> 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/mobile/save-publish-and-reopen-inspection-reports.md). # Save, publish, and reopen inspection reports on mobile An inspection report in the mobile app is a draft from the moment you create it and stays one until you publish it. This page covers leaving a report and coming back to it, what to check when **Publish Report** is greyed out, and how to change or copy a report after it has been published. > **Where to find it:** Mobile app > Visits > open a visit > Start Inspection (or Inspection Reports) > asset group > a report; or Mobile app > Reports > a report ## Save a report and leave it There is no Save button. Your answers are saved to the draft each time you tap the back arrow at the top left to leave an asset or a step. A thin bar under the header shows the save in progress, and the back arrow is unavailable until it finishes. Photos, videos, and signatures upload as soon as you add them. To stop and finish later: 1. Tap the back arrow until you are on the report's list of steps. 2. Tap the back arrow once more. A sheet asks **Leave without publishing?** 3. Tap **Leave (Keep as Draft)**. Tap **Stay and Keep Editing** to carry on instead. Swiping in from the left edge on an iPhone and the system back button on Android do the same thing as the back arrow. If a save can't reach Essential, the app shows **Failed to update inspection report**. What you entered stays on the screen and is sent again with the next save. If the app closes before you go back, your answers are kept on the phone and sent the next time you open that report on the same phone. ## Come back to a draft * Tap **Reports** in the bottom bar, tap the **Draft** pill, and tap the report's card. * Or tap **Visits**, open the visit, tap **Start Inspection** (**Inspection Reports** when your role can't create reports), tap the asset group, and tap the report under **Drafts**. Only the most recently changed draft shows at first; tap the link under it, which reads **View 1 more draft**, **View 2 more drafts**, and so on, to see the rest. The draft opens on its list of steps. The status ring on each step and asset shows what is left, and the **Not Done** tab on an asset list holds the assets that still need answers. ## When Publish Report is greyed out **Publish Report** sits at the bottom of the report's last step, named **Review & Publish** unless the report form renames it. It turns on only when the report is complete. The app doesn't list what is missing on that step, so go back to the list of steps and open every step that doesn't show a green check. | What you see | What to do | | -------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | A step with an amber or gray ring | Open it. Answer every question marked with a red asterisk. On an asset list, tap **Not Done** to see the assets that still need answers. | | An asset you didn't inspect | Open it, tap the three-dot icon at the top right, tap **Skip for Inspection**, and confirm with **Skip**. A skipped asset counts as done. | | A failed item still under **Not Done** | Fill in the deficiency fields marked with a red asterisk: **Description of defects or malfunctions**, **Internal notes about the deficiency**, **Photos**, or an extra field. | | A required **Done** / **Not Done** service question | Give it a service date with **Add** under **Last service or installation date**, or choose **N/A** when the service doesn't apply. | | **At least one item is required.** | Add an item to the **Parts, Labor, and Items** question. | | **Complete the required fields before publishing.** | Finish the open row of the repeatable list. | | **Uploading...** | Wait for the photo, video, or signature to finish uploading. | | **This asset group is inactive. Publishing is disabled.** | Ask the office to reactivate the asset group in the web app. | | **This asset group has been deleted. Publishing is disabled.** | The report can't be published. Contact the office. | Publishing needs the **Submit Inspection Report** permission. Without it, tapping **Publish Report** shows an **Error** message ending in **unauthorized** and the report stays a draft. An admin grants the permission in the web app under Settings > Team > Roles & Permissions. Being offline does not block publishing. See [Publish and email inspection reports from mobile](/field-operations/inspection-reports/publish-and-email-inspection-reports-from-mobile.md). ## After you publish When you publish online, the app shows **Inspection Report Submitted** and returns to the screen you came from. The PDF is added to the job files. The report then shows as **Published** on the Reports tab and under **Submitted Reports** for its asset group on the visit. On a large report, a **This is taking longer than usual** window can appear while the PDF is generated; tap **Got it** and carry on. When you publish offline, the app shows **Report will publish when you're back online** instead. Your answers are saved on the phone, the report publishes when the app syncs, and the PDF appears in the job files after that. ## Change a published report A published report isn't locked. With **Edit Inspection Report** and **Submit Inspection Report**, you can correct it and publish it again. The same report is updated. 1. Tap **Reports** in the bottom bar, tap the **Published** pill, and tap the report's card. Tap the card itself, not **View PDF**. From a visit, tap **Start Inspection** (it reads **Inspection Reports** when your role cannot create reports), the asset group, then the report under **Submitted Reports**. 2. Open the step, open the asset if the step lists assets, and change the answer. 3. Tap the back arrow to save the change. 4. Open the last step. When your business has **Email inspection reports** turned on, choose anyone who should receive the corrected report under **Email To**; nobody is selected to start with. Without that setting there is no **Email To** section, and you can still publish. 5. Tap **Publish Report**. Your changes don't reach the PDF until you publish again. If you leave first, the app asks **Leave without publishing?** with **Stay and Keep Editing** and **Leave Without Publishing**. The report must be complete to publish again. A published report can't be deleted in the mobile app. ## Duplicate a published report Duplicating starts a new draft on the visit you're working, copied from a report that was already published. The original is left unchanged. It needs the **Duplicate Inspection Report** permission. 1. Tap **Visits** in the bottom bar and open the visit. 2. Tap **Start Inspection**, then the asset group. 3. Under **Submitted Reports**, find the report. Tap the link under it, which reads **View 1 more report**, **View 2 more reports**, and so on, to see older ones. 4. Tap **Duplicate this report** at the bottom of the report's card. 5. Tap **Duplicate** in the **Duplicate this report?** window. The new draft opens on its list of steps with the original's results, answers, notes, and photos. If you duplicate while offline, the draft opens right away with the answers and notes, and its photos and signatures appear after the app syncs, so do not add them again. Change what is different, then publish it as usual. **Duplicate this report** is only offered from a visit, not from the Reports tab. ## Related guides * [Fill inspection reports on mobile](/field-operations/mobile/fill-inspection-reports.md) * [Publish and email inspection reports from mobile](/field-operations/inspection-reports/publish-and-email-inspection-reports-from-mobile.md) * [Work offline and sync mobile changes](/field-operations/mobile/work-offline-and-sync.md) * [Mobile troubleshooting](/field-operations/mobile/mobile-troubleshooting.md) --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters: ``` GET https://learn.withessential.com/field-operations/mobile/save-publish-and-reopen-inspection-reports.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.