The Questionnaire tab of an inspection template is where users define the structure and content of their inspections. This area allows you to build detailed, reusable checklists made up of sections and questions that guide inspection teams through the process. Each section groups related questions together, making the checklist easier to understand and follow.
Sections: Organize Your Template
Sections are headers used to categorize inspection questions. For example, a workplace safety checklist might have sections such as:
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Emergency Equipment
Work Environment
You can:
Add new sections
Rename sections
Reorder sections using the up and down arrow buttons
Delete entire sections (and the questions within them)
Questions: Build Your Inspection Logic
Within each section, you can add individual inspection questions. Each question includes:
Title: The question the inspector will respond to
Description: Additional guidance or instructions for the inspector
Additional Details (optional): A rich text field for notes or references
Customizing Question Properties
By default, questions will inherit the default question properties set at the template level. However individual questions can be further customized using the gear icon on each question:
Response Type: Choose how the question should be answered (e.g., Yes/No/N/A, multiple choice, number input, or free response)
Requirement Settings:
Require notes based on specific answers (e.g., if the answer is “No”)
Require attachments for photographic evidence
Require issues (findings or actions) to be logged based on specific answers
Default Issue Type and Priority: Define what kind of issue is raised (finding vs action) and its default priority level
✅ Best Practices
To ensure your inspection templates are efficient, meaningful, and aligned with your organization’s safety and compliance goals, we recommend the following best practices:
1. Start with AI to Save Time
Use Serenity AI to generate a starting point for your inspection templates. AI-generated templates include predefined sections and questions based on best practices and your selected inspection type. You can quickly customize these suggestions to match your specific needs instead of starting from scratch.
2. Be Consistent with Question Phrasing
Write questions in a consistent and intuitive format. We strongly recommend phrasing questions so that:
"Yes" indicates a passing/positive condition
"No" indicates a failing/negative condition
This consistency simplifies reporting and ensures that inspection teams know what response is desirable. For example:
✅ “Is eye protection being worn in areas with potential hazards?”
❌ Avoid confusing phrasing like “Is eye protection not missing?”
3. Focus on Assessment — Not Just Data Collection
Inspections should be used to assess the condition or compliance of a specific entity (facility, zone, equipment, etc.). Avoid treating inspections as general-purpose data collection forms. Keep the checklist concise and action-oriented, so each inspection provides a clear snapshot of risk, compliance, and areas for improvement.
4. 📊 Enable Scoring to Drive Insights
If your inspections are used to monitor ongoing performance, we recommend enabling scoring in the template settings. Scoring transforms inspections from simple checklists into measurable tools:
Compare inspection performance across sites or over time
Identify top-performing or high-risk areas
Create powerful dashboards and reports for leadership
Scoring adds significant value and visibility — especially when inspections are part of recurring compliance programs.