The Online Agent.

While there are plenty of work opportunities available within the InventoryBase customer network, Online Agents face a challenge: They are non-geographic, and therefore a national presence requires building relationships with national and local suppliers.

We recently announced an exciting new partnership with Accommodation.co.uk, an innovative online agent specialising in lettings; the partnership between InventoryBase Workstreams and Accommodation.co.uk is the perfect example of how we see the future of renting.

Accommodation.co.uk manage a flow of tasks dealing with landlords and new or existing tenancies, which will require someone local to their customers to visit the property during void periods, conduct an inventory, check-in for new tenancies, carry out check out reports as well as the many other types of inspections and assessments that help keep the landlords assets and tenants safe.

At the click of the button, Accommodation.co.uk can trigger a job alert to all local suppliers signed up to Workstreams, and receive bids for the job, picking the best supplier based on their ratings, sample reports and price offered.

If a Landlord wants to book an inventory clerk themselves, via Accommodation.co.uk, they can do that too and the job will be sent via our API, with Accommodation.co.uk acting as an intermediary to select the best supplier for them.

This is not only going to be a valuable tool for a growing online agent but an exciting opportunity for our customers, many of which are independent inventory clerks relying on the repeat business of a couple of clients.

InventoryBase Workstreams brings national contracts within easy reach of our local independent and professional inventory clerks, many of which provide a far superior service to a national franchise.

We are so excited to have Accommodation.co.uk to be among the first to partner with us, and we are equally thrilled with the level of interest from other like-minded companies and trailblazers including software vendors and service agencies.

Here’s to the beginning of a new future.

InventoryBase launches new cutting edge Workstreams module for managing transactions between agents and suppliers inventories and inspections

Today InventoryBase announced the launch of their new InventoryBase Workstreams module, allowing InventoryBase users to capture payments and setup payment agreements for outsourced property visits.

The new Workstreams module provides an easy way for InventoryBase users to get paid for invoices raised from completing property reports, such as inventories, check ins, check outs or periodic inspections, addressed directly to their client or a third party.

Payments have always been a burden to the supplier industry, and InventoryBase aims to simplify how clients pay suppliers in a more speedy, secure and protected way.

By using InventoryBase’s new Workstreams module, both client and supplier can feel comfortable that the payment has been agreed, and will be released upon satisfactory delivery of property reports, with options for mediating issues.

Steve Rad, Managing Director of InventoryBase commented

“Technology in the payments industry is advanced enough to be able to provide a seamless transactional experience for all parties involved in property visits and work orders and we’re excited to pave the way for seamless transactions in the coming peak season.”

Steve went on to add

“Suppliers often operate at low margins to remain competitive in a growing industry, especially where recent changes are forcing clients to look at ways to cut costs. Providing a seamless, simple experience to purchase valuable and professional property reports is something we feel will be welcomed by all.”

Interested? Read more and sign up for InventoryBase Workstreams here: http://ib2.radweb.biz/workstreams/

Book a personal demonstration of InventoryBase or start a free trial at http://ib2.radweb.biz

InventoryBase launches new Network to access third-party suppliers for property inventories and inspections

Today InventoryBase has announced their new Inventory Supplier Network for accessing professional, experienced and vetted inventory clerks and property inspectors around the UK in a click of a button.

InventoryBase Workstreams allows InventoryBase users to collaborate with each other to schedule and complete property reports such as inventories, check ins, check outs and periodic inspections.

InventoryBase is the market leading software for producing property reports in a fraction of the time and managing the end-to-end inspection process. It’s popularity amongst inventory clerks, property managers and letting agents provides unrivalled access to professional suppliers throughout the UK.

The recent passing of new laws banning tenant fees means that letting agents are looking for creative ways to recover thousands in lost earnings, and InventoryBase provides tools out-of-the-box to add value to any property manager, with a library of ready-made report templates plus access to local and professional inventory providers.

With InventoryBase, agents can conduct regular inspections, log maintenance issues, produce a range of reports in-house and assign their chosen inventory provider to conduct new inventories, tenant check ins or check outs, with built-in invoicing tools allowing you or your supplier to bill landlords and vendors direct.

