2023 Technical Update Archive

• PLANIX firmware v1.8.18

• Complex ceilings for Premium ESX orders

• Pano image replacement 2 week limit lifted

• Reminder: PLANIX compass calibration

PLANIX firmware v1.8.18

PLANIX firmware version 1.8.18 introduces a couple of exciting new features we have been working on lately involving scan alignment. Scan alignment alerts let you know whether or not your latest scan maintained a good line of sight and sufficient data overlap. If you receive an alert, it’s probably best to delete your scan and retake it in a better position. Please note that scan alignment alerts are only an estimate, however, and you will still need to use your best judgment. See the images below for reference.

A red warning icon is used to indicate which scans likely have poor alignment. This red icon is also shown in the scan list to give you a quick view of how well your scans are aligned in total. You can toggle ‘Alignment Alerts’ on and off from the Settings menu. You will also find that you can now delete scans from a scan’s edit menu and upon an alignment alert, in addition to the scan menu.

Auto-snap mode (replaces “tap to snap”) is now engaged during scan alignment when the Snap button is highlighted blue. Auto-snap mode can be disabled (white) by pressing Snap again, in order to manually align a scan yourself without assistance. This is different from PLANIX firmware versions 1.7.2 and earlier, in which the Snap button could be used to align by tapping once the scan was in an approximate position. To make alignment even easier, a pan & zoom tool has been added which you can find in the top-right corner of the screen during scan alignment.

See the full change log below:

• New: Scan alignment quality alerts

• New: ‘Alignment Alerts’ toggle setting

• New: Delete scan shortcut

• New: Manual scan alignment autosnap

• New: Pan & Zoom during manual scan alignment

• Improvement: Perform auto-align after 1st shot in two-shot mode

• Improvement: HDR Off capture speed

• Improvement: If active scan is deleted, next or previous scan will become the active scan

• Bugfix: Compass inconsistencies

• Bugfix: Prevent deleting a scan during HDR processing

• Bugfix: Prevent changing the active scan during HDR processing

• Bugfix: Other minor bug fixes

• Change: Lowered Auto Align option position in Settings menu

PLANIX firmware v1.8.18 is available now, Oct. 24th. If Stitch does not notify you automatically, it will be available to download at goiguide.com/downloads. For instructions, see the PLANIX firmware update procedure. After updating, please also see the compass calibration reminder below.

Complex ceilings for Premium ESX orders

New to Premium ESX orders, complex ceilings will be represented in files produced after 7 a.m. EST on Wednesday, October 25th. The details provided and submission requirements are specified below. This change will also be reflected in the updated product deliverables documentation, available here.

• Ceilings: Provided a vertical wall that makes contact with the ceiling is captured, a Sloped, Peaked, Attic, or Tray ceiling type will be represented in Premium ESX files.

  • Floating features, small bulkheads, and areas with no clear vertical data will not be represented.

  • Tray ceilings will use a default one foot (1’-0”) dimension to indicate the depth.

The sample image above shows a new Premium ESX featuring a tray ceiling in a kitchen. Previously, only the heights of flat ceilings were represented per room, and sloped, vaulted, or tray ceiling types were shown as eight foot high flat ceilings. This change is being made due to popular demand. We appreciate and look forward to your continued feedback.

Pano image replacement 2 week limit lifted

Many long-time iGUIDE service providers will be familiar with the 2 week limitation for pano image replacement in which, once 2 weeks have passed since your iGUIDE was completed, this tool becomes unavailable. If you are unfamiliar, please click here to learn more about pano image replacement. This limitation was originally introduced at a time when the processes and reasons for pano image replacement, as opposed to floor plan and pano updates (click here to learn more about update requests), were still relatively new and not yet as well established or differentiated. At the time, mistakes often resulted in some panos in an iGUIDE to have mismatched distances and orientations to one another, and it was difficult to restore the iGUIDE to its original state after the changes had been made. Today, Oct. 24th, the 2 week limit on pano image replacement has been lifted for all iGUIDEs, so all users can now download panos from their published iGUIDES in order to make adjustments in image editing software without any worry of time restriction.

Reminder: PLANIX compass calibration

For PLANIX users observing inconsistent compass readings especially, and as a general reminder to all PLANIX users, please note that compass calibration should be done periodically and can be initiated by selecting ‘Calibrate Compass’ in Survey’s Settings menu. Please perform compass calibration after updating to PLANIX firmware v1.8.18 in order to apply the latest fixes. A short how-to video is included upon selecting the option, as seen below.

