> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://learn.withessential.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://learn.withessential.com/field-operations/deficiencies/what-is-a-deficiency.md).

# What is a deficiency?

A deficiency is a recorded problem found during an inspection. It comes from a compliance item on an inspection report: when a technician marks an item as failing, non-compliant (a Fail, or a No depending on how the item reads), the report opens a deficiency for that item.

Each deficiency captures two separate notes. **External Notes** is the customer-facing description, written to be shown to the customer. **Internal Notes** is for your team only and is not meant for the customer.

The form keeps these distinct on purpose, and each has its own quick-suggestion helper to speed up writing them. You can also attach photos and files to a deficiency to document the issue (HEIC phone photos are supported and shown as thumbnails), and some report items include extra deficiency fields to fill in.

For a service-linked compliance item whose service is covered by the report's visit type, both Pass and Fail count as performed and can advance the service schedule. N/A or an unanswered item does not, unless the technician explicitly chose a completion date for that service.

The deficiencies you record roll up into a Deficiencies task tied to the property and visit, which is where your office follows up. Deficiencies with advanced tracking also appear on the Deficiencies tabs for the related asset group, property, and job, so you can follow their status in the context where you are working. The tab is hidden when that page has no tracked deficiencies. Standard findings remain available on their source inspection report and Deficiencies task, but do not appear on these three tabs. On property and job pages, the **Asset Group** column identifies the asset group and **Asset** identifies the individual asset; on an asset group page, the redundant **Asset Group** column is omitted. Click a deficiency row to open its source inspection report at the exact question. For an asset-level finding, Essential also opens the matching asset.

Use **Clear** in the Visibility column to hide an older tracked deficiency from these roll-up lists without deleting it or changing whether it is Open or Resolved. Select **Show cleared** to review cleared rows and use **Restore** to make one visible again. Essential records who cleared the row and when. If the same item fails again, Essential automatically restores its visibility.

There are two kinds of deficiency. A standard finding records what is currently failing on its source report and does not have an Open or Resolved status. A tracked deficiency comes from a compliance item set up with advanced tracking. It stays on record for its asset and is marked resolved (with a date and how it resolved) when the report is resubmitted without the failure, when a later inspection passes the same item, or when your office marks it resolved by hand — see [How tracked deficiencies resolve](/field-operations/deficiencies/deficiencies-clear-when-the-inspection-report-is-resubmitted-without-them.md).

On report items set up for advanced tracking, the form also shows the asset's tracked deficiency history for that item—open and resolved findings from past reports—right under the answer. When the report is editable and the user has access, open findings offer **Record Retest** and **Mark Resolved**, while resolved findings offer **Reopen**.

> **Where to find it:** Deficiencies are created inside an inspection report, on a compliance item that's answered Fail (or No). You'll see the deficiency panel appear right under that item, and the resulting work shows up as a Deficiencies task.

## Related guides

* [How tracked deficiencies resolve](/field-operations/deficiencies/deficiencies-clear-when-the-inspection-report-is-resubmitted-without-them.md)
* [Working a deficiency task](/field-operations/deficiencies/working-a-deficiency-task.md)


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