Workflow Template
Surface preparation inspection Workflow
Captures a surface preparation inspection for a painting and decorating job, routes to rectification when checks fail, loops the crew and inspector until the surface passes re-inspection (up to 2 times), and notifies the customer at each key stage.
Painting jobs that start on a poorly prepared surface lead to callbacks, wasted paint and disputes over who's responsible. This workflow captures the inspection, automatically routes failed checks to the preparation crew for rectification, and loops the crew and inspector through up to two re-inspections until the surface passes. It's run by the inspector who submits the initial check, the preparation crew who fix failed items, and the customer who gets an email update at each key stage.
Business Outcomes
- Fewer paint jobs starting on surfaces that haven't been properly prepared
- Clearer handoff between inspector and preparation crew with due dates on rectification tasks
- Fewer status update calls, since customers are emailed automatically at each stage
- A documented rectification and re-inspection trail on every record
- Faster turnaround on failed inspections with a 2-day rectification and 1-day re-inspection cycle
Workflow Steps
Steps
- 1Create Inspection Recordcreate record
Registers the submitted inspection as a record.
- 2Set Status to Submittedupdate record
Sets the inspection status to Submitted.
- 3Send Acknowledgement Emailsend email
Emails the customer an acknowledgement with the job reference.
- 4Route on Overall Result
Routes based on whether the inspection was Ready to paint or Not ready.
overall_result: "Ready to paint"→Set Status to Ready to Paintoverall_result: "Not ready"→Set Status to RectificationDefault→End - 5Set Status to Ready to Paintupdate record
Sets the inspection status to Ready to Paint.
- 6Send Pass Notificationsend email
Emails the customer that surface preparation passed inspection.
- 7Set Status to Rectificationupdate record
Sets the inspection status to Rectification.
- 8Preparation Crew: Rectify Failed Checkscreate task
Assigns the preparation crew a task to fix failed checks, due in 2 days, recording the rectification and photos.
- 9Save Rectification Detailsupdate record
Persists the rectification notes and photos to the record.
- 10Inspector: Re-inspect Surfacecreate task
Assigns the inspector a task due in 1 day to re-inspect the surface and record the result and notes.
- 11Save Re-inspection Resultupdate record
Persists the re-inspection result and notes to the record.
- 12Route on Re-inspection Result
Routes based on whether the re-inspection passed or failed.
reinspection_result: "Ready to paint"→Set Status to Ready to Paintreinspection_result: "Not ready"→Send Back to Preparation CrewDefault→End - 13Send Back to Preparation Crewrestart from step
Restarts the rectification cycle from the preparation crew task if the re-inspection failed.
- 14Set Status to Ready to Paintupdate record
Sets the inspection status to Ready to Paint after successful rectification.
- 15Send Rectified Pass Notificationsend email
Emails the customer that the surface preparation was rectified and passed the preparation inspection.
Fields
- Inspector Name*
- Inspector Email*
- Customer Name*
- Customer Email*
- Site Address*
- Job Reference*
- +16 more fields
Forms
Surface Preparation Inspection Form
17 fields
Data Views
Surface Preparation Inspections
site_address, job_reference, substrate, overall_result +1 more
Dashboard Widgets
Recommended integrations
Setup the following integrations to extend workflow capability.
Send email in the workflow
AWS SES
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FAQs
How do I get this workflow running for my team?
Publish the template to your workspace and it's live in minutes, ready to accept inspection submissions through the request form. There's no setup project or development work needed before your inspector can submit the first check.
Who needs to be set up as a workspace user before we start?
You need at least one admin to manage the workspace, plus members for anyone who'll be assigned tasks — typically the preparation crew and the inspector. Tasks like rectifying failed checks and re-inspecting the surface are assigned to these members directly.
What happens if the inspection fails on the first check?
The status is set to Rectification and the preparation crew gets a task, due in 2 days, to fix the failed items and record what was done with photos. Once that's saved, the inspector gets a task due in 1 day to re-inspect and record the result.
What happens if the re-inspection also fails?
The workflow sends it back to the preparation crew task, restarting the rectification cycle. This loop between the crew and inspector can run up to two times before the process moves forward.
Does the customer need an account to receive updates?
No. The customer is emailed directly at each key stage — acknowledgement, pass notification, and rectified pass notification — using the email address captured on the request form. They never need to log in or create an account.
Can we change the checklist items or add new fields?
Yes. You can describe the change you want in plain English, or edit the steps directly in the workflow editor. Earlier versions of the workflow are kept, so you can see what changed and when.
Where do the rectification notes and photos end up?
Since the workflow waits for the preparation crew's rectification task and the inspector's re-inspection task, the answers entered — Rectification Done, Rectification Photos, Re-inspection Result, Re-inspection Notes — are saved directly on the inspection record. You can see them in the record's timeline alongside every status change.
How is the status of an inspection tracked?
Each inspection is a record with its own reference number, and its status moves through Submitted, Rectification, and Ready to Paint as the workflow progresses. Table views and dashboards show all your inspections grouped by status, so you can see what's pending, in rectification, or complete at a glance.
Can we send these emails from our own email address?
Yes. A workspace can connect its own AWS SES account so customer emails send from your domain instead of the platform default. This is an optional setup step and doesn't require any changes to the workflow itself.
How long does a typical inspection cycle take from submission to pass?
If the surface passes on the first check, it's just the time to submit the form and send the pass notification. If rectification is needed, each cycle adds up to 2 days for the crew's fix and 1 day for re-inspection, and the workflow supports up to two of these cycles before you'd need to review the record manually.
Ready to use this workflow?
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