• Instant Sketch BETA

• BETA PLANIX firmware v1.8.12 (required for Instant Sketch, available to all)

Instant Sketch BETA

Note: Instant Sketch service is only for users of Xactimate, however the new BETA PLANIX firmware version is available to all users. Read more about BETA PLANIX firmware v1.8.12 in the next section!

Starting today, August 28th, iGUIDE Operator account holders and their sub-accounts with business in the Insurance & Restoration industry will be able to try out our new Instant Sketch BETA. iGUIDE Instant Sketch is an AI-powered, rapidly generated Sketch that’s available in minutes and is a solution for those needing a fast way to begin the sketching process in Xactimate.

The Instant Sketch process has three main steps:

1. Capture property data using your PLANIX camera system.

2. Submit your data for processing on the iGUIDE Portal and then copy your Xactimate token.

3. Paste the token into Xactimate and the data will be loaded directly from the cloud.

The process is broken down into more detailed steps in this knowledge base article, available here. The article also contains additional information in the FAQ section.

iGUIDE Instant Sketch is limited to properties no greater than 5000 ft² and projects with no more than 75 scans.

If you’re interested in the Instant Sketch BETA, please create a support ticket at the Support Desk (support.youriguide.com), and provide the following information:

• Your XactNet Address

• Your Xactware ID (email address)

• Your Company Name

• Your Account Code

The above information will be relayed to Verisk in order for them to enable the integration in your Xactimate software. If you’re having difficulty finding this information for us, please reach out to the Verisk eService Center (https://veriskpropertyestimatingsolutions.my.site.com/) where you can access knowledge articles or chat live with a technician.

Instant Sketch BETA pricing is available on the iGUIDE Portal, in Processing Fees.

BETA PLANIX firmware v1.8.12 (required for Instant Sketch, available to all)

In order to try out our new Instant Sketch BETA, the data you upload must be captured using PLANIX firmware version 1.8.12. This means your PLANIX firmware must be updated before you capture the first project that you intend to submit for an Instant Sketch.

BETA PLANIX firmware version 1.8.12 introduces a couple of exciting new features we have been working on lately involving scan alignment. Poor scan alignment feedback lets you know whether or not your latest scan maintained a good line of sight and sufficient data overlap. If you receive this notification, it’s probably best to delete your scan and retake it in a better position. Please note that the alignment feedback is only an estimate however, and you will still need to use your best judgment. See the images below and please note that details shown are subject to change during the BETA.

A red warning icon is used to indicate which scans likely have poor alignment. This red icon is also shown in the scan list to give you a quick view of how well your scans are aligned in total. You can toggle ‘Alignment Notifications’ on and off from the Settings menu. You will also find that you can now delete scans from the edit menu, and upon a “poor alignment” warning, besides just the scan menu.

Auto-snap mode (replaces “tap to snap”) is now engaged during scan alignment when the Snap button is highlighted blue. Auto-snap mode can be disabled (white) by pressing Snap again, in order to manually align a scan yourself without assistance. This is different from PLANIX firmware versions 1.7.2 and earlier, in which the Snap button could be used to align by tapping once the scan was in an approximate position. To make alignment even easier, a pan & zoom tool has been added which you can find in the top-right corner of the screen during scan alignment.

See the full change log below:

• New: Poor scan alignment feedback

• New: Alignment Notification toggle option

• New: Delete scan shortcut

• New: Manual scan alignment auto-snap

• New: Pan & Zoom during manual scan alignment

• Improvement: Perform auto-align after 1st shot in two-shot mode

BETA PLANIX firmware v1.8.12 is available now, August 28th. To obtain this firmware version, please create a support ticket at the Support Desk (support.youriguide.com) where the Support Team will be providing the file upon request. For instructions, see the PLANIX firmware update procedure. Please also note that reverting to a previous firmware version is not currently supported.

• Refreshed Tag Editor Interface

• New cancel option for iGUIDE processing, update requests, error reports

• Minor UI update to Google Street View Exporter

• New iGUIDE Help Center (help.youriguide.com)

• Reminder: Update to PLANIX firmware version 1.7.2

Refreshed Tag Editor Interface

The iGUIDE Tag Editor has been updated to more closely resemble the style of the iGUIDE Viewer (the end-user’s version of the iGUIDE). Along with this updated style, there are a few other Tag Editor changes which we think you’ll find useful, listed below.

