# Shine Forms — full documentation This file is a single concatenation of every published markdown document on shineforms.co.uk, generated at build time. It exists so that LLM retrieval tooling can fetch the complete product documentation in one request without having to crawl individual pages. The companion index is at /llms.txt. Relative links and images within each document have been rewritten to absolute URLs so they resolve when a body fragment is extracted. Generated: 2026-09-03T15:51:49.163Z Source site: https://www.shineforms.co.uk # Documentation --- ## Adding photos and documents Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/photos-and-documents/ Shine Forms lets you add photos and other documents, such as Word documents and PDF files to your certificates. Photos can be attached to observations or to appendices. Word and PDF documents can be attached as appendices. :::tip{title="You can edit your photos inside Shine Forms"} Shine Forms has a built-in photo editor that lets you change your photos after you've added them to the certificate. Read more [below](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/photos-and-documents#editing-photos)) ::: # Photos and appendices videos Watch how you can work with photos and documents in Shine Forms in the following video. :::tip{title="Shine Forms YouTube Channel"} Find other videos about Shine Forms on our [YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwFjvQ3JUCzwsIS0DG3C-hA/videos). ::: # Photos in observations You can attach one or more photos to any observation in an EICR or a [pre-release EIC](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/pre-release-certificates) and also attach documents and photos as appendices. :::info{title="Shine Forms stores its own copy of the photo"} When you attach a photo to an observation, Shine Forms takes a copy of the original photo. So, you can delete or change the original photo without affecting the photo in your certificate. ::: To attach a photo, select an observation, click **Attach Photos** and then select the photo you wish to add. Once added, photos can be adjusted using the [photo editor](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/photos-and-documents#editing-photos). ![Photo showing how to attach photos to observations in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/observation-photos.png) :::tip{title="Drag and drop photos"} You can also drag and drop photos from your file system onto the observation. ::: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/dragging-images-onto-observations.gif) # Working with appendices You can create appendices for the latest electrical, fire alarm and emergency lighting certificates and add text, photos and documents to those appendices. :::info{title="Original images are preserved"} When attaching a document, Shine Forms saves a copy of the document as images and does not change the original document. Keep a copy of the original document if you need to use it again. ::: To add an appendix, go to the **Appendices** section and click **Add Appendix**. The ribbon also allows you to remove appendices and to move the current appendix up or down to control where it prints. ![Illustration of adding documents and photos to appendices in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/appendix-document-attachment.png) Click **Add Attachment** to add a photo, Word document or PDF to the appendix. The document is broken down into pages and each page is attached as a photo. Margins are automatically removed so that they do not appear twice in the printed certificate (this behaviour can be adjusted from the print section of [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#shine-forms-options)). You can also remove whitespace margins using the [photo editor](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/photos-and-documents#editing-photos). :::info{title="Attach both documents and photos"} You can attach a mixture of documents and photos to any appendix. Just keep clicking **Add Attachment** and selecting the document or photo you want to appear in the appendix with the certificate. ::: The attachments will show in the printed certificate or PDF. The attachments are shown in portrait layout and documents in landscape format are shrunk so as to fit into the page. ![Preview of an appendix with attachments in a printed certificate](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/appendix-preview.png) # Editing photos You can make changes to a photo using Shine Forms. Clicking on **Edit Photo** or double-clicking the photo opens the Photo Editor. ![Screenshot of the Shine Forms Photo Editor interface showing crop and rotate options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/photo-editor.png) The buttons in the ribbon allow you to crop and rotate the photo. ## Save and Close Without Saving **Save** will save your changes back to the certificate you're working on. Use **Close Without Saving** to abandon your changes and close the photo editor. ## Reset to Original This abandons your changes and returns the photo to how it was before you made changes, leaving the editor open. ## Crop To [crop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cropping_%28image%29) a photo, make sure the **Crop** button is down and then drag over the area you want to show. Shine Forms will adjust the photo to show only that area. ## Crop Whitespace If you have loaded a PDF or Word document then the margins may show as whitespace around the main document. You can automatically remove this whitespace by clicking **Crop Whitespace**. ## Rotate Rotates the image 90 degrees anticlockwise. ## Size to Photo Changes the size of the photo editor to match the size of the photo. --- ## Antivirus exclusions Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/antivirus/ Windows has a [built-in antivirus](https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/comprehensive-security), but it is common for people to use third-party security software too. :::note{title="Use Microsoft Defender"} We recommend using the built-in [Microsoft Defender for Windows](https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/comprehensive-security). This is what we use ourselves, making it less likely to falsely detect a virus in your Shine Forms files. ::: Sometimes, third-party software can incorrectly detect Shine Forms or our data files as a threat and delete or block them from running. To fix that, exclude the following folder from your antivirus software: ```text %AppData%\Roaming\Pirform\Pirform\ ``` Also exclude the following process: ```text pirform.exe ``` --- ## Appendices and photos Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-appendices/ :::info{title="Coming soon"} The Shine Forms tablet apps will be available soon. Follow us on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/shine-forms), watch [our blog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog), or [sign up to our newsletter](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/newsletter) for updates. ::: # Appendices and photos Photos and documents that should print with the certificate are attached as **appendices**. Open the **Appendices** section from the ribbon: tap the section name or **Ribbon**, then the **Appendices** tab. ![The Appendices section with one appendix and its two photographs](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-appendices.png) The rail on the left lists the appendices, lettered A, B, C… in the order they will print, with the number of attachments in each. The right-hand side edits the selected appendix: - **Title** and **Details** print at the top of the appendix. The title box suggests common titles — *Photographic record*, *Previous certificate*, *Schematic diagram*, *Manufacturer documentation*, *Correspondence* — or type your own. - **Attachments** shows each photo with its caption. Attachments print in the order shown. ## Adding an appendix Tap **Add Appendix** in the ribbon, or the **+** button under the rail. Give it a title and details. Use the arrow buttons under the rail to move an appendix up or down the print order, and the bin button to delete it. ## Adding photos With an appendix selected: - **Take Photo** opens the tablet's camera and adds the photo to the appendix. - **Add Attachment**, or the **Add attachment** tile, picks a photo already on the tablet. Tap an attachment to select it. A bar of actions appears: move it earlier or later in the print order, **Edit photo** to open it in the photo editor, or **Remove** it. ![An attachment selected, with the reorder, edit and remove actions available](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-appendices-attachment-selected.png) The photo editor is the same one used for [observation photos](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-observations#photos): draw arrows and rings, crop, rotate, enhance, and give the photo a title and details. :::note Attaching PDF and Word documents on the tablet is coming in a later update. For now, attach photos or screenshots of a document. ::: ## Photos on observations Photos attached to an [observation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-observations#photos) print alongside that observation rather than as an appendix. Use appendices for general photographs of the installation, such as the intake position or the inside of a board. ## Linking an appendix to the main switch The **Appendix** selector on the [Supply & Earthing](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-main-form#supply--earthing) tab links the main switch's overcurrent device to one of the certificate's appendices. --- ## Backups Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup/ Shine Forms makes it easy to keep your certificates safe. Whether you're using the Lite Edition or the Premium Edition for sharing certificates, reliable access to your certificates is ensured for years to come. :::success{title="Store certificates online for free"} Use online storage like Dropbox or OneDrive to store your certificates. It's free and easy to set up. [Learn more here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-online). ::: # How to keep your certificates safe :::info{title="Keep your certificates safe"} The key to making sure you never lose any of your certificates is very simple: ::: ***Make sure you keep either a backup file containing the certificate or an export file of the certificate safely somewhere outside of your computer.*** Keep copies of your certificates outside your computer to ensure access in case of damage, theft, or breakdown. :::tip{title="Where are certificates stored?"} Learn where Shine Forms stores your certificates [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/where-certificates-are-stored). ::: Need help finding a missing backup file? Read [this guide](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-find-missing). # Backups and export files Shine Forms offers two ways to save certificates off your computer: * [Backups](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-create): Save all certificates and company data in one file. * [Exports](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/certificate-sharing): Save individual certificates in separate files. :::tip{title="Create backups easily"} Backups can be created anytime. Click [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-create) for details. ::: :::info{title="Export availability"} [Export files](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/certificate-sharing) are available in the Premium Edition, or in the Lite Edition with the legacy Certificate Sharing bolt-on (renewal only — no longer sold new). ::: Shine Forms automatically takes backups and exports for you after something has changed. | What | When | |---|---| | Automatic backups | When closing the program after making any changes | | Automatic certificate export | When closing the certificate after making any changes | :::tip{title="Automatic PDF and circuit chart"} Shine Forms generates a PDF and any relevant circuit charts when exporting certificates automatically. ::: # Storing certificates outside your computer :::success{title="Store your certificates online for free"} Use Dropbox or OneDrive to store certificates online securely. [Learn more here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-online). ::: Affordable and reliable storage options include Dropbox, OneDrive, or other online facilities. They work in the background to store files while you're connected to the internet. OneDrive is included with Office 365 plans. * Sign up for a Dropbox [here](https://db.tt/8h28DQ4b). * Sign up for OneDrive [here](https://onedrive.live.com/about/en-gb/). Other storage options include external hard drives, network-attached storage, or USB keys. :::note If you are part of a company where your IT is managed by another team then they will be able to assist in setting up where these should be stored. ::: # Backup and export storage locations Control where Shine Forms saves backups and exports in the [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#shine-forms-options). ![Shine Forms options showing saving and backup configuration](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/pirform-options-saving-and-backup.png) Files can be manually copied off the computer, but online storage is recommended. :::success{title="Online storage for free"} Use Dropbox or OneDrive for online storage. [Learn more here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-online). ::: :::tip{title="Access your data folders"} Quickly access your data folders [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/save-and-backup-locations#accessing-your-data-folders). ::: # Automatic backups Automatic backups occur before the program closes after changes. Restore backups using steps found [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/restore-from-incremental-backup). ## Closing without backup You can close Shine Forms without taking a backup by selecting **File > Exit > Exit Without Backup** in the Home Screen ribbon. ![Shine Forms home screen with exit without backup option highlighted](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen-exit-without-backup.png) --- ## Board Manager Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-board-manager/ :::info{title="Coming soon"} The Shine Forms tablet apps will be available soon. Follow us on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/shine-forms), watch [our blog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog), or [sign up to our newsletter](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/newsletter) for updates. ::: # Board Manager The **Board Manager** is where you add distribution boards to the certificate, copy, reorder and delete them, and record what supplies each one. Open it from the ribbon: tap the section name or **Ribbon**, then the **Board Manager** tab. ![The Board Manager listing the boards in the certificate](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-board-manager.png) Each row shows the board's designation and location, how many circuits it has, a **supply chip** describing where it is fed from, and a five-dot indicator showing how many of the board's test-instrument serial numbers have been recorded. Tap the chevron at the right of a row to expand the board. There you can enter the serial numbers of the **test instruments** used on that board — continuity, RCD, insulation, earth and electrode — and tap **Open circuits** to go straight to that board in [Circuits & Tests](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-circuits-and-tests). ## Adding boards Tap **Add Board** in the ribbon. The new board is added to the end of the list and numbered automatically — DB1, DB2 and so on. ## Selecting boards Tick the box at the left of one or more rows to select them. A bar appears above the list with **Copy**, which adds copies of the selected boards and their circuits, **Delete**, which removes them and all their circuits, and **Clear**, which clears the selection. With a single board selected, the full ribbon's **Move Board** action moves it up or down the list. If you delete a board that supplied other boards, those boards are reconnected to the origin and the app tells you which ones. ## Supplies Every board needs a supply: the origin of the installation, another board, a circuit on another board, or something else described in words. The supply chip on each row shows what has been recorded, and it prints on the certificate. Tap a board's **supply chip** to change it. The supply picker opens: ![The supply picker offering the four ways a board can be supplied](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-board-manager-supply-picker.png) Choose **Connected to origin**, **Supplied by board**, **Supplied by circuit** or **Other (free text)**, pick the board or circuit where needed, and tap **Apply**. A board can never supply itself and supplies can't form a loop, so boards that this one feeds are not offered. ### The supplies tree Tap **Supplies** in the ribbon to see the boards as a tree, nested under whatever supplies them. ![The Supplies view showing boards nested under the board or circuit that supplies them](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-board-manager-supplies.png) - The **Origin of installation** is at the top, with the boards fed directly from it underneath. - A board supplied from another board sits under that board. A board fed from a particular circuit, such as DB3 fed from circuit 1L2 on DB1, sits under that circuit. Tap the arrow at the left of a board to show its circuits, or use **Expand All** and **Contract All** in the full ribbon to open or close every board at once. ![The Supplies view with every board expanded to show its circuits](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-board-manager-supplies-expanded.png) You can also change a supply here by dragging: drag a board onto the board or circuit that supplies it. On a touch screen, press and hold the board first, then drag. Tap **List** in the ribbon to return to the list view. ## Working with a board's circuits Circuits are edited in the [Circuits & Tests](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-circuits-and-tests) section, which has a tab for each board. --- ## Board Manager Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/board-manager/ The Board Manager lets you easily work with the boards in your certificate. ![An animated demonstration of dragging supplies in the Board Manager interface.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/board-manager-drag-supplies.gif) # Board Manager videos Watch the Board Manager in action in the following video. :::tip{title="Shine Forms YouTube Channel"} Find other videos about Shine Forms on our [YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwFjvQ3JUCzwsIS0DG3C-hA/videos). ::: # Using the Board Manager The Board Manager is a feature that lets you work with the boards in a certificate. In the Board Manager you can: * Add new boards and change details of existing boards. * Visualise how the boards in the installation are connected. * Change a board's supply using either drag and drop or selecting in a dialog. * Reorder boards in the certificate. * Reorder circuits in a board. * Delete a selection of boards. * Exclude individual boards from the PDF. * Clear all engineers and instruments from the boards. * Add or adjust engineers for each board. * Print out a diagram of how the board are connected in the installation. * Create an Excel spreadsheet listing the boards and the circuits. # Two views of the installation The Board Manager shows the boards as they are connected and as a plain list. When **Supplies** is selected in the ribbon you can visualise how the boards are connected in the installation. You can also expand and contract the nodes as needed using the buttons in the ribbon or the +/- buttons in the designation column. ![A screenshot of the supplies view in the Board Manager, showing boards connected in a tree structure.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/board-manager-tree.png) Click **List** in the ribbon to see the boards as a list. ![A screenshot of the list view in the Board Manager, showing boards as a plain list.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/board-manager-list.png) # Working with boards The ribbon contains buttons that allow you to add, copy, delete and move boards. You can also adjust the number of ways of the selected board. In the list view you can select more than one board and some of the functions, such as delete, allow you to act on the selection you have chosen. ![A screenshot of the list view in the Board Manager with multiple boards selected.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/board-manager-list-multi-select.png) :::note Some buttons are only available when in supply view and some when in list view. ::: # Working with supplies Clicking into the supply column lets you select the supply for the selected board. ![A screenshot of selecting a supply for a board in the supply column of the Board Manager.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/board-manager-select-supply.png) ![An animated demonstration of dragging and dropping boards to change supplies in the Board Manager.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/board-manager-drag-drop.png) # Working with engineers You can see the engineer and instrument details in both views and are able to adjust them individually as required. ![A screenshot of the Board Manager showing editing engineer and instrument details.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/board-manager-change-engineer.png) The ribbon also lets you clear the engineers and instruments, which is useful after you have [copied a previous certificate](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/creating-certificates) and you can also set blank rows to be the currently selected engineer and instruments all at once using the **Copy to Blanks** feature. ![A confirmation dialog showing the Copy to Blanks feature in the Board Manager.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/board-manager-copy-down-confirm.png) # Exporting boards and circuits to Excel You can use the Board Manager to export boards and circuits to Excel. For more details, see the link below: [Exporting boards and circuits to Excel](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/save-to-excel#exporting-boards-and-circuits-to-excel) # Printing A Simple Schematic A simple schematic diagram is available from the **List** view to show the boards and circuits arranged by supply. This prints the boards and circuits as they are expanded in the Board Manager (**#1** in the image). The **Expand All** and **Contract All** buttons in the ribbon can be used to expand or contract the boards and circuits as required. To open the simple schematic, click **Print Boards** in the ribbon (**#2** in the image), and you will see the same arrangement of boards and circuits in the simple schematic (**#3** in the image) along with options to print that view. ![The Shine Forms simple schematic showing in the Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/desktop-2026-4-simple-schematic.webp) --- ## Boards and circuits Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/boards-and-circuits/ You can work with the boards and circuits in your certificates from the **Circuits and Test Results** area. :::tip{title="Working with multiple boards"} The **Circuits and Test Results** area lets you focus on a single board at a time. But you can work on all your boards together by using [the Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/board-manager). ::: # Overview Use the ribbon to add, copy, or remove boards and circuits, change the ordering, merge or unmerge three-phase circuit groups, and adjust observations at the board. ![Screenshot showing the ribbon interface for managing boards and circuits in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/boards-and-circuits.webp) :::success{title="Understanding intelligence at the board and circuit level"} The Circuit Helper feature brings circuit intelligence right into the circuits and test results. This makes it easier to understand the board you're working on and much easier when reviewing and checking work. You can read more about the Circuit Helper [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/circuit-helper). ::: Select the board you want to work with using the board selection control. The **Find Box** lets you search for the board you want to work with. You can also hold the **Ctrl** and **Alt** keys and use the **Up** or **Down** arrows to move through your boards (read more about the keyboard shortcuts [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/keyboard-shortcuts)). ![Screenshot showing the board selection control and navigation options in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/boards-and-circuits-select.webp) # Observations at a board Observations against the board are shown in the separate **Observations** tab. ![Screenshot showing the Observations tab for boards in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/boards-and-circuits-observations.png) # Circuit remarks You can enter remarks against a circuit to record, for example, that the circuit is made up of twin cables. To enter remarks, first toggle them by clicking **Show Remarks** in the ribbon, select the appropriate circuit, then enter the remarks at the bottom of the screen: ![Screenshot highlighting how to add circuit remarks in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-remarks.png) These appear on the certificate in the remarks section of the certificate's PDF. ![PDF screenshot showing circuit remarks in the remarks section](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-remarks-pdf.png) # Report protective devices as bidirectional or unidirectional A3 2024 introduces new guidance in 530.3.201 around when protective devices are bidirectional or unidirectional. You can use circuit remarks for any comments against the circuit: ![Screenshot highlighting circuit remarks entered against a circuit in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-remarks.png) # Notes at a board You can also enter notes against the board to record, for example, items required for later works. These do not appear on the certificate but can be viewed in the [Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/board-manager) and [exported to Excel](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/save-to-excel#exporting-boards-and-circuits-to-excel) to work with outside of Shine Forms. ![Screenshot showing the notes entry area for boards in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/boards-and-circuits-notes.png) # Copying boards and circuits In the **Circuits and Test Results** section of the certificate, you will find features for copying boards and circuits. ![Screenshot highlighting the ribbon interface for copying boards and circuits](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/ribbon-circuits-and-test-results.png) :::note{title="Copying boards between certificates"} You can copy boards to other certificates using the [certificate merge feature](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/merging-certificates). ::: ## Copying boards Go to the board you want to copy and click **Copy Board** in the ribbon. You will be presented with the option to copy with the same supply or with the supply as the origin. ![Screenshot showing the dialog box before copying a board in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/board-copy-before.png) A new board will be created with "copy N" appended to the designation. ![Screenshot showing the newly created board with copy appended to its name](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/board-copy-after.png) ## Copying circuits Select the circuit you want to copy (the marker in the leftmost column has an arrow to show the selected circuit) and then choose one of the options under the **Copy Circuit** menu in the ribbon: ![Screenshot highlighting circuit copy options in the ribbon menu](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-copy.png) If you select **Copy to Current Board**, a new circuit with the same values as the selected circuit will be created in the current board. If you select **Copy to Clipboard**, the selected circuit will be available for pasting into any board you choose. You can paste the copied circuit as many times as you wish. You can see the circuit that is in the clipboard at the bottom of the screen. Once a circuit has been copied, the menu allows pasting the circuit both as a new circuit or as values into the currently selected circuit. ![Screenshot showing the Paste Circuit options in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-paste.png) :::tip{title="Pasting test results"} You can control whether Shine Forms pastes the test results as well as the circuit details from inside [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#shine-forms-options) by ticking the option **Include test results when pasting circuits**: ::: ![Screenshot highlighting the circuit paste options in Shine Forms Settings](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/options-circuit-options.png) :::note{title="Copying and pasting circuits with keyboard shortcuts"} You can also use keyboard shortcuts to copy and paste circuits, as well as move a circuit's location in a board. See [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/keyboard-shortcuts) for more. ::: # Marking a circuit as a spare You can mark a circuit as spare by entering using just the word "**spare**" as the circuit designation. This will clear any values in that circuit and the circuit will be ignored when copying values down from another circuit. If you use any other text, such as "spare circuit" or "spare tills", then Shine Forms will not mark it as a spare. :::note{title="How spare circuits appear in the grid"} Spare circuits are marked in the **Circuits and Test Results** grid so they are easy to spot: the row is shaded and greyed, and the circuit number is shown struck through. This is also why the [fill commands](#copying-circuit-values) and the column-header **Select All** / **Select Blanks** commands step over spare circuits. ![Screenshot showing the font used for spare circuits in the circuits and test results grid](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spare-circuit.webp) ::: You can adjust this behaviour in the options **The word "spare" is marks circuits as spare** and **Blank circuits are spare** in either the [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#shine-forms-options) or the [Certificate Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#certificate-options). ![A section of the configuration options showing the spare circuit options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spare-circuit-options.webp) :::tip{title="Automatically clearing spares"} Shine Forms will automatically clear the values in a circuit when you mark it as a spare. You can control whether this happens from [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#shine-forms-options) by ticking the option **Automatically Clear Spares**: ![Screenshot showing the Automatically Clear Spares option in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/options-circuit-options.png) ::: ## Additional markers for spares You can add your own keywords that mark circuits as spares. Add them into the **Spare keywords** list by clicking the **Add** button and entering the keyword. You can add as many keywords as you like, and they will be treated the same as the word "spare" when they are used in a circuit designation. In the image above, the keyword **RCD Module** has been added and will mark a circuit as spare when used in the circuit's designation. When the option **Allow other words in designation** is ticked, it tells Shine Forms to allow other words in the designation. So **RCD Module 1** and **RCD Module 2** will both be treated as spares. If that option is not ticked, only **RCD Module** with no other words will be treated as a spare. # Changing the board phase You can change the phase of the board by selecting the required phase in the board characteristics. Shine Forms will automatically adjust the numbering scheme when you change between single-phase and three-phase. :::note{title="Adding circuits in three-phase boards"} If you change the board to three-phase, Shine Forms will add circuits in groups of three. ::: ![Screenshot showing the board phase settings in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/boards-and-circuits-board-phase.png) # Merging three-phase circuits You can merge or unmerge a circuit in a three-phase board by using the **Three Phase** menu item in the ribbon. :::tip{title="Merging circuits with keyboard shortcuts"} You can do many things, including merge and unmerge circuits, using [the keyboard shortcuts](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/keyboard-shortcuts). ::: ![Screenshot highlighting the merge circuit functionality in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/boards-and-circuits-merge-circuit.png) # Copying circuit values Select a cell in the circuit grid and right-click to show a menu that allows copying and pasting values. The same commands are also available from the **Circuits** group in the ribbon. ![Screenshot showing the menu to copy and paste circuit values in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-copy-value-menu.webp) The following functionality is available: - **Copy** will copy the value in the current cell so that you can later use **Paste** to paste it into another cell. - **Fill Down To Next Value** (F5) copies the current cell value downward into empty cells, starting from the cell below the one you selected and stopping at the first cell that already has a value. - **Fill All Blanks** (Shift+F5) copies the current cell value into every blank cell in the same column. - **Fill Entire Column** (Ctrl+F5) overwrites every cell in the same column, including cells that already have a value. :::note{title="Spare circuits are skipped"} **Fill Down To Next Value**, **Fill All Blanks** and **Fill Entire Column** all skip spare circuits, so a spare is never overwritten. The column-header **Select All** and **Select Blanks** commands skip spares as well, so selecting cells and pasting behaves the same way. Spare rows are [marked in the grid](#marking-a-circuit-as-a-spare) — shaded and greyed, with the circuit number struck through — making it clear why a fill steps over them. ::: After each fill, a message in the status bar confirms what happened, such as _"Filled 7 cells in 'Rating' — 2 spare circuits skipped."_ or _"No blank cells to fill in 'Rating'."