> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.1nspect.app/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Comms Cockpit # Comms Cockpit The Comms Cockpit is the **single control surface** for everything your business sends via email. It combines two distinct editors in one page: * **Email Template editor** — build and edit the email bodies (subject, body, variable tokens, links) that the workflow engine sends * **Workflow Step editor** — wire each template to a trigger event with a send offset, recipients, and conditional rules This article is the UI reference. For the conceptual model behind triggers, offsets, and templates, see [Communications & Workflow](/1nspect/features/communications). *** ## When you use it * **First-week setup** — build out your standard email templates (booking confirmation, contract reminder, report delivery, agent summary, etc.) and wire each to a trigger * **Rare adjustments** — change a subject line, swap a template, retime a reminder * **Per-service customization** — add a service-type-specific step (e.g. 11-month warranty reminder for New Construction) * **A/B testing copy** — duplicate a template, tweak it, swap the wiring Most operators rarely visit Comms Cockpit after initial setup. The workflow engine handles delivery for every order automatically once configured. *** ## Screen layout \[SCREENSHOT: comms-cockpit-screen.png — desktop, the Comms Cockpit with a top section for editing an email template (Name, Trigger, Subject, Body) and a bottom section for editing workflow steps (Trigger, Offset, Recipients, Template).] The page is split into two stacked editors: 1. **Email Template editor** (top half) — for the email body itself 2. **Workflow Step editor** (bottom half) — for wiring a template to a trigger A sidebar (typically left) lists existing templates and existing workflow steps. Click a row to load it into the relevant editor. *** ## Email Template editor The top editor builds **the email itself**. Every field your customer sees in their inbox starts here. ### Template fields | Field | Required | Notes | | ----------------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Template Name** | ✅ | Internal label (e.g. "Booking Confirmation") | | Suggested Trigger | — | Drop-down — used for **grouping only**. Actual timing is set in the Workflow Step editor. | | **Subject Line** | ✅ | Supports `$Variable` tokens (e.g. *"Your inspection at \$InspectionAddress is confirmed"*) | | **Email Body** | ✅ | Rich text editor with formatting toolbar | ### Variable tokens Tokens are placeholders replaced with real inspection data at send time. The same tokens work in subject lines, body text, and contracts: **Client tokens:** `$ClientFirstName` `$ClientLastName` `$ClientNames` `$Client2FirstName` **Property & inspection:** `$InspectionAddress` `$InspectionDate` `$InspectionTime` **Inspector & company:** `$InspectorName` `$InspectorLicense` `$CompanyName` `$CompanyLogo` **Fees:** `$InspectionFee` `$BaseFee` `$ServiceFee` `$InspectionFeeTable` **Links:** `$ContractLink` — client signing portal `$ReportLink` — client report download `$AgentReportLink` — agent-only report view `$PortalLink` — realtor portal magic link **Payment handles:** `$VenmoHandle` `$ZelleContact` `$CashAppHandle` See [Communications → Template Variables](/1nspect/features/communications#template-variables) for the complete list and edge cases. ### Insert Hyperlink dialog The body editor has an **Insert Hyperlink** toolbar action that opens a small modal: | Field | Notes | | ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Link text (optional)** | If you already selected text, leave blank — the selection becomes the link | | **URL or \$Variable** | Either a regular `https://` URL or a token like `$ReportLink` | The hint explains: *"You can use a $Variable token as the URL (e.g. $ReportLink)."* This is the recommended way to add report-link buttons — the link resolves per-recipient at send time, so the client sees their full report link and the agent sees the agent-only view. The dialog has **Cancel** (no change) and **Apply** (commits the link) buttons. *** ## Workflow Step editor The bottom editor **wires a template to a trigger event**. Each row in the workflow steps list is one step; the engine fires every enabled step that matches a trigger. ### Step fields #### Trigger | Field | Required | Notes | | -------------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Trigger** | ✅ | Drop-down of the 17 supported triggers — see [Communications → Trigger Events](/1nspect/features/communications#trigger-events) | | Custom trigger | — | You can also type a custom trigger like `warranty.6mo` or `survey.post_inspection` for events you fire yourself via the API | > **Tip from the UI:** *"Add two steps for this trigger — one for **Primary Client** using `$ReportLink`, and one for agents using `$AgentReportLink`. Each recipient gets the correct scoped link."