• The style of the ‘Create a Tag’ button has been updated

• The Tag list now shows all Tags on every floor, regardless of which floor of the iGUIDE you are currently viewing

• Click on a floor in the Tag list to hide or show all of the Tags belonging to that floor

• Tag colours are now shown in the Tag list

• New Tags are named by number (e.g. Tag 1, Tag 2, Tag 3, etc.) instead of “New Tag”

• The search bar has moved from the bottom to the top of the Tag list

• The edit button (pencil icon) now only appears in the Tag list, it no longer appears on a Tag itself

• New ‘copy link to Tag’ button appears on each Tag

You can start using the refreshed Tag Editor tomorrow, August 9th. Besides these few improvements, the Tag creation and editing process remains much the same.

New cancel option for iGUIDE processing, update requests, error reports

In August of 2023, all operators and their sub-accounts will have the ability to cancel iGUIDE processing, update requests, and error reports. A cancel button will be added beside each work order in the Work Orders section of your iGUIDE’s Package & Add-ons page. In the case pictured below, a user is asked to confirm if they would like to cancel the iGUIDE processing by removing the uploaded Stitch Data.

It is not possible to cancel a work order after processing has started using this option. More information about this feature will be provided on help.youriguide.com when ready.

Minor UI update to Google Street View Exporter

Like the style updates to the Tag Editor, the Google Street View Exporter has also been updated. But don’t worry, all Street View export steps remain the same as before.

New iGUIDE Help Center (help.youriguide.com)

As part of our ongoing efforts to centralize your iGUIDE support resources, (you may have noticed) we launched a new site, the iGUIDE Help Center: help.youriguide.com. On this site, you can browse all knowledge base articles, training, FAQ, industry-specific information, policies, marketing materials, past Service & Technical Updates, and more! But one of its most useful tools is the Search/Lens feature, which you can find in the top-right corner. Using search, you will receive a list of the most relevant content available. Using lens, you can ask a specific question, and it will automatically generate an answer based on all the relevant content currently stored on the site! The lens and search feature also learns from experience, so it will improve with use over time based on the feedback you provide it!

Please note that the knowledge base articles which are currently available on the Support Desk will eventually be replaced with a link to help.youriguide.com by September 1st. Current technical limitations prevent us from combining this site with our support ticket system at the moment but, as mentioned, it’s our goal to centralize all of your iGUIDE support resources as much as possible. Please bookmark help.youriguide.com and try it out today!

Reminder: Update to PLANIX firmware version 1.7.2

PLANIX firmware version, 1.7.2, delivers quicker capture speeds by making ‘Lidar Power Saving Mode’ optional in the settings menu. By disabling this option, the lidar once again runs continuously as in earlier firmware versions. This firmware update also delivers new improvements to scan alignment, key fixes for issues that some users reported involving Real-Time Tagging, and reintroduces the ‘Show Live Lidar Data’ toggle option by popular request. For the full change log, please refer to Service & Technical Update 039 - May, 2023.

PLANIX firmware v1.7.2 was released on May 25th. If Stitch does not notify you

automatically, it will be available to download at goiguide.com/downloads. For instructions,

see the PLANIX firmware update procedure.

• Faster capture! Lidar always on & Real-Time Tagging fixes in PLANIX FW v1.7.2

• On-site upload and iGUIDE Preview!

• Changes to dimensions of minor rooms (E.g., Closet, Foyer, etc.)

• iGUIDE Support Desk is getting a new look

Faster capture! Lidar always on & Real-Time Tagging fixes in PLANIX FW v1.7.2

PLANIX firmware v1.7.2 delivers quicker capture speeds by making ‘Lidar Power Saving Mode’ optional in the settings menu. By disabling this option, the lidar once again runs continuously as in earlier firmware versions. This firmware update also delivers new improvements to scan alignment, key fixes for issues that some users reported involving Real-Time Tagging, and reintroduces the ‘Show Live Lidar Data’ toggle option by popular request. Update your PLANIX today!

