How to Take an iPad Lighting Audit From Site to Desktop

An iPad lighting audit should leave the estimator with organized areas, fixture quantities, photos and site notes. In LumaQuote Field, you can record that information during the visit, work offline and sync the audit before continuing the estimate on your computer.

This walkthrough follows the field-to-desktop process. For installation and account setup, use the iPad and iPhone app guide. LumaQuote Field is also available on Android phones and tablets through the Android app guide.

Organize the field survey by area before continuing the estimate on desktop.

Prepare the iPad before the site visit

Install the current app and sign in using your LumaQuote account while you have internet access. Confirm that you can open or create the audit you intend to use, and check the device's battery and available storage.

Test the workflow before the first live survey: add an area, record a fixture and photo, save it and confirm that it syncs. Open the desktop account and check that the field information is available for the next stage.

If the job requires particular baseline measurements or supporting photographs, define those requirements before arriving. DOE's measurement and verification guidance explains why baseline documentation matters before old equipment is removed.

Create areas that match the building

Use room or zone names the estimator and installer will recognize: Main Warehouse, Second-Floor Offices or Exterior Loading Dock. Match drawings or the building's own names where practical.

Separate fixture groups when equipment, hours, controls or access differ. Identical-looking lights above fixed machinery may need a different installation allowance from those above an open floor.

Use overview photos to explain the area, then attach fixture-specific evidence where it supports identification or pricing. Our lighting audit checklist can help prepare the information to collect.

Example field-app audit dashboard.

Record fixtures and check default values

For each fixture group, collect the type, quantity, input watts, operating assumptions, condition and relevant notes. Record the lamp and ballast or driver information needed to verify the equipment.

Treat any automatically populated wattage or typical schedule as a starting assumption. The installed product and actual operation determine the final input. A lamp rating alone may omit ballast losses or other system details.

Use notes for exceptions that could otherwise disappear during estimating: a cracked lens, an emergency unit, an inaccessible label or a restricted shutdown window. Identify what still needs checking rather than presenting uncertain information as confirmed.

Keep photos connected to the decision

Take images that explain the equipment, nameplate, mounting, ceiling condition and access. Add a caption where a photo alone does not explain the installation issue.

For example, a fixture image can identify the housing while a note explains that lift access requires moving stored inventory. Together, those records give the estimator a clearer scope than a fixture count alone.

Copied areas or fixture lines should still be checked against the actual location. Capture photos of the new area's conditions rather than assuming every repeated bay has identical access and equipment.

Record fixture details and photos while their location and conditions are clear.

Work offline, then confirm the audit has synced

Prepare account access before leaving connectivity. During the walkthrough, save work locally and monitor the app's save or sync status. When the iPad is connected again, allow the audit and its photos to upload.

Confirm successful synchronization before relying on the desktop copy. Larger photo sets may need more time and a stable connection. Check the current app guide for the displayed status and sync controls.

Keep unsynced work on the device. Do not uninstall the app or clear local data while it contains records that have not uploaded. Retain an exported backup of important field work where available.

Continue the estimate on desktop

Open the same LumaQuote account on your computer and use the current field-audit import workflow. Check that the intended areas, quantities, notes and photos have arrived before building the estimate.

Review the field assumptions, select proposed replacements and add installation costs. Controls and rebates should be entered as explicit, supported parts of the project scope and economics.

Example desktop lighting audit after the field-data handoff.

If the field audit changes later, review how the revised information is imported and reconciled with desktop work. The field-to-desktop handoff should not be treated as a promise of unrestricted two-way editing. Confirm the intended record before making overlapping changes.

See the lighting retrofit software workflow and proposal-building guide for the estimating stage.

Retain useful field records and exports

Before closing the job, confirm that the complete survey is available outside the local device. Review the export options in your current app version and check that the package includes the records and photos you need.

Keep an identified copy for the project and use clear revision names if the survey changes. A field record and a customer proposal serve different purposes; retain both where your workflow or contract requires them.

Test the workflow with the free plan

The free plan includes mobile field access and up to three complete retrofit proposals without a credit card. Check current plan details for the allowance, export formats and paid capabilities that apply to your account.

Use one familiar area first: record its fixtures and photos, confirm sync, review the imported record and build an estimate. Compare the result with a sample lighting retrofit proposal before taking on a larger survey.

Frequently asked questions

Is LumaQuote Field only available on iPad?

No. It is available on iPhone and iPad, and on Android phones and tablets. Use the appropriate platform guide for installation and the current supported workflow.

Can I collect an iPad lighting audit without internet?

Yes. Prepare sign-in and app access while connected, save the field work locally and sync when connectivity returns. Confirm upload before depending on the desktop record or removing local data.

Is the field app restricted to Pro accounts?

No. Mobile field access is included with the free plan, subject to its allowance. Paid capabilities and project limits depend on the selected plan; check the current pricing page for details.