And with InventoryBase White Label, serve up secure interactive online reports directly to tenants and landlords from your own branded website, with the ability for tenants to add their own comments and photos for your review.

Steve Rad, Managing Director stated

“Simplifying the tenant check in process, keeping on top of property issues and reducing disputes at check out are guaranteed ways to keep your clients happy and your margins healthy. Plus, we’ve packed in a number of templates and tools to enable you to offer more to your customers. As with adopting any new software solution, it is a partnership and we’re committed to helping you succeed.”

Interested? Read more and sign up for InventoryBase Workstreams here: http://ib2.radweb.biz/workstreams/

Book a personal demonstration of InventoryBase or start a free trial at http://ib2.radweb.biz

InventoryBase launches new Payments module to collect payments for property visits and reports

Today InventoryBase announces their new Transactions module for providing a simple way to collect payments when sending out invoices through InventoryBase’s built-in Pricelists module.

The newly featured ‘transactions module’ within InventoryBase allows vendors to pay for their reports securely online using their debit or credit card, or setup billing agreements to automatically collect outstanding payments each month.

InventoryBase is the market leading software for producing property reports in a fraction of the time and enable managing the end-to-end inspection process. It’s popularity amongst inventory clerks and outsourced property inspectors means invoicing agents or landlords direct is a now a common function within the user base.

The banning of tenant fees (due to come into force 1st June 2019) means that the industry is looking for more creative ways to streamline transactions and keep admin overhead to a minimum.

InventoryBase provides out-of-the-box tools that will add value to any inventory provider or property manager, with built automated pricelists and seamless invoicing to clients or third parties.

And with InventoryBase White Label, deliver secure interactive online reports and invoices directly to clients from your own branded website.

Steve Rad, Managing Director stated

“The property industry is a fast paced transactional service and so inventory providers and property inspectors are often paid per ‘job’, managing their admin and billing whilst out and about completing reports. We continue to improve our software daily to add value to our customers and our Transactions module provides another layer to the InventoryBase platform to help our customers focus on delivering their service.”  

To book a personal demonstration of InventoryBase or start a free trial; visit Demo

For a free 14 day trial, click here

InventoryBase launches Multi-account update for agencies and suppliers

Today InventoryBase released their new Multi-account module for accessing multiple InventoryBase accounts from a single login.

InventoryBase works with thousands of property service suppliers including independent inventory providers across the UK . As suppliers typically work with multiple agents, and in turn some agents work with multiple suppliers, InventoryBase now makes it simple to switch between multiple accounts from a single login.

InventoryBase is the market leading software for producing property reports in a fraction of the time and managing the end-to-end inspection process. It’s popularity amongst inventory clerks, outsourced property inspectors and assessors means users are completing reports on behalf of numerous and varied clients and wearing several different hats each day.

And with InventoryBase soaring in popularity amongst letting agents, residential and commercial property managers; their ability to conduct regular inspections, assessments and property visits is now easier with the functionality to collaborate across multiple accounts and link seamlessly with existing suppliers.

Steve Rad, Managing Director stated:

“We work with many independent and SME inventory providers around the UK, working solely for themselves or also contracting for various agencies and I know it has always been a hurdle to switch between different accounts to carry out reports. We are excited to finally be able to make the process smoother and help our customers and their clients collaborate with each other more seamlessly.”

To book a personal demonstration of InventoryBase or start a free trial – click here

InventoryBase officially launch 5th Generation app for iOS and Android

Version 5 of InventoryBase is our best update yet, combining written notes, checklists, high quality photos and audio dictation into one flawless app.

Tap shortcuts to fill in common descriptions and sentences or pick from the auto-text dictionary while you type up detailed reports on-site faster than ever before.

Prefer to dictate? Hit record and continue to flag notes or take photos, pause and continue audio recordings and upload to transcribe online using our built in audio playback tools.

Take multiple photos back to back or switch to the HDR camera to get the highest quality images.

