Recording Inspections

Document hive inspections with customizable questions and observations

Overview

Inspections are a critical part of beekeeping management. Softbee allows you to create custom inspection questions and record detailed observations for each apiary.

Accessing Inspection Tools

1. Select Your Apiary

   From the main dashboard, select the apiary you want to inspect.

2. Navigate to Monitoring

   In the apiary dashboard, tap “Monitoreo” (Monitoring).

3. Access Questions Management

   Select the “Preguntas” (Questions) card to manage inspection questions.

Understanding Inspection Questions

Softbee uses a customizable question system that allows you to:

• Create apiary-specific inspection checklists
• Define different question types for various data collection needs
• Mark questions as required or optional
• Organize questions by category
• Set display order for logical workflow

Question Data Structure

Each inspection question contains:

Field	Database Name	Type	Description	Required
ID	id	String	Unique identifier	Auto-generated
Apiary ID	apiary_id	String	Associated apiary	Auto-set
Question Text	question_text	String	The question to display	Yes
Question Type	question_type	String	Type of response expected	Yes
Category	category	String	Group/category for organization	No
Required	is_required	Boolean	Must be answered	Yes
Options	options	Array	Available choices (for select types)	Conditional
Min Value	min_value	Integer	Minimum numeric value	Conditional
Max Value	max_value	Integer	Maximum numeric value	Conditional
Display Order	display_order	Integer	Sort order in the list	Yes
Active	is_active	Boolean	Whether the question is active	Yes

Question Types

Softbee supports multiple question types to capture different kinds of inspection data:

Text Questions

Type: texto (text)

Use for:

• Free-form observations
• Descriptive notes
• Any narrative information

Example Questions:

• “Describe the overall hive condition”
• “Note any unusual bee behavior”
• “Record queen sighting details”

Numeric Questions

Type: numero (number)

Use for:

• Counting frames
• Temperature readings
• Weight measurements
• Population estimates (if using numbers)

Example Questions:

• “How many frames of capped honey?”
• “Hive weight (kg)”
• “Temperature inside hive (°C)”

Configuration:

• Set min_value for the minimum allowed number
• Set max_value for the maximum allowed number

Selection Questions

Type: seleccion (select)

Use for:

• Multiple choice questions
• Standardized responses
• Categorical data

Example Questions:

• “Queen seen?” → Options: [“Yes”, “No”, “Not Sure”]
• “Temperament” → Options: [“Calm”, “Defensive”, “Aggressive”]
• “Brood pattern” → Options: [“Solid”, “Spotty”, “None”]

Configuration:

• Define options array with available choices
• Users select one option from the list

Yes/No Questions

Type: si_no (yes/no)

Use for:

• Binary decisions
• Present/absent observations
• True/false conditions

Example Questions:

• “Is the queen present?”
• “Are there signs of disease?”
• “Did you add a super?”

Configuration:

• Automatically provides “Sí” (Yes) and “No” (No) options

Creating Inspection Questions

1. Access Questions Management

   Navigate to the Questions Management page for your apiary.

2. Open Question Creation

   Click the “Add New Question” or + button.

3. Write the Question Text

   Enter a clear, specific question:

   • Be concise and unambiguous
   • Use consistent terminology
   • Consider the beekeeper’s workflow

   Good question: “How many frames of capped brood?”

   Poor question: “Brood?” (too vague)

4. Select Question Type

   Choose the appropriate type:

   • Texto: For observations and notes
   • Numero: For counts and measurements
   • Seleccion: For predefined choices
   • Si/No: For binary questions
5. Add Category (Optional)

   Group related questions by category:

   • “Brood”
   • “Food Stores”
   • “Queen”
   • “Health”
   • “Equipment”

   Categories help organize large inspection checklists.

6. Configure Question Options

   Depending on the question type:

   For Selection Questions:

   • Define the list of options
   • Ensure options are mutually exclusive
   • Keep options concise

   For Numeric Questions:

   • Set min_value if there’s a minimum
   • Set max_value if there’s a maximum
   • Leave empty if no limits
7. Set Required Status

   Toggle “Obligatoria” (Required):

   • ON: Must be answered to complete inspection
   • OFF: Optional, can be skipped

   Mark critical safety and health checks as required to ensure they’re never missed.

8. Set Display Order

   Enter a number for display_order:

   • Lower numbers appear first
   • Use increments of 10 (10, 20, 30…) to allow easy reordering
   • Example: 10, 20, 30, 40

   This controls the order questions appear during inspections.

9. Activate the Question

   Ensure “Activa” (Active) is set to true:

   • Active questions appear in inspections
   • Inactive questions are hidden but preserved in the database
10. Save the Question

    Click “Save” or “Create Question” to add it to your inspection checklist.

Editing Inspection Questions

1. Locate the Question

   Find the question in your Questions Management list.

2. Open Edit Mode

   Click the edit icon next to the question.