* This is the canonical pattern for report delivery. #### Timing | Field | Required | Notes | | ----------------- | -------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Send Offset** | ✅ | Any value supported: `0`, `+12h`, `+48h`, `+7d`, `+6mo`, `-24h`. Negative for "before" the anchor; positive for "after". | | **Offset Anchor** | ✅ | `From trigger time` (default) — counts from when the trigger fired. `From inspection date` — counts from the scheduled inspection date. Use for reminders (e.g. `-48h` from `inspection_date`). | #### Recipients | Field | Required | Notes | | ------------------------------ | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Email Template** | ✅ | Drop-down of templates defined in the upper editor | | **Recipients** | ✅ | Multi-select: Primary Client · Co-client · Buyer's Agent · Assigned Inspector · custom field | | Also Send To (fixed addresses) | — | Free-form list — type emails, press Enter or comma. Example: `team@company.com`. Useful for internal CC. | #### Scoping | Field | Required | Notes | | ---------------------------- | -------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Applies to Service Types** | ✅ | Multi-select of service types. Pick "All Services" for orders regardless of service. Otherwise, restrict (e.g. "New Construction" for a warranty reminder). | | **Action** | ✅ | What this step does — see Actions below | | Conditional | — | Optional condition (e.g. `contractSignedAt == null`) — the step only fires if the condition is true | #### Conditional examples The conditional field accepts simple expressions: * `contractSignedAt == null` — only if the contract is unsigned * `paymentStatus == 'paid'` — only after payment received * `assignedInspectorName != null` — only if an inspector is assigned ### Actions — what the step does | Action | What happens | | ------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Send email** | Composes the linked template, resolves variables, sends to the listed recipients | | **Advance inspection status** | Changes the inspection's status (drop-down: Scheduled / Assigned / In Progress / Completed / Cancelled). Useful for auto-completing or auto-cancelling on certain triggers. | | **Suppress (skip for these service types)** | Cancels any other workflow step that would have fired for the listed service types and this trigger | | **Retime (use this offset instead)** | Overrides the offset for the listed service types — useful for *"my Commercial inspections need a 7-day reminder, not the standard 48h"* | *** ## Order of operations When a trigger fires for an order: 1. The engine looks up every enabled step matching the trigger AND the order's service types 2. Steps are sorted by their offset (most-negative first, then chronologically) 3. For each step: * The conditional is evaluated against the order * If the conditional passes (or is empty), the step is scheduled 4. Send actions are enqueued; status-advance and retime actions execute synchronously You can preview the calculated firing schedule by selecting an order and using **Preview Workflow Steps** (a debug action available to owners). *** ## Sidebar — templates and steps lists ### Templates list Each template appears as a row showing its Template Name and a count of which workflow steps reference it (e.g. *"Booking Confirmation · 2 steps"*). **Actions** on each row: * Click to load into editor * 📋 Duplicate * 🗑 Delete (only if no workflow step references it) ### Workflow Steps list Each workflow step row shows: * Trigger name * Offset (e.g. `+2h`) * Template name * Recipient count * An on/off toggle (disable a step without deleting it) Disabled steps remain in Firestore but the engine skips them. *** ## A typical day-1 setup Build templates first, then wire steps. Recommended starting set: | Template | Trigger | Offset | Recipients | | ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------- | | Booking Confirmation | `booking.confirmed` | 0 | Client (+ Co-client) | | Contract & Agreement | `booking.confirmed` | 0 | Client | | Contract Reminder | `contract.sent` | `+24h` if `contractSignedAt == null` | Client | | Signing Confirmation | `contract.signed` | 0 | Client + Inspector | | Payment Request | `contract.signed` | 0 | Client | | 48-Hour Reminder | `inspection.reminder` (anchor: inspection\_date) | `-48h` | Client | | Day-Of Reminder | `inspection.reminder` (anchor: inspection\_date) | `-2h` | Client | | Report Delivery (Client) | `report.published` | 0 | Client — uses `$ReportLink` | | Report Delivery (Agent) | `report.published` | 0 | Agent — uses `$AgentReportLink` | | Follow-Up | `inspection.completed` | `+24h` | Client | For New Construction, add a single step: * **11-Month Warranty** | `inspection.completed` | `+11mo` | Client | Service: New Construction Final This inherits every other step from the base workflow. *** ## Errors and recovery | Alert | Cause | Fix | | -------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Save failed** | Network or auth error | Retry; if persistent, the template is preserved in your draft state — refresh and re-save | | **Template not deleted — referenced by N step(s)** | Trying to delete a template still wired to workflow steps | Delete or rewire those steps first | | **Invalid offset format** | Offset string doesn't match the pattern | Use formats like `0`, `+12h`, `+2d`, `-48h`, `+6mo` | | **Variable not recognized** | Used a token not in the variable list | Check spelling; custom variables aren't supported (yet) | *** ## What this page does NOT do * **It does not send test emails.** Use the per-order Communications tab on [Inspection Details](/1nspect/admin-operator/inspection-details) for one-off sends and previews. * **It does not show delivery analytics.** Open-rate / click-rate / bounce data lives in your email-service-provider's dashboard (or in future enhancements to the Reports module). * **It does not manage contracts.** Contracts are separate — see [Contracts Cockpit](/1nspect/admin-operator/contracts-cockpit). * **It does not send SMS or push.** Email only. *** ## Related articles * [Communications & Workflow](/1nspect/features/communications) — conceptual reference for triggers, offsets, variables * [Contracts Cockpit](/1nspect/admin-operator/contracts-cockpit) — the sibling editor for agreements * [Inspection Details → Communications tab](/1nspect/admin-operator/inspection-details) — per-order email log and manual sends * [Web Admin Overview](/1nspect/admin-operator/overview)