How to Create Inspection Templates?

Different gear needs different checks. A drone needs propeller and gimbal checks, a PA system needs a speaker-crackle test, and a party tent needs a pole-and-stitching once-over. An Inspection Template is a reusable checklist you build once and reuse on every inspection, so nothing gets skipped and every team member checks the same critical points.

Templates are also what your crew fills in on the mobile app when they inspect gear at pickup and return — so a well-built template is the backbone of consistent quality checks.

Why Templates Matter

Consistency — the same checkpoints every time, no matter who’s inspecting.
Speed — inspectors work down a ready-made list instead of remembering what to look at.
Evidence — photo, video, and signature fields capture proof of condition for every rental.
Automation — assign a template to an asset category and Rentablez picks it automatically at dispatch and return.

Where templates live: Templates are managed under Settings → Inspection Templates. Assigning them to categories happens on a separate Category Mapping page — covered in How to Assign Templates and Make Inspections Mandatory?.

Start With the Built-In Templates

The first time you open Settings → Inspection Templates, Rentablez seeds a set of system default templates so you’re not starting from a blank page.

System templates carry a Default badge and are read-only — you can preview and print them, but not edit or delete them. To tailor one to your gear, use Make a Copy: the copy is fully editable and lands in your own list.

System templates are marked System Template · Read Only inside the builder. Editing, adding, deleting, and reordering are all disabled on them — that’s expected. Always Make a Copy first.

Creating a Template

Navigate to Settings → Inspection Templates.

Click New Template (top right).

In the Create Inspection Template dialog, fill in:

Template Name (required) — something clear and specific, e.g. Pre-Rental Safety Check, DSLR Camera Body, or Party Tent Kit.
Description (optional) — a short note on what this template inspects.

Click Create & Configure. Rentablez saves the template and drops you straight into the builder to add your checklist.

Permissions: Creating, editing, copying, and deleting templates requires the Settings – Write (settings.write) permission. Users with read-only settings access can view and print templates but the action buttons are disabled.

Building Your Checklist

The builder has two building blocks: sections (logical groups) and fields (individual checks inside a section).

Add and name sections

Click Add New Section to add a group, then click its name to rename it inline — for a camera you might use Body Condition, Functionality Tests, and Included Accessories. Section names save automatically as you type.

Add fields to a section

Click Add Field on a section header and pick a field type from the Choose a field type menu. Each field you add appears in the section and can be reordered by dragging its handle (the grip icon on the left).

Field types

The builder offers a full set of field types so you can capture anything from a quick pass/fail to a photo, a rating, or a GPS reading:

Field type	What it captures
Text Question	Free-form text — serial numbers, firmware versions, notes
Checkbox	A simple yes/no toggle
Pass/Fail	A binary inspection status
Photo Capture	A photo with a label
Video Capture	A recorded or uploaded video
Number Input	A numeric value (e.g. odometer, hours used)
Date Picker	A date, optionally with a time
Rating Scale	A star rating over a range you set
Signature	A drawn digital signature
GPS Location	An auto-captured location reading
Dropdown	A single choice from a list
Multi Select	Multiple choices from a list

Once-per-template fields: Signature and GPS Location can each be added only once per template. If you try to add a second one, Rentablez blocks it with a message.

Configure each field

Click any field to open the Edit Field dialog, where you can set:

Field Label (required) — the question or checkpoint text the inspector sees.
Field Type — switch the type if needed.
Help Text — instructions shown to the inspector (e.g. “Photograph all four corners”).
Required — turn on to force the inspector to answer before finishing.

Some types unlock extra settings:

Field type	Extra settings
Dropdown / Multi Select	Add the list of options to choose from
Rating Scale	Set the Min and Max rating
Number Input	Set Min, Max, and Step values
Date Picker	Toggle Include Time
GPS Location	Set Min Accuracy (meters) and High Accuracy Mode
Checkbox	Set whether it’s Default Checked
Signature	Set canvas width, height, and pen color

Changes in the builder save as you make them — there’s no separate “Save template” button. Use the back arrow (top left) to return to the template list when you’re done.

Managing Your Templates

Back on the template list, each row shows the template name, a Sections count, and a Fields count, plus row actions:

Edit — reopen the builder (your own templates only).
Preview & print — open a printable view of the checklist.
Make a Copy — duplicate any template, including read-only system defaults, into an editable one.
Delete — permanently remove one of your own templates and its sections (system defaults can’t be deleted).

Use the search box to filter templates by name once you have a few.

Assigning Templates to Equipment

A template does nothing until it’s tied to your gear. To have Rentablez pick a template automatically during dispatch and return, assign it to an asset category on the Category Mapping page — where you can also mark it the default for that category and flag it mandatory on dispatch or mandatory on return.

See How to Assign Templates and Make Inspections Mandatory? for the full walkthrough.

Enforce mandatory inspections: The toggle at the top of the Inspection Templates page turns mandatory enforcement on org-wide. When enabled, staff can’t complete a dispatch or return until the required inspection is done for categories you’ve flagged as mandatory.