🔎Gunnysacks

These are some of the most powerful workflow innovations in ScribeWare. If you don't get your head around thee you are simply leaving money on the table.

Here is a gunnysack for old wood windows

Old windows gunnysack

Example # 2

This shows using a large gunny sack for a deck. This is a great example of improving workflow to handle multiple defects on the same system

Example #3 - Small Gunnies

Gunnysacks

The Gunnysack feature is a unique ScribeWare workflow designed to simplify reporting on systems that have numerous related defects. Instead of searching for multiple individual comments or creating a long list of separate repair items, a Gunnysack allows inspectors to start with a single parent comment and then quickly select only the observations that apply to the current inspection.

The result is a report that is faster to create, easier to read, and more representative of how inspectors evaluate building systems.

Why Use Gunnysacks?

Many building systems—especially in older homes—can have numerous minor defects that all relate to the same overall condition.

For example, an older wood window system may include:

• Single-pane glass

• Painted-shut windows

• Missing or damaged hardware

• Broken sash cords or weights

• Cracked glass

• Missing glazing

• Windows that slam shut

• Missing safety glazing

Traditional report writing often requires creating a separate repair comment for each issue, resulting in long, repetitive reports.

With Gunnysacks, these related observations become a single, well-organized narrative that communicates the overall condition while still documenting the individual defects.

How It Works

1. Select a Parent Comment

Begin with a comprehensive parent comment that describes the overall condition of the system.

For example:

Some of the windows in this home are older windows that require maintenance and repair.

The parent comment provides the context and overall recommendation for the system.

2. Choose the Applicable Observations

Each Gunnysack contains a collection of pre-written observations related to that system.

Simply check the items that apply to the inspection, such as:

• Single-pane glass

• Painted-shut windows

• Safety glazing concerns

• Broken sash cords

• Loose hardware

• Cracked glass

Only the selected observations are added to the report.

3. Arrange the Information

Observations can be displayed in any order by selecting them in the desired sequence, allowing inspectors to present information in a logical flow.

This creates a narrative that feels customized without requiring additional writing.

4. Add Supporting Photos

During the inspection, inspectors can capture photos and dictate simple captions using voice-to-text.

Rather than organizing photos immediately, many inspectors simply leave them in the photo gallery and drag them into the Gunnysack later.

This allows inspections to proceed quickly while preserving detailed documentation.

5. Finalize the Report

The completed comment consists of multiple layers of information:

• An overall narrative describing the system.

• Selected observations that explain the specific issues found.

• Supporting photographs with captions identifying the location and nature of each defect.

Together, these layers create a report that is both concise and highly detailed.

Benefits

• Reduces the number of separate comments needed for a single system.

• Produces shorter, more organized reports.

• Eliminates repetitive searching through large comment libraries.

• Allows inspectors to customize reports by selecting only the observations that apply.

• Supports efficient on-site data collection with minimal interruption.

• Combines general recommendations with detailed, property-specific findings.

• Makes reports easier for clients to read while preserving important inspection details.

Best Practices

• Build Gunnysacks around systems that commonly have multiple related defects.

• Use a strong parent comment to describe the overall condition and recommendation.

• Capture photo captions during the inspection using voice-to-text.

• Add photos to the Gunnysack after the inspection if it improves your workflow.

• Use photo captions to identify the location and nature of each defect rather than repeating information already contained in the parent comment.

Summary

Gunnysacks change the way inspection reports are assembled by allowing inspectors to build a complete narrative from a single parent comment and a library of selectable observations. Instead of managing numerous individual repair comments, inspectors can document an entire system quickly, add supporting photos, and produce reports that are both more efficient to create and easier for clients to understand.

This workflow reflects ScribeWare's philosophy of collecting detailed information in the field while using intelligent tools to organize that information into clear, professional inspection reports.

This video shows how to build small gunnysacks that let you mold comments quickly and easily. This is a great way to reduce the number of narrative comments you need to use.