_ If you have copied a value, you can right-click the circuit column heading area to reveal a menu that help selecting cells for pasting into. ![Screenshot showing the cell selection menu after right-clicking the circuits headings](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-select-cells-menu.webp) # Moving circuits The **Move Circuit** item in the ribbon allows you to move the selected circuit up or down. ![Screenshot highlighting the Move Circuit option in the ribbon menu of Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/board-move-circuit-ribbon.png) Moving circuits up or down in a single-phase board is straightforward and works as you would expect. Moving circuits in a three-phase board works as follows: - The circuit will move up or down until it becomes the first or last circuit in its group. - If a circuit at the top or bottom of its group is moved, the whole circuit group is moved in the board. :::tip{title="Moving circuits between groups"} The easiest way to move circuits between groups is to change the board to single-phase, move your circuits as required, then change the board back to three-phase. ::: To show how that works, let's start off with a circuit in the middle of a three-phase group, 3L2: ![Before move: screenshot showing circuit 3L2 in its initial position within a three-phase group](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-move-tp-1.png) Moving it up takes it to the top of the group and Shine Forms renumbers the circuits to make the circuit we moved 3L1: ![After first move: screenshot showing circuit 3L2 moved up to 3L1 within the same three-phase group](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-move-tp-2.png) As it's at the top of the group, moving it up moves the whole of the 3L\* group up above the previous groups. Shine Forms renumbers to swap the 2L\* and 3L\* numberings: ![Screenshot showing a three-phase group renumbering after moving 3L1 to the top of the next group](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-move-tp-3.png) If we then move it back down twice, it will be at the bottom of its group: ![Screenshot showing circuit 3L2 at the bottom position within its current group](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-move-tp-4.png) After that, moving it down will move the whole group to be below the following group, renumbering again: ![Screenshot showing 3L2's group swapped below another group after further movement](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-move-tp-5.png) If we move it down again, it will move over the merged group 4TP below: ![Screenshot showing merged group 4TP after moving 3L2's group further down](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-move-tp-6.png) # Resetting max Zs values The **Reset Max Zs** button in the ribbon allows you to recalculate max Zs values. You can control whether manually entered max Zs values are reset during recalculation and you can choose whether to reset values for either the current board or all boards in the certificate. ![Screenshot highlighting the Reset Max Zs options in the ribbon menu](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/board-reset-max-zs.png) In this menu, there are options to reset the values for circuits in the current board or in all boards. Max Zs values that have been entered by the engineer and not calculated by Shine Forms can be reset by selecting the menu items that start with the word "force". ## Entering max Zs values You can set Shine Forms to allow entry of max Zs values by ticking the box **Allow changes to max Zs values** under the **Max Zs** section in [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#shine-forms-options). ![Screenshot showing the Max Zs settings in Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/options-max-zs.png) # Using the board date The board date is the date Shine Forms uses as the inspection date when you add new boards. Keeping the board date separate from the main date of inspection is useful in scenarios such as when you are working on a rolling program of inspections for an installation and reporting in a single certificate. The board date will be first set to the date of inspection when that is first set, but you can select any other date directly from the ribbon (the same is available in the [Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/board-manager)): ![Screenshot highlighting the board date settings in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/boards-and-circuits-board-date.png) # Updating the inspection date When you are working on a rolling program of inspections, you will often create new certificates by [copying the previous certificate](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/creating-certificates#copying-and-creating-certificates). When you set the new inspection date in that new copy, you don't always want to change the board inspection date for all boards in your new certificate. Shine Forms recognizes this and asks whether you want to update the inspection dates for boards that match the previous date before making any changes. You can also optionally update the inspection schedule date and the board date for the certificate: ![Screenshot showing the confirmation dialog when updating the date of inspection](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/boards-and-circuits-confirm-update-date-of-inspection.png) If there are boards matching the old inspection date, then Shine Forms only asks if you want to update the inspection schedule date and the board date for the certificate: ![Screenshot showing the confirmation dialog for updating only the schedule date](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/boards-and-circuits-confirm-update-date-of-only-schedule-date.png) # Other wiring types :::tip{title="Adjusting the dropdown lists"} Read how to adjust the dropdown lists in Shine Forms [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/drop-down-list-manager). ::: Shine Forms has the wiring types A-H pre-configured. If you need to use a different wiring type, you can enter it in the Wiring Types in the [Dropdown List Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/drop-down-list-manager). ![Screenshot showing the configuration of other wiring types in the dropdown manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/boards-and-circuits-other-wiring-types-values.png) When you select these, they will be shown in the PDF in the "Other" section for the relevant board. ![Screenshot showing the Other wiring types represented in the PDF](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/boards-and-circuits-other-wiring-types-pdf.png) # Ring circuits By default, Shine Forms treats all circuits as radial unless specified otherwise. To mark a circuit as a ring final circuit, include the word **ring** in the circuit designation. (_This applies to versions 2025.3 and later_) ![Shine Forms' intelligence reverting for a correctly sized ring circuit](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/ring-circuit-intelligence.gif) As you would expect, Shine Forms' handling of ring final circuits follows the guidance from the [IET's On-Site Guide](https://shop.theiet.org/on-site-guide-bs-7671-2018-a2-2022-8th-edition). More details can be found [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/reference/on-site-guide-intelligence). # Parallel cables There is no provision in the program currently for handling parallel cabling. However, what can be done is to select the appropriate cable size and to add a note in the description to say that there are two (or more) cables coming in. If there is any intelligence that arises that is not relevant or appropriate then it can be [suppressed](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/intelligence#suppressing-intelligence) from the Intelligence Manager, then enter any relevant observations manually. # Freezing columns You can freeze the left columns so they stay visible when you scroll. This is useful when working on smaller screens. ![Boards and circuits showing the first columns frozen when scrolling](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuits-and-tests-results-scrolling.gif) You can turn this on or off using the following setting in **Boards and Circuits** section of [the main options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options.md#shine-forms-options). ![The boards and circuits section of the main options dialog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuits-and-tests-results-scrolling-options.webp) --- ## Browser blocks downloading Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/browser-blocks-download/ If your browser blocks a download, you can tell it that you want the file as follows. The instructions below are for the standard browser that comes with Windows, Microsoft Edge. Other browsers will be similar. ### Microsoft Edge The download shows a message saying that it has been blocked: ![Download block message in Microsoft Edge](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/browser-download-edge-2.png) Click on the menu (the three dots) and then click on **Keep**: ![Microsoft Edge menu with the 'Keep' option](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/browser-download-edge-3.png) Then click on **Show more** and then **Keep anyway**: ![Microsoft Edge 'Show more' and 'Keep anyway' options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/browser-download-edge-4.png) ### Firefox Firefox does not show a message to block the download. Instead, it passes you to Windows SmartScreen and you will get a message when you run the file (see the next section): ![Windows SmartScreen activation message after a Firefox download](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/browser-download-firefox.png) ### Windows SmartScreen Windows SmartScreen appears if your browser hasn't asked you about the file. Click on **More info**: ![Windows SmartScreen 'More info' option](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/browser-download-smartscreen-1.png) Then click on **Run anyway**: ![Windows SmartScreen 'Run anyway' option](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/browser-download-smartscreen-2.png) --- ## Check your spelling Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/spellchecker/ Shine Forms has a built-in spellchecker that checks your spelling as you type. You can also click **Check Spelling** in the ribbon to perform a spelling check of the whole certificate. ![Screenshot of Shine Forms' built-in spellchecker](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spellchecker.png) --- ## Circuit Helper Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/circuit-helper/ :::tip{title="Working with boards and circuits in Shine Forms"} You can read more about working with boards and circuits [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/boards-and-circuits). ::: The Circuit Helper feature makes it easier to understand your certificates and reports by bringing circuit intelligence right into where you are working on the circuits and test results. This is incredibly useful when entering value or when reviewing and checking work. Here you can see a screenshot of the Circuit Helper showing both intelligence and information about the circuits in a board: ![A screenshot of the Circuit Helper in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-helper.webp) The Circuit Helper has the following features. # Indicator icons next to the circuit The Circuit Helper shows an indicator icon next to each circuit in the board. If Shine Forms has applied intelligence to the circuit, it shows a light bulb icon. If there is information, it will show an information icon. ![A screenshot showing the Circuit Helper Indicator icons](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-helper-indicators.webp) Clicking on the icon shows the details directly below the circuit. You can see intelligence has been applied to circuit 1 below. The Circuit Helper shows the intelligence statement and lets you take actions without moving away from the circuit. # Details shown under the circuit ![A screenshot showing Circuit Helper in action showing expanded intelligence](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-helper-expanded-intelligence.webp) Clicking **Suppress** will suppress the intelligence statement for this circuit. You can also un-suppress intelligence in the same manner. You can also click **Manage Intelligence** to go to the Intelligence Manager, where you can see all the intelligence statements applied to the certificate and manage them. There is also a link to the [Intelligence Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/intelligence) in the ribbon. ![A screenshot showing Circuit Helper in action showing expanded information](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-helper-expanded-information.webp) Information about a circuit, such as the maximum length of a ring final circuit from the on-site guide, is also shown in the Circuit Helper. In this case, you can navigate directly from there to our [on-site guide documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/reference/on-site-guide-intelligence). # Easier reviewing and checking work To make reviewing board and circuit details easier when checking work, the Circuit Helper lets you expand all Circuit Helpers in the certificate at once. To do that, click **Expand Helpers** in the ribbon for Shine Forms to automatically expand all Circuit Helpers as you navigate through the boards. When you want to close the Circuit Helper details, click **Expand Helpers** again. ![A screenshot showing Circuit Helper Expand Helpers button in Shine Forms' ribbon](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-helper-expand-helpers.webp) --- ## Circuits and test results Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-circuits-and-tests/ :::info{title="Coming soon"} The Shine Forms tablet apps will be available soon. Follow us on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/shine-forms), watch [our blog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog), or [sign up to our newsletter](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/newsletter) for updates. ::: # Circuits and test results The **Circuits & Tests** section is where you record each board's characteristics and the details and test results of its circuits. Open it from the ribbon: tap the section name or **Ribbon**, then the **Circuits & Tests** tab. ![The Circuits & Tests section showing the board details above the circuit grid](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-circuits-board-details.png) The controls at the top of the body are: - **Details** shows or hides the board details panel. - **Cards** and **Grid** switch how the circuits are shown. - **Show** chooses whether each circuit shows its **Info** (the circuit details), its **Results** (the test results) or **Both**. - The **board tabs** — DB1, DB2 and so on — switch between the boards in the certificate. The summary at the right shows the selected board's location, Ze, Ipf, voltage and number of phases. ## Board details With **Details** on, the panel above the circuits records the board: - **Board characteristics** — designation, location, supply, the OCPD protecting the board and its rating, the number of phases, nominal voltage, phase sequence, supply polarity, Ipf and Ze. Tick **Disregard high Zs** to suppress the high-Zs warning on this board. - **RCD at this board** — the BS (EN), poles, rated residual current and operating times of any RCD protecting the whole board. - **Surge protection (SPD)** — the types of SPD fitted (**T1**, **T2**, **T3**) and its operational status. - **Test instruments** — the serial numbers of the instruments used, if you want them on the certificate. The board's supply is set in the [Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-board-manager). Turn **Details** off to give the circuits the whole screen. ## Grid view The grid shows one row per circuit with the columns of the printed schedule: the conductors, the overcurrent device, the ring final and R1+R2 readings, insulation resistance, polarity, measured Zs, RCD operating times and the test buttons. The first three columns — the circuit number, the three-phase marker and the description — stay put while you swipe sideways to reach the rest. ![The circuit grid with the board details collapsed](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-circuits-grid.png) Use **Show → Results** to see only the test result columns: ![The circuit grid showing only the test result columns](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-circuits-show-results.png) :::note The grid needs a tablet-sized screen. On a phone, or with the window very narrow, the app shows the card view only. On a 10" tablet in landscape the grid is offered and used by default. ::: ## Card view The card view shows each circuit as a form. Tap a circuit's header to expand it. ![The card view with the circuits collapsed](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-circuits-cards.png) Each card has the same fields as the grid, grouped under **Conductors**, **Overcurrent protective device**, **Continuity**, **Insulation resistance**, **RCD / RCBO** and **RCD device**, plus the AFDD and SPD test buttons and the *vulnerable to damage* and *disregard Zs* flags. The buttons at the top of a card move it up or down, copy it, or open a menu to clear its info or results, merge it as three-phase, or delete it. Under each card, the **Circuit helper** lists anything [Intelligence](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-intelligence) has raised about that circuit, with a link to the Intelligence Manager. ## Entering values with the pads Tapping a cell in the grid, or a field on a card, does not open the keyboard. It opens a **pad** of the values that are valid for that field, so most entries are a single tap. ![The OCPD rating pad open over the grid](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-circuits-value-pad.png) - **Value pads** list the standard values for the field, such as the OCPD ratings or cable sizes. Long lists have a **Type to jump** box: type a digit or two to jump to that part of the list. You can also just start typing on a cell and the pad opens ready filtered. - **Grouped pads** enter two fields at once. The BS (EN) pad is headed by the standard — *BS EN 60898 · MCB*, *BS EN 61009 · RCBO* and so on — and its tiles are the device types or curves, so one tap writes both the BS (EN) and the Type. ![The BS (EN) pad, grouped by standard with a tile for each type or curve](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-circuits-grouped-pad.png) - **Code sheets** open for fields whose values are codes with a description, such as the wiring type and the reference method. Each row shows the code and its full wording, with a box to filter by code or wording. ![The reference method sheet listing each code and its wording](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-circuits-code-sheet.png) Tap **Clear** at the bottom of a pad to empty the field. ## Filling a column Many circuits share the same values — the same wiring type, the same reference method, the same test voltage. The **Fill** tool copies a value down a column in one go. 1. Tap **Fill** in the ribbon. The grid opens if it isn't already showing, and a banner asks you to tap a **source cell**. 2. Tap the cell whose value you want to copy. 3. Choose where to fill: **Fill blanks below**, **Fill all blank cells** in the column, **Overwrite all below**, or **Pick cells to fill…** to tap the individual cells you want. The rows that will change are highlighted. 4. Tap **Fill** to confirm. The banner offers **Undo** in case you change your mind. Copying a blank cell clears the chosen cells instead, which is a quick way to empty a column. ## Adding, copying and arranging circuits The ribbon row holds the most used actions: - **Add Circuit** adds a circuit to the end of the board. - **Add Board** adds a new board. - **Fill** starts the Fill tool. - **Three Phase** merges the selected circuit with its neighbours into a three-phase circuit on a three-phase board, and reads **Unmerge** when the selected circuit is already merged. The **3ϕ** column marks the circuits that belong to a three-phase group. The full **Ribbon** holds the rest: **Copy Circuit**, **Move Circuit** up or down, **Clear Data** (clear all the circuit's values, or just its test results), **Delete Circuit**, and **Copy Board** and **Delete Board** for the current board. ![The full ribbon for Circuits & Tests, with the board and circuit actions grouped](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-ribbon-sheet-circuits.png) ### Copying circuits to another board Select the circuit and tap **Copy to Clipboard** in the full ribbon. Switch to the board you want to copy it into, and tap **Paste Circuits** — the button names the circuit and the boards it is copying from and to. The copied circuit stays on the clipboard, so you can paste it into several boards. :::tip{title="Intelligence checks as you go"} As you enter cable sizes, protective devices and test results, [Intelligence](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-intelligence) compares them with the regulations and raises a statement when something doesn't add up, such as a cable too small for its protective device. The **Circuit helper** under each card shows what was raised. ::: --- ## Company and engineers Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/company-and-engineers/ After you have [installed Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/installing), it is quick and easy to get started working on certificates. :::tip{title="Easily share company and engineer details between machines"} You can easily share company and engineer details between machines. Read how to do that here [exporting company details](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/company-details-export). ::: # Company information Open Shine Forms, and click the **Company and Instruments** tab, located at the bottom left of the **Home Screen**. Enter the company name, address and other details that you want to appear on your certificates. ![Shine Forms home screen showing the company and instruments tab open](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen-company.png) # Company and association logos You can now set up the company and association logos that you want to appear on your certificates. :::note Your logos need to be in an image file such as a .JPG, .PNG, .BMP, etc. You won't be able to use Word or PDF documents. ::: While still in the **Company and Instruments** tab, click **Select Company Logo** and select the the company logo you want to use. You will see a preview of how it will appear below the company address. Add your association logo in a similar way by clicking **Select Association Logo**. :::tip{title="Download your association logo"} You may need to download your association logo from their website. ::: ## Getting the image size correct The sizes for the areas Shine Forms uses for your logos are shown in the table below. | Image | Size | |---|---| | Company Logo | 225 x 75 | | Association Logo | 175 x 75 | | Signature | 200 x 30 | Shine Forms will stretch the image to fit this space so you don't have to make yours exactly the same size. Generally, if your images are the _same proportions_ then they will look fine. If you need to, you can easily edit images using an image editing program such as the Paint program that comes with Windows - click [here](https://www.wikihow.com/Use-Microsoft-Paint-in-Windows) to read how to use Paint. :::tip{title="Larger images are better"} If the image is much smaller than the below then it may appear blurred or distorted as Shine Forms expands it to fit the space. ::: # Test instruments Now click **Test Instruments** to go to the area where you can set up your instruments. It is easiest to do this before you add the engineer so that we can associate the right instruments with the engineers when we add them later. From here click **Add Instrument** in the ribbon and enter the details of the instrument in the grid. ![Shine Forms home screen showing the test instruments configuration area](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen-instruments.png) # Engineers Now click **Engineers and External Companies** to go to the area where you can set up your engineers. From here click **Add Engineer** in the ribbon and enter the details of the engineer. :::tip{title="Automate selecting your instruments"} Shine Forms automatically uses the instruments you set as default for the engineer in any new certificates you create. ::: ![Shine Forms home screen showing the engineers and external companies configuration area](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen-engineers.png) --- ## Company details Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/company/ # Setting up your company Log into Shine Forms and navigate to the company area (read more about navigating [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/navigation)). The direct link to the company area is [www.shineforms.co.uk/company](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/company). # Company information Enter the company details as you want them to appear on your PDFs. When you are done, click **Update Company** to save your changes. # Logos You can set up company and association logos that will appear on your PDFs. To upload a logo, click the **Browse** button to select the logo you want to upload, then click the **Update Logos** button to save your logos to Shine Forms. ![Screenshot of the company information section in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/company.png) --- ## Computer performance Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/computer-performance/ # Improve the performance of your computer Over time the performance of your computer will be less than it was when it was new. Reasons for this include having programs running in the background and other software that you no longer need using valuable resources on your computer. This article shows how to solve common problems to improve the performance and get the best from your PC. # Update Windows It is important to make sure that your copy of Windows is up to date. The following article shows how to check and update Windows: [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4027667/windows-update-windows-10](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4027667/windows-update-windows-10) # Stop background programs Programs that you install will often start up in the background when your computer starts. This slows down the startup and can reduce the performance of the computer. Even for programs that you use often, you can stop them starting automatically and just start them when you ask them. For example, I prevent Google Chrome from starting anything automatically and just wait until I start it when I want to browse the internet. To see how to prevent programs from starting manually, see the following article: [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026268/windows-change-startup-apps-in-windows-10](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026268/windows-change-startup-apps-in-windows-10) --- ## Copy incremental backup files Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/copy-incremental-backup/ This article describes how to restore certificates from an incremental backup folder on an old computer to a new computer. ## Find the old backup files :::tip Read the [Save and backup locations](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/save-and-backup-locations) for more details about the folders used by Shine Forms. ::: Find the backup files from the old computer. These will be in your Shine Forms folder, which is usually under your Documents folder in a folder named "**Incremental**" > Documents\Shine Forms\Backups\Incremental Note that it may have an alternative name or location if you set that up differently in your [save and backup options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/save-and-backup-locations). It will look like this: ![Screenshot showing the folder structure of an incremental backup folder](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/incremental-backup-folder.png) ## Find your Shine Forms data folder Find the Shine Forms data folder, which you can access by entering the following text into File Explorer and pressing Enter on your keyboard: > %appdata%\Shine Forms\Shine Forms\Data\DB3 It will look like this: ![Screenshot showing the AppData folder open in File Explorer](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/app-data-in-file-explorer.png) Alternatively, browse to the following location (replacing all of the section **your-user-name** with your actual user name): > C:\Users\your-user-name\AppData\Roaming\Shine Forms\Shine Forms\Data\DB3 ## Delete all the current certificates :::warning You are about to remove all the certificates from the current copy of Shine Forms. THIS CANNOT BE UNDONE. Make sure you have [exported those to files](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/certificate-sharing) or have taken a [backup](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-create)! ::: After reading the warning above, select and delete all the files in that folder so that it is empty (leaving only the DB3 folder): ![Screenshot showing an empty DB3 folder within the Shine Forms data folder](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/empty-db3-folder.png) ## Copy the old files Select and copy all the files in the old folder you found in the first step above, then paste them into where you just deleted all the files. When you have done that, the folder will look similar to this: ![Screenshot of the incremental backup folder after copying files](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/incremental-backup-folder.png) Start Shine Forms and check that everything is how you expect it to be! --- ## Create a backup file Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-create/ :::success{title="Backup your certificates online for free"} Keep copies of your certificate data outside your computer to access them if your computer breaks down, becomes damaged, or is stolen. Read more [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-online). ::: :::info Shine Forms backup files contain all your certificates, photos, documents, company details, logos, engineers, and instruments. Shine Forms automatically takes backups before closing after changes. You can also create a backup anytime. ::: # Creating a Backup To create a new backup: **1:** Go to the **Home Screen** and click **Backup Data**: ![Shine Forms Home Screen showing the Ribbon Data Actions](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen-ribbon-data-actions.png) **2:** Confirm the action. Shine Forms will notify you when the backup is complete and offer to show the backup file: ![Backup complete notification window](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/information-backup-complete.png) **3:** Click **Show me the backup file** to open Windows File Explorer with the backup file: :::note Backup files include the date and time they were created in their filenames. For example, a backup created on August 3, 2020, at 8\:06 am will be named accordingly: ![Backup file saved on disk example](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/backup-file-on-disk.png) ::: --- ## Creating certificates Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/creating-certificates/ You can create certificates from scratch or quickly create new ones from existing certificates. For example, you can copy an existing certificate or even create a new inspection certificate from an existing installation certificate. :::tip New certificates for the current regulations can be created from existing certificates created under older versions of the regulations. ::: # Creating new certificates After you have [set up your company and engineers](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/company-and-engineers), Shine Forms uses these for any new certificates you create. :::note If you have changed your company or association details, you can easily update those details on existing certificates - click [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/update-certificate-logos-and-details) for details. ::: You can create a new certificate by clicking **New Certificate** in the Home Screen's ribbon and selecting the type of certificate. Shine Forms then lets you select details appropriate to the new certificate, such as the number, engineer and instruments and other details such as the number of boards and ways. ![Screenshot of the home screen showing the option to create a new certificate](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen-new-certificate.png) Click **OK** and Shine Forms will open your new certificate. Click **Cancel** to close that screen without making any changes. # Copying and creating certificates :::note Two other features that save time creating certificates are [merging boards and observations](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/merging-certificates) from other certificates into the current certificate and [copying of boards and circuits](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/boards-and-circuits#copying-boards-and-circuits) when working inside a certificate. ::: Start by selecting the source certificate in the Home Screen and then click on **Create Certificate** in the ribbon to access all the ways to copy or create one certificate from an existing one. ![Screenshot of the create certificate screen showing available options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/create-cert.png) ## Copying a certificate Choose **Copy** and Shine Forms will create a new certificate as a copy of the selected certificate. The copy will have a new certificate number and can optionally include the observations and test results from the source certificate in the new certificate if desired. ![Confirmation dialog in Shine Forms when copying a certificate](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/copy-certificate-confirmation.png) ## Creating a certificate of a different type Select one of the options to create a new certificate from the existing one certificate lets you create different certificate types from your existing certificates. The observations and test results are carried over to the new certificate after confirming the creation. ![Confirmation dialog for creating a certificate of a different type](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/create-certificate-confirmation.png) If you select the option to **Copy schedule items**, then Shine Forms will set the values of the corresponding schedule item in the new certificate wherever possible. :::note As there are differences between EICR and EIC schedule items, and as not all codings from an EICR are relevant in an EIC, then Shine Forms will ignore any that can't be matched or carried over. Also, Shine Forms will ignore any schedule item that was coded by [Shine Forms' intelligence feature](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/intelligence) and leave it to be set only if the intelligence applies again in the new certificate. ::: ## Creating Minor Works If you are creating a new Minor Works from an existing certificate, you will be asked to select a board and circuit from the source certificate. The details of the circuit you select will be carried forward into the new Minor Works. ![Screenshot showing the interface for creating a Minor Works certificate](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/create-minor-works.png) ## Creating a certificate for a customer When you copy or create a certificate, the details of the customer and installation will also be copied. But, if you just want to create a new blank certificate for a particular customer, just go to the **Home Screen**, find and select any certificate for that customer, click **Create Certificate** in the ribbon and then click **New Certificate For [customer name]**: ![Screenshot showing the option to create a certificate for a customer](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/create-cert-for-customer.png) --- ## Creating engineer signatures Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/engineer-signatures/ You can add an image file against each engineer containing their signature so that it will be automatically used in the printed reports. :::note If you prefer to print and sign your certificates, just leave the signature unset and sign the paper after printing. ::: When Shine Forms prints the signature it fits it into a space approximately 200 x 30. Here is a section from a certificate to show how that looks. ![Example of a signature section from a certificate](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/singature-example.png) You can easily create an image of the engineer's signature by following the steps below. # Create signature file using a tablet If you have a tablet then you can use it to create an image file and then sign it using either your tablet's stylus or your finger. # Create signature file using pen and paper If you don't have a tablet, then you can sign a piece of plain paper using a gel or narrow nibbed felt pen. Then take a photo of the signature and save that to an image file. # Crop the image to the correct proportions Use an image editing tool such as the Paint program that comes with Windows to "crop" the signature (which means to cut around it), aiming for something in the proportions of 20 across and 3 down. You can read how to crop using Paint [here](https://www.wikihow.tech/Crop-an-Image-with-Microsoft-Paint). Then save the image file to the same computer that you are using Shine Forms on. # Adding the signature to the engineer The last step is to add the signature to the engineer. You can do this by selecting the engineer, click **Select Signature** in the ribbon and choose the signature file you have just created. ![Screenshot of the home screen showing the engineers section](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen-engineers.png) --- ## Drop-down lists Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/drop-down-list-manager/ You can view the dropdown lists in Shine Forms by clicking **Dropdown List Manager** from the Home Screen. ![The dropdown list manager in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/drop-down-list-manager.png) # Adding and removing dropdown list items There are two section in the dropdown list manager. You can adjust the items in the first section, **User Defined Lookups**. To add an item to a list, click **Add** in the ribbon and enter the value you want add. ![The Shine Forms ribbon showing the button that adds a value to a dropdown list](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/drop-down-add-item.png) After you have added the item, you can move it to the position in the list using the **Move Up** and **Move Down** buttons. ![The Shine Forms ribbon showing the button that adds moves value down in a dropdown list](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/drop-down-move-item.png) To remove an item, select it and click **Delete** in the ribbon. :::note After you finish adding the values, you need to close and re-open Shine Forms to see the new values in your certificates. ::: ![The restart to view changes dialog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/confirm-restart-lookups.png) # Resetting dropdown lists You can reset all your changes to the dropdown lists by opening [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#shine-forms-options) and clicking **Reset Lookups** in the General section. ![The button in Shine Forms settings that resets the dropdown list values](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/pirform-options-reset-lookups.png) # Entering values directly Some values let you enter text directly as well as selecting from a list, such as installation extent, overall installation condition, and report purpose values directly in EICRs. Those fields have an icon to the left and some text to say so when they are empty: ![A section of the app showing fields that have a dropdown list as well as allowing values to be entered](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/drop-down-fields-that-allow-values.webp) If you want to enter a value that isn't in the dropdown list manager, just type the value and press ENTER or TAB to save the value. ![A dropdown list showing a value that was loaded from the cert](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/drop-down-showing-directly-entered-value.webp) When you enter a value directly, it appears in the selection list for the form you are working on until you close and re-open the cert. If you want it to appear in other forms, you'll need to enter it into the Dropdown List Manager as above. --- ## Find missing backup files Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-find-missing/ :::info{title="Use online backup services"} Shine Forms can work with online backup services like OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive to store your certificate backups online. This means your certificates will be safe even if your computer is lost or damaged. Read how to set that up [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-online). ::: Shine Forms is installed on your computer and stores all your certificates and backups on your computer. If you have set up Shine Forms to use [online storage like OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-online), or similar, you can find your last backup file there. The same applies if you use another backup method such as an external hard disk or USB key to take backups. There are two ways that Shine Forms takes backups of your certificates: - Automatic backups - Manual backups # Automatic backups Shine Forms automatically takes backups of your certificates every time you close the program. These are stored in a folder named `Incremental` which is inside the folder `Backup`. To find this folder, search for the name of the folder (such as `Incremental`). :::warning{title="Have you changed the folder name?"