Frank knew he needed something more powerful than a PDA if he really wanted to take his work as an appraiser on the road. He met Allegiance Technology at an appraiser show and was soon convinced that a tablet PC could help him change the way he worked.
“My goal was to expedite work from the field,” he said. “I needed something mobile to help me download photos and to sketch, as well as for internet and email access. The tablet PC really fit my needs.”
Frank estimates that he is doing 30 percent more work now that he is using his tablet. “I can do more work now and get it done quicker. Instead of doing one or two inspections in an afternoon, I am doing four. “
Frank uses his tablet PC to download photos and fill out appraiser forms in the field, then email them instantly. He no longer does reports from the office, since he is now able to do them directly from the field.
“WinTotal is a great program for this,” said Frank. “It has all the appraiser forms I need and makes things go very quickly. I work with a management company and they are surprised at how quick my turnaround is for them. What used to take 24 hours or so to get to them can now be filled out and emailed instantly.”
Frank would definitely recommend a tablet PC to any appraisers looking to get ahead.
“The mobility alone is priceless. I can do research in the field now; fill out my forms, download and email. This tool has changed the way I work.”
DaVinci Mobile Pro: The next generation of sketching and field data gathering
Built for tablet and ultra mobile PCs, DaVinci Mobile Pro combines the free form benefits of the clipboard with the digital accuracy of a software application. And when incorporated into your daily workflow and appraisal process, it can significantly reduce the amount of stress and time you spend on reports back in the office.
Until now, you’ve typically used pencil, paper, and a traditional clipboard to sketch the property and gather data on-site. But that process can easily introduce errors, as well as take time. Using manual methods can overlook measurements. Or you could fail to note important features of the property while onsite. DaVinci guides you through a completely customizable onsite inspection, tailored to your specific workflow, and provides an interactive checklist of critical data which needs to be gathered before leaving the site.
Make your inspections more accurate than ever
A tablet PC is like a digital upgrade to the clipboard. And borrowing from the clipboard, DaVinci extends that freeform nature to sketching and note taking. DaVinci takes your full-size, hand-drawn floor plans and converts your lines and measurements into a digital sketch. Just roughly draw the walls by hand, and annotate the dimensions. Then watch how it snaps like magic into perfect lines, all at once. The areas are accurately calculated and transferred to the report, and the sketch can be opened seamlessly in WinTOT AL. Plus, you can take unlimited hand-written and voice notes anywhere in the program which are saved inside the file and can be accessed any time.
DaVinci also lets you work with more than the subject property while in the field. You can drive by comparable properties and complete the appropriate sections of the report directly within DaVinci, ensuring the best comps are used and that their data is as accurate as possible. And all the data you gather is added to your report’s forms and Digital Workfile, storing a full audit trail of the work done and ensuring USPAP compliance.
New ways to save time in the field
Mobile Pro saves time gathering data by allowing you to rapidly “tap and go” through fields using our pre-defined QuickLists, or by importing and using your own from WinTOTAL. Also, every screen is completely customizable in seconds. Rearrange layouts, add or remove fields, or change room features and lists on-the-fly using our groundbreaking new forms engine and you’ll be amazed at the speed and flexibility Mobile Pro offers. DaVinci and WinTOT AL files share the same native format, so what you do in one is available in the other. Because we develop both the formfiller and the sketcher, no other vendor can offer this level of integration. So whether you start or edit a file in DaVinci or WinTOTAL, everything is there — all your data, comps, voice notes, sketches, symbols, labels, addenda, photos, and analysis.
To learn more about Tablet PCs that work great with DaVinci Mobile Pro, visit our Tablet PC Store or call us at 877-772-5587.
Editor's Note:
At several appraisal industry shows we met the folks at DataMaster. They have a great solution for appraisers who need to import MLS and Public Records into their appraisal reports. It works with WinTotal and most other appraisal software.
To learn more, visit their website by clicking on the DataMaster logo.
