ACI, a provider of workflow solutions for the valuation industry for nearly 40 years and a member of the First American family of companies, recently introduced SureStep Sketch, a data-driven floorplan solution that allows appraisers, inspectors and real estate agents to create accurate floorplans in the field, according to a company release.

The property data captured in the floorplan sketch (number of rooms, floors, dimensions, etc.) is automatically fed directly into an appraisal or property report, saving time and reducing rekeying errors.

With SureStep Sketch, the release stated, real estate professionals can begin projects in the field and then easily edit and manage them later on any device, including smart phones, tablets, and desktop computers. The intelligent compliance rules within SureStep Sketch enhance the consistency between the floorplan sketch and the corresponding data in the report, reducing steps for the user and potential discrepancies.

“SureStep Sketch digitizes and automates critical inputs in the appraisal process in both the field and the office. Users can walk through a house and build a floorplan using pre-defined shapes and labels, while simultaneously capturing key inspection data required for an appraisal or property report, all in an intuitive and easy-to-use application,” ACI Product Director Jeremy Staudenmaier said. "This unique ‘floorplans-on-phones’ approach can eliminate discrepancies and inconsistences that are often the result of manually keying information from a paper document into a digital solution.

“The comprehensive metadata feature in SureStep Sketch enhances consistency between the data in appraisal forms and the sketches, reducing the need for back-and-forth with clients over quality issues, while enabling users to produce reports faster and with fewer errors,” Staudenmaier added.

SureStep Sketch offers an innovative digital solution to a traditionally manual task and complies with current GSE requirements and proposed floorplan requirements, as well as providing compliance with American National Standards Institute standards.