} It is possible to change the name of this folder from [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#shine-forms-options). If so, you will need to search for the name of the folder that you used. ::: Alternatively, you can search for "CERT" files, which is the file type that Shine Forms uses for certificates. That might help you find the backup folder where these are stored. They look something like this: > 00a9aae7-0d25-4321-8507-419b776e93cb.cert To find them, use the wildcard search: `*.cert`. # Manual backups These are backups that you create yourself. Read more about Shine Forms' backup features [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup). The backup file will show the time and date the backup was taken in the filename in reverse order. For example: > Shine Forms-Backup-2023-05-23-17-28.bak To find them, use the wildcard search: `*.bak`. # What if you cannot find the backup file? ## Changes to the user account As Shine Forms stores the certificates in a folder that is specific to the user, if you have changed the user account on your computer, you will need to look under the folder for the same user that you used when you took the backup. ## Has the disk been formatted? If your hard disk has been formatted, that will remove old files from the disk. However, it can still be possible to recover files from a formatted disk, depending on how the disk was formatted and what has been written to it since. This is a specialised task, but your local computer repair shop may be able to help you with this and recover the missing files. # How to search for things on your computer To search for files or folders, you can use the built-in search facility in Windows. Read more in Microsoft's documentation here: [https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/search-for-anything-anywhere-b14cc5bf-c92a-1e73-ea18-2845891e6cc8](https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/search-for-anything-anywhere-b14cc5bf-c92a-1e73-ea18-2845891e6cc8) --- ## Finding things Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/using-find/ Shine Forms lets you easily find items by typing into "find boxes". As these find boxes take up some screen space, we hide them by default and they appear when you use the `Ctrl + F` [keyboard shortcut](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/keyboard-shortcuts#general). To make that easier, we have now added a button to show or hide the find box. Press it once to show then press it again to hide! ![Button to toggle the find box visibility in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/certificate-toggle-find.png) If you prefer to always show the find boxes, you can tell Shine Forms to do that by ticking the setting in **General** section of [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#shine-forms-options): ![Setting in Shine Forms Options to always show find boxes](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/pirform-options-always-show-find.png) --- ## Free trial Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/free-trial/ ![Screenshot of Shine Forms home screen](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen.png) :::info{title="Shine Forms runs on Windows"} Shine Forms runs on Windows and you can find our system requirements [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/system-requirements). ::: :::tip{title="Use Shine Forms on a Mac"} If you want to use Shine Forms on a Mac, you can do that using the fabulous [Parallels](https://www.parallels.com/uk/) to let you run Windows software on your Mac. ::: If you haven't already bought a licence, then you can just go ahead with our free 30-day trial. To do that, just download and install Shine Forms and it will start your free 30-day, fully functional trial. During the trial all the features of Shine Forms work as they will with a licensed version, but PDFs will carry a watermark. If you later purchase a licence then that watermark will be removed from any certificates you have created during the trial. To start your free 30-day trial just click the link below to download the latest installer. [www.shineforms.co.uk/download/latest](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/latest) :::success{title="Purchase from our online store"} When you are ready to purchase a licence, you can read about doing that [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/purchasing-licences). ::: Read more about using Shine Forms from our getting started page here: [Getting started with Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/getting-started) --- ## Getting started Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/getting-started/ Welcome! The sections below will help you get started with Shine Forms. For further assistance, contact our [help desk](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/support/) or use the search box at the top right. :::success{title="Free Trial"} Try Shine Forms for free with a [30-day trial](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/free-trial). ::: :::success{title="Shine Forms YouTube Channel"} Watch our videos on the [Shine Forms YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwFjvQ3JUCzwsIS0DG3C-hA). ::: ![Shine Forms Home Screen](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen.png) # First steps Read these articles to install Shine Forms, set up your company, and create your first certificate: * [Installing Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/installing) * [Applying your licence](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/managing-licences#applying-a-licence) * [Set up your company and engineers](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/company-and-engineers) * [Creating new certificates](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/creating-certificates#creating-new-certificates) * [Saving to PDF](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/saving-to-pdf) (including [circuit charts](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/saving-to-pdf#creating-circuit-charts)) # Working with certificates These articles cover working with certificates: * [Using the Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/board-manager) * [Working with observations and limitations](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/observations-and-limitations) * [Working with boards and circuits](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/boards-and-circuits) * [Working with the inspection schedule](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/inspection-schedule) * [Attaching photos to observations](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/photos-and-documents#photos-in-observations) * [Attaching documents as appendices](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/photos-and-documents#working-with-appendices) * [Checking your spelling](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/spellchecker) # Understanding backups Learn how to keep your certificates safe and where they are stored: * [Backups](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup) * [Save and backup locations](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/save-and-backup-locations) # Working with others Shine Forms makes it easy to collaborate with other engineers: * [Sharing certificates using export files](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/certificate-sharing) * [Merging boards and observations from other engineers](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/merging-certificates) For managing Shine Forms for multiple users: * [Sharing company details across machines](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/company-details-export) * [Manage licences for multiple engineers](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/managing-licences#licences-for-multiple-engineers) * [Set up online backup and sharing](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup) # Changing options and settings Customize Shine Forms to suit your needs: * [Accessing and changing options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options) * [Changing dropdown list values](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/drop-down-list-manager) # Stay in touch The Start Page shows your recently opened certificates and our [blog](https://blog.shineforms.co.uk). Check the blog for new articles and announcements. ![Shine Forms Start Page](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/start-page.png) # Tips for working in Shine Forms Helpful sections for working in Shine Forms: * [Using collapsible sections](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/collapsible-sections) * [Creating certificates from existing ones](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/creating-certificates#copying-and-creating-certificates) * [Using keyboard shortcuts](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/keyboard-shortcuts) * [Using tablet mode on Windows 10](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-mode) --- ## Getting started with online forms Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/shine-getting-started/ # Getting started with Shine Forms ## Welcome Welcome to Shine Forms Online! Upload certificates to your Shine Forms account from Shine Forms Desktop or the [Shine Tablet apps](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-overview). Your account generates and stores the PDFs, and Shine Forms Desktop can download uploaded certificates for review, merging and issue to the customer. ## Details for the PDF So that your company details, issuer details and logos appear on the PDFs, you'll need to set these up against the login to which your licences are registered. * [Set up company details](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/company) * [Set up issuers and signatures](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/issuers) Once those are completed, the details will be added to the PDFs. Tip: if you change any of these, click **refresh** next to the [form](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/forms) to regenerate the PDFs. ## Getting started Use the following links to get started: * [Working with forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/forms) * [Uploading certificates from Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/upload) * [Navigating around Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/navigation) * [Set up your company details](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/company) * [Set up your issuers](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/issuers) ## More information Check our frequently asked questions: [www.shineforms.co.uk/faq](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/faq) Follow articles on our blog here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/blog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog) Read or search our documentation here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/docs](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs) Look at our roadmap here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/roadmap](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/roadmap) --- ## Glossary Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/glossary/ This section defines or clarifies the meaning of the terms we use across Shine Forms — the desktop app, the tablet apps and your online account. # Forms :::summary The term **form** means any document that Shine Forms produces. So, a **form** can be a **certificate** or a **report**. Shine Forms mainly focuses on creating electrical certificates and reports. But, for a long time, we've used the term **certificate** to refer to any document that Shine Forms produces, often abbreviating that to **cert**. Almost always, we mean **certificates or reports**. However, **certificates or reports** is more long-winded and cumbersome. So, we're trying to standardise on the term **form** and use that to refer to any of the documents that Shine Forms produces. So, when we use the term **form**, we could mean a **certificate**, a **report**, or any other type of document such as a circuit chart. --- ## Inspection schedule Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-inspection-schedule/ :::info{title="Coming soon"} The Shine Forms tablet apps will be available soon. Follow us on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/shine-forms), watch [our blog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog), or [sign up to our newsletter](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/newsletter) for updates. ::: # Inspection schedule The **Inspection Schedule** tab of the Main Form lists every item in the certificate's schedule of inspections, grouped into the numbered sections of the standard. ![The inspection schedule listing the items in section 1](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-schedule.png) The bar above the list keeps count of how many items have been coded and how many are still blank. The **Show** chips filter the list: **All** shows everything, **Raised** shows the items that have raised an observation or limitation, and as you code items a chip appears for each outcome you have used, so you can jump straight to, say, everything you coded C2. The **blank** chip shows what is left to do. ## Coding an item Tap an item, or its **Set…** button, to open its editor at the right of the screen. ![The item editor open on an item, with C2 selected and the linked observation shown](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-schedule-editor.png) Tap the outcome: **PASS**, **C1**, **C2**, **C3**, **FI**, **X**, **N/V**, **LIM** or **N/A**. **Clear** removes the outcome again. When you choose **C1**, **C2**, **C3**, **FI** or **X** the app raises a linked **observation** for you, worded from the item, and shows it in the editor so that you can finish it without leaving the schedule: - The observation text is generated from the item and its code, and is kept in step if you change the code. - Add your own **Comments** and a **Location** such as *Consumer unit* or *DB1-4*. - Tick **Suppress details** if you don't want the generated text printed on the certificate. Choosing **LIM** raises an agreed limitation in the same way, which appears on the [Limitations](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-main-form#limitations) tab. For an outcome that doesn't raise anything, such as **PASS**, the editor simply records the outcome: ![The item editor open on an item coded PASS](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-schedule-editor-pass.png) Tap **Done** to close the editor. Changes are saved as you make them. An item that has raised an observation shows *Observation raised · tap to edit* under it in the list. :::tip Observations raised from the schedule appear in the [Observations](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-observations) tab like any other. Changing the item's code updates the observation, and clearing the code removes it. ::: :::note When [Intelligence](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-intelligence) has set an item's outcome from your test results, the editor only lets you make the code more serious, not less. ::: ## Finding an item Tap the search box in the ribbon row and type part of an item's number or wording. Typing *4.* shows every item in section 4; typing *bonding* shows every item that mentions it. The list narrows to the matches and highlights them. Clear the search to see everything again. ![The schedule filtered to items starting 4.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-schedule-find.png) ## Finishing the schedule When you have coded everything that needs a code, the ribbon offers three ways to deal with the rest: - **Confirm blanks** marks every remaining blank item **PASS**. - **Set Blanks** gives every remaining blank item the outcome you choose from its list, such as **Not applicable** or **Not verified**. - **Clear outcomes** clears every code on the schedule if you need to start again. The **blank** filter chip lets you check what is left before you do: ![The schedule filtered to the blank items](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-schedule-filter.png) **Add item** in the full ribbon adds an item of your own to the end of the schedule. ## Choosing a different schedule The schedule a certificate uses is chosen when you [create the certificate](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-home-screen#creating-a-certificate). Your own schedules are kept in the [Schedule Library](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-settings-and-support#schedule-library). --- ## Inspection schedule Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/inspection-schedule/ :::info{title="Create Custom Inspection Schedules"} You can create and reuse fully customised inspection schedules using the [Shine Forms Schedule Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/schedule-manager). ::: Shine Forms makes it easy to work with the inspection schedule and code items as needed. ![A screenshot showing the visual layout of schedule items in 2022 within Shine Forms.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/schedule-items-2022.png) # Automatic observations and limitations When you code an item with a C1, C2, C3 or FI, Shine Forms will automatically create an observation associated with that schedule item. Changing the coding to a different value will remove the observation. Items in section 1.1 may also be marked X. BS 7671 allows any item in that section to be marked this way, and requires a comment against it in section K of the EICR, so Shine Forms carries the X through to the observations for continuity. Section 1.1 is the only place X is used. You can work with the associated observation directly in the inspection schedule screen. ![A screenshot illustrating how observations are associated with schedule items in Shine Forms.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/schedule-item-observation.png) Similarly, limitations are automatically added when you code an item to LIM: ![A screenshot detailing how limitations are automatically added when coding items to LIM.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/schedule-item-limitation.png) # Using the Inspection Schedule Manager The Inspection Schedule Manager lets you quickly enter values into the inspection schedule and to rapidly set blank values. You can open it by clicking the ribbon button marked **Inspection Schedule Manager**. ![A screenshot showing the Inspection Schedule Manager in Shine Forms, with options for entering and updating schedule values.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/schedule-item-manager.png) When **Only Blanks** is selected, selecting a value for the blank items and clicking **Done** will put that value into all blank items in the specified section. You can set all items to PASS by clicking the button marked **Set All Blanks To Pass** at the lower left. You can choose which sections are included in the PDF by selecting the value next to the section in the grid. When **Only Blanks** is not selected, selecting values for the blank items and clicking **Done** will put that value into all blank items in the specified section. :::info **Only Blanks** will overwrite values in all sections, so use it with care. If you save just before making changes and make a mistake, just close without saving changes and re-open and the inspection schedule will be back as it was. ::: # Excluding schedule items that do not apply You can now choose to not show schedule items that are marked as not applicable on the PDF or printed certificate. A notice is shown to indicate that only applicable items are shown and the numbering of the items is the same as if they were all present on the printed certificate. ![A screenshot demonstrating excluded schedule items that are marked as not applicable on a PDF or printed certificate.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/excluded-schedule-items.png) This option is available in the [certificate's options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#certificate-options) ![A screenshot of the certificate options screen in Shine Forms, showing settings to exclude schedule items.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/certificate-options-exclude-schedule-items.png) --- ## Installing Shine Forms Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/installing/ :::tip{title="Easily share company and engineer details between machines"} You can easily share company and engineer details between machines. Read how to do that here [exporting company details](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/company-details-export). ::: # Download the installer To install Shine Forms on your computer, first download the Shine Forms installer file. You can download the latest installer directly from the link below: [www.shineforms.co.uk/download/latest](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/latest) _If you are looking for a Shine Forms pre-release version, see the section later in this page._ ## Running the installer Next, just double-click on the installer and follow the on-screen instructions. ![Screenshot of the Shine Forms installer](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/installer.png) # Pre-release versions :::warning We make pre-release available for customers who need early access to a fix or a feature. Unless you're sure you need that please stay with the [current release version](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/installing#download-the-installer). ::: A pre-release is a version of the program that has some changes or fixes but has not yet been released. It is still being tested and you _may find that some things do not work as reliably as expected_. **If you are in any doubt, only install from the main download location above.** When a release candidate is available, the installer can be found here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/download/prerelease](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/prerelease) ## Pre-release version "small print" When using a pre-release version, please note the following: * Pre-release versions are still being tested and you may find some things don't work as expected. We will, of course, work closely with you to fix anything that you may encounter and you can always just reinstall the latest version. * If you export certificates from this version then anyone importing them will also need to use the same pre-release version or a later version. That said, you can always download and install the current installer again from our [website](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download). # Installing prerequisites In the rare circumstance that your copy of Windows is not fully updated, the Shine Forms installer may also download and install some Windows components it needs. This will take longer and the installer might restart. ![Screenshot showing Shine Forms installer downloading Windows components](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/installer-dotnet.png) --- ## Intelligence Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-intelligence/ :::info{title="Coming soon"} The Shine Forms tablet apps will be available soon. Follow us on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/shine-forms), watch [our blog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog), or [sign up to our newsletter](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/newsletter) for updates. ::: # Intelligence Shine Forms' **Intelligence** checks what you enter against the requirements of BS 7671 as you go. When something doesn't add up — a cable too small for its protective device, a Zs above the maximum permitted, an RCD that is required but not recorded — it raises a **statement**: an observation, a coded schedule item or a limitation, worded for you and linked to the board and circuit concerned. This is the same Intelligence that Shine Forms Desktop users know from the [Intelligence feature](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/intelligence), running on the tablet. ## Where you see it - On the [Circuits & Tests](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-circuits-and-tests) cards, the **Circuit helper** under each circuit lists the statements raised about that circuit, each with its rule number, a **Suppress** button and a link to the Intelligence Manager. - On the [Observations](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-observations) tab, observations raised by Intelligence are marked *from Intelligence*. - On the [inspection schedule](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-inspection-schedule), items coded by Intelligence can only be made more serious, not less. ## The Intelligence Manager Open the **Intelligence Manager** from the ribbon: tap the section name or **Ribbon**, then the **Intelligence Manager** tab. It lists every statement raised on the certificate. ![The Intelligence Manager listing an applied statement](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-intelligence.png) Each statement shows whether it is **Applied**, its classification code, the rule that raised it, and the board and circuit it applies to. The count chips above the list summarise how many statements are applied, confirmed and suppressed. Tap a statement to open its details: ![The detail sheet for a statement, explaining why it fired and its findings](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-intelligence-detail.png) - **Why this fired** lists the values in your certificate that the rule looked at. - **Findings** shows what the statement has written to the certificate — the observation raised, its code and its wording. - **Go to circuit** takes you to the circuit concerned so that you can check or correct the readings. - **Confirm** marks the statement as reviewed. **Suppress** withholds its changes from the certificate; the statement stays in the list, struck through, so you can see that it was raised and un-suppress it later. The eye button on each card does the same without opening the details. ## Findings first By default a statement is **applied** as soon as its rule fires, so the observation appears on the certificate immediately. If you would rather review each statement before it changes anything, turn on **Findings first** at the top of the Intelligence Manager. Statements then wait as **Pending** with an **Apply** button, and **Apply all** applies every pending statement together. Applying a statement puts all of its changes on the certificate at once; un-applying removes them together. --- ## Intelligence Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/intelligence/ The **Intelligence** feature is unique to Shine Forms and helps fill in the certificate as you enter values. It keeps an eye on regulations from BS 7671 such as cable sizing, earthing conductor selection, RCD operation, ring continuity and many more. As you enter values, Intelligence can: * Add observations and limitations. * Set values in the certificate, either where you are working or in other areas. * Set the value of a schedule item. Intelligence applies to the Electrical Installation Certificate, Electrical Installation Condition Report and Minor Works certificates. :::info You can read a list of the changes made by Shine Forms' intelligence in the reference section [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/intelligence-changes) ::: # Benefits of Shine Forms' Intelligence The Intelligence feature brings two main benefits: * Improved consistency in reporting as areas that should be filled in are not missed out by mistake or left in when they should be removed. * Saves time and effort when creating certificates and reports. # How does Shine Forms' Intelligence work? Let's take the simple example of marking one of the schedule items in Section 1 as a C1. When you do this, Shine Forms will do two things: * It will record an observation saying that there is a Code 1 item in the schedule. * It will add another observation noting that the appropriate authorities should be notified. ![Observation list showing section 1 marked as C1 and its effects](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/intelligence-section-1-c1-observations.png) You can see **Schedule** in the **From** column for the first observation, showing that it has been created as a result of a value you entered into the schedule. The observation will be removed when you remove the coding against the schedule item (or changed if you change it to a C2 or C3). See [Inspection Schedule](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/inspection-schedule) to read more. You can see **Intelligence** in the **From** column for the second observation, showing that is has been created by **Shine Forms' Intelligence**. You cannot remove this observation, but you can change it and use the **Intelligence Manager** to adjust the way **Shine Forms' Intelligence** works for this rule. # Intelligence notifications as you work As you are working, you will notice that Shine Forms shows you a pop-up at the lower right whenever intelligence is added or removed: ![Pop-up notification showing intelligence added for section 1 marked as C1](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/intelligence-section-1-c1.png) # Intelligence Manager You can use the **Intelligence Manager** to see what Shine Forms has added for you. This area allows you to: * See what intelligence Shine Forms has applied to the certificate. * See what values in the certificate relate to each intelligence rule. * Suppress or un-suppress intelligence statements. ![Screenshot of the Intelligence Manager with section 1 C1 changes listed](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/intelligence-section-1-c1-intelligence-manager.png) ## Navigating from the Intelligence Manager In the Intelligence Manager you can click on the **Location** column to jump to the relevant board or circuit in the certificate. This makes it easy to review the intelligence statements and see how they affect the certificate. ![Screenshot of the Intelligence Manager in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/intelligence-manager-navigation.webp) # Suppressing intelligence Once a value has been set, Shine Forms will prevent you from changing it until the intelligence is suppressed or reverted (see later). However, you can change a value to be more significant than Shine Forms has set it, such as changing a coding from C2 to C1. However, engineering judgement is always respected by Shine Forms and the engineer can easily override any changes it has made if they disagree with Shine Forms in a particular circumstance. The **Intelligence Manager** allows you to suppress one or more intelligence statements simply by placing a tick in the **Suppressed** column for the intelligence you want to suppress: ![Intelligence Manager showing suppressed statement for section 1 marked as C1](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/intelligence-manager-suppressed.webp) When you suppress an intelligence statement, then any changes that were made by that statement will be removed. You can see below that the observation from the intelligence has been removed: ![Observation removed after suppressing statement for intelligence](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/intelligence-section-1-c1-intelligence-suppressed.png) There is also a [setting](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#shine-forms-options) to automatically suppress all intelligence: ![Settings screen showing auto suppress intelligence option](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/options-suppress-intelligence.png) # Reverting intelligence When you suppress an intelligence statement, then it remains in the certificate. When you are changing a value _that caused the intelligence_ to be applied, then the statement is removed from the certificate (whether you suppressed it or not!). ![Observation removed after reverting intelligence for section 1](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/intelligence-section-1-c1-intelligence-reverted.png) # Types of intelligence in Shine Forms As well as the BS 7671 intelligence that fills in the certificate as you enter values, Shine Forms also has: * Schedule intelligence that adds observations and limitations according to values in the schedule. * Max Zs intelligence that will calculate and enter max Zs values for a circuit. These other types do not appear in the **Intelligence Manager**. # Intelligence calling other intelligence If **Shine Forms' Intelligence** changes a value, then this can cause other intelligence to be applied. We saw that with the first example. Another example is when you are setting the earthing conductor to **FAIL** then intelligence will fire that sets an item in the schedule to a **C2** which itself causes an observation to be added to the certificate. ![Earthing conductor marked as FAIL, showing affected values](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/intelligence-earthing-conductor-fail.png) ![Intelligence Manager displaying intelligence changes triggered by earthing conductor FAIL](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/intelligence-earthing-conductor-intelligence-manager.png) ![Schedule item set to C2 due to earthing conductor marked as FAIL](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/intelligence-earthing-conductor-schedule-item-3-1.png) ![Observation generated for earthing conductor marked as FAIL](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/intelligence-earthing-conductor-observations.png) --- ## Issuers Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/issuers/ # Working with issuers Issuers are people who can appear on the PDFs, such as engineers and quality supervisors. You can only add an issuer to a form if they have a current licence. When preparing the PDF, Shine Forms will look for an issuer whose name matches the name on your report. If it finds one it will add the issuer details such as the position and signature to the report. If you're not seeing these on your PDF, then add or update the issuer and then [refresh the form](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/forms). Each issuer in your company has a name, a position, an email address and a signature. To view your issuers go to [www.shineforms.co.uk/issuers](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/issuers). ![A screenshot showing a list of issuers, including their names, positions, emails, and signatures.