Here’s a full list of what’s new in the latest generation InventoryBase app:

1. Performance

The industry moves forward at an incredible pace and we like to keep up. We’ve engineered our new app with significant performance improvements to make completing hefty reports with hundreds or thousands of photos and audio recordings as smooth as completing a quick checklist.

2. Photos

Taking embedded photos was a great step to reduce the time spent uploading and assigning photos from an external camera. Now you can capture multiple shots in a row without leaving the camera. Click > Snap snap snap to infinity > Done. There’s no limit. You can also see the thumbnails of the photos you’re taking while you’re taking them along the bottom.

3. Dictation

We wanted to improve in-app dictation so we’ve rebuilt the audio recorder. Record, pause and play back audio dictations with ease. You can now continue to work on your report or take photos while recording audio at the same time.

4. Templates

Append multiple area templates to your report or overwrite templates in the field from your own template library. Save time in the field setting up new rooms and data capture formats.

5. Built-in GPS 

Track key geolocation data out in the field, like when and where reports are started, completed and signed. Keep track of your team and add further protection for tenancy disputes.

6. New Add-Item Menu

Now when you’re in a room/area, clicking Add Item will show a menu. The typical option, of course, is to add an item… and now provides access to camera, library, headings and sub-items all from the same menu.

7. Improved Navigation 

The icing on the cake? Navigating through IB5 feels even more natural to use as you swipe between photos, tab between descriptions and conditions and flick back and forth between sections of your report.

Download the latest update directly from the App Store:

New App Release v4.9 – It’s about the Photos!

We’ve released v4.9 of our Property Inventory & Inspection App: InventoryBase Go

This release focuses on a couple of key improvements to attachments and photos:

1. View previous/original photos to compare and re-take

Now you can view the photos from the previous inspection, or the original Check In when you’re conducting a Check Out. This will let you compare original photos in the field quickly, without having to refer to the previous report, and use them as a reference to re-take new photos. They’ll link together so we can store historical pictures of rooms and items over time and compare side-by-side on the final report.

2. Change the resolution/quality of your photos

We’ve added a new Settings page to the App. The ‘Update Settings’ button has moved to here, and will let you download/sync your dictionary and account settings as normal. In addition we’ve added a Photo Resolution selector, so you can choose how we downsize your photos. The default is ‘Small’ (800×600) with options to increase to Medium (1024×768) and Large (1280×1024).

Enterprise customers can opt to store Original full-resolution photos.High resolution copies are viewable/downloadable on the final report by clicking on any thumbnail. This way, we don’t inflate the size of your final report PDF.

3. Other updates

– Added a new ‘Alarms’ block type for entering details and test results for Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms.

– Added ‘Investigate’ as an option for assignment of Action liabilities

– Fixed new photos taken in-app and subsequently deleted re-appearing on the website

 

If you’re on iOS you can grab the update here or go to your device’s App Store > Updates tab. On Android, download the update here or swipe down on the top left of your device to access pending Updates.

 

App Update v4.6 Release Notes

Continuing from the improvements launched with v4.5

What’s New in v4.6

Added

– Paved the way for future “multiple-active” reports, Departments etc.
– Added button for taking additional photos on an Item’s Attachments page

Fixed

– Issue where first selected Inspection in the Fetch list wouldn’t remain highlighted correctly
– Issue where Autocomplete would replace too much text when trailing space then punctuation
– Issue where Autocomplete would not suggest phrases when on a new line

Changed

– Autocomplete now starts new sentences after ; and :

 

See the previous version 4.5 Release Notes here.

 

FixFlo integrates with Inventory Base

FixFlo has become popular amongst letting agents for keeping track of issues raised by tenants. It makes reporting issues easy for tenants so that letting agents can respond with the appropriate action.

InventoryBase launched back in 2012 with a way of flagging issues for cleaning, maintenance and replacement when documenting the condition of a property.

