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Hello New HomeGauge Customer,

We want to make sure new customers can get started quickly with the HomeGauge Inspection Software (HGIS) and with the Services of HomeGauge Inspectors (SHGI) Platinum plan (you get a FREE 3 month trial of Platinum Internet Tools. The steps listed here will help make sure you get your moneys worth and reap the benefits that come with using HGIS and the SHGI Platinum. Over the next 10 days we need you to perform the steps below and send us the information requested below.

We recommend you print out this page (click here for printer friendly version) and use it for a reference. If at any time you have any questions or need any help on any of these steps then please send an email to support@homegauge.com or call us toll free at (877) 274-4299.

HomeGauge Inspection Software Steps

You purchased the most powerful inspection software available and now the following steps below will help get you using it fast.

Step 1. Insert HomeGauge Software License Key
After your purchase of the software you should have received an email with your license key for the software. If you have not gotten an email with your license key then please call (877) 274-4299 (toll free) and ask where the heck is my license key?
To insert your license number in HomeGauge software:

  1. Open HomeGauge software
  2. At the top under the "Options" menu select "Inspector & License"
  3. Enter your name, company name, and license key exactly as it appears in the email. The license key will look similar to the below.
    License key: 4010-0131-6421-7796
  4. Click on the "Activate" button to activate your license

Insert Pocket HG Software License Key
After your purchase of the software you should have received an email with your license key for the Pocket HG Software. If you have not gotten an email wth your Pocket HG license key then please call (877) 274-4299 (toll-fre) and ask where the heck is my Pocket HG license key?
How to insert your license and activate the Pocket HG software:

  1. Install the Pocket HG software and run it at least once for a "Device Id" to be created.
  2. Run HomeGauge on the desktop with the Pocket PC docked and syncing.
  3. Select the HomeGauge menu "Pocket HG -> License"
  4. Click the button "Get The Connected Device's ID"
  5. Click on the new inserted device in the list. Note that many Pocket HG's can activated on one desktop and a Pocket HG can be activated on many desktops.
  6. Enter the license below exactaly as it is listed.
  7. Click the activate button.

Step 2. Insert Your Inspection Company Logo
 If you do not have a company logo you may skip this step and use the SHGI logo.

The logo you use must either be a jpg or gif file. There are two different sizes of the logo used thru out the report. The logos must be sized to approximately 100 x 100 pixels for the small logo and 250 x 250 pixels for the large logo. You can leave either the large or small logo as the current SHGI logo if you desire.

If you have a logo in a computer format but are not sure which format or you do not know how to resize an image then please send it to support@homegauge.com for help.

To insert your logo into the software:

  1. Use the "File" menu and select "Printing Options"
  2. Click on the tab labels "Logos"
  3. click on the current default SHGI logo and when prompted select the logo you would like to use.
This step also helps with future steps of setting up your company web pages.

Step 3. Configure Internet Explorer so that the background shading prints. (Optional)
If you purchased your computer from HomeGauge then this step has already been done for you.
The home inspection report is generated into a HTML page when you hit the print button. HTML is the computer format for all web pages. The Internet Explorer web browser that is on your computer is then used to print that report.

1) Run Internet Explorer
2) Use the "Tools -> Internet Options" menu
3) Select the "Advanced" page
4) Scroll down and check the box under "Printing" that says "Print Background Colors and Images".

Step 4. Additional Customizations (Optional)
If you are not happy with the look of the cover, invoice, or summary page then please let us know as they can be customized also. There is also several "Styles" included in the software that have different colors but if you would like a different color, font type or size then please let us know.

SHGI Platinum Internet Tools Steps

The Platinum Internet Tools are free for the first 3 months and includes items like free upgrades to the software, ability to upload reports to the website, your own website, and much more. Read about all of the features by visiting http://www.homegauge.com/inspector/shgi/plans.html. Important: Part of your Platinum plan is free assistance so please email or call with any questions.

Step 5. Sign up for your Platinum Plan
 Follow the below steps to be signed up for Platinum and start enjoying the provided services.

  1. Go to www.HomeGauge.com and select I am a home inspector.
  2. Next select "Sign Up" and create your Username and Password.
  3. Select the Platinum Status.
  4. Enter the rest of your information and click the submit button.
  5. Open HG software
  6. At the top tool bar select SHGI and in the drop down menu choose "Enter SHGI Username and Password"
  7. Enter the username and password you created. Now when you upload a report it will be uploaded under your username.

Step 6. Report Upload and Storage With Email Notifications
This part of the Platinum/Gold Internet Tools allows you store all your reports on our site providing you an off-site secondary back up that you can access 24 hours a day 7 days a week. It also allows you to send your email notifications to your clients effortlessly. You can read the full instructions on how to upload reports by visiting http://www.homegauge.com/inspector/shgi/upload.html after signing in to the HomeGauge web site. We will be glad to walk you thru your first upload over the phone. Please call us toll free at (877) 274-4299 to schedule this.

Step 7. Your HomeGauge Platinum Web Site
HomeGauge pays and tweaks search engines to help find you and your HomeGauge website. The more information you include, the better your website will appear. This can mean more hits and more hits can mean more inspections. Two hits a year could pay for your Internet Tools alone! We have made it easy to edit your own website. To get started, just login at HomeGauge.com, and once logged in, click on the "My Website" link. We have more help and tutorials available here. If you get your own domain name (not included, but generally less than $10/year), let us know and we can move your site to your own domain name. This gives you the additional benefit of having your own email accounts pointing to your own domain, which gives you a more professional appearance than using an address from your ISP or from a free email provider.

More Info

Tours and Tutorials
HomeGauge inspection software is flexible and some of its options are not obvious when using it for the first time. We recommend that you view the HomeGauge Home Inspection Software Tours to see some of them in action.

Resources
After signing in to the HomeGauge web site you can visit our Inspectors Resource Page to view more info to help you with the software and other inspection related items.

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