See the full change log below:

• New auto-square-up first scan of each floor

• New ‘Lidar Power Saving Mode’ toggle option

• Reintroduce ‘Show Live Lidar Data’ toggle option

• Improve automatic scan alignment

• Fix image upload processing during tag creation

• Fix an issue preventing the edit or deletion of a tag not belonging to the currently selected scan

• Fix an issue preventing the upload of multiple images into a tag at once if one or more images do not meet the image criteria

• Fix TAR export & download issues on iOS

• Update Stitch TAR export message for compatibility with all package options, not just Radix

• Other minor bug fixes

PLANIX firmware v1.7.2 was released today, May 25th. If Stitch does not notify you automatically, it will be available to download at goiguide.com/downloads. For instructions, see the article Updating IMS-5 & PLANIX Firmware.

On-site upload and iGUIDE Preview!

On-site export in Survey is now compatible with all package types (e.g. Standard and Premium), not just Radix! Skip Stitch and upload your TAR file to the iGUIDE Portal while on-site to receive your iGUIDE Preview in minutes! Use this to your advantage by showing your iGUIDE Preview to your client or to identify areas you might have missed or that need some improved alignment.

After scanning a property, press the Export button  to begin the export process. Once the export is complete, a new option will be available for the project: Download  . Upon pressing the Download button, your device will prompt you about where to store the TAR file. The TAR file will be downloaded via WiFi to the location that you select on your smart device (Note: All other project data is still stored on the USB drive, only the TAR file is downloaded). Once the download is complete, you can proceed to disconnect your smart device from the PLANIX WiFi and re-establish an internet connection in order to reach the iGUIDE Portal (manage.youriguide.com).

Changes to dimensions of minor rooms (E.g., Foyer, Closet, etc.)

Effective Tuesday, May 30th, the dimensions of the following room types will be shown by default in the Room Measurements section of the iGUIDE Report when the room is greater than 4 square meters (~43 sq ft):

FOYER, CLOSET, WIC (Walk-In-Closet), COLD ROOM, PANTRY, SERVERY and WORKSHOP

Currently, these kinds of rooms are considered minor rooms (i.e., dimensions would not be shown by default) regardless of room size. This change will better serve clients with properties which have large walk-in closets or foyers by eliminating the need to manually enable dimensions on the Portal after the iGUIDE is published.

iGUIDE Support Desk is getting a new look

Later today, May 25th, the iGUIDE Support Desk will have a new look! However the web address, support.youriguide.com, and your login will all remain the same, so don’t worry. We hope you appreciate the updated style!

• New Advanced Drafting Service Available: AutoCAD DWG Floor Plans

• Reposition iGUIDE Tags Now on the Portal

• Heads-Up: Low Quantities of Remaining IMS-5 Parts for Repair

New Advanced Drafting Service Available: AutoCAD DWG Floor Plans

AutoCAD DWG Floor Plans are available today, May 8th, alongside Xactimate ESX as the newest part of iGUIDE Advanced Drafting Services! DWG Floor Plans produced by the iGUIDE Drafting Team offer you and your clients a head start on architectural and construction floor plans and design drawings. To learn more about these benefits and for specific details that will be provided in a DWG, click here to visit the new page on our website.

As a paid add-on to iGUIDE Standard and Premium processing, you can request AutoCAD DWG Floor Plans at the time of iGUIDE creation or any time after your iGUIDE is published. To request DWG when creating a new iGUIDE, first check the box beside ‘AutoCAD DWG’ under Paid Add-ons and then, after making some selections, press ‘Request DWG’ (see image below).

For instructions on requesting your DWG after your iGUIDE has been published, as well as answers to many popular questions, please see the knowledge base article AutoCAD DWG. If you have any other questions or encounter an issue with your order, please reach out to us at the Support Desk, support.youriguide.com.

Reposition iGUIDE Tags now on the Portal

Since the release of Real-Time Tagging, we have been working on finishing up a small but significant change to iGUIDE Tags on the Portal … last week, we added the ability to reposition Tags! Previously, in order to select a new position for a Tag (e.g., if you made a mistake, or you updated the iGUIDE and the tagged object has moved), you would have to recreate the whole Tag again, including all its content. Now, whether in Real-Time or using the Tag Editor, you can freely reposition your Tags as many times as needed to get it just right. The iGUIDE Tags & Tag Editor knowledge base article has been updated to reflect this change under the subheading ‘Placing a New Tag, and Repositioning’.