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/issuers.png) To add a new issuer click the **New Issuer** button. To edit an issuer click the **issuer name**. To add or change a signature click the **signature** link. To delete an issuer click the **delete** link. --- ## Licensing on the tablet Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-licensing/ :::info{title="Coming soon"} The Shine Forms tablet apps will be available soon. Follow us on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/shine-forms), watch [our blog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog), or [sign up to our newsletter](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/newsletter) for updates. ::: # Licensing on the tablet :::info{title="Plans to be announced"} The licensing and pricing plans for the new Shine Forms tablet app will be announced soon. This page will be updated with the details when they are. ::: In the meantime, anyone can install the app from Google Play or the App Store and [sign in](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-signing-in) with their Shine Forms account. The app has a **Licences** screen under **File → Licences**. This is where a licence is activated on the tablet, and where you can see which licences are assigned to your account. How licences are activated and shared between devices will be described here once the plans are announced. If you have any questions in the meantime, contact our help desk at [support@shineforms.co.uk](mailto:support@shineforms.co.uk). --- ## Make more screen space Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/collapsible-sections/ Shine Forms has features to help you work on smaller screens. Firstly, when things can't fit on the screen then scrollbars will automatically appear that you can drag to bring things into view. ![Scrollbars allowing better navigation on smaller screens](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/collapsible-section-scroll.png) You can also collapse the sections by clicking on the chevrons at the right or double-clicking on the section title. ![Collapsed section showing more space on the screen](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/collapsible-section-collapsed.png) You can also collapse the ribbon by clicking on the chevron at the top right (or by pressing **Ctrl + F1** [on your keyboard](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/keyboard-shortcuts)). ![Ribbon collapsed to utilize screen space effectively](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/collapsible-section-ribbon.png) --- ## Managing licences Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/managing-licences/ Shine Forms is licensed annually and each licence can be installed onto one computer. Your licences are available against your account at [www.shineforms.co.uk](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/licences) and can be downloaded or emailed from there. You then use Shine Forms to apply and activate the licence on your computer. :::tip{title="Manage your licences online"} All your current licences are in your [Licence Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/licences) and read about how to purchase licences [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/purchasing-licences). ::: # Licences in Shine Forms ## Applying a licence Once you have got the licence file, you just need to save it to your computer and Shine Forms will find it the next time it starts up. Shine Forms will look for the file in any of the following locations: * Your desktop. * A folder called Downloads under your Documents folder. * A folder called Downloads directly under your main user profile folder. Save the licence file to one of the above locations on your computer, then close and start Shine Forms and it will apply the licence automatically. The licence file will disappear after Shine Forms applies it. Alternatively, you can open the file directly. To do that, go to the **Home Screen**, then click **File** and then click on the item marked **Open Licence File** as shown below. ![Screenshot of the home screen main menu showing the Open Licence File option](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen-main-menu.png) ## Identify the current licence You can see the details of the current licence in the status bar at the bottom of the **Home Screen**: ![Image showing the status bar at the bottom of the home screen with licence details](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen-status-bar.png) You can copy those details by right-clicking on the status bar and selecting **Copy licence details to clipboard**: ![Dropdown menu from the status bar offering options like Copy licence details to clipboard](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen-status-bar-menu.png) You can then just paste those details into an email: ![Example email containing copied licence details from Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/email-with-licence-details.png) ## Updating a licence over the internet To update your licence over the internet, right-click on the status bar and select **Update licence from internet**: ![Dropdown menu in the status bar with Update licence from internet option highlighted](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen-status-bar-menu.png) :::note Shine Forms will need to be connected to the internet to update the licence. Look for the green tick in the status bar to see whether Shine Forms is connected. ::: # Managing licences online Your licences are stored in the Shine Forms account that you were using when you purchased them. You can also access them from the link below (you will need to be logged in using the email that you used to buy the licences): [www.shineforms.co.uk/licences](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/licences) You will then see a list of your licences: ![Table showing a list of existing licences stored in the Shine Forms account](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/licences-existing.webp) Next to each licence, you will see any available actions that you can perform on it. ![Table highlighting the actions next to the licences](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/licences-actions.webp) Clicking **Manage** brings up a dialog where you can interact more with the licence. ![The licence dialog shown after clicking manage](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/licences-dialog.webp) ## Sending the licence by email You can send the licence in an email that also contains instructions to apply the licence. The licence will be sent to the email address assigned to the licence. To do this, either click the **Email** action next to the licence, or click **Email Licence** in the licence dialog. You will be asked to confirm sending the email. ![The licence email confirm dialog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/licences-email-confirm.webp) Alternatively, you can share the licence in another way by downloading the licence file directly to your computer by clicking **Download Licence** from the licence dialog. ## Updating the licence name and email Open the licence dialog by clicking **Manage** next to the licence, or clicking the licence row. Enter the name and email address you want to associate with the licence. Click **Save Changes** to update the licence, or click away to abandon. ![The licence email confirm dialog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/licences-dialog-save-changes.webp) # Licences for multiple engineers :::success{title="Store your certificates online for free"} We highly recommend using an online storage and sharing facility such as Dropbox or OneDrive. Read more [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup) ::: Shine Forms is licensed to the machine, so the best way to manage the licences is to attach them to a machine, not the user. Use the name of the licence to indicate the machine it is used on. Use the email against the licence to indicate the user who you wish to send the licence to. You only need to deactivate a licence when you are going to completely remove Shine Forms from that machine or make significant changes to the machine, such as reinstalling Windows or fitting a new hard disk. Read how to move a licence to another machine [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/moving-to-a-new-computer). --- ## Merging certificates Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/merging-certificates/ Shine Forms can merge boards and observations from one or more certificates into another. This makes it easy to bring work from multiple engineers together into one certificate for the client, or to copy boards from one certificate to another. If you are working with other engineer's certificates, Shine Forms remembers the boards that have been merged already and will automatically update them if the engineer sends you an updated version of the certificate. :::note Shine Forms can also [copy boards and circuits](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/boards-and-circuits#copying-boards-and-circuits) in the current certificate. ::: # Merging certificate videos You can watch Shine Forms' certificate merge features in action in the following two videos. The first one shows an overview of how to merge boards and observations. The second video shows you can merge updates from engineers as the job progresses. :::tip{title="Shine Forms YouTube Channel"} Find other videos about Shine Forms on our [YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwFjvQ3JUCzwsIS0DG3C-hA/videos). ::: # Select the target certificate Go to the **Home Screen** and select the certificate that will receive the copied boards and observations (create a new certificate first if needed). Then click on **Create Certificate** in the ribbon and select **Merge Boards and Observations**. ![Screenshot of the Create Certificate button in the ribbon with Merge Boards and Observations option highlighted](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/create-cert.png) # Select the source certificates Shine Forms will have started the **Shine Forms Merge Certificate Wizard** to lead you through the merge process. First, select the certificate or certificates that have the boards you want to merge, then click **Next** to continue. ![Screenshot of the Shine Forms Merge Certificate Wizard showing the step to select source certificates](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/merge-certificate-wizard-1.png) # Select the boards Then select one or more of the boards from the certificates you selected in the previous step. When you're ready, click **Next** to continue. ![Screenshot of the Shine Forms Merge Certificate Wizard showing the step to select boards from the source certificates](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/merge-certificate-wizard-2.png) # Renames and replacements When merging boards, Shine Forms makes sure that it does not add a board that has the same designation as one that is already in the target certificate. It also remembers the boards and observations that you have already merged into the target certificate and will replace them if you merge them in again. This lets you easily incorporate updates sent in from the original engineer. If there are renames or replacements, you will be shown them before you proceed, but this step is skipped if there are none. As you can see below, Shine Forms will give the boards a designation that shows the certificate where it came from. You can change the designation to something else here, or you can change it later in the target certificate. Once you have changed the designations and checked any replacements, click **Next** to continue. ![Screenshot showing the renames and replacement step in the Shine Forms Certificate Merge Wizard with board designations](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/merge-certificate-wizard-3.png) # Review and complete The Merge Certificate Wizard then shows you what is about to happen to allow you to review the changes. Click **Back** to return to a previous step to make any adjustments. Once you're happy, click **Merge Certificates** to merge the boards and observations into the target certificate. The target certificate will then be opened for you to review view and save when you are complete. If you do not want to save the changes just close the certificate without saving and no changes will be made to the target certificate. ![Screenshot of the final review step in the Shine Forms Merge Certificate Wizard showing a summary of the changes](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/merge-certificate-wizard-4.png) --- ## Moving to a new computer Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/moving-to-a-new-computer/ To move Shine Forms to a new computer you will need to move the licence from the old computer to the new one and you may also wish to move your certificates over too. When you move your Shine Forms licence to another computer you will: * [Deactivate your licence](#deactivate-your-licence) * [Install Shine Forms](#install-shine-forms) * [Re-activate the licence](#activate-the-licence) When you move your certificates to another computer you will: * [Take a backup of your certificates](#take-a-backup-of-your-certificates) * [Restore from a backup file](#restore-certificates-from-a-backup) :::tip If you don't have access to the old computer, you will need to find the last backup file. You can read how to do that [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-find-missing). ::: Follow the steps below to move your licence and certificates from one computer to another. # Take a backup of your certificates Take a backup of your certificates by clicking **Backup Data** in the **Home Screen**. Full instructions are here: [How to create a new backup](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-create) Shine Forms will create a new backup file. Copy this file to the new computer so that you can use it later to restore the certificates that are in it. ![Backup file saved on disk, highlighted with a red box.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/backup-file-on-disk.png) # Deactivate your licence Deactivating the licence on the old computer makes it possible to use that licence on the new computer. :::info After you deactivate your licence Shine Forms will run in "[safe mode](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/safe-mode)". You won't be able to create or change any certificates but you can still do things like taking a backup again or accessing a PDF. Read more [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/safe-mode). ::: To deactivate your licence open Shine Forms, click **File** and then **Shine Forms Options**, go to the **Support** section and click **Deactivate Licence** as shown below: ![Shine Forms Options window showing the location of the Deactivate Licence button.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/pirform-options-deactivate-licence.png) You will be asked to confirm the deactivation (twice!): ![Confirmation prompts for deactivating the licence in Shine Forms.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/move-licence-deactivate-confirm.png) After which Shine Forms will confirm that the licence has been deactivated and will close. ![Confirmation that the licence has been successfully deactivated.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/move-licence-deactivate-confirmed.png) After deactivating, the deactivated licence will be sent to the email address that is against the licence in your [Licence Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/licences) # Install Shine Forms Download and install the latest version of Shine Forms from our website here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/download](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download) You will likely need to unblock your licence - read more about installing Shine Forms [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/installing). # Activate the licence The deactivated licence was sent to the email address that is against the licence in your [Licence Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/licences). ![Email with the deactivated licence file attached.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/unactivated-licence-email.png) :::note Make sure to use the most recent licence that you were sent just after deactivating. Licence files from older emails will not work. ::: On the new computer, save the licence file that was attached to that email to your Desktop and then close and re-open Shine Forms (see [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/saving-attached-files) for how to save file attachments). Shine Forms will detect and apply the licence file and you will see that the licence file has been removed from your Desktop. When Shine Forms starts it will prompt you to activate the licence. Click **Activate now** to activate the licence (your computer needs to be connected to the internet): ![Shine Forms activation window prompting to activate the licence.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/activate-licence.png) After the licence has been activated Shine Forms will restart to apply the changes: ![Notification that the licence has been activated and Shine Forms will restart.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/licence-activated.png) # Restore certificates from a backup :::warning **Restoring from a backup will OVERWRITE ALL THE CERTIFICATES ON THE COMPUTER.** If you have any certificates that you want to keep, [export those](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/certificate-sharing#exporting-certificates) before proceeding. ::: To restore from a backup of your certificates click on **Restore Certificate Data** in the **Home Screen**: ![Shine Forms Home Screen with the Restore Certificate Data button highlighted.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen-ribbon-data-actions.png) Select the backup file that you copied to the new computer: ![File selection dialog to choose a backup file for restoring certificates.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/select-backup-file.png) Remember that restoring from a backup will **OVERWRITE ALL THE CERTIFICATES ON THE COMPUTER**, the next step is to confirm that you really want to restore the certificates: ![Confirmation dialog for restoring certificates from a backup.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/confirm-restore-backup.png) Shine Forms will restore the backup (which might take a little time), after which you will see a confirmation that the backup has been restored: ![Notification indicating that the certificate restore process is complete.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/restore-complete.png) --- ## Navigating a certificate Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-navigating/ :::info{title="Coming soon"} The Shine Forms tablet apps will be available soon. Follow us on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/shine-forms), watch [our blog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog), or [sign up to our newsletter](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/newsletter) for updates. ::: # Navigating a certificate Every certificate screen has the same layout, so once you know one section you know them all. ![A certificate section showing the header, the ribbon row and the body](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-shell.png) ## The header ![The header bar](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-shell-header.png) - **File** opens the File menu (see below). - The middle shows the **certificate number** with the client and address, so you always know which certificate you are in. - The round **status** button shows whether your latest changes have been saved. Its dot changes colour while a save is in progress or if a save has failed. - **Ribbon** opens the full ribbon (see below). :::tip{title="Saving"} The app saves every change as you make it, so there is nothing to remember. The **Save** button in the ribbon row is there for reassurance, and the File menu shows *all changes saved* against the certificate. ::: ## The ribbon row ![The ribbon row](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-shell-mini-ribbon.png) The row under the header is the ribbon. Its first button names the **section** you are in — **Main Form**, **Circuits & Tests**, **Board Manager**, **Intelligence Manager**, **Appendices** or **Print Preview**. Tap it to open the full ribbon and switch section. Next to it are the actions you use most on the current screen: **Save** and, for example, **Add Observation** or **Add Circuit**. Actions that don't apply to the current screen are greyed out. Some screens also put a search box here. The **…** button at the right-hand end opens the full ribbon, where the remaining actions live. ## The full ribbon Tap **Ribbon** in the header, the section name, or **…** to expand the full ribbon. It has a tab for each section of the certificate, and shows every action for the current section grouped by what it works on. ![The expanded ribbon showing the Main Form tabs and actions](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-ribbon-sheet-main-form.png) Tap a tab to move to that section. The ribbon collapses again when you navigate, when you tap the chevron at its right-hand end, or when you tap outside it. ## Tabs within the Main Form The **Main Form** section has tabs along the top of the body for **Details**, **Limitations**, **Observations**, **Contractor Details**, **Supply & Earthing**, **Inspection Schedule**, **Declaration** and **Options**. Tap a tab to open that screen. The other sections each have a single screen. ## The File menu Tap **File** in the header to open the File menu. ![The File menu open over a certificate](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-file-menu.png) - **Home** takes you back to your list of forms. - **Save** shows the certificate you are working on and whether all changes have been saved. - **Schedule Library** manages your reusable inspection schedules. - **Options** holds the app's settings, including the theme. - **Licences** shows and activates your Shine Forms licence on this device. - **Upload History** lists every upload the tablet has made. - **Support** has help, documentation and contact details. - **Sign Out** signs you out of your Shine Forms account. - **Close certificate**, at the bottom, closes the certificate and returns you to your forms. The version of the app is shown under **Close certificate**. Tap it to copy the version to the clipboard, which is handy when contacting support. ## Going back Screens that open on top of the certificate, such as Options, Support or the photo manager, have a back arrow at the top left. Tap it to return to where you were. --- ## Navigation Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/navigation/ ## Navigating around Shine Forms The best way to find something in Shine Forms is to use the portal. Log into Shine Forms, click on your name at the top right and select Portal. ![Link to Shine Forms portal page](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/portal-link.png) You can get there directly using www.shineforms.co.uk/portal. From there, click on the area you want to access. ![Shine Forms portal dashboard](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/portal.png) --- ## Number generation Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options-numbering/ You can adjust the way Shine Forms generates numbers for new certificates from inside **Numbering** section of [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options). ![Screenshot of the Shine Forms Options page, highlighting the Numbering section.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/options-numbering.png) This allows you to adjust sections of the generated certificate number such as: - The prefix. - The format of the date section. - The separator character used. - The length of the number (e.g. "0001" would be 4, "001" would be 3, etc.) . - The last number used for each certificate type. For the number, you can choose to use the same number for each certificate type (which is the default setting) or specify a number for each type. ### Updating the last certificate number Enter the last used certificate number in the box at the top of the dialog. Then click **Update All** to adjust the numbers accordingly. ![Screenshot of the Numbering Adjust dialog, showing where to update the last used certificate number.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/options-numbering-adjust.png) --- ## Observations Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-observations/ :::info{title="Coming soon"} The Shine Forms tablet apps will be available soon. Follow us on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/shine-forms), watch [our blog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog), or [sign up to our newsletter](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/newsletter) for updates. ::: # Observations The **Observations** tab of the Main Form lists every observation in the certificate, whether you added it yourself, it was raised from the [inspection schedule](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-inspection-schedule), or [Intelligence](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-intelligence) raised it from your test results. ![The Observations tab listing the observations in the certificate](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-observations.png) At the top: - The **overall condition** toggle records whether items adversely affecting safety were found. The [Declaration](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-main-form#declaration) warns you if this disagrees with the codes you have recorded. - The **code chips** count the observations of each classification: **C1** danger present, **C2** potentially dangerous, **C3** improvement recommended and **FI** further investigation required. Each card shows the observation's number and code, its board and circuit or *No board*, its location, where it came from (*added by you* or *from Intelligence*) and the text. The buttons at the right of a card open its photos and a menu to **Copy** or **Delete** it. ## Adding an observation Tap **Add Observation** in the ribbon. The editor opens at the right of the screen. ![The observation editor](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-observations-editor.png) - **Classification** — tap **C1**, **C2**, **C3** or **FI**. - **Details** — the wording of the observation. - **Location** — the **Board / circuit** the observation relates to, such as *DB1-4*, and a free-text **Description** such as *Kitchen*. Linking a board or circuit lets you filter and sort by location later. The app suggests matching boards and circuits as you type. - **Corrective action** — what should be done, and whether corrective action is recommended or urgent remedial work is required. Tap **Save** to keep the observation, or **Delete** to remove it. Cancelling a brand-new observation discards it. ## Editing observations raised for you Observations raised by the schedule or by Intelligence carry standard wording that is kept in step with the code. When you edit one of these the editor gives you three choices: ![The editor on an observation raised by Intelligence, with the wording choices shown](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-observations-editor-intelligence.png) - **Use standard** prints the standard wording as it is. - **Append note** keeps the standard wording and adds your own note after it. - **Override** replaces the standard wording with your own text. The **Prints on certificate as** box shows exactly what will appear on the report as you make your choice. ![The editor with a note appended to the standard wording](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-observations-editor-append.png) ## Copying and deleting observations The **⋮** menu on a card copies or deletes that observation. The same actions are in the full ribbon for the observation open in the editor. Observations managed by Intelligence cannot be deleted by hand; suppress the statement in the [Intelligence Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-intelligence) instead. ## Finding and sorting observations Use the tools row above the list: ![The observations filtered by a search and sorted by location](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-observations-find.png) - **Search** by location or wording. Typing *DB1* finds everything on that board, and *DB1-1* narrows to one circuit. - The **board chips** show one observation count per board. Tap a chip to see only that board's observations, or **No board** for the ones not linked to a board. - **Sort** by the order you added them, by **Location** (board then circuit) or by **Code** (most serious first). ## Photos Tap the photo button on a card, or **Photos** in the editor, to open the photo manager for that observation. ![The photo manager for an observation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-observation-photos.png) Tap **Take Photo** to use the tablet's camera, or **Select from Gallery** to pick a photo already on the tablet. Each photo shows when it was taken and has a **×** button to remove it. Photos print with the certificate alongside the observation. Tap a photo to open it in the **photo editor**, where you can draw arrows and rings on it, crop, rotate and straighten it, enhance it, and give it a title, location, details and the date it was taken. Tick **Exclude from report** to keep a photo for reference without printing it. --- ## Observations and limitations Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/observations-and-limitations/ Observations and limitations can be entered by the engineer and are also created by [Shine Forms' Intelligence feature](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/intelligence) or from the [inspection schedule](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/inspection-schedule). # Observations Observations are shown as a list. Clicking on an observation will reveal any [photo](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/photos-and-documents) that is attached beneath the observation list. ![Examples of observations in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/observations-examples.png) ## Observations ribbon section The ribbon section allows you to: - Add a new observation - Copy an existing observation - Delete an existing observation - Export your observations to [Excel](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/save-to-excel) - Attach, edit, or remove [photos](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/photos-and-documents) against the currently selected observation ![Observations ribbon section in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/observations-ribbon.png) ## Observations list The observations list shows the following columns: | Column | Description | |--------|-------------| | From | Shows how the observation was created. | | Details | Shows the main text of the observation. | | Suppress Details | Controls whether the text in _Details_ will appear on the PDF. | | Comments | Allows entering additional text that will appear on the PDF. | | Location | The part of the certificate/installation to which the observation applies. | | Code | The coding that is assigned to the observation. | | Further Investigation | Indicates whether further investigation is required. | Click **Add Observation** in the ribbon to add a new observation. This will have the type **User** and you can enter text you want to appear on the PDF into the **Details** section. ## Changing the observation text You cannot change the text in the **Details** for observations created by Shine Forms. However, you can add any text you want to appear on the PDF into the **Comments** section. If you want the text in the **Details** section not to appear on the PDF, tick **Suppress Details**. The details text will then appear formatted with a strikethrough. If you want an observation not to appear in the PDF, remove any text from the **Comments** section and tick **Suppress Details**. The whole row will then appear formatted with a strikethrough. ## Setting the observation location When Shine Forms adds an observation, it will automatically set the location for you. When you set the location of an observation, Shine Forms shows you the locations available in the certificate. You can enter your own text in the **Location Text** area at the bottom. ![Setting the observation location in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/observations-location.png) ## Ordering observations in the PDF Shine Forms allows you to adjust the order that the observations appear on the PDF. The options are: | Option | Description | |--------|-------------| | Board Order | The observations appear in the same order as the boards. | | As Added | The observations appear in the order they were added. | | Severity Then Board Order | The observations appear ordered first by severity and then by the order that the boards appear. | | Severity Then As Added | The observations appear ordered first by severity and then by the order that they were added. | You can change this order for an individual certificate from the **Certificate Details** section of [Certificate Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#certificate-options). ![Certificate options for ordering observations in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/observations-certificate-options.png) You can set the default order that will be assigned to all new certificates from the **Boards and Circuits** section of [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#shine-forms-options). ![Shine Forms options for default observation order](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/observations-pirform-options.png) ## Retaining observations during recoding When coding a schedule item, Shine Forms automatically adds a linked observation as required (a coding of C1, C2, C3 or FI, or an X against an item in [section 1.1](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/inspection-schedule)). If you later change the coding of the linked observation, Shine Forms will then change the schedule item accordingly. If you change it so an observation no longer applies, say to PASS, then Shine Forms will remove the observation that it has added. However, sometimes you might want to retain an observation even if the schedule item no longer applies. For example, when you want to retain it and add a comment that it has been rectified. You can now tell Shine Forms to retain observations during recoding using **Retain Recoded** in the ribbon. This works from both **Observations and Recommendations** as well as the **Inspection Schedule**. You can see this in action below. ![Animation showing retaining observations during recoding in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/observations-retain-recoded.gif) # Limitations Similarly to observations, limitations may be created by the user or by [Shine Forms' intelligence](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/intelligence) or from the [inspection schedule](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/inspection-schedule). ![Limitations section in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/limitations.png) You can add to limitation text created by Shine Forms by entering your text in **Comments**. Tick **Suppress Details** to show only the text in **Comments** in the PDF. Ticking **Suppress Details** without entering any text in **Comments** will mean the limitation does not appear in the PDF. --- ## On Site Guide intelligence Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/on-site-guide-intelligence/ Shine Forms' intelligence incorporates guidance from the [IET's On-Site Guide](https://shop.theiet.org/on-site-guide-bs-7671-2018-a2-2022-8th-edition), specifically Table 7.1(ii). Read more [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/boards-and-circuits#ring-circuits). :::info The following applies to **flat twin and earth** cables. This is wiring type **AF** in Shine Forms: ![The Shine Forms wiring type selector showing the flat twin and earth cable type](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/wiring-types.webp) ::: # Ring Final Circuits :::note For ring final circuits, Shine Forms provides no cable-sizing guidance other than checking for compliance against the IET's On-Site Guide, as below. If a circuit does not match any of these standard ring final circuit criteria, the circuit might still comply (for instance, when your circuit is not wired in flat twin and earth). Refer to Regulation 433.1.204 for details. ::: The following ring final circuits are recognised as valid by our cable-sizing rules.