With several InventoryBase customers now using FixFlo we thought the time was right to offer a simple way of pairing the two together to take flagging issues up a step further towards getting them resolved. Just complete a report and all “follow-up actions” will sync to FixFlo as “issues”. Simple 🙂

Learn more about FixFlo here, and if you’re a FixFlo customer, sign up to a free trial of InventoryBase to access the integration.

New App Update v4.5 Release Notes

Announcing the latest update to our Mobile and Tablet App for iOS and Android. v4.5 is now live on the App Store and Google Play, if automatic updates are turned off visit the Updates tab on your device to download manually.

What’s New:

• ‘Pending Signatures’ now appear in-app and can be re-signed
• Confirmation now shown once a report is successfully synced
• Midterm Inventory added to Inspection Types
• Conditions and descriptions are now shown side by side on Preview page (tablet or landscape)
• Option to overwrite existing items when copying to other rooms

What’s Changed:

• Major Dictionary improvements for predictive typing, case and cursor positioning
• Double tap space bar to add periods within descriptions and conditions
• Attachments for deleted Rooms & Items now Sync as backups
• Can now edit & delete Attachments which already exist online
• Selecting an item on the existing properties screen continues to the next screen automatically
• Tapping the back arrow on new inspection screen now goes to existing properties screen
• When creating a new inspection, the default selection for ‘Date’ is now the current day
• When creating a new inspection, the default selections for ‘Location of Keys’ is now ‘With [Clerk]’
• Copying items now allows copying into the room the item is currently in
• Hold on an Room or Item to view Copy, Delete, Reorder options

What’s Fixed:

• Fixed Anytime inspections in DST showing as 1am
• Keyboard input now focuses at end of existing text on when editing iOS

Announcing InventoryBase Transcription – Convert dictations from 35p per minute

This week we announced a new feature launch exclusively for InventoryBase customers: A personalised concierge service for you busy inventory clerks and property inspectors to convert your audio dictations and existing documents into typed InventoryBase reports.

InventoryBase Audio Transcription transcodes and transcribes your audio files uploaded to the website or recorded on the InventoryBase App. Starting from 35p per minute of converted audio with same and next day options, sent back to you for review once completed to make any final amendments before sending.

To add this feature to your account, just go to Settings on your web dashboard’s main menu then toggle on the Transcription module. Easy peasy!

Each time you book an inspection you can choose whether you want to assign to your own Typist or the InventoryBase Transcription Team. When you mark your report complete, it’ll get automatically sent on for processing and appear back in your account within the timeframe you requested, ready to finish.

You can access all your usage and fees right from your Billing page, we’ll just add what you use to your existing monthly bill, so you can use it whenever you need it.

Have any questions? Get in touch with us right here.

InventoryBase launches 4th Generation Mobile/Tablet App for iOS and Android

We spent over a year building and perfecting the recent version 3 release of our App, using the latest cutting edge technologies and quickly saw how much of an improvement it was for our users.

Having delivered tens of thousands of reports over peak season, we’re very proud of our team here for the collective effort getting the new App launched, and have been fortunate to have great customers offering their input and feedback along the way.

All the work done over countless iterations for that version 3 launch was primarily so that we could redefine how we build and release our mobile Apps, seeing as that we’re always updating our web platform with new features and improvements practically daily. Our customers rely on us the most while out in the field, so it was important that we focused on delivering a better user experience for mobile and tablet users.

We’re now excited to release version 4 of the InventoryBase Go App! It’s such a significant change to the way reports are completed that we decided it needs its own launch!

As we promised, this version takes us even closer to our class-leading online report editor. All items, descriptions, conditions, actions and photos are now listed and editable from one page, making it faster to complete with less clicks and a better sense of progress.

Our Assisted Text-entry powered by a customisable Dictionary lets you easily complete long sentences in a few taps of the keyboard, such as typing ‘mtlhs’ to add ‘marked to left hand side’ or ‘fwt‘ for ‘fair wear and tear’.

Other input formats include Checklists for Yes/No/N.A., Clean/Undamaged/Working, or even star ratings.

