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Creating Inspections in Dynamics 365 Field Service and Adding Them to a Work Order: A Step-by-Step Guide

Dynamics 365 Field Service is a powerful platform you can use to manage many key processes efficiently, including creating inspections and adding them to work orders.

When you embed inspections into work orders, it ensures your technicians can complete their tasks and adhere to safety, regulatory, and quality standards. By integrating these inspections directly into the work order process, you can streamline operations, reduce the risk of errors, and improve customer satisfaction.

This feature is valuable in real-time data collection, consistent reporting, and greater transparency, all while maintaining compliance with industry regulations.

This blog will highlight the benefits of adding inspections to work orders and how you can create templates to streamline this process.

What are Inspection Forms in Dynamics 365 Field Service?

Inspections are forms you can automatically add to Work Orders in Field Service. You do this so technicians onsite can easily reference those inspections to help them follow a series of service tasks or provide detailed information about an asset onsite. You can also set them up so your technicians can access them offline.

How to Create an Inspection Form

Here are the steps to creating an inspection form in Dynamics 365 Field Service:

1. Navigate to the Field Service App
   
2. Choose Settings > Work Orders > Inspection Templates
   
3. Click + New
   
   1. Enter a name for Inspection
   2. Enter a description
   3. Enter a Page Title and Description (optional)
   4. Drag and drop a question type from the toolbox option on the right
      1. Textbox: Provides a free-form text response
      2. Checkbox: Provides an option to check/uncheck based on a question or choice
      3. Radiogroup: Provides a choice list where only one selection can be made
      4. Dropdown: Provides a dropdown list of options where one selection can be made
      5. Entity Lookup: Provides a lookup option to choose a record from the specified table within the connected Dynamics 365 environment. The list provided is controlled by security and can be filtered to reduce the retrieved list.
      6. Number: Provides field where a numerical value only is required
      7. Date Time: Provides a Date Time field field
      8. File: Provides the option to upload a file
      9. Barcode Scanner: Provides an option to scan a barcode with the device’s camera
      10. Matrix: Provides a grid of questions where rows can get added during the inspection. NOTE: Below is an example of most of the listed types:
          
          
4. Once you have completed the inspection, click the Preview button to display what the inspection will look like once it is assigned to a work order.
5. If you are satisfied with your inspection, click Publish to apply it immediately.

Assigning an Inspection to a Service Task Type

Once you complete an inspection, you can associate it with a Service Task Type in your environment. There are two ways to do this:

• You can open an existing Service Task Type and associate it directly, or;
• You can create a Service Task Type at the time you publish the Inspection

Let's take a look at the steps for both methods:

Associate an Inspection to an Existing Service Task Type

1. Navigate to Settings > Work Orders > Service Task Types
2. From the list of Active Service Task Type, open an existing one or click +New to create a new record
3. Set “Has Inspection” to Yes
   
4. Choose the Inspection Template by clicking the lookup
   
5. Once selected, click Save

Create a Service Task Type When Publishing Inspection

1. Navigate to Settings > Work Orders > Inspection Templates
2. Create a new Inspection or open an existing inspection
3. If the Inspection is published, click Revise to change it to Draft
4. Click Publish and generate a new service task type
   
5. Click Publish
   
6. Click Save & Close
   

Want to Learn More About How to Use Dynamics 365 Field Service?

Get in touch with the Stoneridge experts! Our team can help you use Field Service to the best of its abilities so you and your service technicians can work smarter for your customers.

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