Rating Standard Live CPC Reference Methods TN-S
30 mA RCD		 TN-S
No RCD		 TN-C-S
30 mA RCD		 TN-C-S
No RCD
30 3036 2.5 1.5 100,102,A,C 106 41zs 106 106
30 3036 4 1.5 100,102,A,101,103,C 171 48 171 138zs
32 CB or RCBO B/C/D 2.5 1.5 100,102,A,C 106 96zs 106 106
32 CB or RCBO B/C/D 2.5 1.5 100,102,A,C 106 NPzs 106 56zs
32 CB or RCBO B/C/D 2.5 1.5 100,102,A,C 106 NPzs 106 NPzs
32 88-2 (60269-2) 2.5 1.5 100,102,A,C 106vd 32zs 106vd 106vd
32 88-2 (60269-2) 4 1.5 100,101,102,103,A,C 171 38zs 106vd 127zs
32 88-3 2.5 1.5 100,102,A,C 106vd 19ad 106 95zs
32 88-3 4 1.5 100,101,102,103,A,C 171 22zs 171 112zs
32 CB or RCBO B/C/D 4 1.5 100,101,102,103,A,C 171vd 114zs 171vd 171vd
32 CB or RCBO B/C/D 4 1.5 100,101,102,103,A,C 171vd NPzs 171vd 66zs
32 CB or RCBO B/C/D 4 1.5 100,101,102,103,A,C 171vd NPzs 171vd NPzs
# Lighting Circuits The following lighting circuits are recognised as valid by our cable-sizing rules.
Rating Standard Live CPC Reference Methods TN-S
30 mA RCD		 TN-S
No RCD		 TN-C-S
30 mA RCD		 TN-C-S
No RCD
5 3036 1 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 68 68 68 68
5 3036 1.5 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 106 106 106 106
5 88-3 1 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 68 68 68 68
5 88-3 1.5 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 106 106 106 106
6 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 68 68 68 68
6 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 68 65zs 68 68
6 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 68 23zs 68 34zs
6 88-2 (60269-2) 1 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 68 68 68 68
6 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1.5 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 106 106 106 106
6 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1.5 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 106 78zs 106 91zs
6 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1.5 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 106 28zs 106 41zs
6 88-2 (60269-2) 1.5 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 106 106 106 106
10 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1 1 100,101,102,A,C 42vd 42vd 42vd 42vd
10 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1 1 100,101,102,A,C 42vd 32zs 42vd 42vd
10 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1 1 100,101,102,A,C 42vd 23zs 42vd 34zs
10 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1.5 1 100,101,102,A,C 65vd 65vd 65vd 65vd
10 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1.5 1 100,101,102,A,C 65vd 38zs 65vd 51zs
10 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1.5 1 100,101,102,A,C 65vd 28zs 65vd 41zs
10 88-2 (60269-2) 1 1 100,101,102,A,C 42 42 42 42
10 88-2 (60269-2) 1.5 1 100,101,102,A,C 65 65 65 65
16 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1.5 1 100,102,C 34 34 34 34
16 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1.5 1 100,102,C 34 15sc 34 28zs
16 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1.5 1 100,102,C 34 NPad 34 9zs
16 CB or RCBO B/C/D 2.5 1.5 100,101,102,A,C 49 49 49 49
16 CB or RCBO B/C/D 2.5 1.5 100,101,102,A,C 49 24zs 49 44zs
16 CB or RCBO B/C/D 2.5 1.5 100,101,102,A,C 49 NPad 49 14zs
16 88-2 (60269-2) 1.5 1 100,102,C 20 20 20 20
16 88-2 (60269-2) 2.5 1.5 100,101,102,A,C 49 49 49 49
16 88-3 1.5 1 100,102,C 34 34 34 34
16 88-3 2.5 1.5 100,101,102,A,C 34 34 34 34
# Radial Final Circuits The following radial final circuits are recognised as valid by our cable-sizing rules.
Rating Standard Live CPC Reference Methods TN-S
30 mA RCD		 TN-S
No RCD		 TN-C-S
30 mA RCD		 TN-C-S
No RCD
5 3036 1 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 56 56 56 56
5 88-3 1 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 56 56 56 56
5 3036 1.5 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 88 88 88 88
5 88-3 1.5 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 88 88 88 88
6 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 56 56 56 56
6 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 56 56 56 56
6 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 56 23zs 56 33zs
6 88-2 (60269-2) 1 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 56 56 56 56
6 88-2 (60269-2) 1.5 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 88 88 88 88
6 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1.5 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 88 88 88 88
6 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1.5 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 88 78zs 88 88
6 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1.5 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 88 28zs 88 40zs
10 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1 1 100,101,102,A,C 35 35 35 36
10 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1 1 100,101,102,A,C 35 31zs 35 36
10 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1 1 100,101,102,A,C 35 6zs 18ad 17zs
10 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1.5 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 52 52 52 52
10 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1.5 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 52 38zs 52 50zs
10 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1.5 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 10ad 8zs 52 20zs
10 88-2 (60269-2) 1 1 100,101,102,A,C 35 35 35 35
10 88-2 (60269-2) 1.5 1 100,101,102,103,A,C 52 52 52 52
15 3036 1 1 NP NP NP NP
15 3036 1.5 1 NP NP NP NP
15 3036 2.5 1.5 100,102,C 47 47 47 47
15 3036 4 1.5 100,101,102,A,C 76 76 76 76
16 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1 1 C 18 18 18 18
16 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1 1 C 18 13zs 18 13
16 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1 1 C 18 7 8ad NPad
16 88-2 (60269-2) 1.5 1 100,102,C 27 27 27 27
16 88-2 (60269-2) 2.5 1.5 100,101,102,A,C 45 45 45 45
16 88-2 (60269-2) 4 1.5 100,101,102,103,A,C 74 74 74 74
16 88-3 1.5 1 100,102,C 27 27 27 27
16 88-3 2.5 1.5 100,101,102,A,C 45 45 45 45
16 88-3 4 1.5 100,101,102,103,A,C 74 74 74 74
16 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1.5 1 100,102,C 27 27 27 27
16 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1.5 1 100,102,C 27 15zs 27 27
16 CB or RCBO B/C/D 1.5 1 100,102,C 27 NPad 27 9zs
16 CB or RCBO B/C/D 2.5 1.5 100,101,102,A,C 45 45 45 45
16 CB or RCBO B/C/D 2.5 1.5 100,101,102,A,C 45 24zs 45 43zs
16 CB or RCBO B/C/D 2.5 1.5 100,101,102,A,C 45 NPzs 45 14zs
16 CB or RCBO B/C/D 4 1.5 100,101,102,103,A,C 69 32ad 69 69
16 CB or RCBO B/C/D 4 1.5 100,101,102,103,A,C 32ad 16zs 54ad 36zs
16 CB or RCBO B/C/D 4 1.5 100,101,102,103,A,C NPad NPad 18ad 9zs
20 3036 2.5 1.5 100,101,102,A NP NP NP NP
20 CB or RCBO B/C/D 2.5 1.5 100,102,A,C 42 42 42 42
20 CB or RCBO B/C/D 2.5 1.5 100,102,A,C 42 12zs 42 31zs
20 CB or RCBO B/C/D 2.5 1.5 100,102,A,C 42 NPad 42 8zs
20 3036 4 1.5 C 69 43zs 73 66zs
20 CB or RCBO B/C/D 4 1.5 100,101,102,A,C 69 69 69 69
20 CB or RCBO B/C/D 4 1.5 100,101,102,A,C 69 14zs 69 36zs
20 CB or RCBO B/C/D 4 1.5 100,101,102,A,C 69 NPad 69 9zs
20 3036 6 2.5 100,102,A,C 105 69zs 105 105
20 CB or RCBO B/C/D 6 2.5 100,101,102,103,A,C 105 107 105 105
20 CB or RCBO B/C/D 6 2.5 100,101,102,103,A,C 105 23zs 105 58zs
20 CB or RCBO B/C/D 6 2.5 100,101,102,103,A,C 105 NPzs 105 15zs
20 88-2 (60269-2) 2.5 1.5 100,102,A,C 42 42 42 42
20 88-2 (60269-2) 4 1.5 100,101,102,A,C 69 43zs 69 66zs
20 88-2 (60269-2) 6 2.5 100,101,102,103,A,C 105 69zs 105 105
20 88-3 2.5 1.5 100,102,A,C 42 42 42 42
20 88-3 4 1.5 100,101,102,A,C 69 56zs 69 69
20 88-3 6 2.5 100,101,102,103,A,C 105 89zs 105 105
25 CB or RCBO B/C/D 2.5 1.5 C 33 33 33 33
25 CB or RCBO B/C/D 2.5 1.5 C 33 2zs 33 22zs
25 CB or RCBO B/C/D 2.5 1.5 C 33 NPad 33 4zs
25 CB or RCBO B/C/D 4 1.5 100,102,A,C 55 47zs 55 55
25 CB or RCBO B/C/D 4 1.5 100,102,A,C 55 3zs 55 26sc
25 CB or RCBO B/C/D 4 1.5 100,102,A,C 55 NPad 55 4zs
25 CB or RCBO B/C/D 6 2.5 100,101,102,A,C 83 75zs 83 83
25 CB or RCBO B/C/D 6 2.5 100,101,102,A,C 83 5zs 83 43zs
25 CB or RCBO B/C/D 6 2.5 100,101,102,A,C 83 NPzs 83 7zs
25 88-2 (60269-2) 2.5 1.5 C 31 20zs 31 31
25 88-2 (60269-2) 4 1.5 100,102,A,C 53 24zs 53 46zs
25 88-2 (60269-2) 6 2.5 100,101,102,A,C 82 38zs 82 76zs
30 3036 4 1.5 NP NP NP NP
30 3036 6 2.5 C 66 19zs 66 54zs
30 3036 10 4 100,102,A,C 110 31zs 110 89zs
32 CB or RCBO B/C/D 4 1.5 C 43 28zs 43 43
32 CB or RCBO B/C/D 4 1.5 C 43 NPad 43 16zs
32 CB or RCBO B/C/D 4 1.5 C 43 NPad 43 NPad
32 CB or RCBO B/C/D 6 2.5 100,102,A,C 63 45zs 63 63
32 CB or RCBO B/C/D 6 2.5 100,102,A,C 63 NPzs 63 26zs
32 CB or RCBO B/C/D 6 2.5 100,102,A,C 63 NPzs 63 NPzs
32 CB or RCBO B/C/D 10 4 100,101,102,103,A,C 105 74zs 105 105zs
32 CB or RCBO B/C/D 10 4 100,101,102,103,A,C 105 NPad 105 42zs
32 CB or RCBO B/C/D 10 4 100,101,102,103,A,C 105 NPzs 105 NPsc
32 88-2 (60269-2) 4 1.5 C 43 9zs 43 31zs
32 88-2 (60269-2) 6 2.5 100,102,A,C 63 15zs 63 50zs
32 88-2 (60269-2) 10 4 100,101,102,103,A,C 105 24zs 105 82zs
32 88-3 4 1.5 C 43 5zs 43 27zs
32 88-3 6 2.5 100,102,A,C 63 8zs 63 44zs
32 88-3 10 4 100,101,102,103,A,C 105 14zs 105 72zs
40 CB or RCBO B/C/D 6 2.5 C 46 23zs 46 46
40 CB or RCBO B/C/D 6 2.5 C 46 NPzs 46 15zs
40 CB or RCBO B/C/D 6 2.5 C 46 NPzs 46 NPzs
40 CB or RCBO B/C/D 10 4 100,102,A,C 72 37zs 72 72
40 CB or RCBO B/C/D 10 4 100,102,A,C 72 NPzs 72 25zs
40 CB or RCBO B/C/D 10 4 100,102,A,C 72 NPzs 72 NPzs
40 CB or RCBO B/C/D 16 6 100,101,102,103,A,C 118 57zs 118 118
40 CB or RCBO B/C/D 16 6 100,101,102,103,A,C 118 NPzs 118 39zs
40 CB or RCBO B/C/D 16 6 100,101,102,103,A,C 118 NPzs 118 NPad
40 88-2 (60269-2) 6 2.5 C 46 NPzs 46 32zs
40 88-2 (60269-2) 10 4 100,102,A,C 72 NPzs 72 52zs
40 88-2 (60269-2) 16 6 100,101,102,103,A,C 118 NPzs 118 79zs
# Glossary The following abbreviations are used in the tables above: - **CB**: Circuit breaker - **RCBO**: Residual current circuit breaker with overcurrent protection - **TN-S**: Terra neutral - separate - **TN-C-S**: Terra neutral - combined and separate - **RCD**: Residual current device - **vd**: Voltage drop - **ad**: Adiabatic limit - **zs**: Earth fault loop impedance - **sc**: Line to neutral - **NP**: Not permitted - **NPvd**: Not permitted (prohibiting factor: voltage drop) - **NPad**: Not permitted (prohibiting factor: adiabatic limit) - **NPzs**: Not permitted (prohibiting factor: earth fault loop impedance) - **NPsc**: Not permitted (prohibiting factor: line to neutral) --- ## Online forms Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/forms/ # Working with forms To work with your forms, login and go to your forms area ([www.shineforms.co.uk/forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/forms)). You will see a list of your forms along with links related to those forms: ![Screenshot showing the forms interface displaying a list of forms with form-related links](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/shine-forms.png) ## Which forms will I see? Forms are saved against your company account. You can view the forms from your company whenever you are logged in with an email address that is associated with your company account. Email addresses that are associated with your company account are the email address that you used to purchase your licences and any email address that is against an [issuer](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/issuers) in your company. ## Creating a new form To create a new form, click the button for the type of form you want to create. A new form will open in a separate page. ![Screenshot depicting a new form opened in a separate page](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/new-form.png) ## Saving your work Click on the **Save** button as you enter values to form to your Shine Forms area. You will see a popup appear when the form has been saved. _Remember to click save every now and again to make sure you don't lose any work._ ![Image showing the save button and a popup that appears after saving the form](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/saving-a-form.png) ## Changing an existing form To change an existing form, click on the **certificate number** and the form will open up in a separate window to allow changes. To save your changes as you go along. ## Form settings Each form has a tab named **settings**. Click on this tab to change settings, such as the certificate number. ![Screenshot of the form settings tab displaying configurable fields](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/settings.png) ## Downloading the PDF and the circuit chart To download a PDF of your form, click on the **download** link next to the form. If a circuit chart is relevant to the form then click on the **circuit chart** link to download the circuit chart. To print the PDF file, first open it in a PDF reader and then select print. If you haven't got a PDF reader installed, try using the free Foxit Reader from [here](https://www.foxitsoftware.com/downloads/). Alternatively, you can email the PDF to the recipient by attaching the PDF to an email. Note that you need to have your company logos and issuers details set up against the account to which the licence is registered before they appear on the reports - see [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/getting-started) for more details. ## Adding a watermark To add some text to the PDF as a watermark, go into the form settings and enter the text you want in the watermark section. You can also change the size of the font that's used for the watermark. ![Screenshot of the watermark setting field in the form settings tab](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/settings-watermark.png) Then save the report and you'll see the watermark has been added to the PDF. ![Image showing a PDF with a visible watermark applied](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/pdf-with-watermark.png) If you are uploading a certificate from Shine Forms, you can set the watermark in Shine Forms from the [Certificate Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#certificate-options). To remove the watermark, just clear the watermark text in setting and save the form again. The PDF will regenerate and the watermark will be removed. ## Deleting a form To delete a form, click on the **delete** link next to the form. ## Refreshing a form Refreshing a form will regenerate the PDFs, just as if you've just saved the form. This will also apply any changes that you've made to your logos, issuers or company details and also and updates that have been released since the form was last saved. To refresh a form, click on the **refresh** link next to the form. --- ## Opening a file Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/open-file/ Sometimes Shine Forms Support will ask you to use Shine Forms to open a file. To do that, first open **Shine Forms Options** by clicking **File** in the **Home Screen** and then clicking **Shine Forms Options**: ![Screenshot of the Shine Forms Options menu interface](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/options.png) Select the **Support** section and click the button marked **Open File**. Then select the file and click OK. ![Screenshot showing the Open File button in Shine Forms Support section](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/options-open-file.png) --- ## Options Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options/ Shine Forms has settings and options that let you control various features of the program. They are split into two areas: - Options that apply to the whole of the program - Options that apply to individual certificates. # Shine Forms options These options apply to the whole of the program and any newly created certificates. You can access them from **Home Screen** by clicking **File** and then **Shine Forms Options**: ![Screenshot of the Shine Forms options menu showing various program settings](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/options.png) Adjust the settings as required, then click **OK** to save your settings or **Cancel** to close without making any changes. ![Screenshot of the Shine Forms Options dialog with settings available for configuration](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/options-dialog.png) # Certificate options These options apply to the individual certificate. You can access them by opening the certificate and clicking **File** and then **Certificate Options**: ![Screenshot of the menu to access certificate options in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/certificate-options.png) Adjust the settings as required, then click **OK** to save your settings or **Cancel** to close without making any changes. ![Screenshot of the Certificate Options dialog with customizable settings](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/certificate-options-dialog.png) --- ## Pre-release certificates Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/pre-release-certificates/ Shine Forms lets you create pre-release versions of Electrical Installation Certificates. This allows the entry of observations to reflect situations that arise as the installation is in progress, giving early insight to the client. The printed certificates is also watermarked to show it is a pre-release version. :::info{title="Pre-release watermark"} The observations and watermark are removed when you remove the pre-release setting on the certificate, allowing you to create EICs that have observations. ::: # Marking as pre-release To mark your certificate as a pre-release, tick the option in the [certificate's options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#certificate-options). The watermark _"Pre-release Version"_ is added automatically and can be adjusted from there. ![Screenshot showing pre-release certificate options in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/pre-release-certificate-options.png) # Adding observations When you have marked your certificate as a pre-release, you will now see a section that allows the entry of observations and [attaching of photos](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/photos-and-documents) to these observations from the main form. ![Screenshot showing observations section for a pre-release certificate](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/pre-release-certificate-observations.png) # Printed pre-release certificates The observations will appear in the printed certificate or PDF and the watermark appears on each page. ![Screenshot showing the preview of a printed pre-release certificate with a watermark](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/pre-release-certificate-preview.png) --- ## Purchasing licences Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/purchasing-licences/ :::tip{title="Use the Licence Manager"} Go to your [Licence Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/licences) to manage your current licences. ::: You can purchase a new licence or renew or upgrade existing licences at any time from our website store: [www.shineforms.co.uk/buy](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/buy) You will need to be logged in using the account that holds the licences. Then you will see a list of your licences and the available options to renew, upgrade or buy more licences. If there are no options next to the licence then it does not need renewing at this time. ![Screenshot showing the Licence Manager with various licence options.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/store-licences.webp) # Renewing a licence :::warning Renewing an existing licence avoids having to activate it on the computer. Check to make sure you have renewed instead of buying a new licence. ::: Renewing a licence will extend it by one year from the date it expires. If the licence has already expired, it will add a year from today. In the image above there are two licences that are able to be renewed: Licence 1 and Licence 5. You can see the days to expiry and the **Renew** button available next to those licences. ![Image showing the Premium Edition licences that are renewable.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/store-licences-premium-renewable.webp) Expired licences don't show the days to expiry, but can be renewed at any time. When renewed, the new licence will run for a year from the date it was renewed. ![Image showing the Premium Edition licence that has expired.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/store-expired-licence.webp) Once you've clicked **Renew**, that licence will be added to your cart. Renew as many as you need, then click **In Cart** to go to the cart. ![Screenshot showing the Premium Edition licence added to the cart.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/store-licence-in-cart.webp) # Buying a new licence To purchase a new licence, go to the [store page](https://account.shineforms.co.uk/store) and click on **Add To Cart** for either type of licence. ![Image showing the store page with the options to add to cart.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/store-new-licence.webp) That takes you to your cart where you can adjust the quantity as needed. # Upgrading a licence You can upgrade any of your licences at any time. :::info Upgrade prices are calculated by taking the difference between what you paid for your current licence and the price of the current licence and then pro-rating that for the time the licence has remaining. So, if you have 6 months left on a Lite Edition licence you will pay half of the difference between the price of a new Premium Edition licence and a new Lite Edition licence. ::: Just click on the **Upgrade** button next to the licence you want to upgrade. ![Screenshot showing the upgrade button for a Lite Edition licence.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/store-licence-upgrade.webp) You will then see the calculation for the pro-rated price next: ![Image showing Lite Edition licence with an upgrade option to Premium Edition.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/store-licence-upgrade-costs.webp) Click **Upgrade Now** to add the upgrade to your cart or **Keep Current** to cancel. # Check out and pay The first stage of the checkout shows the items in your cart, adjust the quantity for new licences, remove items if needed, and see the total price. ![Image showing the cart screen with the items in the cart.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/store-cart-1.webp) Click **Proceed to Checkout** and make sure the company name and address are as you want them on your invoice. Then click **Pay** to complete the order. ![Image showing the checkout screen with a summary of the order.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/store-cart-2.webp) You will then be taken to our payment provider, [Stripe](https://stripe.com/). Just enter your card details and click **Pay** to complete the payment. ![Image displaying the Stripe payment screen for entering card details.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/store-cart-pay.webp) After you have completed your payment you will see a confirmation of your order and your licence and invoice will be emailed to you within a minute or so. --- ## Refresh the start page Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/refresh-start-page/ This article describes how to refresh the news section of your Shine Forms Start Page information. ![Shine Forms Start Page with example news feed](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/start-page.png) ## Find your Shine Forms data folder Find the Shine Forms data folder, which you can access by entering the following text into File Explorer and pressing Enter on your keyboard: > %appdata%\Shine Forms\Shine Forms\Data It will look like this: ![File Explorer showing Shine Forms data folder location](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/app-data-in-file-explorer-showing-data-folder.png) Alternatively, browse to the following location (replacing the section **your-user-name** with your username): > C:\Users\your-user-name\AppData\Roaming\Shine Forms\Shine Forms\Data ## Delete the start page file ![Data folder displaying the startpage-shine.dat file](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/data-folder-showing-start-page-file.png) Find and delete the file named `startpage-shine.dat`, then close and re-open Shine Forms and it will refresh the start page details when it starts up. --- ## Registering and logging In Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/shine-logging-in/ # Go to sign-in To register an account or sign in, you need to go to our sign-in page: [https://account.shineforms.co.uk/signin](https://account.shineforms.co.uk/signin) You can navigate there by clicking **Account** near the top right of the [home page](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/), and then **Log In** at the top right of your **Account** page: ![Homepage screenshot when not logged in](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-page.webp) # Register a new account Go to [Sign In](https://account.shineforms.co.uk/signin) and enter the email address you want to use for your account and click **Next**. ![Create account screen confirming your email address](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/register-create-account.webp) You will receive an email containing a code. Check your spam filter if you haven't received this within a minute. ![Email with verification code example](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/auth-verification-code-email.png) Enter the code that you have been sent and click **Next**. ![Verification code input screen](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/auth-enter-verification-code.webp) Finally, choose a password and enter your name, then click **Next** to create the account. The **Display Name** is the name shown when you are signed in. ![Add details screen for password and name during registration](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/register-add-details.webp) # Logging in To log into your account, go to [Sign In](https://account.shineforms.co.uk/signin), enter your account's email address, then click **Next** to proceed. ![Sign in screen asking for your email address](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/login-enter-email.webp) Then enter your password and click **Sign in**. ![Sign in screen asking for your password](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/login-enter-password.webp) # Resetting your password Go to [Sign In](https://account.shineforms.co.uk/signin), enter your email address, and click **Next**. ![Create account screen confirming your email address](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/register-create-account.webp) Then click the **Forgot password?** link on the password screen. ![Forgot password link on the password screen](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/login-forgot-password.webp) Click to send a reset code to that email address: ![Send reset password button on the password screen](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/login-reset-email-code.webp) You will receive an email containing a code within a minute or two (_remember to check your spam filter!