| name | pm-inspections |
| effort | low |
| description | Property Meld inspection workflows — integration partners (zInspector, Inspectify, Seek Now), inspection types, scheduling, templates, completion workflow, move-in/move-out comparison, resident and owner visibility, and connection to turnover Melds. No native PM inspection module — all inspection tools are third-party via the Nexus program. |
| triggers | ["inspection","move-in inspection","move-out inspection","zInspector","inspect","condition report","tenant sign-off","property walkthrough","inspection template","inspection findings","meld from inspection"] |
Property Meld Inspections — Full Reference
Property Meld has no native inspection module. Inspections run through third-party partners in the Nexus program. Findings push into Property Meld as Melds (work orders).
1. INSPECTION PARTNERS (Nexus Program)
Three partners are available through the Property Meld Nexus ecosystem:
zInspector (March 2025 — Primary Integration)
The deepest technical integration. Two-way connected workflow — inspection findings automatically generate Melds in Property Meld. DIY model: property management staff conducts inspections using the zInspector 3 mobile app. Tenants can complete their own move-in inspections via the separate zTenant app.
Best for: AscendOps standard move-in, move-out, and routine inspections.
Inspectify (February 2025)
Platform with a network of professional inspectors. PM dispatches a professional via the Property Meld interface. Data-driven inspection reports connect to maintenance operations. Not a DIY tool — you pay for a professional inspector.
Best for: Due diligence on acquisitions, condition assessments when you need a third party.
Seek Now (April 2025)
Uses LiDAR-powered walkthroughs, asset tagging, damage tagging, precise floorplans. Handles 2,000+ inspections daily across 200+ cities. Targets institutional portfolios; overkill for AscendOps use case.
For AscendOps operations, default to zInspector.
2. INSPECTION TYPES SUPPORTED (zInspector)
| Type | Who Performs | App Used | Notes |
|---|
| Move In | Staff/inspector | zInspector 3 | Staff-conducted move-in condition documentation |
| Move Out | Staff/inspector | zInspector 3 | Pre-populates from prior Move In data for comparison |
| Inspection | Staff/inspector | zInspector 3 | All others: Pet, Violation, Annual, Smoke Detector, Routine |
| Pre-Inspection | Staff/inspector | zInspector 3 | Preliminary walkthrough (e.g., Pre-Move Out notice) |
| Tenant Move In | Tenant | zTenant app | Tenant-completed; does NOT appear in staff app |
| Tenant Inspection | Tenant | zTenant app | Annual, renewal, or periodic tenant-completed inspections |
Standard templates available: Move In, Move Out, Periodic, Renewal, Due Diligence.
3. SCHEDULING WORKFLOW
Property Meld has no dedicated inspection scheduling module. Two paths:
Path A — Via zInspector (primary):
Scheduling happens inside zInspector, not in Property Meld. Staff opens the app, selects the property/unit, chooses the inspection type, and conducts the inspection. Findings push into Property Meld after completion.
Path B — Via PM Workflow Automation (trigger):
Use Property Meld's Workflow feature to create a Meld as a prompt/reminder:
- Time event: "Create a 'Schedule routine inspection' Meld every 6 months"
- Change event: "When a resident submits notice, create a 'Schedule move-out inspection' Meld"
This Meld then prompts the coordinator to conduct the actual inspection through zInspector.
Roadmap (not yet live): Property Meld announced that completed inspections will eventually trigger automatic work distribution through PM's scheduling engine based on technician/vendor availability.
4. INSPECTION TEMPLATES (zInspector)
Templates are built on the zInspector web platform (not the mobile app). Structure:
- Areas — rooms and zones (Kitchen, Master Bedroom, HVAC Room, etc.)
- Details/Items — individual items within each area (Sink, Countertop, Refrigerator, etc.)
- Fields per item — condition rating, comments, photos
Condition Rating Scale
| Code | Meaning | Notes |
|---|
| N | New | Extended: E = Excellent |
| S | Satisfactory | Extended: F = Fair, P = Poor |
| D | Damaged | Extended: DN = Damaged & Needs Attention, DR = Damaged & Needs Re-Hab |
Items marked Damaged automatically populate the security deposit return calculation spreadsheet.
