What you will learn
- What to gather before you start rebuilding anything
- A step-by-step process for reconstructing your template
- Common mistakes that turn a few hours into a few days
- A faster path if you'd rather not do it yourself
Table of contents
Almost no platform you move to from Horizon will bring your template over intact. Comment text might transfer, but the structure — your sections, your organization, the way your report actually flows — usually doesn't. That means rebuilding it is part of switching software, no matter which platform you choose. Here's how to do that well instead of scrambling through it the week before your first inspection on the new system.
Start with your export, not a blank screen
Before you rebuild anything, gather your source material. Don't try to recreate your template from memory — you'll miss the rare-case comments you only use once or twice a year, and those are often the ones that took the longest to write well the first time.
- Your comment library or template export. If your old platform has a dedicated export for this (Horizon's account export includes a Company Templates file), start there.
- 3–5 of your most recent, most complete reports. These show your comment library actually in use — often more useful than a raw comment list, since you can see which comments you actually lean on.
- Your standards-of-practice reference. Whether it's ASHI, InterNACHI, or a state-specific standard, keep it open while you rebuild so your section structure stays compliant.
The step-by-step process
- Map your section structure first. Before touching comment text, sketch out your sections and subsections — roof, exterior, structure, electrical, and so on — matching how you actually walk a property. Get the skeleton right before filling it in.
- Sort your comment library by category. Go through your exported comments and your sample reports, and group everything under the sections you just mapped. This is the most tedious step and also the one worth doing carefully — a disorganized comment library defeats the purpose of rebuilding at all.
- Re-enter your comments into the new platform. However your new software handles comment libraries — as presets, snippets, or a narrative bank — enter them section by section rather than all at once, so you can sanity-check the structure as you go.
- Run a mock inspection. Walk through a property (even your own house) and try to write a full report using only what you've rebuilt so far. This surfaces gaps faster than reviewing the template on paper.
- Refine after your first few real jobs. Your first two or three actual inspections on the new platform will reveal what you missed. Treat the first week as a soft launch, not a finished product.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Trying to do it all in one sitting. A rushed rebuild tends to skip the comments you use rarely but need badly when a specific defect actually shows up.
- Rebuilding from memory instead of your actual reports. You will forget things. Your old reports are a more reliable source than your recollection of them.
- Ignoring photo and media handling. Confirm how your new platform handles embedded photos before you're mid-inspection and realize your workflow doesn't match what you rebuilt.
- Skipping the mock run. A template that looks complete in a list view often falls apart the first time you try to use it in the field.
How long this actually takes
For a solo inspector doing this manually, budget several hours at minimum, and realistically closer to a few days if your Horizon setup was heavily customized over the years. The comment sorting step (step 2 above) is usually where most of that time goes — mapping section structure is fast, and re-entering data is mechanical, but deciding where each piece of language belongs takes judgment.
Rebuilding a good template is closer to writing a first draft than doing data entry. Budget your time accordingly, and don't expect to finish it between inspections.
See what a rebuilt setup looks like in practice, compared to starting from a default template:
A faster path, if you'd rather not do it yourself
Everything above describes doing this rebuild on your own — which is what may happen to Horizon inspectors that end up going to a new software or doing a one-click migration that drops them into a generic version of a template. InspectionX takes a different approach: instead of you sorting comments and mapping sections by hand, our team reviews your recent Horizon reports and does that work for you, matching your language, your structure, and the way you already inspect.
Most inspectors are up and running within 1–3 days, and it's included at no additional cost. We're also currently offering Horizon users 6 months free on InspectionX, regardless of where you are in your Horizon billing cycle.
Skip the rebuild. Get 6 months free.
Let our team rebuild your actual template — not a default one — from your recent Horizon reports.
Redeem 6 Months Free Schedule a DemoFrequently asked questions
Will my Horizon templates transfer automatically to a new platform?
Usually not cleanly. Most migration tools import your comment text but merge it into a single default template rather than preserving your original section structure, so you'll need to manually reorganize it either way.
How long does it take to rebuild a home inspection template?
For a solo inspector rebuilding manually, expect several hours to a few days depending on how many systems, sections, and rare-case comments your Horizon setup had. Doing it well matters more than doing it fast.
What should I export from Horizon before rebuilding my template?
Your comment library or company templates export, plus 3-5 of your most recent, most complete reports. These reports show your comment library actually in use, which is often more useful than the raw comment list alone.
Is there a way to avoid rebuilding my template manually?
Yes. Some platforms, including InspectionX, have a team review your recent reports and rebuild your comment library and template structure for you, rather than requiring you to do it yourself.