> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.hiveinspect.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Template Structure: Sections, Subsections and Comment Types > How a Hive Inspect template is organized: sections, subsections, the Information, Limitations and Defects comment groups, checkbox, multiple choice and text comments, and hidden items.

In the dashboard: Templates → open a template

## How a template is organized A template has four levels. Each level sits inside the one above it: 1. **Template**, for example *Hive Inspect Residential* 2. **Sections**: the main parts of the report, for example *Roof* 3. **Subsections**: the parts of each section, for example *Predominant Roof* 4. **Comments**, sorted into three groups in every subsection: * **Information**: what is there, for example *Roof Covering Material: Architectural shingles* * **Limitations**: what couldn't be inspected, and why, for example *Inspected From Ground* * **Defects/ Deficiencies**: problems found, for example *Shingles - Damage* ```text theme={"theme":{"light":"github-light","dark":"vesper"}} Hive Inspect Residential ← template ├── Plumbing ← section ├── Roof ← section │ ├── Inspection Method ← subsection │ ├── Predominant Roof ← subsection │ │ ├── Information │ │ │ ├── Roof Covering Inspected (checkbox) │ │ │ ├── Roof Covering Material (multiple choice) │ │ │ └── Date of last roof permit (text) │ │ ├── Limitations │ │ │ └── Inspected From Ground (checkbox) │ │ └── Defects/ Deficiencies │ │ └── Shingles - Damage (defect) │ └── Gutters / Downspouts ← subsection └── Attic, Roof Structure, & Ventilation ← section ``` In the template editor, the sections are listed on the left. Click the arrow next to a section to show its subsections. Click a subsection to see its comments on the right. The template editor for Hive Inspect Residential. On the left, Overview and the list of sections, with Roof expanded to show its subsections; Predominant Roof is selected. Well equipment is greyed out with a crossed-out eye icon. On the right, the Predominant Roof subsection with its Subsection Details card and, below, the Information group with six comments The same structure is what the inspector fills in on site, in the mobile app and the Web Editor, and what the client reads in the report. ## Sections A section is a main part of the report, such as **Roof**, **Exterior**, **Plumbing** or **Electrical**. Click a section's name on the left to see its **Section Details**. The Section Details card for Roof: Section Title Roof, an empty Section Description box with a formatting toolbar, Private Notes containing Check for a roof permit before the inspection, and the Section Visible switch turned on, with the note This section will be visible in reports | Setting | What it does | Who sees it | | - | - | - | | **Section Title** | The name of the section. | Everyone, in the report | | **Section Description** | Text printed in the report with the section, for example what the section covers. Can include images. | Your client, in the report | | **Private Notes** | Notes for the inspector, for example a reminder of what to check. | Only inspectors, in the report editor. Never in the report. | | **Section Visible** | Whether the section is shown in new reports. See [Hidden sections and subsections](#hidden-sections-and-subsections). | | A section has no comments of its own. Its comments are in its subsections. ## Subsections A subsection is one item or area inside a section, such as **Gutters / Downspouts** inside **Roof**. Click a subsection's name on the left to open it. The Predominant Roof subsection with an Add Subsection button. The Subsection Details card has a Placeholder Lookup button, Subsection Title Predominant Roof, a Description saying The main roof covering over most of the house, Private Notes saying Photograph all four roof slopes and the roof age label, if present, and the Subsection Visible switch turned on A subsection has the same settings as a section: **Subsection Title**, **Description** (printed in the report), **Private Notes** (only inspectors, in the report editor) and **Subsection Visible**. Below its details, every subsection has the three comment groups: **Information**, **Limitations** and **Defects/ Deficiencies**. A new subsection always starts with all three, empty. If the template has [ratings](/how-tos/template-overview#ratings) on, the inspector gives each subsection a rating, such as IN or NP. ### Placeholder Lookup **Placeholder Lookup** lists placeholders you can type into a description or comment, such as `{{{property_address}}}`, `{{{inspection_date}}}`, `{{{inspector_name}}}`, `{{{company_name}}}` or `{{{client_full_name}}}`. In the report, each one is replaced with the inspection's details. Click **Copy** next to one and paste it where you need it. ## The three comment groups Every subsection sorts its comments into three groups, each with its own color. The green Information group of Predominant Roof with 6 fields and a Select all link: Roof Covering Inspected (a ticked checkbox icon), Roof Material Age, Roof Covering Material, Roof life expectancy (list icons for multiple choice), Date of last roof permit (a T icon for text) and Overall Condition. Each comment has flag, up, down, edit, duplicate, move and delete icons and a selection box. An Add New Comment button is at the bottom **Information** comments describe what the inspector found: materials, types, sizes, ages, locations and general condition. For example: *Roof Covering Material: Architectural shingles* or *Water heater age: 2016*. The yellow Limitations group of Predominant Roof with 2 fields: Walked Where Possible and Inspected From Ground, both checkbox comments, and an Add New Comment button **Limitations** comments say what couldn't be inspected and why, for example *the roof was inspected from the ground because of its pitch* or *the attic was not entered because of stored items*. They protect you by putting the limits of the inspection in writing. The orange Defects/ Deficiencies group of Predominant Roof with 6 fields, each with a warning icon and a background tinted by its category: No Permit Found (not original) and No Permit Found (original) in blue, and Shingles - Nail Pop w/ Damage, Shingles - Granular Loss (excessive), Impact damage and Shingles - Damage in orange **Defects/ Deficiencies** comments are the problems the inspector found and what to do about them. Each has a category, a recommended service and, if you like, an estimated cost and timeline. These are the comments that