Once you have filled out the form and attached your photos, the last step is submitting. This guide covers exactly what happens when you tap Submit, what confirmation options you will see, and what the inspection looks like on your dashboard afterwards.
The Submit Button
The Submit Inspection button sits at the bottom of the form. You can get to it by scrolling all the way to the end of the last section, regardless of which view (Tabbed, Accordion, or Grid) you have selected.
Before you tap Submit, make one last pass through the form:
• Confirm all the sections show complete information.
• Check that required photo fields have photos attached.
• Review the last few fields you filled out — these are easiest to forget.
The Confirmation Step
Tapping Submit Inspection opens a confirmation modal. This is where you review and confirm the final details before the inspection leaves your device.
Depending on your organization’s configuration, you may see one or both of these options:
| Option | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Send Report to Builder | When enabled, the builder receives the PDF inspection report by email once the submission is processed on the server. Leave off if you prefer to send it manually later. |
| Sign Report | Opens a signature capture pad where you draw your signature. The signature is embedded in the PDF report. If your organization requires signatures, this step will be required. |
Once the options are set, tap Submit in the confirmation modal to finalize.
What Gets Uploaded
Submitting is not a single upload — it is three separate steps that run one after another:
1. Inspection data — your form answers and field changes
2. Photos — uploaded individually
3. Reports — CSV exported to email, PDF builder report generated on the server
Each step runs independently. That means your inspection data can succeed even if photos are slow, and your CSV email can land even if the builder report has an issue. The app tells you what happened for each part.
Submission States
After you confirm, you will see one of the following states:
| State | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Uploading... | The submit button shows a spinner. Data is being sent to the server. Do not force-close the app during this state if you can help it. |
| Inspection Submitted | Everything worked. The inspection is complete. |
| Inspection Saved — Will sync when connection is restored | You were offline. Your inspection is safely stored on your device and will upload automatically the next time you have a connection and the app is open. |
| Photos Not Uploaded | Inspection data synced, but some photos failed. They will retry automatically. Your inspection is still considered submitted. |
| Submission Error | Something stopped the upload. The app saved your data locally so nothing is lost. See Syncing and Data Issues for how to handle this. |
Important: "Inspection Saved" offline is not the same as an error. It means your submission is queued and will upload on its own. You do not need to do anything except reopen the app later when you have a connection.
After a Successful Submission
When an inspection submits successfully, several things happen:
• The inspection’s status changes to Completed on both your dashboard and the dispatcher’s view.
• The form becomes read-only. You can still open it to review what you submitted, but you cannot edit it any further from the app.
• A CSV export of the inspection data is emailed to you (and to any additional email you configured in Settings > Export Options).
• If Send Report to Builder was enabled, the PDF report is emailed to the builder.
• The card may be removed from your main list depending on your filter, or grouped under Completed.
If You Are Offline When You Submit
Submitting offline is completely normal and expected. The app stores your entire submission — form data and photos — in a local queue. You will see "Inspection Saved — Will sync when connection is restored" and the inspection will appear in the Pending Submission section on your dashboard.
To finish the upload:
1. Get back on a reliable connection (Wi-Fi at home or the office is ideal).
2. Open the app and leave it open for a few minutes.
3. Watch the sync status indicator at the top of the screen. When it turns green ("Connected") with no pending syncs, your submissions have uploaded.
Reminder: Because the app is a PWA, it cannot sync in the background when closed. You have to reopen it once you are back online. See Syncing and Data Issues for more detail on this.
Where the Reports Go
When your inspection finishes syncing successfully, the server generates two kinds of reports:
| Report | Who Gets It |
|---|---|
| CSV export | Emailed to the account you logged in with, plus any additional email you entered in Settings > Export Options. Used for record-keeping and integrations. |
| PDF builder report | Generated on the server. If you turned on Send Report to Builder in the confirmation modal, it is emailed directly to the builder. Otherwise, it is available from the project record in RATER. |
If a report email does not arrive, check your spam folder first. If it is truly missing, your inspection data is still on the server — the CSV and PDF can be regenerated. Contact support with the inspection details.
I Submitted but Need to Make a Change
Once an inspection is submitted and marked Completed, the form becomes read-only in the app. Changes after that go through different channels depending on your organization:
• Small typos or clarifying notes: contact your dispatcher or org admin, who may be able to make the edit in RATER.
• Missing or wrong photos: contact support.
• Major data corrections: contact support. They can reopen the assignment in specific cases.
This is intentional — once an inspection is on the server and reports are out the door, changes need to be tracked carefully.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: The submit button is disabled. Why?
A: The most common reason is that you have required fields still empty. Try submitting anyway — the app will scroll you to the first problem and highlight it in red. Once all required fields are filled, the button enables.
Q: I tapped Submit but it seems stuck on "Uploading...". What now?
A: If you have a weak connection, just wait — it will either complete or eventually fall back to "Inspection Saved" and queue for retry. Avoid force-closing the app during this state. If it has been stuck for many minutes, move to a better connection and it will resume.
Q: I saw "Inspection Submitted" but never received the CSV email. Is my data lost?
A: No. The CSV email is the last step and runs independently of the main sync. Check spam, and contact support if it is truly missing — your inspection is safe on the server.
Q: I submitted offline. When do my photos actually upload?
A: Photos queue along with the inspection data. They all start uploading as soon as the app is open and you have a connection. Leave the app open on Wi-Fi for a few minutes and watch for the sync status indicator to turn green with no pending syncs.
Q: Do I have to sign every inspection?
A: Only if your organization has signatures enabled. If the Sign Report option does not appear in the confirmation modal, you do not need to sign.
Q: The confirmation modal does not show "Send Report to Builder". Why not?
A: This option depends on your organization’s setup. If it is not enabled for your org, the builder receives the report through a different mechanism (typically handled by your dispatcher or automatically).
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