With our wide range of inspection formats and inputs, customers are using InventoryBase to create all kinds of reports:

 

Here’s a complete list of updates:

1. All items and inputs now show inline on a room-by-room basis. Add descriptions and conditions side-by-side for detailed inventories or tap through checklists to conduct regular inspections faster, adding optional comments, actions and photos, all on one page
2. New Preview page now linked directly from the rooms list, take a quick glance of the final report without having to mark it complete, which you can do from the Preview page itself, just like we had in v2
3. Better support for both Portrait and Landscape modes on smartphones and tablets
4. Support for up to 6 condition labels on Simplified rooms/checklists
5. Item name now shown in dictionary field popups – for those forgetful souls
6. Email addresses are no longer a required field when taking signatures, but if they’re entered we’ll automatically tell tenants when their reports are reviewed and/or ready to view online
7. Automatically navigate back to room when finished recording audio/dictation
8. Support for recording video as additional supporting evidence or to create video-based inspections (iOS only at this time, Android soon)

 

Customise InventoryBase to suit your business

People regularly ask us what sets us apart from the competition with our product, and while we may have a long list of USPs we know what our customers really love is the level of customisation that InventoryBase offers. Did you know you can:

• Customise your Autotext Dictionary, to standardise your language across your team and your reports
• Customise your report layout, notes, disclaimers, size of photos, features, headers and footers
• Customise your templates, how you collect data in the field, and what format your team works to
• Customise your Client Service, with options for automatic report delivery, client-specific billing, report review, and even client-specific reports
• Customise your InventoryBase even further by integrating it with 3rd-party applications, we are working with a number of property software vendors, property service products and accounts packages already!
• For our Enterprise customers there’s even the ability to brand our entire platform, and customise the design of the final reports.

We’re making customisations more accessible to users on Standard plans, so if you’re interested in getting more out of your InventoryBase, get in touch.

 

Still not sure if InventoryBase is for you? Book a private tour. 

A personalised, live demonstration of the software is the fastest way to know if InventoryBase is right for you.

Book a Demonstration

Standalone, periodic property inspections, made easy with InventoryBase

Having launched our new simplified report editor last month, we’ve had some great feedback and even some tearful eyes due to how muhttp://ib2.radweb.biz/blog/introducing-the-new-simplified-report-editor/ch time and energy we’ve saved people.

But our motto here is Never Stop – so we continued to make it even better of course!

InventoryBase was originally designed for property inventory clerks and letting agents as a way of streamlining the tenancy process by producing and comparing inventory, check in and check out reports. Timely, detailed reports ensure the lettings process is fair for both landlord and tenant by comparing the beginning of the tenancy with the end to produce a comparison report of the condition of the property both inside and out.

We’ve now expanded the scope of what reports InventoryBase can produce, by enabling “Standalone”, one-off inspections with various templates that cater for all types of property reports including Commercial, Hotel & Resort, Multi-family and Property Management companies.

Not only can all property managers use our software to maintain and inspect their properties – they’ll now have a wide variety of options to compile these reports, from detailed descriptions to simple toggles and checklist buttons.

Users will be able to design a range of templates for each type of inspection they do, and are able to completely customise the inspection process for the clerk/inspector:

Detailed: Providing options for adding detailed descriptions and conditions to all items within a property – Perfect for the Inventory & Schedule of Condition, Check In, and Check Out process.

Summary: Providing a light-weight option for detailed reports that skip the description and just provide Item + Condition entry .

Simplified: Providing, by default, a quick Clean/Undamaged/Working assessment to toggle through with optional comments.

Checklist: Providing question-oriented lists for checking off with Yes, No or N/A and optional comments.

Scale: Providing a star-based rating system for calculating property health based on the Good/Fair/Poor approach to inspections.

Talk to the team to discuss how these changes could work for you by calling us on 03333 444 506.

Or try for yourself

Introducing the new, simplified Report Editor!

Hi there InventoryBase users!

We’ve spent the last few months completely rebuilding InventoryBase’s report editor and template engine from the ground up.

We’ve basically undertaken the biggest renovation to the InventoryBase platform since we first launched to the public in 2012!