_): ![Example of the verification code email](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/auth-verification-code-email.png) Enter the code and click **Next**: ![Verification code input screen](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/auth-enter-verification-code.webp) Enter and confirm your new password, then continue. ![Verification code input screen](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/login-reset-enter-password.webp) You will see a verification to confirm that the password has been reset, after that you will be signed in and taken back to our website. --- ## Repair a certificate Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/repair-certificate/ Shine Forms has a built-in repair facility. You can use it to repair a certificate as follows: * Close and re-open Shine Forms and then take a [backup of your data](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-create). * Select the single certificate you want to repair **Home Screen**. * Whilst holding down both **Ctrl** and **Shift** on the keyboard, right-click over the certificate. * You will be asked if you want to repair the certificate. Choose Yes. * Wait until you are notified that the certificate has been repaired. * Close and re-open Shine Forms. * Open the certificate you just repaired and check that it is all as it should be. --- ## Restore from incremental backup Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/restore-from-incremental-backup/ :::danger Because you might lose some of your latest work, only proceed if you have been instructed to do this by Shine Forms Support. ::: This article shows how to restore a single certificate from the last [automatic backup](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup#automatic-backups). - Restoring a certificate from the incremental backup will remove the existing certificate and replace it with what was in the last incremental backup. - The process cannot be reversed and you might lose work. - Make sure you are only doing this if you have been instructed to do so by Shine Forms Support! # Restoring a certificate from the last incremental backup To restore a backup from the last automatic incremental backup, follow the steps below. Open Shine Forms and select the certificate you want to restore in the **Home Screen**: ![Shine Forms home screen](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen.png) Hold down the **Ctrl** and **Shift** keys on your keyboard and then press the **R** key. Shine Forms will ask you to confirm that you want to proceed with the restore: ![Confirm incremental restore in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/incremental-restore-confirm-1.png) To be able to proceed, you need to tick the box at the bottom and then click **Yes**: ![Confirm incremental restore with checkbox in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/incremental-restore-confirm-2.png) Shine Forms will then restore the certificate from the backup and confirm when completed. ![Incremental restore complete in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/incremental-restore-complete.png) --- ## Safe mode Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/safe-mode/ Shine Forms is licensed to the computer. If your licence has expired, Shine Forms will warn you that it is running in "safe mode" when it starts: ![Warning message displayed when Shine Forms is in safe mode](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/safe-mode-warning.png) If you have a licence, you can read about how to enter it [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/managing-licences#applying-a-licence). Read how to purchase or renew your licence [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/purchasing-licences), or go straight to our online store [here](https://app.shineforms.co.uk/buy). Most features are not available when Shine Forms is in safe mode, and the ribbon will be mostly disabled: ![Shine Forms application interface showing limited functionality in safe mode](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/safe-mode.png) However, you can still do the following: - [Save the certificate's PDF](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/saving-to-pdf). - [Take a backup of your certificates](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup). - [Use the easy-access menu to get to your data folders](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/save-and-backup-locations#accessing-your-data-folders). --- ## Save and backup locations Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/save-and-backup-locations/ Shine Forms produces a number of files, such as PDF files, certificate export files and backups. You have full control over where these are stored from [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#shine-forms-options). # Changing the save and backup locations You can specify where Shine Forms saves files from the Saving and Backup section of [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options). By default, these will be under your Documents folder. You can set up all these locations to be under a single folder in one go by using the **Set Root Folder** button at the top, or click the **Use Dropbox** button to ask Shine Forms to detect and use Dropbox as its location. ![Screenshot of Shine Forms options showing the saving and backup section](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/pirform-options-saving-and-backup.png) # Accessing your data folders You can quickly open your save locations from the Home Screen by clicking on Data Folders in the ribbon: ![Screenshot of the Shine Forms home screen highlighting the data folders option in the ribbon](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen-data-folders.png) --- ## Save to Excel Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/save-to-excel/ Some information can be saved to Excel so that you can work with it outside of Shine Forms. # Exporting boards and circuits to Excel When working in a certificate, you can use the [Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/board-manager) to export a list of the boards and circuits in that certificate to Excel. To do that, click **Export Boards** in the ribbon: ![Export Boards button on the ribbon interface in Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/board-manager-export-boards.png) This will create an Excel workbook containing two sheets. One showing a list of the boards in the certificate along with any notes that were entered at the board: ![Excel showing exported board notes, including board names and notes](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/board-notes-export.png) And one showing a list of the circuits in the certificate: ![Excel sheet listing exported circuits, showing circuit names, descriptions, and other details](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/board-manager-export-boards-excel-circuits.png) # Exporting observations to Excel When working in a certificate, you can export a list of the observations in that certificate to Excel. To do that, click **File** in the ribbon and then **Export Observations**: ![Export Observations option in the ribbon within the File menu](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/certificate-export-observations.png) This will create a CSV file (which opens in Excel) containing a list of the observations in the certificate. ![CSV file preview in Excel showing exported observation details with fields like observation and location](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/exported-observations.png) # Exporting boards Shine Forms' [Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/board-manager) shows a view of the boards arranged as they are supplied. You can print or export the boards as they are supplied by clicking **Print Boards**: ![Print Boards button in the ribbon interface in Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/board-manager-print-boards.png) This opens a preview that allows you to print directly or to export to a number of formats. ![Preview screen for exporting boards, showing options for different file formats including Excel](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/board-manager-tree-preview-export.png) Selecting Excel will save an open an Excel workbook containing the boards arranged as per their supplies that you can continue to work with outside of Shine Forms. ![Excel sheet showing exported boards arranged as per their supplies](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/board-manager-tree-excel-export.png) --- ## Saving files attached to emails Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/saving-attached-files/ When you receive files such as a licence file from us, these will be sent as email attachments. ![Unactivated licence email example](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/unactivated-licence-email.png) These files cannot be opened directly. Instead you need to save them to your desktop or downloads folder. The way you do that depends on what you use to access your emails. # Windows Mail In Windows Mail, **right-click** over the attachment and choose **Save**. ![Save attachment option in Windows Mail](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/save-attachment-windows-mail.png) # GMail In Gmail, **hover** over the attachment at the bottom and **click the download arrow**. ![Save attachment option in Gmail](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/save-attachment-gmail.png) # Outlook Online In Outlook.com, **click the arrow** next to the attachment and choose **Download**. ![Save attachment option in Outlook Online](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/save-attachment-outlook-online.png) # Outlook In Outlook, **click the arrow** next to the attachment and choose **Save As**. ![Save attachment option in Outlook](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/save-attachment-outlook.png) --- ## Saving to PDF Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/saving-to-pdf/ You can save your certificate to a PDF file which can then be printed or emailed to the client. :::info{title="PDF files can be shared and read easily"} A [PDF](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDF) file is a format that can be read on many types of devices, such as PCs, Apple Macs, tablets and phones. They can be opened for reading and printing or can be attached to an email and sent to the client when you issue. ::: :::success{title="Send your certificates to customers electronically"} It is easy to attach a PDF from Shine Forms to an email and send it to your customer. This lets you save paper, save printer ink and also keeps a copy of the certificate in your emails. ::: You can create PDFs from your certificates from the Home Screen or from the Print Preview section when the certificate is open. # Create a PDF from the Home Screen :::note This option is available only with a Premium Edition licence. ::: When you close a certificate after making changes, Shine Forms automatically exports a PDF copy of a certificate as well as the export file (.PEX). By default, these are exported to your Documents folder, but you can change that location as shown in the article [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/save-and-backup-locations). To access the PDF, first select the certificate in the Home Screen, then click on Show PDF Report in the ribbon. ![Refresh Exports Button Screenshot](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/refresh-exports.png) If the Show PDF Report is disabled, just click on Refresh Exports immediately above it and the program will create a new PDF and save it to your export location. :::note The circuit chart is also generated at the same time as the main PDF. ::: # Create a PDF from print preview When you're working in the certificate you can save the certificate to PDF from the Print Preview section by clicking on Export To at the right of the ribbon and choosing the PDF File option: ![Print Preview Save as PDF Option Screenshot](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/print-preview-save-as-pdf.png) You can also tell the program to show you advanced options each time you save to PDF from Print Preview if you want more control over the PDF output. By default, the PDF file is named with the certificate number, but you can change that if you want: ![Save As PDF Dialog Screenshot](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/print-preview-save-as-pdf-save-dialog.png) # Excluding boards from the PDF Both the EIC and EICR certificates alloy you to prevent a board from appearing in the PDF. :::info You would use this feature when you have a board whose supply is outside of the scope of the current certificate, but you want capture and report on the supply details. ::: Prevent a board from appearing on the PDF, open the [Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/board-manager) and mark the board not for printing in the PDF by ticking the excluded column. ![Exclude Boards Option Screenshot in Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/exclude-boards.png) Any boards marked as excluded boards does not appear in the PDF. ![Example of Excluded Board in PDF Screenshot](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/excluded-pdf.png) Also, when a board is excluded, any intelligence associated with the board or its circuits will be suppressed automatically. ![Screenshot Showing Suppressed Intelligence for Excluded Boards](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/suppressed-intelligence.png) If you have already suppressed some intelligence at a board, Shine Forms will remember this and leave it suppressed once you include the board again. # Creating circuit charts :::tip{title="Automatically create circuit charts"} Shine Forms' automatic export feature will create the circuit chart for you every time you update your certificate. Read more [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/certificate-sharing#automatic-exports) ::: Shine Forms generates the circuit chart at the same time as the main PDF durng automatic export or when you refresh exports, as above. You can also generate a circuit chart by opening the certificate, selecting **File > Print** and selecting **Circuit Chart**. ![Certificate Circuit Chart Screenshot](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/certificate-circuit-chart.png) This will show a preview of the circuit chart which can be either printed or saved to a PDF file by clicking **Export To** in the ribbon as shown above. ![Circuit Chart Preview Screenshot](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-chart-preview.png) # Other report types You can generate other reports by opening the certificate, selecting **File > Print** and then selecting from the menu. The following additional reports are available: * **Boards and Circuits Report** - a report showing the boards and circuits in a certificate (available in EICs and EICRs). * **Observations Report** - a report showing the observations in a certificate along with associated photos (available in EICRs and [pre-release EICs](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/pre-release-certificates)). ![Certificate Circuit Chart Menu Option Screenshot](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/certificate-circuit-chart.png) # Preventing tampering It is possible to change a PDF file using PDF editing software. Shine Forms prevents any PDF it creates from being edited by digitally signing the certificate with a secure randomly generated password. This is a good idea as it prevents the PDF being tampered with by anyone with malicious intent. You can turn off the tamper protection in the Print section of [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options): ![Shine Forms Options for Print Section Screenshot](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/pirform-options-print.png) # Including the certificate type in the filename There is a setting that controls whether the certificate type is included in the filenames of PDF (and export) files. You can access that from the Saving and Backup section of [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#shine-forms-options) here: ![Option to Include Certificate Type in Filename Screenshot](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/pirform-options-certificate-type-in-filename.png) --- ## Schedule Items 2011 - 2015 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/schedule-items-2011-2015/ This applies to forms with schedule items, such as the EIC and EICR. When copying a form or creating one from another, then if there is a schedule items in the new certificate that has the same number and whose description matches, then the schedule item values from the source will be copied to the new form. In the Shine Forms desktop program, when creating a new EICR 2015 from an EICR 2011 then the values are also set in the following items: | Item | 2011 Value | 2015 Value | |---|---|---| | 1.1 | Condition of service cable | Service cable condition | | 1.3 | Condition of distributor's earthing arrangement | Condition of tails - (Distributor) | | 1.4 | Condition of meter tails - Distributor/Consumer | Condition of tails - (Consumer) | | 3.8 | Accessibility and condition of other protective bonding connections (543.3.2) | Accessibility and condition of all protective bonding connections (543.3.2) | | 5.2 | Cables correctly supported throughout their run (522.8.5) | Cables supported throughout their run (522.8.5) | | 5.4 | Non-sheathed cables protected by enclosure in conduit, ducting or trunking (521.10.1) | Non-sheathed cables protected by enclosure in conduit, ducting or trunking (521.10.0) \*To include the integrity of conduit and trunking systems (metallic and plastic) | | 5.5 | Adequacy of cables for current carrying capacity with regard for the type and nature of installation (Section 523) | Adequacy of cables for current-carrying capacity with regard for the type and nature of installation (Section 523) | | 5.10 | Concealed cables installed in prescribed zones (see Section D. Extent and limitations) (522.6.202) | Concealed cables installed in prescribed zones (see Extent and Limitations Section) (522.6.101) | | 5.11 | Cables concealed under floors, above ceilings or in walls/partitions, adequately protected against damage (see Section D. Extent and limitations) (522.6.204; ) | Concealed cables incorporating earthed armour or sheath, or run within earthed wiring system, or otherwise protected against mechanical damage from nails, screws and the like (see Extent and Limitations Section) (522.6.101; 522.6.103) | | 5.12.1 | for all socket-outlets of rating 20 A or less. unless an exception is permitted (411.3.3) | for all socket-outlets of rating 20A or less provided for use by ordinary persons unless an exception is permitted (411.3.3) | | 5.12.3 | for cables concealed in walls at a depth of less than 50 mm (522.6.202; 522.6.203) | for cables concealed in walls or partitions (522.6.102; 522.6.103) | | 6.3 | Shaver sockets comply with BS EN 61558-2-5 formerly BS 3535 (701.512.3) | Shaver sockets to comply with BS EN 61558-2-5 formally BS 3535 (701.512.3) | | 6.7 | Suitability of accessories and control gear etc. for a particular zone (701.512.3) | Suitability of equipment for installation in a particular zone (701.512.3) | | 7.1 | List all other special installations or locations present, if any. (Record separately the results of particular inspections applied.) | List all other special locations present, if any. | --- ## Schedule Manager — reusable inspection schedules for your certificates Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/schedule-manager/ # Schedule Manager The Schedule Manager is where you look after your library of **inspection schedules** — the numbered lists of items you inspect and code when completing an EICR. The app ships with the standard BS 7671 schedules, and the Schedule Manager lets you view those, copy them, adapt the copies, and build your own schedules from scratch. When you create a new certificate, you choose which schedule it starts from. To open it, go to **File → Schedule Manager** on the Home Screen: [![The File menu on the Home Screen, showing Schedule Manager and Style Editor](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen-file-menu.webp)](./_img/home-screen-file-menu.webp) ## The schedule library The home screen shows every schedule in your library as a card: ![The Schedule Manager home screen showing the schedule library](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/schedule-manager-home.png) Each card shows: - **A preview** of the schedule's first few sections. - **Built-in or Custom** — built-in schedules ship with the app and are read-only; custom schedules are your own and fully editable. - **The amendment badge** — which edition of BS 7671 the schedule applies to: **A3:2024** (the EICR, EIC and Minor Works 2024 forms), **A4:2026** (the 2026 forms), or both. - **Section and item counts**, and when the schedule was last edited. ### Finding a schedule Use the filter pills under the header to narrow the library: - **Show** — Both, Built-in only, or Custom only. - **Amendment** — Any, A3:2024, or A4:2026. A schedule tagged for both amendments appears under either filter; a schedule with no tag appears only under *Any*. ![The library filtered to custom schedules only](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/schedule-manager-custom-filter.png) **Open library folder** opens the folder where your custom schedules are stored, which is handy for backing them up or copying a schedule file from a colleague straight into your library. ## The standard schedules The schedules that ship with the app — the residential Part 7 schedules and the example checklists from BS 7671 — are **read-only**. You can open one with **View** to read through it, but you can't change it, so the standard wording is always there to come back to. ![A built-in schedule opened read-only, with the Duplicate to edit button](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/schedule-manager-built-in.png) To adapt a standard schedule, use **Duplicate to edit** — on the card or inside the schedule. That makes an editable copy in your library (including its amendment tag) and opens it straight in the editor. The original stays untouched. ## Creating and editing schedules Create a schedule with **New schedule**, or open one of your own with **Edit**. The editor shows the schedule's structure on the left and the details of the selected row on the right: ![The schedule editor with a custom schedule open](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/schedule-manager-editor.png) - **Add rows** with **+ Section**, **+ Item** and **+ Note**. New rows are inserted after the selected row. - **Numbering is automatic.** Sections become 1.0, 2.0…; items 1.1, 1.2…; sub-items 1.1.1, 1.1.2… Move rows with **Move up** / **Move down** and the numbering keeps itself right. - **Notes** are un-numbered guidance lines shown between items — use them for reminders like *"Record any access limitations in Section K."* - The panel on the right edits the selected row: its **description**, an optional italic **sub-note**, whether it's an **item or a sub-item**, and an optional **custom outcome list** (for example `Y, N/A`) when an item shouldn't use the standard outcome codes. - **Applies to** sets the schedule's amendment tag — tick **A3:2024**, **A4:2026**, or both. This controls which new certificates offer the schedule (see below). Press **Save** to keep your changes. If you leave a schedule — or close the window — with unsaved edits, the Schedule Manager asks what to do with them first: ![The unsaved changes prompt](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/schedule-manager-unsaved-changes.png) ## Using a schedule on a new certificate When you create a new **EICR 2024** or **EICR 2026**, the New Certificate dialog has a **Schedule** drop-down. It offers the schedules that match that certificate's amendment: - An **EICR 2024** offers the A3:2024 standard schedules plus your custom schedules tagged A3:2024. - An **EICR 2026** offers the A4:2026 set plus your custom schedules tagged A4:2026. - Custom schedules with **no amendment tag** are offered for both, so nothing you made before tags existed goes missing. The drop-down defaults to the standard residential schedule for that form, so if you don't change anything the certificate starts exactly as it always has. ## Sharing schedules Schedules are single text files, one per schedule, so they're easy to pass around: - **Export…** (in the editor) saves a schedule as a `.pirform.schedule.txt` file you can email to a colleague. - **Import…** (on the home screen) brings a schedule file into your library as a new custom schedule. The amendment tag travels with the file. You can also drop a schedule file directly into your library folder (**Open library folder**) and it appears in the Schedule Manager the next time it opens. --- ## Send files using Dropbox Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/send-files/ You can send large files or folders by using a file sharing service such as Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, Box or similar to upload the file and share a link with us. This lets you share files or folders that are too large to send by email. :::tip{title="Use OneDrive if you have a Microsoft account"} The instructions to share a file using OneDrive are available on Microsoft's website [here](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/share-onedrive-files-and-folders-9fcc2f7d-de0c-4cec-93b0-a82024800c07) ::: The following instructions are for Dropbox, but feel free to use another service if you wish. # What is Dropbox? Dropbox is a service that allows you to backup and share files. You can use Dropbox to [automatically backup your certificates online](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup)! They give a certain amount of storage for free and are very useful for taking backups and sharing files that are too large to be emailed. # Setting up a Dropbox account Firstly, if you don't already have a Dropbox account then you can sign up for a free from the next link: [Set up Dropbox](https://db.tt/8h28DQ4b) # Install the Dropbox software You can then download and install the Dropbox software from their website here: [https://www.dropbox.com/install](https://www.dropbox.com/install) # Let Dropbox upload the file Copy the file you want to share into your Dropbox folder. Dropbox will then start uploading the file to your Dropbox account. # Share a Dropbox link Create a link to the file as follows: :::warning{title="Don't share with our email address"} DO NOT SHARE FILES USING OUR EMAIL ADDRESS. These cannot be accessed by our help desk system. ::: * Find the file in your Dropbox folder. * Right-click over the file and select "Copy Dropbox link". * The link will be copied to your clipboard. * Paste the link into an email to be sent back to Shine Forms Support. * Check that the link looks something like this: [https://www.dropbox.com/sh/d65hdx9sf4zejhm/AAD91I3ByfK8hBczoRa?dl=0](https://www.dropbox.com/sh/d65hdx9sf4zejhm/AAD91I3ByfK8hBczoRa?dl=0) * Send the email back to Shine Forms Support. ![Dropbox share link example](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/dropbox-share-link.png) We can then access the file using the link you send in the email. --- ## Send your data folder Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/send-data-folder/ Follow the instructions below to package and share your Shine Forms data with Shine Forms Support # Package your data folder Download and run the installer for the **Shine Forms Support Tool** from the following link: [Shine Forms Support Tool installer](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/supporttool) Make sure Shine Forms is not running and then click button at the top left marked **Package Database**: ![Screenshot of the Shine Forms Support Tool with the Package Database button highlighted](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/support-tool-package-database.png) # Share the files This will have created a folder on your desktop called **Shine Forms_Support** and placed a file in that folder whose name of the file starts with **Shine Forms-Data-Folder**. ![Example of the Shine Forms_Support folder on the desktop containing the data file](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/pirform-support-desktop-folder-database.png) That file will be too large to send by email. You need to use a file sharing service such as Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive or similar to share that file with us. There are instructions in the following link to set up Dropbox and use it to share a file. [Share files using Dropbox](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/send-files) --- ## Send your log file Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/send-log-file/ If Shine Forms is running on your computer, then you can get it to send your log files over automatically. If it's not running then you will need to download our [Support Tool](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/supporttool) and then attach the log file to an email. Please follow the relevant section below to send us your log file. # Shine Forms is running If Shine Forms runs on the computer, you can send your log files directly from the **Home Screen** by right-clicking over the status bar at the bottom and selecting **Send log file to Shine Forms Support**: ![Home screen status bar menu showing the option to send log file to Shine Forms Support](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen-status-bar-menu.png) Alternatively, you can send the log file from **Shine Forms Options**. To do that, click **File** and then **Shine Forms Options** and go to the **Support** section and click **Send Log File**: ![Shine Forms Options Support section with the Send Log File button highlighted](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/pirform-options-support.png) If Shine Forms was not able to connect to the internet to send the error report (such as when your firewall is preventing Shine Forms from accessing the internet) then please follow the instructions in the next section to send us your log file. # Shine Forms is not running If Shine Forms will not start on your computer, then you can use our support tool to generate the logs. Download and run the installer for the **Shine Forms Support Tool** from the following link: * [Shine Forms Support Tool installer](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/supporttool) Then click button at the top left marked **Package Log File**: ![Support Tool interface showing the Package Log File button in the top left](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/support-tool-package-log-file.png) This will package up your log file and put it into a folder on your desktop called **Shine Forms_Support** and it will open that folder to show you the log file: ![File Explorer showing the Shine Forms_Support folder containing the log file](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/log-file-in-explorer.png) Just attach that file to an email and send it to support@shineforms.co.uk. # Alternative: find the log file using File Explorer You can also use **File Explorer** (which used to be called "Windows Explorer") to find the log file. To open **File Explorer** click on the folder icon on the taskbar or press the **Windows** key and **E** together. When the **File Explorer** is open, type or copy/paste the following into the address bar and press **Enter** on your keyboard to open the : > %appdata%\pirform\pirform\log ![Windows Explorer with %appdata%\pirform\pirform\log typed into the address bar](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/windows-explorer-find-log.png) This will take you to the logs folder where you'll find one or more files whose name starts with **pirform**. Attach those to an email and send it to support@shineforms.co.uk. ![Log folder in Windows Explorer showing one or more files starting with pirform](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/windows-explorer-log-folder.png) --- ## Set up online backup Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-online/ Shine Forms makes it easy to use online storage for sharing certificates with fellow engineers. This ensures your certificates are safe even if your computer malfunctions, gets damaged, or is stolen. :::success{title="Access PDFs on devices without Shine Forms"} Automatic exports used with online storage means the latest PDF is always available on devices that don't have Shine Forms installed. ::: :::tip{title="Importing certificates from other engineers"} Backing up online makes your certificates available on other computers and to other engineers. Read how to import certificates [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/certificate-sharing#importing-certificates). ::: # Get a free online storage account Online storage providers offer free storage that is enough to store your Shine Forms certificates. If you don't have one already, you can set up an account with: - [Dropbox](https://db.tt/8h28DQ4b) - [OneDrive](https://onedrive.live.com/about/en-gb/) - [Google Drive](https://www.google.com/intl/en-GB_ALL/drive/) # Store backups in Dropbox or OneDrive To store backups and exports in a folder inside your OneDrive or Dropbox folder: 1. Open [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#shine-forms-options). 