Inspection Report Builder

Quick Start Guide

Your first inspection PDF: sign in, attach an assembly, mark parts, write the report, and send it to the customer.

Before you start

Create an account or sign in with email, Google, or Microsoft. You land in the workspace—the signed-in home with inspection cards and the toolbar. These Resources pages are documentation. Use Back to App to return to the workspace.

Plans, report limits, and share links are on Account, plans, and sharing. If Generate must use your shop's numbering on day one, set prompts in Global Settings first. Otherwise you can finish a first PDF with the defaults and configure later.

  1. Start a new report — In the workspace (not on this Resources site), click New report. A new inspection card opens so you can set a title and inspector details. See New Report and Upload for header fields and assembly options.
  2. Upload your assembly — Attach the equipment you will inspect. A CAD upload is a 3D STEP file (.step, .stp, or .stpz). A schematic is a PDF or image drawing. A BOM is a spreadsheet parts list (.csv, .tsv, .txt, .xlsx, or .xls), or a PDF or image for AI-assisted capture. If this assembly is already saved, pick it from the Parts Library with Use existing.
  3. Set part status — Open the Model Viewer and label each part Re-Use, Minor Repair, Major Repair, Replace. Unset lines stay Awaiting Status. See Viewer and Part Status.
  4. Write your report — Open the Report Editor, add photos, and use Generate for a first-pass narrative. Proofread before you send it. Customize prompts in Global Settings if you want shop-specific language. See the Report Editor and Report Writing guides.
  5. Download or share — Download PDF saves the file from the Report Editor. Individual includes unlimited PDF downloads without company branding. On Pro, your company logo and name appear on the PDF, you can append supporting files, and Share Report creates a customer link. Free may show a quota or PDF-credit prompt—see Account, plans, and sharing and Pricing.

Best practices

Model upload

Use a CAD model that has the complete assembly and the parts you inspect. Accurate metadata keeps the report accurate. Remove fasteners or sub-assemblies you do not need so the STEP file stays small.

Photos

Photograph each part from multiple angles and include close-ups of wear and defects. Photos help Generate write the report and support the part status you set.

AI prompts

Set AI prompts in Global Settings so reports match your shop's standards, formats, language, and processes. Use the same prompts for all parts. Pro subscribers can bring their own API keys on Account instead of using BlockForm AI credits.

Tags

Add tags to parts so Generate has context for the part and its status. Tags also filter the Work Board and group kit parts in the Report Editor.

If you get stuck

  • You cannot find New report — you are still on Resources or not signed in. Sign in, then use Back to App to open the workspace.
  • Conversion is still spinning — large STEP files take time. See New Report and Upload and the FAQ on slow uploads.
  • An upgrade or quota modal appears — you hit a plan limit. Open Account, plans, and sharing.
  • Generate wrote nonsense — add photos, set part status off Awaiting Status, and treat the text as a draft. See Report Writing.