A report can read well in the working template yet become harder to follow when exported. A photograph may move away from its caption, a table may split awkwardly, or a late amendment may push the end of a recommendation out of a fixed text box.
That is why the final PDF deserves its own check. This is a presentation and delivery check, separate from the inspecting surveyor’s technical review. It cannot establish whether an assessment, condition rating or recommendation is correct, but it can help confirm that the approved content is actually visible in the file the client will receive.
Check the file you intend to send
Export from the current working version, save it with an unambiguous property reference and version, and open the exported file itself. Checking the document behind it is not enough. If the final report is delivered through a portal, preview or download the actual attachment rather than relying only on the upload confirmation.
Compare the cover, address, inspection date and report reference with the instruction record. Then check headers and footers for a previous property’s details. These are easy areas to overlook when a practice reuses a template.
Make one page-by-page presentation pass
Start at the cover and move through every page. Look at the first and last lines of each text block, particularly after a long paragraph, table or image. A tidy page is not evidence that every sentence survived the export.
| Area | What to check in the exported file |
|---|---|
| Text blocks | No clipped lines, missing paragraph endings, overlapping text or unreadably small type. |
| Headings and page breaks | Headings lead into the right content; blank pages and large gaps have a clear purpose. |
| Tables and ratings | Labels, symbols and ratings remain aligned with the intended element; split tables retain enough context. |
| Photographs | The correct image is shown, the relevant detail is visible and the caption still belongs to it. |
| Navigation | Contents entries, page references, bookmarks and links work where the report uses them. |
| Drafting material | No unresolved placeholders, internal query notes or unintended review annotations appear in the client-facing output. |
This is a suggested production checklist, not a statement of RICS requirements or a compliance assessment. Use it alongside, not instead of, your practice’s technical and pre-issue review procedures.
Look closely at photographs and captions
An image can remain sharp while showing the wrong area, or become so tightly cropped that the context has disappeared. Compare the final selection with the inspection pack and check that the caption identifies the intended location. Where the text refers to a numbered photograph, follow that reference in the PDF.
Do not treat a small or unclear image as permission for a drafter to change the technical account. If the photograph appears inconsistent with the approved wording, raise it with the inspecting surveyor. The answer may involve correcting the image, clarifying the description or revisiting the assessment; those are different actions.
Keep presentation corrections separate from judgement
Moving a heading to the next page is a layout correction. Shortening a recommendation, deleting a qualification or changing a rating to fit a box can alter meaning. A writer should not resolve a space problem by silently editing the surveyor’s advice.
Use a short correction list that distinguishes formatting from content. For example: “Page 12: final sentence is clipped; adjust the layout and re-export without changing the approved wording.” If wording genuinely needs revision, return it for the surveyor’s consideration and approval. Our pre-issue quality checklist covers the wider review of accuracy and consistency.
Re-export after every correction
Once a change has been made in the working document, create a new export and repeat the relevant checks. A layout adjustment on one page can affect the pages that follow. Avoid patching only the PDF while leaving the source document out of step.
For a simple handover, record the working version, the exported filename and any outstanding queries in one place. Mark superseded exports clearly so an earlier attachment is not selected by mistake. See our guide to managing report amendments and version control for the wider workflow.
Agree the handover before outsourcing
The Survey Edit provides outsourced RICS Level 2 report drafting support using the surveyor’s notes, photographs, template and instructions. Before a first job, agree the working format, how drafting queries will be returned and who will carry out the final export and presentation check. Do not assume these responsibilities from the word “draft”.
The inspecting surveyor still reviews, amends, approves and issues the final report. A useful final question is: “Have I checked the exact file I am approving for this client?”
To discuss a drafting handover that fits your existing report-production process, send The Survey Edit an enquiry. Bring your current template and a clear description of where drafting ends and your final review begins.
You inspect. We write.