2. In the **Saving and Backup** section, click **Use Dropbox** or **Use OneDrive** to detect and use the respective service. ![Animation showing how to use Dropbox or OneDrive options in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/pirform-options-use-dropbox-onedrive.gif) New backups or exports will now be stored in those locations and synchronized online. :::tip Shine Forms uses the licence name in the folder name. Adjust your licences [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/managing-licences). ::: # Pick your own folder You can choose your own folder by clicking **Choose Shine Forms Folder** to set the root folder, or use the **Browse** buttons to set each location individually. ![Interface for choosing saving and backup folders in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/pirform-options-saving-and-backup-choose-folders.png) # Organizing files from multiple engineers To avoid mixing backups and certificates from different engineers: - Use a folder name that identifies the engineer and the machine they are using. - For example, use **John Office** for John's certificates from the office machine, and **Jane Laptop** for Jane's certificates from the laptop. These folders will appear in Dropbox as: > Dropbox\Shine Forms\John Office and > Dropbox\Shine Forms\Jane Laptop --- ## Settings and support Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-settings-and-support/ :::info{title="Coming soon"} The Shine Forms tablet apps will be available soon. Follow us on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/shine-forms), watch [our blog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog), or [sign up to our newsletter](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/newsletter) for updates. ::: # Settings and support The screens described here are opened from the **File** menu, except the Recycle bin, which is reached from the Home screen. ## Options **File → Options** holds the app's settings. Changes save automatically, and the search box at the top finds a setting by name. ![The Options screen open on the General tab](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-options.png) The settings are grouped into areas along the top. **General** has the settings you are most likely to want on the tablet: - **Dark theme** switches the whole app between light and dark. - **Device name** gives this tablet a friendly name for your usage reports. The other areas mirror the options of Shine Forms Desktop, such as how new boards and circuits are set up, how certificate numbers are generated and which actions ask for confirmation. ## Upload History **File → Upload History** lists every upload the tablet has made, with the certificate number, whether it succeeded, when, and who uploaded it. Tap **Refresh** to update the list, and **Clear old history** to remove entries older than 30 days. ![The Upload History screen showing a successful and a failed upload](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-upload-history.png) ## Recycle bin Certificates you delete go to the **Recycle bin**, which you open from the bottom of the Home screen's rail. ![The Recycle bin](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-recycle-bin.png) Each deleted certificate has a **Restore** button, which puts it back in your list of forms, and a **Delete Forever** button, which removes it permanently. Tap the chevron on a card to see the client and occupier details before deciding. **Back to Certificates** returns to the Home screen. ## Schedule Library **File → Schedule Library** manages the reusable inspection schedules you can choose from when creating a certificate. The standard BS 7671 schedules are built in and read-only; duplicate one to make your own version. ![The Schedule Library](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-schedule-library.png) ## Support **File → Support** brings together the ways to get help: ![The Support screen](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-support.png) - **Email the help desk** or open the **Online help desk**. - **Send logs to support** uploads the app's recent log files to the help desk, which is the quickest way for us to see what went wrong. - **Read the Shine Forms docs** opens this documentation. - **Suggest a feature or change** emails us your idea. - **End User License Agreement** shows the agreement you accepted on first run. ## Licences **File → Licences** is where a licence is activated on this tablet. The licensing plans for the new app will be announced soon; see [licensing on the tablet](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-licensing). --- ## Sharing certificates Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/certificate-sharing/ :::success{title="Store your certificates online for free"} We highly recommend using an online storage and sharing facility such as Dropbox or OneDrive. Read more [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-online) ::: The certificate sharing features let you export your certificates to a file and import other engineer's work into your copy of Shine Forms. This means more then one engineer can work together on the same certificates. Common scenrios are: * Jobs with more than one engineer. * Getting your work reviewed by another engineer. The export files are: * Small and self-contained. * Easy to share by email, Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive or using your own network. * Carry the details of the engineer even if they are outside of your company. :::info{title="Export files can contain multiple certificates"} You can export more than one certificate at a time, but generally it is best to export one at a time. ::: # Certificate sharing videos Watch the certificate sharing features in action in the following video. :::tip{title="Shine Forms YouTube Channel"} Find other videos about Shine Forms on our [YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwFjvQ3JUCzwsIS0DG3C-hA/videos). ::: Read on for more information about importing files or folders. # Importing certificates :::success{title="Store your certificates online for free"} We highly recommend using an online storage and sharing facility such as Dropbox or OneDrive. Read more [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-online) ::: There are two ways to import certificates into Shine Forms: - Import from a Shine Forms export file. - Import from a folder containing Shine Forms export files. ## Importing from a file To import a certificates from a single export file click **Import from File** in the **Home Screen**. ![Screenshot of the Import from File button on the Home Screen](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/import-1.png) This will open the **Shine Forms Import Wizard**. Click **Browse** to select the export file that contains the certificate you want to import, then click **Next** when you have done that. ![Screenshot of selecting the export file step in Shine Forms Import Wizard](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/import-2.png) Shine Forms will ask which certificate(s) you want to import from the file. If the certificate already exists in your copy of Shine Forms, the existing copy will be overwritten during the import. Shine Forms warns you of this and asks you to confirmbefore proceeding with the import. Click **Next** to proceed. ![Screenshot of the certificate selection step in Shine Forms Import Wizard](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/import-3.png) The next screen lets you review the certificates that you are about to import. Click **Import Certificates** to proceed. ![Screenshot of the review certificates screen in Shine Forms Import Wizard](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/import-4.png) ![Screenshot of the certificate import confirmation screen](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/import-5.png) After Shine Forms has imported the certificates, click **Close** to finish. ![Screenshot of the closing step after successfully importing certificates](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/import-6.png) ## Importing certificates using drag and drop You can also start the import process by just dragging Shine Forms export files or folders that contain Shine Forms export files from Windows and drop them onto the certificates list on the **Home Screen**. ![Animated GIF showing the drag-and-drop process for importing certificates](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/import-drag-drop.gif) ## Importing from a folder To import certificates from export files in a folder, open the **Shine Forms Import Wizard** by clicking **Import from File** in the **Home Screen**: ![Screenshot of the Import from File button on the Home Screen](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/import-1.png) Then tick the box **Import from folder**: ![Screenshot of the option to import certificates from a folder](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/import-from-folder.png) Then, click **Browse** and select the folder that holds the files you want to import from. :::note If there folders inside the folder you select then Shine Forms will find and include any export files from those folders too. ::: ![Screenshot of folder selection step for certificate import](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/import-from-folder-select.png) Then click **Next** and you will be presented with a list of the certificates that Shine Forms has found and you can select the ones you wish to import: ![Screenshot of the certificate list screen found in selected folder](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/import-from-folder-certificates.png) ### Filtering by modified date When importing from a folder, Shine Forms gives you the option to select only the export files that have been modified since a particular date. This is particularly useful if you are receiving work from engineers on site and using Shine Forms' [merge feature](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/merging-certificates) to bring this work into a main certificate for issue. :::note Shine Forms uses the date the file was last modifed and not the date that the file was created. This makes it easy to find export files that may have been updated by the engineer, especially when importing from the engineer's [auto-export](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/certificate-sharing#automatic-exports) folder in Dropbox or OneDrive. ::: The default option is to import from all the files under the selected folder. You can also choose files that have been modified today, within the last 7 days or since a date of your choosing. ![Screenshot of the date filter options when importing certificates](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/import-from-folder-date-filter.png) # Exporting certificates Select the certificate in the **Home Screen** and then click **Export to File**: ![Screenshot of the Export to File button in the Home Screen](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/export-1.png) This will open the **Shine Forms Export Wizard**. Check that the certificate(s) you want to export are selected and click **Next** to proceed. ![Screenshot of selecting certificates in the Shine Forms Export Wizard](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/export-2.png) By default Shine Forms will name the export file using the certificate type, certificate number and the date and will save the file in the certificate sharing location you have set in the program. You can change where the file is saved and how it is named if you need to. In case you are exporting a large number of certificates and need to break the export file into smaller chunks so they can be emailed, you can do that from this screen as well. ![Screenshot of the export file naming and destination configuration step](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/export-3.png) The next screen will show you the actions you're about to perform. Review these and click **Export Certificates** to export the certificate(s) to the chosen file. ![Screenshot of the review actions screen in the Shine Forms Export Wizard](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/export-4.png) After Shine Forms has exported the certificates, click **Close** to finish. Shine Forms will open the folder that contains the exported file for you and will select that file. ![Screenshot of the export confirmation and folder selection step](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/export-5.png) ## Automatic exports Shine Forms automatically generates both an export file and a PDF each time you close the certificate after saving any changes. You can adjust the location where these are saved from [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options) :::success{title="Store your certificates online for free"} We highly recommend using an online storage and sharing facility such as Dropbox or OneDrive. Read more [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-online) ::: When you select a certificate in the **Home Screen** then you can quickly access the most recent export file and PDF by clicking **Show Export File** and **Show PDF Report** in the ribbon. ![Screenshot of the Home Screen showing refreshed export options available](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen-refresh-exports-after.png) If those appear disabled then you can easily regenerate an export file and a PDF file by clicking **Refresh Exports**. ![Screenshot of the Home Screen showing disabled export options before refresh](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen-refresh-exports-before.png) :::success{title="Access PDFs on devices without Shine Forms"} Automatic exports used with online storage means the latest PDF is always available on devices that don't have Shine Forms installed. Read more [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-online) ::: --- ## Sharing company details Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/company-details-export/ Once you have set up your company details in Shine Forms, you can export them to a file. This includes your company name, company logo, association logo, engineers, and instruments. You can use these files to help colleagues set up their company details easily. If you issue certificates for more than one company, you can save each set of company details to separate files and switch between them as needed. :::tip{title="Updating company details in existing certificates"} Learn how to update company and association details on existing certificates [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/update-certificate-logos-and-details). ::: # Export your company details To export your company details: 1. Click **File > Import/Export** on the **Home Screen**. 2. Select **Export Company Details**. ![Export company details in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/export-company-details.png) # Import your company details :::tip{title="Easily update logos and signatures"} Double-click on the company logo, association logo, or engineer signature to quickly select a new image. ::: To import your company details from a file: 1. Click **File > Import/Export** on the **Home Screen**. 2. Select **Import Company Details**. You can also import company details by dragging the company files onto the **Company and Instruments** area of the **Home Screen**, as shown below. ![Animation showing dragging company details files into Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/fast-company-changes.gif) For individual certificates, you can edit company telephone, branch number, and enrolment number from the [Certificate Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#certificate-options) dialog. --- ## Shine Forms tablet app overview Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-overview/ :::info{title="Coming soon"} The Shine Forms tablet apps will be available soon. Follow us on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/shine-forms), watch [our blog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog), or [sign up to our newsletter](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/newsletter) for updates. ::: # Shine Forms tablet app overview The Shine Forms tablet app is the on-site companion to [Shine Forms Desktop](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/getting-started). It runs on Android tablets and Apple iPads, works without an internet connection, and uploads finished certificates to your Shine Forms account where the PDFs are produced and Shine Forms Desktop can pick them up. This section documents the **new** tablet app, which replaces the previous generation of Shine Tablet apps. It looks and works very differently from the app it replaces. :::info{title="Same app on desktop soon"} The new tablet app shares its screens with the next Shine Forms desktop app for Windows and macOS. Once you know your way around the tablet, the desktop version will feel immediately familiar. ::: ## What you can do on the tablet - Create EICR certificates to **BS 7671:2018+A4:2026** and complete every section of the report on site: installation details, supply and earthing, boards and circuits, test results, the inspection schedule, observations, appendices and the declaration. - Fill in the circuit schedule with **tap-friendly value pads** instead of typing, in either a card view or a full grid. - Code the inspection schedule and have **observations raised for you** automatically. - Let **Intelligence** check your test data against the regulations and raise statements for you to confirm. - Attach **photos** to observations and appendices from the tablet's camera or gallery. - Upload the certificate to your Shine Forms account and view or download the finished PDF online. Everything you enter is saved automatically as you go. There is no Save button to remember, and closing the app or losing power does not lose your work. :::note{title="Coming soon"} The app launches with the electrical certificates. The other disciplines you will see in the app — fire alarm, emergency lighting, solar PV and EV charging — are coming soon. ::: ## Supported devices - **Android tablets** — install from Google Play. - **Apple iPad** — install from the App Store. Both versions are the same app with the same features. The app is designed for tablets in landscape orientation. It also runs on phones in a simplified layout, but a 10" tablet gives the circuit grid the room it needs. ## Working offline The app runs entirely on the tablet. You can create and edit certificates with no connection at all. You need an internet connection for: - **Signing in** for the first time on a device. - **Uploading** a finished certificate to your Shine Forms account. - **Viewing the PDF** of an uploaded certificate. If you tap **Upload Now** while offline, the upload is queued and sent automatically the next time the tablet is connected. ## How it fits with Shine Forms Desktop and your account - You create and edit a certificate on the tablet, on site. - You upload it to your Shine Forms account. The account produces the PDFs. - In the office, Shine Forms Desktop downloads the certificate from your account so that it can be reviewed, merged with other engineers' work or issued to the customer. Work flows from the tablet up to your account. You cannot yet send a certificate from Shine Forms Desktop down to a tablet. ## Where certificates are stored Certificates live on the tablet until you delete them. Deleted certificates go to the app's **Recycle bin**, from where they can be restored. Uploaded certificates are also kept in your Shine Forms account, where you can view the PDFs at any time. ## Before you start 1. [Create a Shine Forms account](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/shine-logging-in#registering-a-new-account) if you don't already have one. Registration is free. 2. Install the app from Google Play or the App Store. 3. [Sign in](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-signing-in) on the tablet with your Shine Forms account. Then read [the Home screen](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-home-screen) to create your first certificate, and [navigating a certificate](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-navigating) to find your way around it. When the certificate is finished, [upload it](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-uploading) to get the PDF. ## Licensing The licensing and pricing plans for the new tablet app will be announced soon. See [licensing on the tablet](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-licensing). --- ## Shine Forms' Intelligence Changes Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/intelligence-changes/ Shine Forms can make the following changes to your certificate based on values that you enter: # Observations added by Shine Forms' Intelligence [Shine Forms' Intelligence](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/intelligence) is able to add the following observations. | Observations | |---| | A TT 3 line system must have a main switch that breaks the neutral conductor. Note 5 from Table 53.2 BS 7671. It can not be guaranteed that the neutral conductor will be at 0v in the event of a fault. | | A TT system must have a main switch that breaks all live conductors including the neutral conductor. Note 4 from Table 53.4 BS 7671, and Regulation 462.2 It can not be guaranteed that the neutral conductor will be at 0V in the event of a fault. | | Cables and/or over-current devices have not been selected accordingly, (433, 523 and 533.2.1). Users of the installation may be at risk, and immediate remedial action is recommended. | | Connection of the lighting protection system has not been carried out in accordance with BS EN 62305, and also has not met the requirements of Regulation 411.3.1.2 of BS 7671 | | Connection of the lightning protection system has not been carried out in accordance with BS EN 62305, and also has not met the requirements of Regulation 411.3.1.2 of BS 7671 | | Each installation shall have provision for disconnection from the supply by means of a main linked switch or linked circuit breaker, and be provided as near as practicable to the origin of the installation. It shall also interupt both live conductors of a single phase supply. The requirements of Regulations 462.1 and 462.1.201 have not been met. | | In a TT system, only copper conductors should be used for earthing conductors: other types of material can only be used if special precautions are taken. See Regulation 543.2.4. | | In a TT system, only copper conductors should be used for earthing conductors: other types of material can only be used if special precautions are taken. See Section 543. | | In a TT system, only copper conductors should be used for protective bonding conductors: other types of material can only be used if special precautions are taken. See Regulation 543.2.4. | | Inadequacies in the intake equipment have been encountered. It is recommended that the person ordering the works contacts the appropriate authority. | | Incorrect polarity, does not comply to Regulation 643.6. | | Protective conductors (including earthing and bonding conductors) of 10mm csa or less shall be made of copper. Regulation 543.2.4 has not been met. | | The combination of the Wiring type and Reference method is inappropriate. See Table 4A2 for suitable combinations. | | The conductor taken to the lightning protection system has proved not to be continuous along it's length.Connection of the lighting protection system has not been carried out in accordance with BS EN 62305, and also has not met the requirements of Regulation 411.3.1.2 of BS 7671 | | The impedance for R1 ring continuity seems unusually high, Further investigation should be carried out to ascertaining the reason for the high reading. | | The impedance for R2 ring continuity seems unusually high, Further investigation should be carried out to ascertaining the reason for the high reading. | | The impedance for Rn ring continuity seems unusually high, Further investigation should be carried out to ascertaining the reason for the high reading. | | The installation earth electrode could not be located, further investigation may be required. | | The installation reference method for the type of cable selected, in conjunction with it's cross sectional area is not allowed. | | The insulation resistance value for the circuit is below the minimum value required in Table 61. | | The main protective conductor does not appear to be continuous. Recommend contacting the supply authority. | | The Main RCD has failed to operate during verification as required by Regulation 643.10 | | The Main RCD has failed to operate within the verification as required by Regulation 643.10 | | The main switch for the installation is rated at a lesser value than the main overcurrent protective device for the installation. Recommend upgrading the main switch to an appropriate size. | | The main switch time delayed (S) type RCD has operated above the recommended tripping times in accordance with Table 3A Appendix 3. | | The main switch time delayed (S) type RCD has operated below the recommended tripping times in accordance with Table 3A Appendix 3. | | The maximum permissable earth fault loop impedance has been exceeded. The requirements of Section 41 have not been met | | The maximum permissible earth fault loop impedance has been exceeded for the circuit. The requirements of Section 41 have not been met. | | The maximum permitted earth fault loop impedance has been exceeded. The requirements of Table 41.5 have not been met. | | The maximum recommended earth fault loop impedance has been exceeded, in accordance with Section 1.1, item iv of the On Site Guide, which accompanies BS 7671. | | The measured earth fault loop impedance has exceeded the recommended value stated at Note 2 beneath Table 41.5 Earth fault loop impedances above 200 ohms are considered unstable, and alternative arrangements should be considered. | | The measured prospective fault current exceeds the value entered for the main overcurrent device. There is a risk of damage to the installation should a fault occur. Recommend contacting the supply authority to upgrade the main overcurrent device to a more suitable size and type. | | The overcurrent protective device for the size of cable in use has not been selected in accordance with Appendix 4, in relation to 70oC thermosetting cables only. See Tables 4D1A onwards for a full list of cable current carrying capacities. | | The phase sequence at the board has not been maintained in accordance with Regulation 643.6. | | The polarity for the circuit is incorrect. Does not comply to Regulation 643.6 | | The protective bond conductor taken to the gas intake has proved not to be continuous along it's length. The requirements of Regulation 643.2.1 have not been met. | | The protective bonding conductor at the gas intake position has proved not be continuous along its length. The requirements of Regulation 411.3.1.2 (ii) have not been met. | | The protective bonding conductor taken to other services has proved not to be continuous along it's length. The requirements of Regulation 643.2.1 have not been met. | | The protective bonding conductor taken to the oil intake has proved not to be continuous along it's length. The requirements of Regulation 643.2.1 have not been met. | | The protective bonding conductor taken to the structural steelwork has proved not to be continuous along it's length. The requirements of Regulation 643.2.1 have not been met. | | The protective bonding conductor taken to the water intake has proved not to be continuous along it's length. The requirements of Regulation 643.2.1 have not been met. | | The protective bonding conductor taken to the structural steelwork has proved not to be continuous along it's length. The requirements of Regulation 643.2.1 have not been met. | | The protective conductor taken to the lightning protection system has proved not to be continuous along it's length.Connection of the lighting protection system has not been carried out in accordance with BS EN 62305, and also has not met the requirements of Regulation 411.3.1.2 of BS 7671. | | The RCD associated to the board has failed to operate in time in accordance with Table 3A of Appendix 3. | | The RCD associated to the circuit has failed to operate in time in accordance with Table 3A of Appendix 3 at 5In. | | The RCD associated to the circuit has failed to operate in time in accordance with Table 3A of Appendix 3 at In. | | The RCD test button for the circuit has failed to operate under a manual functional test. (612.13.1) Recommend replacing the RCD. | | The reference method chosen for the cable type is not permitted under Table 4D1A of BS7671. | | The requirements of Regulation 522.6.202 (i and ii) regarding cables in walls or partitions at a depth of less than 50mm, having protection against nails, screws and the like has not been met. | | The requirements of Regulation 522.6.202 (i) in relation to additional protection by means of an RCD having the characteristics specified in Regulation 415.1.1, for cables in walls or partitions at a depth of less than 50mm has not been met. | | The resistance of the installation earth electrode should be as low as practicable. A value exceeding 200 ohms may not be stable. Refer to Regulation 542.2.4. | | The selection of earthing conductor has not been selected in accordance with Table 54.8. The requirements of Regulation 544.1.1 have not been met. Consideration MUST also be given to the installation methods and type of conductor in accordance with Table 54.1. | | The selection of main protective bonding conductor(s) has not been selected in accordance with Table 54.8 and the requirements of Regulation 544.1.1 have not been met. | | The selection of main protective bonding conductor(s) has not been selected in accordance with Table 54.8 and the requirements of Regulation 544.1.1 have not been met. Additional requirements regarding the installation methods of earthing conductors are outside the scope of this software. | | The selection of protective bonding conductors in a TT system has not been selected in accordance with Regulation 544.1.1. Reference MUST be made to Chapter 52 to meet the additional requirements of installation methods. | | The time delayed (S) type RCD associated with the circuit has operated above the recommended tripping times at 5In in accordance with Table 3A Appendix 3. | | The time delayed (S) type RCD associated with the circuit has operated above the recommended tripping times at In in accordance with Table 3A Appendix 3. | | The time delayed (S) type RCD associated with the circuit has operated below the recommended tripping times at 5In in accordance with Table 3A Appendix 3. | | The time delayed (S) type RCD associated with the circuit has operated below the recommended tripping times at In in accordance with Table 3A Appendix 3. | | The time delayed (S) type RCD has operated above the recommended tripping times in accordance with Table 3A Appendix 3. | | The time delayed (S) type RCD has operated below the recommended tripping times in accordance with Table 3A Appendix 3. | | The voltage rating of the main switch is not suitable for the system type. Recommend upgrading the main switch to a more appropriate size and type. | | There is no protective bonding conductor at other services. The requirements of Regulation 411.3.1.2 (iii) have not been met. | | There is no protective bonding conductor at other services. The requirements of Regulation 411.3.1.2 have not been met. | | There is no protective bonding conductor at the gas intake position. The requirements of Regulation 411.3.1.2 (ii) have not been met. | | There is no protective bonding conductor at the gas intake position. The requirements of Regulation 411.3.1.2 have not been met. | | There is no protective bonding conductor at the oil intake position. The requirements of Regulation 411.3.1.2 (iii) have not been met. | | There is no protective bonding conductor at the oil intake position. The requirements of Regulation 411.3.1.2 have not been met. | | There is no protective bonding conductor at the structural steelwork. The requirements of Regulation 411.3.1.2 (v) have not been met. | | There is no protective bonding conductor at the structural steelwork. The requirements of Regulation 411.3.1.2 have not been met. | | There is no protective bonding conductor at the water intake position. The requirements of Regulation 411.3.1.2 (i) have not been met. | | There is no protective bonding conductor at the water intake position. The requirements of Regulation 411.3.1.2 have not been met. | | This reference method is specifically for the use of flat twin and earth cables in thermal insulation. Current carrying capacities for this type of reference method can be found in Table 4D5. | # Limitations added by Shine Forms' Intelligence **Shine Forms' Intelligence** is able to add the following limitations. | Limitations | |---| | Insulation resistance tests carried out in accordance with Reg 612.3.3 to prevent damage to any sensitive electronic equipment that may be present in the installation. | | The earthing conductor material is unknown. | | The main protective bonding conductor material is unknown. | | The primary overcurrent device for the installation is unknown. | | The supply conductor material is unknown. | | The type of main switch for the installation is unknown due to being inaccessible, or has no identifying marks. | | Unable to ascertain if other services has been bonded in accordance with Regulation 411.3.1.2 | | Unable to ascertain if the gas service has been bonded in accordance with Regulation 411.3.1.2 item (ii). | | Unable to ascertain if the lightning conductor has been bonded in accordance with BS EN 62305. | | Unable to ascertain if the oil service has been bonded in accordance with Regulation 411.3.1.2 item (iii). | | Unable to ascertain if the structural steelwork has been bonded in accordance with Regulation 411.3.1.2 item (v). | | Unable to ascertain if the water service has been bonded in accordance with Regulation 411.3.1.2 item (i). | | Unable to ascertain the type of earth electrode in use. | | Unable to carry out suitable inspection of the insulation of non conducting floors and walls in accordance with Regulation 612.5 | | Unable to carry out suitable inspections and tests for verification of phase sequence in accordance with Regulation 612.12. (This should not be mistaken for phase rotation). | | Unable to carry out suitable inspections on all barriers or enclosures provided during erection in accordance with Regulation 612.4.5 | | Unable to carry out suitable tests for all items in the installation for correct polarity in accordance with Regulation 612.6 | | Unable to carry out suitable tests to verify the functional operation of all devices in accordance with Regulation 612.13 | | Unable to carry out suitable tests to verify the requirements of Section 525 have been met in relation to voltage drop. | | Unable to carry out tests for all circuits to ensure the maximum earth fault loop impedance has been satisfied in accordance with Regulation 612.9 | | Unable to fully inspect main supplementary bonding conductors. | | Unable to inspect all items for fault protection by separation of circuits in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (c)(iv) | | Unable to inspect all items for protection by FELV in accordance with regulation 611.3.