Custom Template Fields Available
- System auto-fill: Current Date, Property Name, Tenant Name, Inspector Name, Reference Number
- Contact database: Current Tenant, Vendor, Owner, Inspector (with email/phone)
- Text, paragraph, date, numeric, dropdown, checkbox/boolean fields
- Signature boxes (required or optional) — for inspector and/or tenant
- Initials fields
Access Control by Type
- Types labeled "Tenant Move In" or "Tenant Inspection" → appear only in the zTenant app (resident-facing)
- All other types → appear only in the zInspector 3 staff/inspector app
Note: Template customization is labeled "recommended for experienced zInspector users." Standard templates meet most use cases out of the box.
5. COMPLETION WORKFLOW (zInspector)
During the Inspection (Mobile App — zInspector 3)
- Select property/unit → choose inspection type → enter tenant name and inspector name
- Work through each area — every area must be completed or explicitly marked skipped
- Per item: assign condition rating (N/S/D), add photos with optional markup annotations, add notes
- Items requiring documentation flag red until complete; turn green when done
- 360-degree photos and video supported alongside standard photos
- All photos are auto-timestamped and geotagged
Completion and Signatures
- Inspector signature field at conclusion (required)
- Tenant signature field (optional) — tenant can sign on the inspector's device at time of inspection
- Once all areas are green, report is previewed and submitted
After Submission
- Report automatically sent to zInspector website (accessible via web dashboard)
- Copies emailed to configured recipients (owner, tenant, vendor — set in Profile Settings)
- Report appears in the Timeline — the chronological property history log
- Damaged items auto-populate the security deposit return calculation spreadsheet
- If Property Meld integration is active: repair/action items automatically convert into Melds in Property Meld and route for vendor/tech assignment
Report Format
PDF export, shareable via email directly from the mobile app or website. Photos embedded inline.
6. ZINSPECTOR + PROPERTY MELD INTEGRATION
Live functionality (as of March 2025 launch):
One-direction push: zInspector → Property Meld.
- Inspector completes inspection in zInspector 3 (or tenant in zTenant)
- Repair/action items identified and categorized in zInspector
- Those items automatically convert into Melds (work orders) in Property Meld
- Melds are immediately available for assignment to vendors/techs
The integration eliminates manual re-entry — inspection findings land directly in Property Meld's maintenance queue.
Enrollment: Requires being a customer of both Property Meld and zInspector.
Roadmap (announced, not yet live):
- Auto-Turnover Project creation: when a move-out inspection completes, a Turnover Project auto-generates in Property Meld, pre-segmented by category/work type
- Smarter resource allocation: PM scheduling optimizes Meld assignment based on availability
- Cost and revenue insights: links repair costs to turnover financial data
7. TENANT-COMPLETED MOVE-IN INSPECTIONS
Blue should know this workflow — it shifts documentation burden to the tenant and creates a legally signed baseline.
How to Invite Tenant
- In zInspector web, go to Tenants page
- Click "Invite" in the Tenant Move In column for the tenant
- Customize the welcome email if desired
- Tenant receives invitation → downloads zTenant app (rated 4.9 stars) → logs in
Tenant's Experience
- Preset template for their unit (they see the standard Move In template)
- Marks each detail: condition rating (S = Satisfactory or D = Damaged), photos, comments
- Red flags indicate required documentation
- Tenant submits → copy auto-emailed to both tenant and property manager
Invitation Status Tracking
Invite → Invited → Scheduled → Submitted → Expiring/Expired (grace period available)
Outcome
- Report appears in the Timeline
- Tenant has a signed, documented move-in baseline on file
- Damaged items they note are on record — protects PM at move-out
8. RESIDENT AND OWNER VISIBILITY
Resident
- At inspection time: Tenant can sign on the inspector's device (in-person staff inspection)
- Tenant-completed inspections: zTenant app, fully self-service
- Post-inspection report sharing: "Share with tenants" button in zInspector makes report visible in Tenant Portal
- Auto-email: Residents can be configured as email recipients at inspection completion
- Meld interaction: After zInspector creates Melds from findings, residents receive standard PM notifications and can communicate in the Meld thread. Post-repair review request fires automatically when Melds close.
