Narrative sections

Narrative sections (page icon in the sidebar) are free-text pages inserted into the report. They have neither sub-sections nor narratives — just a block of text written in advance in the template, with variables that resolve at inspection time.

What they are for

Four typical use cases (present in the BNQ template):

Notice to Reader — introduction page addressed to the client (who reads it), explaining the report’s context, the applied standard, and each party’s responsibilities.
Items to Consider — recap of points of vigilance outside the BNQ scope that the inspector deems relevant.
Inspector’s Certificate — attestation page with license number, affiliation, and professional contact details.
Conclusion — closing page, generally with a final recommendation and a courtesy line.

You can add others if your practice justifies it (e.g. a Methodology page or Specific Warnings for Co-ownership Properties).

The narrative section editor

Narrative section editor with metadata, language toggle, and WYSIWYG zone

Click a narrative section in the sidebar. The main view shows:

Metadata (top)

Name (FR) + Name (EN) — section title in the report.
Icon — by default file-text. Editable via text input (Lucide icons).
3 checkboxes:
- Optional section — see GR.5 for combination details.
- Enabled by default — included in every new inspection (see GR.5).
- Forced page break — the section starts on a new page in the PDF.

Language toggle

Below metadata, an FR / EN toggle lets you switch the editor between the two languages. You edit each language separately — FR content and EN content are two independent blocks.

WYSIWYG rich editor

This is where you write the section’s text. The toolbar at the top of the editor offers:

Undo / Redo — undo / redo.
Bold / Italic — basic formatting.
Heading level — Normal, H1, H2, H3, etc.
Lists — bulleted and numbered.
Quote (>) — block quote.
Link — create a hyperlink (e.g. to the BNQ standard).
Code — monospace text.
HTML — switch to source mode to copy-paste raw HTML.

Text is preserved as you write it and appears in the generated report (PDF + interactive web).

Reset to default button

At the bottom right of the editor, a Reset to default button resets the content to the default text provided by Lumos for this section in the system template. Useful if you have made many modifications and want to start over.

Reset to default overwrites your current version. If you want to keep your version, export the template to YAML before clicking (see GR.2). Once reset and saved, your version is lost.

The `{{ }}` variables

Narrative sections support dynamic variables that automatically replace with real values at report generation time.

Variables observed in the BNQ template:

{{ Property Address }} — full property address.
{{ Inspection Date }} — inspection date.
{{ Full Name }} — client’s full name.
{{ Company Name }} — your business name.

To insert a variable, type {{ in the editor — a selector may appear or you can type the full name directly. Once inserted, the variable appears as a purple chip (e.g. the visual {{ Property Address }}) to indicate it will be replaced at generation.

Purple chip of a {{ Property Address }} variable in the editor

Behavior at generation

When the report is produced (PDF or interactive web), Lumos replaces each variable with the corresponding value:

{{ Property Address }} → “3669 Rue Orléans, Brossard, QC, J4Y 2M1”
{{ Inspection Date }} → “May 6, 2026”
{{ Full Name }} → “Jacob Mercier”
{{ Company Name }} → “SupaDupa Inspection”

If a variable has no value (e.g. {{ Inspection Time }} when time is not entered), Lumos may produce an empty string. Re-read your narrative sections in preview before finalizing a report.

Writing best practices

Keep a professional tone

Narrative sections are read directly by your client — it is your editorial showcase. Avoid overly technical jargon, explain concepts that may surprise a non-expert, and care for grammar and punctuation.

Don’t duplicate what narratives already say

A generic Notice to Reader on “how to read the report” is useful; a Notice that details the structural defects found is not — that is the narratives’ role. Narrative sections give context, not inspection content.

Maintain both languages

If you work with a bilingual clientele, take the time to fill both languages. The FR/EN toggle in the editor makes switching easy.

Use variables sparingly

Variables are powerful but can make text rigid. Prefer them for factual values (address, date, name) and write the rest in free text.