We recently introduced a new feature for our software: a Template Library with pre-loaded inspection forms from APPA and ISSA. This resource puts industry standards sourced from the most reputable organizations in janitorial and facilities management at your fingertips. We’ve heard great feedback from our teams so far!
Why are janitorial inspection templates valuable?
One of the most common questions we get from new OrangeQC customers is: Where should I start with janitorial inspections? These professionals know that it is important to do inspections, but may not have a clear picture of what a great inspection looks like.
In fact, our guide to creating an inspection checklist remains one of our most popular blog posts. People are looking for a good starting point to work from, even though they’ll adapt the details to suit the space and their team’s operations.
That’s why even as we’ve focused on building forms that are customizable in all sorts of ways, we’ve always included pre-made inspections in the OrangeQC app. These lists give our clients a concrete starting point for working within the system.
The OrangeQC Template Library
Now, we’ve upgraded those choices with forms from some of the industry’s most trusted sources for professional standards. Our Template Library is the next step in making it a snap to integrate best practices with your team.
We worked directly with APPA, the leading organization for educational facilities management, as well as ISSA, the leading professional organization for the cleaning industry, to integrate their standards right into the app.
Here’s how it looks when you open the library, with more forms below the scroll:
All told, there are more than a dozen forms to choose from. These come directly from ISSA or APPA and used with permission.
OrangeQC users are able to use the forms as-is, or to copy their own versions to customize them for their own spaces, teams, and stakeholder requirements.
Who can benefit from pre-made inspection forms?
How you use a sample inspection, template, or pre-made form will vary based on your team’s needs and goals. We work with a huge variety of teams all over the world, including BSCs large and small, as well as teams in hospitals, universities, airports, apartments, office buildings, and more.
One of the best parts of our job is hearing how the software and app work for teams at any scale. It’s rewarding to hear how our clients customize the tools we offer in new ways that help them achieve their own team’s goals.
New or growing teams
New BSCs and janitorial teams who are expanding their businesses often ask us what they should inspect. With the Template Library, you can rest assured you are using the very best the industry has to offer on day one. You’ll be using a process and standard that can grow naturally alongside your business.
Teams switching from paper or basic digital inspections
Teams who are coming from using a paper-based process are often actively looking to restart their process, but not to reinvent the wheel, also embrace industry templates. These teams typically start with APPA or ISSA templates, then make small modifications over time to suit their needs. That’s because the switch from paper to digital offers a chance to make needed course corrections and embrace the new opportunities for digital inspections, so it’s a natural time to change things up, rather than just porting over a paper form.
High-performing teams that have grown over time
High-performance teams with a well-oiled inspection process are often looking for small tweaks to improve. These teams often find that their inspection forms that have grown in length or complexity. These changes often made sense at the time, but can add up to make inspections unwieldy, time-consuming, or impractical. APPA and ISSA templates are a way to reign in that complexity and refocus on what is actionable.
Any team frustrated with the current process
Of course, any inspector, department director, or janitorial business owner who finds their current process isn’t working (or isn’t being done at all) will be a natural fit to start fresh with a template. Starting with a template isn’t just throwing out the old for an arbitrary new system, after all. These are the standards developed by the top professional organizations in the industry. Learn more about APPA’s cleaning levels or ISSA’s CIMS certification to get a better feel for how these organizations develop standards.
Using the templates in OrangeQC
Within OrangeQC, administrators can choose to use the forms as-is, or to create and edit copies that can be completely customized. Either way, you will visit the Template Library page under the web app’s Setup tab. Then, you’ll copy the template you’d like to use. Check out our step-by-step guide for using the Template Library for a more thorough breakdown and screenshots.
Not using OrangeQC?
If you’re not an OrangeQC user, but want to check out what we mean, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial. Within minutes, you’ll be able to create your account, set up a basic site structure, and start looking at all the inspection options. We also do not require any kind of credit card or payment information to get started. Click here to check out the trial.
Another option? A one-on-one demo, which many of out enterprise and education clients prefer. We’ll set up a call to show you how the software works, answer your questions, and discuss how the app fits your team’s needs.
In conclusion: Embracing industry standards for inspection forms
The Template Library project aims to help teams to tap into the resources that are already out there and available for cleaning, janitorial, maintenance, and facility management teams. Using these best practices helps teams operate to the right standards. When you’re using best practices all along the way, expansion and growth also becomes easier. That’s because these standards are widely accepted and used within a variety of industries.
If you’ve been using the library for inspection forms and have any comments, questions, or suggestions, we’d love to hear from you! Drop us a line at support@orangeqc.com.