Heads-Up: Low Quantities of Remaining IMS-5 Parts for Repair

iGUIDE IMS-5 camera systems have not been available for sale since March 1st, 2021. We are not discontinuing technical support or data processing services for IMS-5 camera systems, but please note that repair services for damaged or malfunctioning IMS-5 camera systems can no longer be supported in cases where parts are unavailable.

Fisheye lenses and panoramic rotators are currently out of stock. Other parts are generally in low quantities.

If you are interested in trying out a PLANIX system (perhaps as a swap, a backup, or for a different reason), please email sales@planitar.com or reach out to your Sales Representative!

• Real-Time Tagging (PLANIX firmware v1.6.10)

  • Required Stitch update, v6.12.0

• iGUIDE delivery time reminder

• ESX wall openings

Real-Time Tagging (PLANIX firmware v1.6.10)

Released today, a free feature update is now available for all iGUIDE PLANIX camera systems: Real-Time Tagging! Already two years ago, we released iGUIDE Tags in March of 2021. Real-Time Tagging (RTT for short) is an exciting new way to make iGUIDE Tags more accessible and efficient by empowering you to tag objects in a property while you’re actually in the property, rather than having to note things down to do later on the Portal and risking a return to the property in case you missed something crucial.

OK, how do I use Real-Time Tags?

It’s super easy. To use RTT, you need to have first created a project in Survey and taken at least one scan. Select the scan you want your Tag to be seen from.

Then tap the tag icon to open the Tag Editor screen, as seen in the images above. In Survey, the Tag Editor has been simplified in comparison to the Tag Editor on the iGUIDE Portal. In the RTT Editor, you can enter a title, select a color, type some details in the content field about what you’re tagging, and tap the camera icon to insert an image; the image you select can be one that’s stored on your device, or you can take a new one.

Once you have finished editing your Tag, follow the on-screen instructions (as seen above) to select its location; set its location first in the pano image, then in the laser scan.

NOTE: In Survey, a Tag can only be seen in the scan that you use to set its location. This is different from creating a Tag on the Portal, wherein basically any scan that is nearby and has an unobstructed view of the Tag can see it. Don’t worry though, any Tag you create in Survey can be edited on the Portal later in order to allow it to be seen from other scans.

Once you have finished placing your Tag, it will be available to view in a way resembling how it may appear in your iGUIDE. Tap on the Tag just to view it, or select one of three options: Delete, Edit Placement, Edit Content (see images below for example).

Is there any difference between Real-Time Tags and other Tags created on the Portal?

Although your options are more limited when creating Real-Time Tags, once the Tags become available in your published iGUIDE, they are fully customizable and become virtually the same as other Tags you create on the Portal. By the way, we’re also working on allowing users the ability to reposition Tags on the Portal as well! You can expect to see this added in the coming weeks.

Real-Time Tagging is available as part of the latest PLANIX firmware update, v.1.6.10. This firmware update also includes a change to capture speed for scans using two-shot mode which now prevents the lidar from resting before the second shot is captured.

PLANIX firmware v1.6.10 was released today, March 24th. If Stitch does not notify you automatically, it will be available to download at goiguide.com/downloads. For instructions, see the article Updating IMS-5 & PLANIX Firmware.

Required Stitch update, v6.12.0

In order to support Real-Time Tagging, there is also a required Stitch update, v6.12.0. This Stitch update basically allows any Real-Time Tags you created to be safely read and exported as part of your project, but does not deliver any other related UI changes. In other words, any Tags you create in Survey will be invisible in Stitch and this is normal. See the full change log below:

• Add support for Tags and image assets;

• Improve export performance;

• Reduce application size;

• Fix an issue involving PLANIX firmware updates via Stitch;

Stitch v6.12.0 was released today, March 24th. If Stitch does not notify you of the update automatically, it will be available to download at goiguide.com/downloads.

We’ll shortly be updating our Knowledge Base and the PLANIX Instruction Manual with more details about Real-Time Tagging including some of the technical limitations and answers to other questions you might have. Keep an eye out!

iGUIDE delivery time reminder

As we enter the Spring season, please note that Drafting Service delivery is guaranteed to be the same day only if iGUIDE data has no deficiencies and is submitted before 7:00 am Eastern Time. Missing data and other exceptions will delay processing until the next day, even if a reply to the exception notification is received the same day. Occurrences contrary to that are not a rule and may happen only when the Drafting Team's daily load permits.