appear in the report summary. See [Defect comments](#defect-comments). The name of this group can be changed for your whole company, for example to **Observations**. See [Defects heading](/how-tos/report-customization#defects-heading). ## Comment types in Information and Limitations An Information or Limitations comment can be one of three types. You choose the type when you create the comment, under **Comment Type**. The Comment Type list in the Configure Comment Details dialog with three choices: Checkbox Item, Multiple Choice and Text | Type | Icon | What the inspector does on site | Example | | - | - | - | - | | **Checkbox Item** | ☑ | Ticks the comment to include it. Its text then goes into the report. | *Roof Covering Inspected*: "The roof covering was inspected at visible areas for damage, wear and missing materials." | | **Multiple Choice** | ☰ | Picks one or more options from your list. | *Roof Covering Material*: Architectural shingles, 3-tab asphalt shingles, Metal, Tile | | **Text** | **T** | Types an answer. | *Date of last roof permit*: "March 2019" | **Checkboxes and multiple choice are by far the most common.** For example, the Hive Inspect Residential template in the Template Hub has about 1,300 checkbox comments and 280 multiple choice comments, but only 16 text comments. Use text only when the answer can't be a list, such as a date, a serial number or a measurement. ### Checkbox Item A comment with a name and a **Description Text**. On site, the inspector ticks it to add it to the report. Tick **Auto-select this comment** for comments you include on almost every inspection, such as a standard limitation. Auto-selected comments are already ticked in every new report from this template. The inspector can still untick them. In the template, an auto-selected checkbox shows a green ticked box icon. ### Multiple Choice A comment with a list of **Options**. On site, the inspector picks one or more of them, for example both *Metal* and *Tile* on a house with two roof types. In the mobile app and the Web Editor, the inspector can also add an option that isn't in your list. * Type the options separated by commas, for example `Architectural shingles, Metal, Tile`. * **Default Value** (optional): the option already picked in every new report, for example the material you see most often. * **Description Text** (optional): extra text that goes with the comment, for example how life expectancy is estimated. ### Text A comment the inspector answers by typing. **Default Value** (optional) is text that's already filled in, which the inspector can change at the inspection. ## Defect comments A defect comment has more details than the other types: | Detail | What it's for | | - | - | | **Field Name** | The short name of the problem, such as *Shingles - Damage*. | | **Description Text** | What was observed, why it matters and what to do. Many inspectors use an Observation, Evaluation and Recommendation layout. | | **Defect/ Deficiency Category** (required) | How serious it is: blue, orange or red. The default names are **Maintenance Items**, **Recommendations** and **Safety Concerns**. The category sets the comment's color and where it goes in the summary. You can rename the categories for a template in [Template Tools](/how-tos/template-and-report-tools#category-names). | | **Defect/ Deficiency Service** | The type of professional who should fix it, such as Roofing Professional or Electrical Contractor. | | **Estimated Cost** and **Estimated Timeline** (optional) | For example \$300 - \$800, within 30 days. | | **Auto-select this comment** | Turns the defect on in every new report. Rarely used for defects. | In the template, each defect comment is tinted in the color of its category. ## Options on every comment Every comment, of any type, also has: * **Attach Images (Optional):** up to 20 reference photos or diagrams, for example a photo showing what the defect looks like. Click an image after uploading it to draw on it or add a caption. * **Auto-flag (Required comment):** the comment starts flagged in every new report. The report can't be published until the inspector reviews each flagged comment and unflags it. Use it for comments that must never be skipped. You can also switch it with the flag icon on the comment. ## Hive Comment Assist **Hive Comment Assist** writes a new comment for you from a few words. In the **New Comment** dialog, click **Generate using Hive Comment Assist**, pick a **Text Length**, describe the issue, for example "roof viewed from the ground because the pitch was too steep to walk", and click **Generate**. The Configure Comment Details dialog for a Limitations comment with the Hive Comment Assist panel open: Text Length set to Medium (3-5 sentences), Describe the issue filled in with roof viewed from the ground because the pitch was too steep to walk, and a purple Generate button Hive fills in the comment's name and description in your company's style, using the section and subsection you're in. For a multiple choice comment it also suggests options, and for a defect it picks a category and service. Check the result and click **Create Field**. When you edit a comment, **Generate description** writes a new description from the comment's name. Comment Assist is part of Hive AI. The button only appears when **Hive Comment Copilot** is enabled for your company. See [Comment Assist](/how-tos/comment-assist). ## Hidden sections and subsections Switch off **Section Visible** or **Subsection Visible** for items that don't apply to most of your inspections, such as a dock, a well or a second kitchen. * A hidden section or subsection is greyed out with a crossed-out eye icon in the template. The section list with Roof expanded. The Well equipment section and the Metal Panels subsection are greyed out with a crossed-out eye icon because they are hidden * In every new report, it starts hidden. * When it's needed on site, the inspector unhides it from the end of the list in the mobile app or the Web Editor. This keeps reports short without deleting anything from your template. Visibility works for sections and subsections, not for single comments. ## Where to go next * [Editing templates](/how-tos/editing-templates): add, move and duplicate sections, subsections and comments. * [Template Overview settings](/how-tos/template-overview): name, ratings, report text and documents. * [Save a comment to a template](/how-tos/saving-comments-to-template): add a comment you wrote in a report to your template. This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.