The Create Checklist page is where new audit forms are built from scratch. Checklists replace paper forms, clipboards, and manual data collection with structured digital inspections that capture text, photos, voice notes, scores, and environmental readings - all tied to specific venues and auditors.
Digital checklists solve problems paper can't: conditional logic shows or hides questions based on previous answers, eliminating irrelevant sections. Photos and voice notes attach directly to responses rather than living in separate folders. Data uploads instantly instead of waiting for forms to return to head office. Scores calculate automatically. Handwriting legibility is no longer an issue. Nothing gets lost in transit.
Checklists are created empty - just a title and optional description - then fields are added one at a time to build up the full inspection form. Once saved, checklists can be edited, fields can be added or removed, and the checklist can be deployed to audit jobs.
Before Creating a Checklist
Consider what the checklist needs to assess and who will use it. Questions to think through:
- Specificity: Is this a broad checklist for many venue types (general hygiene checks) or a specialist assessment for specific situations (accessibility compliance, pest control, food safety)? Broad checklists need flexible questions. Specialist checklists can be more prescriptive.
- Audience: Will auditors be specialists trained in specific standards, or generalists who need clear guidance? Specialists may only need brief prompts. Generalists benefit from detailed question text and clear answer options.
- Scoring: Does this checklist need numerical scores for comparison and reporting, or is it purely informational? If scoring matters, plan which questions contribute to the score and how much weight each carries.
- Evidence requirements: Which questions need photo evidence? Where might voice notes add context? Should any fields capture environmental sensor data? Planning this upfront prevents having to retrofit evidence fields later.
- Existing paper forms: If converting from paper, don't just replicate the paper version. Digital forms can do more - replace "Rate 1-5" with descriptive options like "Clean / Acceptable / Needs Attention / Unacceptable." Use conditional logic to skip irrelevant sections instead of making auditors write "N/A" repeatedly.
Initial Setup
Go to Dashboard > Audit Checklists and click the blue + Create Checklist button.
Title (required)
The checklist name. Visible to everyone who uses the checklist - managers setting up jobs and auditors completing inspections in the field. Make it clear and descriptive so teams can identify which checklist to use. Examples: "Restaurant Hygiene Audit," "Toilet Facilities Assessment," "Accessibility Compliance Check."
Description (optional)
Additional context about what the checklist covers, when to use it, or special instructions for auditors. Visible to checklist users alongside the title. Can be left blank if the title provides enough information.
Save and Cancel
Save button
Saves the checklist with the entered title and description. The checklist is created but empty - there are no fields yet. After saving, the system redirects to the Edit Checklist page where fields can be added and the checklist built out.
Cancel button
Deletes all progress and returns to the Audit Checklists list. Any information entered in Title or Description is lost. Use this if the checklist was started by mistake or is no longer needed.
Adding and Managing Fields
Fields cannot be added during initial creation. They're added after the checklist is saved.
To add a field
Go to Dashboard > Audit Checklists, select the checklist, then click Edit. Click the blue + Add Field button to add a new field to the checklist. Fields are added one at a time and can be reordered, edited, or deleted after creation.
To edit a field
Go to Dashboard > Audit Checklists > Edit and click Edit next to the field. This opens the field editor where question text, field type, scoring, conditional logic, and other settings can be modified. Changes to fields can be made at any time, even if the checklist is already deployed in active audit jobs (though breaking changes will require choosing whether to update all deployments or create a new version). To find out more about editing fields, go to Edit Existing Checklists.
To remove a field
Go to Dashboard > Audit Checklists > Edit and click Delete next to the field. The field is removed from the checklist. If the checklist is already in use, this is a breaking change and will require choosing whether to update existing deployments or create a new version.
After Creation
Once created, the checklist appears in the Audit Checklists list (Dashboard > Audit Checklists). From there it can be:
- Edited to add or modify fields
- Deployed to audit jobs by assigning it to venues
- Duplicated to create similar checklists without starting from scratch
- Archived if no longer in use
Checklists remain editable after creation and deployment. Changes to live checklists propagate to active audit jobs, though major structural changes (adding or deleting fields) will prompt a decision about whether to update existing deployments or create a new version.