Owner
- Report sharing: "Share with owners" button in zInspector makes inspection report visible in Owner Hub
- Email: Owners can be added as email recipients at inspection conclusion (from mobile app)
- Meld visibility: If the property manager enables owner notifications on Melds created from inspection findings, owners see them in real time through PM's Owner Hub
- Approval threshold: Invoices above the PM-set dollar threshold require owner approval before payment
9. MOVE-OUT INSPECTION + TURNOVER WORKFLOW
This is the highest-value inspection workflow for AscendOps.
Move-Out Inspection in zInspector
- Open zInspector 3 → select property/unit → choose Move Out template
- System pre-populates the template with the tenant's move-in notations (conditions, comments, photos from the prior Move In inspection) — so the inspector can see what was there at move-in inline while walking the unit
- Inspector works room by room, noting changes
- Damaged items auto-populate the security deposit return calculation spreadsheet
Move-In / Move-Out Comparison Report
- Generated on the zInspector website (not the mobile app)
- Go to Timeline → click "Compare Documents" (scale icon) → select the two inspections → click Compare
- Output: side-by-side PDF showing conditions and photos from both inspections, making changes visually apparent
- This is the industry standard for deposit dispute documentation (used by California Association of Realtors)
- Share or email directly from the website
Connection to Property Meld Turnover
After the move-out inspection, repair items push to Property Meld as individual Melds. Those Melds form the make-ready/turnover work. Assign to vendors and monitor via Project Spotlight.
Roadmap: Automatic Turnover Project creation (segmented by category) upon inspection completion is announced but not yet live. Currently, Melds are created individually.
10. BEST PRACTICES (Property Meld's Recommendations)
Inspection cadence:
- Move-in: immediately at lease start
- Routine: bi-annual minimum; quarterly improves early issue detection
- Move-out: as close to actual vacancy date as possible
Tenant-completed move-in:
Invite the tenant to complete their own move-in inspection via zTenant app. This shifts documentation burden to the tenant and creates a signed, self-reported baseline — strongest protection at move-out dispute.
Make-ready start:
Begin the make-ready project the moment a resident submits notice. Conduct the pre-move-out inspection before keys are returned to line up vendors in advance.
Deposit documentation:
Use the side-by-side comparison report. Timestamped photographic evidence with before/after conditions is the standard for deposit dispute resolution.
Owner communication:
Keep owners notified on Melds with costs, particularly during turnovers. PM's research ties maintenance transparency directly to owner retention.
Preventive maintenance driver:
Use routine inspections to create proactive Melds (aging equipment, upcoming maintenance needs) before issues become emergencies.
11. WHAT PM DOES VS. INTEGRATION
| Function | Native in Property Meld | Via zInspector |
|---|
| Inspection scheduling | Via Workflow Automation (time/change triggers) | In-app scheduling |
| Conducting inspections | No | zInspector 3 (staff), zTenant (tenant) |
| Inspection templates | No | Yes — standard + custom |
| Condition ratings (N/S/D) | No | Yes |
| Photos during inspection | No | Yes — geotagged, timestamped |
| Resident sign-off | No | Yes — on-device signature |
| Tenant-completed inspections | No | Yes — zTenant app |
| Move-in/move-out comparison | No | Yes — side-by-side PDF |
| Security deposit spreadsheet | No | Auto-populated from damaged items |
| Creating Melds from findings | Yes — via integration | zInspector pushes → PM creates |
| Turnover project from inspection | Roadmap (not yet live) | — |
| Owner portal for reports | Via PM Owner Hub (if notified) | Share-with-owners button |
Sources: Property Meld blog (propertymeld.com/blog), Nexus program pages, zInspector help center (support.zinspector.com), zinspector.com features documentation. Distilled 2026-04-15.
