Engagement preparation
Preparing an engagement in Lumos rests on two distinct objects: the project, which gathers all administrative information around a property and its client, and the inspection, which corresponds to a visit and the report that follows. A project can contain multiple inspections over time, for example an initial inspection and a re-inspection after work.
This distinction structures the whole chapter. You first create a project, then add one or more inspections to it.
Two paths to create a project
Lumos offers two ways to start a project:
- The direct path: you fill in all the information yourself (client, property, listing agent, date, language) in one go. This is the usual path.
- Inviting the client: you send a link to your client so they fill in the form themselves. This creates a “pending approval” project that you then validate.
See Create a project and Invite the client to fill in details.
Two paths to create an inspection
Once the project is created, you add an inspection via the + New Inspection button. The button opens a menu with two options:
- Prepare a quote (recommended) — Lumos has you choose a template, configure the quote and service agreement, then send the bundle to the client. The inspection is created on email send. This path secures the contractual relationship before the visit.
- Create the inspection (quick) — Lumos simply has you choose a template and the inspection is created immediately, empty, with no quote or agreement. This is the path for special cases where you handle the quote and agreement outside of Lumos.
See Start an inspection with a quote and Start an inspection without a quote.
Elements to prepare in parallel
Three other elements revolve around the engagement:
- The Contacts address book — every project is tied to at least one contact (the client). The address book also stores real estate agents, sellers, listing agents, and other partners. See The Contacts address book.
- Quote tracking — once the quote is sent, Lumos shows its status (pending, signed) on the inspection, and switches the agreement into a permanent attachment of the file. See Quote tracking.
- The calendar — every scheduled inspection appears in the Calendar view, with status filters and a connection to your external calendar apps. See Schedule the visit and use the calendar.
Prerequisites
Before starting your first project, make sure your profile and business are configured (My Profile > Personal and Business), as well as your contract and email templates (Business Configuration). Otherwise, your first quotes will go out with missing information or generic visuals. See Setting up Lumos before your first inspection.