Welcome to Dynamic Surveyors Software 

Installation instructions for users 

  Click here to go the Free trial page

Thank you for choosing Dynamic Surveyors Software to assist you with your survey inspections and report writing.

The system is designed to be ‘user friendly’ and as the same process is used throughout the inspection and reporting process for all the applications that are being developed, it will be easy to change from one type of commission to another. 

The software offers a full business process for practices with multiple surveyors as well as providing a quality assurance regime that can be used by all practices from the sole practitioner to the large surveying organisations. 

The following simple instructions will help you to install and use the software effectively and efficiently.   

Installing from the DS Software website free trial download

Click on the download page and follow the instructions.  The system will load Microsoft .net and SQL Server, if they not already on your PC or laptop. It will also load KBX and the Dynamic Surveyors programmes.

The Dynamic Surveyors (DS) Software Administration Service and Surveyor Icons will appear on your desktop.  Click the Administration Service and wait for DS Software to load (it may take a minute or so - If you click it a second time two versions will open!)

Insert the name of your business (ensure that it is correctly spelt as this is reused) and click ‘Save’.

Insert your name and contact information.

The software then goes to ‘Reports Register’.  Click the ‘Company Details’ button at the top of the page to complete information about your company (see below), noting that all fields in the software marked with a ‘red diamond’ ¨ are mandatory fields and must be completed. 

Installation from Disks 

Insert the disk into your  PC CD drive and follow the instructions.  The ‘Prerequisite Wizard’ will tell you which of the files are required on your system and will install them for you.

The DS Software Administration Service and Surveyor Icons will appear on your desktop.  Click the Administration Service and wait for DS Software to load (it may take a minute or so - If you click it a second time two versions will open!)

If you are not loading the trial version, you will be asked to load in the Registration Key that is comprised of the letters and numbers on the sleeve of your installation disk.

Insert the name of your business (ensure that it is correctly spelt as this is reused) and click ‘Save’.

Insert your name and contact information.

The software then goes to ‘Reports Register’.  Click the ‘Company Details’ button at the top of the page to complete information about your company (see below), noting that all fields in the software marked with a ‘red diamond’ ¨ are mandatory fields and must be completed. 

Company Details.

1. These details are saved for use on the reports generated by your surveyors.
2. You may include up to 5 ‘logos’ that appear at the bottom of the report cover sheet. They should be your company logo and any ‘professional or trade organisation’ logos that your business is entitled to display.
3. The administrative information is required if the business is using Direct Debit for the purchase of units.

Charges for use of the software are on a unit basis.  The units aree purchased through ‘Paypal', but large volume users may enter into a purchasing agreement with PIR Ltd.  

Surveyor Register 

You must complete the surveyor details for each surveyor who uses the system, (including yourself if you are a sole practitioner).

a.      These details are saved to enable the report invitation, instructions and format to be sent electronically to the surveyor when instructions are received.

b.      The information is used in the completion of the report.

Client register 

On receipt of an enquiry, you must add the client information to the Client Register.   This creates the audit trail for any subsequent instructions. Without this the report cannot be generated.

Reports Register 

Click on the Reports button at the top of the page to the Reports Register

On receipt of an instruction, you must add the job to the Reports Register.

a.      Click the ‘Report type’ option that you require for this report. 

b.      The client information has already been entered on the Client Register, can be searched and will self complete.

c.      Complete the address CAREFULLY, this will be replicated in the report!

 Report Management 

In Report Management you will be able to

4. generate the mandatory ‘CONFIRMATION OF INSTRUCTIONS’ letter to send to the Client.   The software has a number of drafts that you can use, but you can write your own.  It is important that the Terms of Engagement included in the confirmation match the Terms of Engagement in the report.
5. allocate the job to a surveyor from the Surveyor Register.  In the case of multiple surveyor practices, this facility automatically sends an invitation email  to the chosen surveyor and follows a process for the sending of the instructions.  For sole practitioners the process is simplified but the instructions are sent by email, (in case the practitioner is not at his office)

Carrying out the inspection 

Click on the ‘Survey’ button to find the on-site questionnaire

Completing the inspection questionnaire.

6. The questionnaire is the surveyor’s site notes.  The system stores the site notes with the report and so completes the audit trail from the inspection to the report.  Photographs can be added.

7. The software directs you to the various parts of the report that you need to complete, starting with the Generic Information.

8. Whenever you complete a section of the report, follow the instructions at the bottom of the page, by clicking on either the SAVE button, or SCHEDULE button in the top right to SAVE the data collected before moving on to the next part of the questionnaire.

9. the software is interactive and responds to the answers to previous questions.  For example, if the type of property is a Flat the essential additional questions about flats are added in, but they do not appear if the property is a House.

10. The Health and Safety Risk Assessment is an aide-memoir and does not appear in the report. It is useful tool if problems arise that inhibit or prevent the inspection being completed.

11.  When completing the Inspection part of the questionnaire follow the process through in a methodical order.  The phrase that will appear in the report is generated on the questionnaire page and where the option to change the text is provided the surveyor may amend the pre-installed text to suit the particular circumstances of the inspection. This is done in the input box, not in the phrase itself.

In some of the condition and recommendation sections of the questionnaire a ‘blank’ report line has been provided to allow surveyors to write their own text, if they so wish.

n.      In line with the practice developed for the Home Condition Report, Condition Ratings can be added to the report.  This too is ‘optional’.

1.       Adding photographs

b.      Save photographs to a chosen file. Click the ‘camera’ icon under the image box and collect the photo you require from the file.  The photo will be automatically resized for use in the report.

 a.      The Home Survey software has been written with the option to add a ’Market Valuation’ if this is required in the instructions.  The assumptions upon which such a valuation is based are included in the report.  In the event that an alternative valuation is required, consideration should first be given to as to whether this form of report is suitable, and if it is so considered, then the basis of the valuation and the assumptions must be included in the report.

 b.      The surveyor should electronically sign off the report.  If the surveyor needs to return to a part of the report to undertake a final check or make amendments, then click the ‘Return to report’ button.   Alternatively, click the Email report’ button and it assuming there is email connectivity the report will be sent back to the office from which the instructions originated.

 Viewing the written report 

The written report can be viewed at any time during the inspection.  It can only be changed using the questionnaire.  The report is not a ‘Word’ document.

 To view the report, Click on the small tab on the lower right hand side of the questionnaire.  The tab has a small blue triangle on it pointing to the left and is to the left of the scrolling facility. This will open up the toolbox to ‘View documents’.

Good luck and good surveying with DS Software. 

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