ESX wall openings

To better align with best practices for creating accurate estimates, the Drafting Team’s Xactimate ESX Deliverables have changed, now including the statements:

• All door openings will be deducted from the wall calculations.

• All window openings will be deducted from the wall calculations.

• iGUIDE Preview (BETA)

• Billing Info on the iGUIDE Portal

• Reminder: Request an Update via iGUIDE Portal, March 1st

iGUIDE Preview (BETA)

Releasing in BETA today, February 16th, iGUIDE Preview will be available to try on all new Standard and Premium iGUIDEs containing 75 scans or less.

iGUIDE Preview is a fully AI generated “first look”, “first draft”, or, if you will, a “Preview” of your iGUIDE that is automatically processed and ready within minutes after your Stitch Data upload on the iGUIDE Portal. Fully automated processing allows expedited delivery of property marketing assets within the Residential Real Estate market and supports instant property damage assessment reports within the Insurance and Restoration market. This means you could often have an iGUIDE to show off before even leaving the property!

To use your iGUIDE Preview, all you have to do is wait a few minutes, then publish. And, in the cases where Preview cannot be processed for your iGUIDE or it’s just not needed, no action is required; in any case, your iGUIDE will continue to be processed and delivered as usual.

To learn more about how to use your iGUIDE Preview, click here to see the latest iGUIDE Knowledge Base article on iGUIDE Preview.

It’s important to note that our AI is still learning, so iGUIDE Preview (BETA) is currently only optimised to produce floor plans when using Stitch data meeting all of these criteria:

• Well aligned laser data

• Residential real estate

• North American style properties

For the greatest chance at success, scanning absolutely all areas in a home (including closets, for example) is also highly recommended, especially those which make up a portion of the perimeter walls of the property.

Billing Info on the iGUIDE Portal

In the previous Technical Update, 035, we let you know that we were preparing to grant you access to more billing information right on the iGUIDE Portal. You will be able to access Billing on your Dashboard (see below) and, once there, you will be able to search your iGUIDEs by address, see a cost breakdown by hovering your cursor over the Cost column, and export a CSV/TSV with additional details at the bottom of the page (see below).

Once more, please note that these costs are not final! Your invoice for the month may have different costs than what is reported in the list that appears on the iGUIDE Portal. As a reminder, your invoice is due within two weeks of receipt. If your invoice has not been paid by the date included in the email, an interest fee will be applied to your bill. Any accounts that are overdue by 30 days will automatically be disabled until payment is received.

Expect to see your new Billing list on the iGUIDE Portal in the coming weeks!

Reminder: Request an Update via iGUIDE Portal, March 1st

Beginning March 1st, update requests and error reports are to be made using the iGUIDE Portal (manage.youriguide.com) by visiting your iGUIDE's Request an Update tool. Please ensure that you and your colleagues try it out as soon as possible to ensure a smooth transition! If you missed the news about this release, please see the Technical Updates Archive.

• Request updates and report errors on the iGUIDE Portal!

• WiFi connectivity fixes in PLANIX firmware v1.5.36

• Image quality improved by RICOH THETA Z1 firmware v2.11.1

• New ESX details: doors, windows, ceiling heights, floor textures, cabinetry

• Early look at billing information on the iGUIDE Portal

Request updates and report errors on the iGUIDE Portal!

Available to all Operators and their sub-accounts! Very soon, it will be possible to make update requests and error reports directly on the iGUIDE Portal without intervention by the iGUIDE Support Team. What does this mean, exactly?

• Creating a support ticket at support.youriguide.com will no longer be a requirement in order to request most changes to your iGUIDE.

• New Stitch data intended to update an existing iGUIDE can now be uploaded directly to the iGUIDE Portal instead of to a file transfer service (e.g. Dropbox, Google Drive, WeTransfer) or as a message attachment.

• Notifications about completed iGUIDE updates or corrections will be sent via email, similarly to email notifications sent for pre-published or deficient iGUIDEs.

When visiting your iGUIDE’s Portal entry as an Operator or sub-account, a new action will be available on your toolbar (left side of the screen) under the ‘Quick Access’ heading: Request an Update.

Once here, you can choose to request an update or report an error. To request an update means that you want the drafting team to change something in the iGUIDE to suit your preference or to show something new. To report an error means that you believe the drafting team made a mistake which you need them to fix. Error corrections are handled with a higher level of urgency than update requests, so please take care to choose the option that best suits your request.