3. Modify Fields

   Update any fields as needed:

   • Question text
   • Question type (be careful changing types)
   • Options or numeric limits
   • Required status
   • Display order
4. Save Changes

   Click “Update” or “Save Changes”.

Changing a question type (e.g., from text to numeric) may affect existing inspection data. Use caution when modifying question types.

Organizing Inspection Questions

By Category

Group questions into logical categories:

**Brood**
- Queen seen? (yes/no)
- Frames of capped brood? (number)
- Brood pattern? (selection)

**Food Stores**
- Frames of capped honey? (number)
- Pollen stores? (selection: Abundant/Adequate/Low)

**Health**
- Signs of disease? (yes/no)
- Varroa mite check? (selection)
- Hive temperament? (selection)

**Equipment**
- Hive condition? (selection)
- Repairs needed? (yes/no)

By Display Order

Order questions to match your inspection workflow:

1. Safety checks first (10-19)

   • Protective equipment
   • Smoker ready

2. External observations (20-29)

   • Entrance activity
   • External hive condition

3. Internal inspection (30-69)

   • Brood frames (30-39)
   • Food frames (40-49)
   • Queen observation (50-59)
   • Health checks (60-69)

4. Interventions (70-89)

   • Treatments applied
   • Equipment changes

5. Summary (90-99)

   • Overall assessment
   • Next steps

Conducting an Inspection

1. Prepare for Inspection

   Before opening a hive:

   • Gather protective equipment
   • Prepare smoker
   • Have your device ready with Softbee open
2. Start the Inspection

   In Softbee:

   • Navigate to the apiary
   • Access the monitoring section
   • Select the beehive to inspect
3. Answer Questions in Order

   Work through your custom questions:

   • Questions appear in display order
   • Answer required questions (marked with *)
   • Skip optional questions if not applicable
   • Use consistent terminology in text responses
4. Record Observations

   For each question:

   • Text: Type observations clearly and concisely
   • Number: Enter accurate counts or measurements
   • Selection: Choose the most appropriate option
   • Yes/No: Select based on your observation
5. Update Beehive Data

   After answering questions, update the beehive record:

   • Activity level
   • Population estimate
   • Frame counts
   • Health status
   • Observations field
6. Complete and Save

   Save all inspection data:

   • Review your answers
   • Ensure required fields are complete
   • Save the inspection record

Best Practices for Inspections

Question Design

Keep Questions Specific

Specific questions yield actionable data:

✅ Good: “How many frames contain capped brood?”

❌ Poor: “How is the brood?”

Use Consistent Options

For selection questions, use the same options across similar questions:

If you rate bee population as “Alta/Media/Baja”, use the same scale for activity level.

Balance Required vs. Optional

Don’t make everything required:

• Mark critical safety and health items as required
• Leave detailed observations optional
• This ensures inspections can be completed quickly when needed

Inspection Workflow

Standardize Your Routine: Create a consistent inspection workflow:

1. External observations
2. Open hive carefully
3. Check outer frames first
4. Work through to center frames
5. Record findings as you go
6. Close hive properly
7. Complete any remaining questions

Document Everything: Even if a question is optional, answer it when possible. Historical data becomes invaluable over time.

Use Categories Effectively: If you have many questions, categories help you:

• Stay organized during inspections
• Focus on specific aspects (health check vs. production check)
• Train new beekeepers

Seasonal Variations

Adapt Questions by Season

You can create season-specific question sets:

Spring:

• Swarm preparations?
• Queen cells present?
• Room for expansion?

Summer:

• Honey production frames?
• Water collection observed?
• Heat stress signs?

Fall:

• Winter prep status?
• Food stores adequate?
• Hive entrance reduced?

Winter:

• Cluster position?
• Food consumption rate?
• Moisture issues?

Deactivating Questions

To remove a question from active use without deleting historical data:

1. Edit the question
2. Set `is_active` to false
3. Save changes

Inactive questions:

• Don’t appear in new inspections
• Preserve historical inspection data
• Can be reactivated later

Integration with Beehive Records

Inspection questions complement the beehive record fields:

Beehive Fields (in /beehive):

• Core metrics (population, frames, health)
• Updated during every inspection
• Structured data for trends

Custom Questions (in /questions):

• Flexible, apiary-specific observations
• Detailed inspection notes
• Can vary by season or beekeeper preference

Use both systems together: Update beehive records for structured data, and answer custom questions for detailed observations.

Troubleshooting

Questions not appearing in order

Check the display_order values:

• Lower numbers appear first
• Ensure each question has a unique order number
• Re-save questions if order seems wrong

Can't make a question required

Ensure:

• The is_required field is set to true
• The question is active (is_active = true)
• Save the question after changes

Options not showing for selection questions

Verify:

• Question type is set to “seleccion”
• Options array is properly formatted
• At least one option is defined

Next Steps

• Update beehive records with inspection findings
• Track inventory usage for treatments and interventions
• Review inspection history to identify trends and patterns

Regular, consistent inspections with well-designed questions create a valuable historical record that helps you become a better beekeeper over time.