Interactive TrainingHomeGauge Software & Internet Services Tours
The following tours and tutorials will show you the power and flexibility of the HomeGauge software. The tours use Macromedia Flash which you probably already have on your computer. But if you have trouble viewing the tours then you might want to try to install the Flash Player by clicking here.
What's new in HomeGauge 4.3!
Note: 4.3 is now in beta and will be available for general release soon! See what is new in 4.3
Viewed: Home Energy Survey Template - See how to use this new template with spreadsheet calculations
Viewed: BPI CAS Template Tutorial - See how to use the Combustion Appliance Safety template
Viewed: Sketch Tool Tutorial - See how this has been improved in HG 4.3
Viewed: Auto Drop Dimensions Tool Tutorial - A great time saver, especially for energy surveys
Viewed: Renaming Styles and Materials - Individual section names can now be renamed
Viewed: Rotating Arrows - Get your arrows in your pictures exactly as you want them
Getting started - interactive training tours
The 3 part tour below is an excellent place for new users to start. These interactive tours require your participation and will give you an excellent idea on how to use HomeGauge Software. Turn on your speakers for these tours.
Viewed: Part 1 - Entering report information, selecting report template
Viewed: Part 2 - Inserting/editing photos, entering comments, finding unanswered items
Viewed: Part 3 - Printing, printing options, choosing formats
Template basics - interactive training tours
Viewed: Template Toolbar Introduction - How to use the template toolbar to modify your report templates.
Viewed: Smart Sentences Part 1 - Save time entering comments by using auto comments.
Viewed: Smart Sentences Part 2 - Learn to use and edit smart sentences on-the-fly.
Viewed: Smart Sentences Part 3 - How to build your own smart sentences from scratch.
Viewed: Smart Sentences Part 4 - Build your own smart sentences, continued.
Viewed: Auto Comments Part 1 - Detailed training on how to work with auto comments in HomeGauge.
Viewed: Auto Comments Part 2 - Adding auto comments to your template.
Viewed: Auto Comments Part 3 - Global and Local auto comment lists explained.
Report uploading - interactive training tours
Viewed: Sign up - How to setup your online HomeGauge account
Viewed: Uploading Part 1 - How to upload a report
Viewed: Uploading Part 2 - Advanced upload features
Viewed: Uploading Part 3 - More advanced upload features
Viewed: Online Agreement - How to use the online agreement / electronic signature feature
Mock home inspection tours
The below tours walk through a mock inspection and give many tips and hints on how to use the HomeGauge home inspection software in the field while doing an inspection. These were created in HomeGauge 3, but most of the information shown still applies to HomeGauge 4.
Note: The mock inspection tours all have sound. Turn on your speakers.
Viewed: Step 1 (13min-40sec) - Introduction and inspect the exterior
Viewed: Step 2 (9min-0sec) - Input all of the exterior findings
Viewed: Step 3 (14min-3sec) - Move to the interior
Viewed: Step 4 (13min-13sec) - Finish interior and make sure all items have been answered
Viewed: Step 5 (6min-56sec) - Insert the photos
Viewed: Step 6 (9min-21sec) - Finish photos and print the report
Online Business Scheduler Tours
Viewed: Setting Up Custom Time Inspection Services
Viewed: Email and Text Notifications
Viewed: Required Custom Fields
Viewed: Geographic Service Areas
Viewed: Google Maps Integration
Viewed: MS Outlook Integration
New to HomeGauge 4.2
Viewed: Line Drawing Subfolders - How to use and organize line drawings in HomeGauge
Viewed: PDF Forms Overview - An overview on adding/editing pdf forms in HomeGauge
Viewed: Sketch Tool Demo - An overview on adding/editing a sketch in HomeGauge
Viewed: Copy and Paste - An overview on different ways to copy/paste inspection items, report sections and comments
Viewed: Inserting Section / Summary Icons - Spruce up your report with section/summary icons — this example uses the modern gradient format
New to HomeGauge 4.1
Viewed: Reinspection Feature - An Interactive Tour on using the quick reinspection feature in HomeGauge 4.1
Viewed: Summary Item Review - How to use the new summary review page
Viewed: Customer Page - Adding multiple customers to a report
Viewed: Image Overlay - How to layer images in the image editor
Viewed: Multiple Logos - How to setup multiple logos for use on your report
Viewed: Online Maps - Linking directly to online mapping services from your report
HomeGauge 4 general tours
Viewed: Rebuild Database (0min-55sec)
How and why to rebuild the report database.
Viewed: Customize the Interface (4min-31sec)
How to modify the software workspace to suit your preferences.
Viewed: Report Fill (2min-22sec)
How to use the new Report Fill feature to improve your productivity.
Viewed: Edit Report Documents (4min-22sec)
How to edit your cover page, etc.
Viewed: Import/Export Comments Between Templates
How to move comments from one template to another.
Viewed: Modify Your Cover Page (3min-20sec)
How to edit your cover page.
Viewed: Modify Your Inspection Agreement (2min-30sec)
How to edit your inspection agreement.
Viewed: Resize Your Logo (2min-25sec)
How to resize your logo for use in HomeGauge.
Viewed: Viewed: Insert Your Inspection Agreement (3min-20sec)
Different methods of using inspection agreements in HomeGauge 4.
Viewed: Insert Auto Comments As Itemized (1min-49sec)
How to insert auto comments as itemized directly from the auto comment selection window.
Viewed: Auto Comment Filter (1min-56sec)
Use the filters to make it easier to find auto comments.
Viewed: Voice Recording (1min-48sec)
How to make recordings and find/review them when creating a report.
Viewed: Line Drawings (1min-26sec)
How to use and customize the new free line drawings included in HomeGauge 4.
Viewed: Navigation Options (3min-25sec)
Checking for unanswered questions and other report navigation and error checking options.
Viewed: Print Documents (2min-7sec)
How to use the new printing settings in HomeGauge 4.
Viewed: Print Documents 2 (2min-37sec)
Printing setting in HomeGauge 4.
Viewed: Office Calendar (0min-31sec)
How to use the new built in calendar and all its options.
Viewed: Download Online Appointments (1min-55sec)
How to download appointments made through the online calendar into HomeGauge.
More video tours
Much of the content of our previous tours still applies.
Click here to see Version 3 and previous Internet Tools Tours.
HomeGauge V4 will install separately from V3 (so you can keep using V3 while trying out V4), but V4 will have access to all of V3's files. For your templates, what you do is after you install V4, go to select a report template, and you will see all of your V3 templates. Your V3 templates will end in ".ht3". To convert it to V4, just open the V3 template, and it will convert it to V4 when it opens up. The next time you go to select your template, be sure you pick the ".ht4" file, If you use our upload service, templates, with all your custom comments, can always be recovered from uploaded reports, if you don't have a local backup. The templates are built into the report, so you download a recent report, open it, then save a template from it. Instructions can be found on our Software FAQ (under "Support" above). Go to that page, click on the first link, and find "Step 6". Also, making a local backup of the "My Documents\HomeGauge" folder is a good idea. Sep 26, 2009 6:20 PM
cpro51 (Inspector)
I realize I am not using my HomeGauge software to it's full potential. I am currently using Version 3 and want to upgrade to 4.2. Will all of my templates and information be included in the new version. If I lost any of my customized comments it would take months to get back to normal. My computer had a melt down last year and I had to start over with all new comments. Is there any way to save the template I am working on so if something happened to the computer i could locate the template and get right back to business. Sep 26, 2009 4:58 PM