When you upload new Stitch data with your update request, you’ll be presented with the options seen in the image below.

To better understand which options you should select when making your request, hover your mouse cursor over the (?) icons. Hovering over each of the (?) icons will open a more detailed explanation of each option as well as some specific examples (see right).

You might also request an update that doesn’t involve any new Stitch data. In this case you’ll be presented with the options as seen below.

To report an error in your iGUIDE, select the most appropriate description of the errors, then select the floors on which they can be seen. The image below shows the full range of options available when reporting an error. Initially, the list is shortened to the first six.

Once you have successfully submitted your update request or error report, you will also be able to track its progress on the Package & Add-ons page, under the heading: Work Orders (see below for example).

And, finally, once your request has been completed, you will receive an email notification informing you about what has been done, which will include a link to the iGUIDE Report page so that you can resend it at your convenience.

On or before January 31st, the ability to Request an Update will become available.

Beginning February 1st, the Support Team will assist and encourage all users through adapting to the new Portal-based request form instead of creating a support ticket.

On March 1st, it will become a requirement that all applicable update requests and error reports be made using the iGUIDE Portal. This means that, in order to request an update or report an error, users will need to log into an Operator account or Sub-account on the iGUIDE Portal and be assigned to the Manager or Editor role on the iGUIDE (see iGUIDE Roles and Accounts); these are virtually the same account permissions and roles that are necessary to create and edit an iGUIDE today.

WiFi connectivity fixes in PLANIX firmware v1.5.36

The latest PLANIX firmware version, 1.5.36, delivers key fixes for issues that some users reported involving WiFi connectivity, particularly WiFi password rejection. Also included in this update are improvements for iOS devices. Update your PLANIX today!

See the full change log below:

• Improve: Respect iOS Safe Area in Survey

• Bugfix: Fix for WiFi password authentication issue

PLANIX firmware v1.5.36 was released today, January 26th. If Stitch does not notify you automatically, it will be available to download at goiguide.com/downloads. For instructions, see the article Updating IMS-5 & PLANIX Firmware.

Image quality improved by RICOH THETA Z1 firmware v2.11.1

In October of 2022, RICOH released the newest firmware version for THETA Z1 cameras, version 2.11.1. Version 2.11.1 features improved HDR shooting and image quality which we determined through our own tests to be of similar or better quality than iGUIDE HDR modes. Considering that the ‘External (Ricoh)’ HDR mode works more quickly than iGUIDE HDR modes, we recommend that you download version 2.11.1 and conduct your own tests to determine if ‘External (Ricoh)’ mode meets your needs more or less often than iGUIDE HDR modes. We’re interested to see your feedback on the iGUIDE Forum!

Click here to visit the RICOH THETA Z1 User Guide section on Updating the Camera Firmware, and please note that PLANIX firmware and THETA Z1 firmware are updated separately.

New ESX details: doors, windows, ceiling heights, floor textures, cabinetry

In December of 2022, we began delivering ESX files with a few more highly requested details. Specifically, the details added were: accurate window heights, accurate door heights, and accurate flat ceiling heights.

Effective today, January 26th, all new ESX files delivered will now contain even more details:

• Door styles (e.g. glass, panelled, flush, louvred, etc.)

• Window/wall opening shapes (e.g. rectangle, flat arch, hexagon, etc.)

• Floor textures (e.g. wood, tile, concrete, and carpet. One set texture for each)

• Limited structural features (e.g. straight wall ledges, built-in fireplaces)

• Applicable only to Premium iGUIDEs, kitchen and bathroom cabinetry

Note: ESX sketches provided by iGUIDE are intended to be used as a starting point for an estimate and may still require additional information.

Please visit goiguide.com/insurance-restoration if you’re interested to learn more!

Early look at billing information on the iGUIDE Portal

Coming later in February, Operators will be able to see their completed iGUIDEs for a given month and the costs of these iGUIDEs, along with other information. You will be able to search by address, see a cost breakdown by hovering your cursor over the Cost column, and export a CSV/TSV with additional details.

Please note that these costs are not final! Your invoice for the month may have different costs than what is reported in the list that appears on the iGUIDE Portal. More information on this will be coming soon, so please keep an eye out for future Technical Updates!