Our new report tool gives you new options to complete quick and/or detailed reports – faster, slicker and simpler.

 

The new report editor combines our greatest technological advancements with our amazing customer feedback, making it easier for clerks and transcriptionists to create well-formatted, professional Inventory, Check In, Check Out and Inspection reports more quickly, effortlessly and efficiently.

Typists no longer need to use their mouse to plough through a recording, smashing the keyboard at 120 words per minute.

Clerks have new ways to record inspections on-the-fly, typing up reports is now far easier, tabbing through with quick suggestions from your customisable dictionary to quickly fill out reports, effortlessly adding photographic evidence and follow-up Actions.

Drag and drop rooms, items and photos in the order you desire, and InventoryBase takes care of the rest by producing a professional looking, easy-to-read report indicating what’s changed in the property since the last visit.

But the biggest advancement to the Template and Report Editors are two brand new inspection formats for recording observations faster than ever before:

1. Observational: Create customisable checklists throughout your report asking vital questions during the inspection process, giving the choice of Yes/No/NA answers to quickly check-off observations, or add optional comments and photos. Just like your main Checklist manager – but now available within your Templates and Reports wherever you want.
2. Simplified: Record conditions at the tap of a button – With our default set of condition labels being Clean, Undamaged and Working, you can effortlessly tap your way through an entire inspection, or create your own set of condition labels, opening the doors to new kinds of inspections including Snagging, Commercial, Vacation/Resort, Purchase & Acquisition, the possibilities are endless!

 

Here’s a list of some the the improvements that our existing customers are already benefiting from:

No more mouse! Type up an entire report using just your keyboard, tabbing your way all the way through each room and item. The improvement that clerks and audio typists have been waiting for!

Redesigned layout! Descriptions and conditions now line up side by side for indenting and line breaking notes together between each field.

No more scrolling! Text boxes now grow and shrink with the text entered into them, so you don’t have to scroll inside descriptions or conditions to see the full text. Nor do you have to scroll your way up and down through a long report… simply click your way through rooms using the Up and Down arrows or tab to the section you need.

Indicators of interest! No more needing to click buttons or keep switching to Preview. You can now easily glance at how many photos have been added to an item. Helpful progress bars tell you how far through you are with the report, and rooms and items are now numbered and referenced the same as on the final report.

Visible Actions, always! We’re no longer hiding Actions under a button – they’re right there alongside the condition of the item in the same orange bubble you see on the final report for detailed rooms.

Checklists, anywhere! We’re phasing out the current Checklist system. Instead, you’ll just add Checklists to your Templates, or right there in the App on-site… No more limiting your checklists based on the type of inspection.

Quickly toggle conditions! In addition to Checklists, you can also create customised toggle lists of pre-defined conditions, with the default being Clean, Undamaged and Working, tapping on each to answer Yes, No or NA through each item/room/section of the property.

Better Drag’n’drop! Re-order rooms and items all on the same page. No more switching back and forth.

Default conditions in your Templates! Store default condition text right in your templates to keep common observations with less typing on-site.

 

Let us know your feedback on our Support Portal or via Twitter @InventoryBase

 

Take a 14 day free trial of InventoryBase today, and we’ll set up your report templates for you free of charge so you can get up and running quickly with the UK’s #1 Property Inspection App.

Tenant Comment Notifications

If you use tenant comments for your reports, you’ll now start seeing notifications in your activity stream when a tenant adds a new comment. Multiple comments within 30 minutes of each other are grouped together so you’ll only see one activity item, rather than a notification for each one.

Tip: If you’re not already using tenant comments and want to, you can turn them on under report settings.

Introducing InventoryBase’s Fresh New Look

We’ve just released a refreshed look for InventoryBase including a brand new login form, improved navigation and some other smaller improvements you may notice across the site. This new look makes InventoryBase much easier to navigate and use on a daily basis.

As well as the new look you’ll now see a warning when you’ve lost your internet connection. When you come back online, you’ll be notified:

Saving notifications also use this new style and will be shown in the bottom left of your screen, so you always know your changes have been saved.