(c) (i) | | Unable to inspect all items for protection by SELV in accordance with regulation 612.4.1 | | Unable to inspect all items for protection provided by PELV in accordance with Regulation 612.4.2 | | Unable to inspect the requirements of Regulation 522.6.7 in relation to additional protection being required by a 30mA RCD where Regulation 522.6.6 applies. | | Unable to isolate installation to carry out a Ze reading. The reading found at Ze in the Nature of supply parameters has been taken as close as possible to the source of the installation. | | Unable to isolate system to measure the earth electrode resistance. | | Unable to locate the installation earth electrode. | | Unable to measure continuity of protective conductors in accordance with Regulation 612.2 | | Unable to measure insulation resistance between all live conductors in accordance with Regulation 612.3.1 | | Unable to measure ring final circuit conductors in accordance with Regulation 612.2.2 | | Unable to reasonably inspect all areas for presence of fire barriers, suitable seals and protection against thermal effects in accordance with regulation 611.3 item (viii). | | Unable to reasonably inspect all connections in the installation in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (i). | | Unable to suitably inspect all barriers or enclosures providing basic protection in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (viii) (b) | | Unable to suitably inspect the presence of undervoltage devices in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (d) (xi). | | Unable to suitably inspect the proximity of non electrical services and other external influences in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (d) (xiii). See also Section 528 | | Unable to suitably inspect all appropriate functional switching devices in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (d) (x). | | Unable to suitably inspect all circuits for presence of circuit protective conductors in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (c). | | Unable to suitably inspect all erection methods in the installation in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (d) (xvii). | | Unable to suitably inspect all items for protection provided by double or reinforced insulation in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (viii) (a) | | Unable to suitably inspect all items for protection provided by insulation of live parts in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (viii) (b) | | Unable to suitably inspect all obstacles providing basic protection in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (viii) (b) | | Unable to suitably inspect cables buried in walls for an earthed armour or sheath, or run in an earthed wiring system for protection against screws, nails and similar in compliance with Section 522, in particular Regulation 522.6.6 | | Unable to suitably inspect conductor identification in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (ii). | | Unable to suitably inspect connection of single-pole devices for switching in line conductor only in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (v). | | Unable to suitably inspect correct connection of accessories and equipment in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (vi). | | Unable to suitably inspect for electrical separation for more than one item of current using equipment in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (c) (iv). | | Unable to suitably inspect for electrical separation for one item of current using equipment in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (c) (iv). | | Unable to suitably inspect for the absence of protective conductors where a non-conducting location is in use, in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (c) (ii). | | Unable to suitably inspect for the routing of cables in safe zones, or protection against mechanical damage, in compliance with Section 522. | | Unable to suitably inspect items placed out of reach providing basic protection in accordance with Regulation 611.3 (viii) (b) | | Unable to suitably inspect particular protective measures for special installation and locations in accordance with Part 7. | | Unable to suitably inspect presence of labelling for protective devices, switches and terminals in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (d) (xii). | | Unable to suitably inspect segregation of safety circuits in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (d) (xiii) See also Section 528. | | Unable to suitably inspect selection of equipment appropriate to external influences in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (d) (xiii). | | Unable to suitably inspect the presence of diagrams, instructions and similar information in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (d) (xvi). | | Unable to suitably inspect the arrangements for alternative source(s) of supply in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (c). | | Unable to suitably inspect the presence of danger notices and other warning signs in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (d) (xv) | | Unable to suitably inspect the presence of earthing arrangements for combined protective and functional purposes in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (c). | | Unable to suitably inspect the presence of RCD's in accordance with Regulation 612.10 | | Unable to suitably inspect the presence of supplementary bonding conductors in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (c) (i). | | Unable to suitably inspect the segregation of Band I and Band II circuits, or inspect that Band II insulation is in use in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (d) (xiii). See also Section 528. | | Unable to suitably or reasonably gain access to switchgear and other equipment in accordance with Regulation 611.3 item (d) (xiv). | | Unable to test the effective operation of RCD's for additional protection in accordance with Regulation 612.10 | # Values set by Shine Forms' Intelligence **Shine Forms' Intelligence** is able to set the following values. | Value | Set To | |---|---| | Items Inspected Choice And Setting Of Protective Devices | Fail, Limitation | | Items Inspected Erection Methods | Fail | | Items Inspected Presence And Correct Location Of Isolation And Switching Devices | Fail, Limitation | | Items Inspected Presence Of EarthingConductor | Limitation | | Items Inspected Presence Of Main Protective Bonding Conductors | Fail, Limitation | | Items Inspected Routing Of Cables In Prescribed Zones | Fail | | Items Inspected Selection Of Conductors For Current Capacity | Fail, Limitation | | Items Tested Continuity Of Protective Conductors | Fail | | Items Tested Earth Fault Loop Impedance | Fail | | Items Tested External Earth Loop Fault Impedance | Fail | | Items Tested Insulation Resistance Between Live Conductors | Fail | | Items Tested Insulation Resistance Between Live Conductors And Earth | Fail | | Items Tested Operation Of Residual Current Devices | Fail | | Items Tested Polarity | Fail | | Particulars Of Installation Main Protective Conductors Equipotential Conductor Continuity Check | Fail | | Schedule Item 3.1 | Code2 | | Schedule Item 3.4 | Code2 | | Schedule Item 3.6 | Code2 | | Schedule Item 4.6 | Code3 | | Schedule Item 5.6 | Code2 | | Schedule Item 5.9 | Code3 | --- ## Signing in Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-signing-in/ :::info{title="Coming soon"} The Shine Forms tablet apps will be available soon. Follow us on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/shine-forms), watch [our blog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog), or [sign up to our newsletter](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/newsletter) for updates. ::: # Signing in The first time you open the app you are asked to sign in. Use the same email address and password that you use for the [Shine Forms website](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/shine-logging-in). ![The sign-in screen with the Sign in to your account button](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-signin.png) Tap **Sign in to your account**. Signing in happens in your tablet's web browser, exactly as on the website, and returns you to the app when it is done. :::info{title="Stay signed in"} Leave **Keep me logged in on this device** ticked and the app will not ask you to sign in again on this tablet. Untick it on a shared device so that the next person has to sign in as themselves. ::: Signing in is what links the tablet to your Shine Forms account. It enables cloud backup, PDF generation and uploading certificates to your account. You need an internet connection to sign in, but not to work on certificates afterwards. ## Signing in with a code If the browser cannot return you to the app, the app shows a code and a web address instead. ![The sign-in screen showing a device code and the address to enter it at](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-signin-device-code.png) Go to the address on any device that has a browser, enter the code, and sign in there. The tablet app signs in as soon as the code is accepted. Tap the copy buttons to copy the address or the code. ## Accepting the licence agreement On the first run you are asked to read and accept the End User Licence Agreement. Scroll to the end of the agreement to enable **Accept & continue**. You can read the agreement again at any time from **File → Support**. ![The End User Licence Agreement shown on first run](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-eula.png) ## Signing out Open the **File** menu and tap **Sign Out**. Certificates stay on the tablet, but you will need an internet connection to sign in again before you can upload them. If you have forgotten your password, see [Registering and logging in](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/shine-logging-in). --- ## Split boards Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/split-boards/ :::info We are working on a new way of reporting on split boards. Watch our [blog](https://blog.shineforms.co.uk) for updates. ::: # What are split boards? This article shows how to use Shine Forms to report all the RCD equipment for boards with multiple RCDs, also known as "split boards". Here's an example of a dual board that you can pick up from our friends at [City Electrical Factors in the UK](https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/4888539-10-way-dual-80a-type-a-rcd-high-integrity-metal-clad-consumer-unit-with-8-x-mcbs): ![A 10-way distribution board with two RCDs](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/split-board.png) # What is the problem? When you enter the circuit details into Shine Forms, it can look like there is only one RCD. ![Circuit details for a split board in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/split-board-details-1.png) At this point, Shine Forms does not have any information to help it report that there are two RCDs present. # Remarks to the rescue! The model forms have sections to record [remarks against circuits](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/boards-and-circuits#circuit-remarks). We can use those to report on the different RCDs. To do that, click on **Show Remarks** in the ribbon, select the first circuit, then record which circuits that the RCD protects: ![Entering remarks about the RCD into a circuit](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/split-board-details-enter-remarks.png) Repeat this for the second RCD and Shine Forms will then report those in the relevant section in the PDF: ![The PDF showing the details of the two RCDs](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/split-board-details-remarks-pdf.png) --- ## Style Editor — branded cover pages for your certificates Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/style-editor/ # Style Editor The Style Editor gives your certificates a branded, professional look. A **design** is a small pack that can hold a cover page, a matching end (back) page, header and footer bands that repeat on every page, and a set of report colours. Make a design the default for the certificate types you choose, and every report of that type renders with it automatically — nothing to remember at print time. To open it, choose **Style Editor** from the **File** menu on the Home Screen — it sits alongside the Schedule Manager: ![The File menu on the Home Screen, showing Style Editor and Schedule Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/home-screen-file-menu.webp) ## The library The Style Editor opens on your design library. Each card shows a live thumbnail of the design — cover and end pages fan out as a pair — along with its name, what it contains (**COVER**, **END**), and when you last edited it. ![The design library, showing built-in and custom designs](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/library.png) A few things to notice: - **BUILT-IN** marks the read-only designs that ship with the app. Your own designs show an "Edited" date instead of "Read-only". - **Default for N report types** under a design's name tells you it is in use on your reports — hover the **ⓘ** beside it to see exactly which certificate types. - The **Show** filter narrows the gallery to built-in or custom designs, and the **Default for** dropdown shows only the designs that are the default for a particular certificate type. - **Open library folder** opens the folder holding your design files, in case you want to back them up. Every card has a **⋯** menu with its actions: rename, set as default for report types, preview a PDF, save the pack to a file, or delete. Deleted designs go to the recycle bin, so a mistake is recoverable. ## Built-in designs The app ships with a set of read-only starting points: - **Three starters** — *Brand colour*, *Photo cover* and *Plain & simple* — clean, general-purpose designs that pick up your company details automatically. - **Six showcase designs** — complete branded looks for fictional companies (Aurora Electrical, Ember Fire & Security, Voltware Electrical and friends) that show what the editor can do, from full-page photography to formal heritage styling. Built-in designs can't be edited or used directly — anything used on your reports lives in your own library. Instead, choose **Duplicate to edit and use…** (or just click the card): your copy gets its own name and identity, opens in the editor, and is yours to re-brand and set as default. ![Duplicating a built-in design](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/duplicate-to-edit-and-use.png) > **Tip:** not sure which one you like? **⋯ → Preview PDF…** renders any design — built-in > or your own — on a sample certificate before you commit to anything. ## Creating a design from scratch **New design** starts you from a template — a blank page, or one of the starter looks — as a cover only or a cover + end page pair. Everything can be changed afterwards. ![The New design template chooser](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/new-design.png) ## The editor Click one of your designs to open it in the editor. ![Editing a cover page](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/editor.png) - The **canvas** is your page. Drag blocks to move them, drag the handles to resize, and use the arrow keys to nudge. Undo covers everything. - **Text blocks** can include details that fill in from each certificate — the certificate number, inspection dates, client and installation address, your company name and contact details — so one design works for every job. - **Image blocks** hold your logo or photography. A built-in photo editor lets you crop, rotate and annotate without leaving the app. - The tabs along the top switch between the **cover**, the **end page**, and the repeating **header, footer and edge bands** — use **+ Add** to give a design the parts it doesn't have yet. - The **Colours** tab sets the report's section colours — headings and shading through the body of the certificate, matched to your brand. - The **live preview** on the right shows exactly what the rendering engine will produce. Save with **Ctrl+S**. The design's name is also used for its file name, so keep it friendly. ## Seeing it on a real report **Render PDF…** in the editor — or **⋯ → Preview PDF…** on any library card — renders the whole design on a sample EICR with specimen data: cover in front, end page at the back, bands and colours throughout. **Save PDF…** in the viewer gives you a copy to share. ![The representative PDF preview](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/preview-pdf.png) ## Setting a design as your default When a design is ready, choose **⋯ → Default for report type…** on its card (or **Default for report…** in the editor). ![Setting a design as the default for report types](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/apply-to-report-types.png) - Tick the certificate types that should use the design. This only changes this design's own settings — it doesn't touch any other design, so if more than one design covers the same certificate type, the library picks a single winner to print (an exact match to the report type beats a family match). - The **All … certificates** rows cover a whole family in one tick — including certificate types added in future versions, so a family design never goes stale. - **Apply** makes the design the default for every ticked type and removes it from any type you untick — the tick list is always the whole truth. From then on, those certificates print with the design automatically. The card shows "Default for N report types" (hover the **ⓘ** to see which), and the library's **Default for** filter finds the design in use for any given certificate type. Reports with no default design simply print as they always have. ## Sharing designs A design is a single file you can email to a colleague: - **⋯ → Save pack to file…** exports the design as one `.sfstyle` file. - **Import…** (top right of the library) brings one in. The import is checked first — you'll be warned if the design uses details or fonts this machine doesn't have, and a damaged file is refused with an explanation. ![Import warnings](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/import-warnings.png) ## Renaming and deleting - **⋯ → Rename…** renames the design and its file. Anywhere the design is the default stays linked — your reports carry on rendering with it. - **⋯ → Delete design…** moves the design file to the recycle bin. Any certificate type it was the default for goes back to printing without a cover design, unless another design also covers that type. --- ## Support stats Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/support-stats/ We consider our certification software to be another tool that you use to provide a good service to your customers. Preparing and issuing the certificate is very often the last thing that is done before you get paid. So, we take pride in providing a high quality and speedy support service. Our support service is internet based and we do not provide a telephone support line. We do this precisely because it allows us to provide a faster and higher quality service to all our customers. We also invest in developing tooling such as the [Shine Forms Support Tool](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/support) that will assist you to get Shine Forms running should anything go wrong. Here are some recent statistics from our helpdesk software to show the sort of turnaround that you can expect from us: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/support-stats.png) --- ## System requirements Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/system-requirements/ :::success{title="Free 30-Day Trial"} The best way to see how Shine Forms will run on your machine is to take it for a spin! Read about our free 30-day trial [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/free-trial). ::: We recommend a system with at least the following specifications: * An i3 or equivalent processor * 2GB of RAM * A solid-state hard disk (SSD) If you regularly work on large jobs with tens or hundreds of boards then we suggest you increase that to the following: * An i5 or equivalent processor * 4GB of RAM * A solid-state hard disk (SSD) # Shine Forms recommends Dell laptops No, we aren't being sponsored buy Dell! But, our experience of using Dell machines has shown us that they are: - Physically well constructed (which can matter if you're taking them around in the van and using them on site). - They perform well. - They have great support packages available which can help keep your business running. - They are competively priced. At time of writing, we would recommend this for anyone who doesn't regularly do jobs with multiple hundreds of boards: Inspiron 15 laptop with an Intel i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage If you are only doing small domestic jobs and want to spend a little less, then that model is available with a smaller CPU: Inspiron 15 3000 laptop with an Intel i3 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage --- ## The Home screen Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-home-screen/ :::info{title="Coming soon"} The Shine Forms tablet apps will be available soon. Follow us on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/shine-forms), watch [our blog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog), or [sign up to our newsletter](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/newsletter) for updates. ::: # The Home screen After you sign in, the app opens on the Home screen. It lists every form on the tablet and is where you create new ones. ![The Home screen listing the certificates on the tablet](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-home.png) The screen has three parts: 1. **The rail** on the left chooses what the list shows. 2. **The list** in the middle has one row per certificate, showing the type of form, the client and address, its status, the certificate number and when it was last worked on. 3. **New form** at the top right creates a new certificate. Tap a row to open that certificate. The **⋮** button at the end of a row lets you **Upload** the certificate or **Move to recycle bin**. ## Choosing what to see The top of the rail has three views of your work: - **Recent work** shows everything, most recently edited first. - **Jobs and sites** groups certificates by client and site, so you can see all the work at one address together. - **All forms** lists everything. ![The Home screen grouped by job and site](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-home-jobs-and-sites.png) Under **Form types** the rail lists each discipline with the number of forms of each type on the tablet. Tap a discipline to expand it and tap a form type, such as **EICR**, to see only that type. The app launches with the electrical certificates; the other disciplines are coming soon. In a form-type view the list shows the client and address of each certificate, and a **Revision** row lets you narrow the list to one edition of the standard. ![The list narrowed to EICRs, with the revision and status filters](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-home-eicr-type.png) Above the list, the **Status** chips narrow it to **Draft**, **In progress**, **Completed** or **Submitted** certificates: - **Draft** — nothing entered yet. - **In progress** — the client or occupier has been entered. - **Completed** — the date of completion has been entered. - **Submitted** — the certificate has been uploaded to your Shine Forms account. The search box finds certificates by client, address or certificate number. At the bottom of the rail, **Recycle bin** shows certificates you have deleted, from where they can be restored or permanently deleted. See [Settings and support](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-settings-and-support#recycle-bin). ## Creating a certificate Tap **New form**. The picker lists the disciplines Shine Forms covers and the form types within each. ![The New form picker with the electrical form types shown](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-home-new-form-picker.png) Choose a discipline on the left, then tap the form you want. The **EICR** tile is the Electrical Installation Condition Report to BS 7671:2018+A4:2026. ![The New form picker with the EICR tile selected and the Create button enabled](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-home-new-form-picker-eicr.png) :::note{title="Coming soon"} Fire alarm, emergency lighting, solar PV and EV charging forms are coming soon. Choosing one of those, or a form type marked **Not built yet**, shows a page explaining that it is on its way rather than creating a certificate. ::: Tap **Create**. You are then asked for the details the app needs to set the certificate up: ![The Create New Certificate dialog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-create-certificate.png) - **Certificate Number** — a number is suggested for you, and you can change it. - **Boards**, **Phase** and **Ways** — how many distribution boards to create, the phase of the boards, and how many ways each has. You can add boards and circuits later, so a best guess is fine. - **Inspection schedule** — which schedule of inspections the certificate uses. The standard BS 7671 schedule is selected by default; the other choices come from the [Schedule Library](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-settings-and-support#schedule-library). Tap **Create Certificate** and the new certificate opens ready for you to start entering details. :::tip When you are already looking at one form type, the button at the top right is labelled with that type — for example **New EICR** — and starts a new certificate of that type straight away. The arrow beside it opens the picker if you want a different type. ::: ## Dark theme The app has a dark theme that is easier on the eyes in low light. Turn it on under **File → Options → General → Dark theme**. ![The Home screen in the dark theme](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-home-dark.png) --- ## The Main Form Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-main-form/ :::info{title="Coming soon"} The Shine Forms tablet apps will be available soon. Follow us on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/shine-forms), watch [our blog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog), or [sign up to our newsletter](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/newsletter) for updates. ::: # The Main Form The **Main Form** section holds the parts of the certificate that describe the installation and the inspection as a whole. Its tabs run along the top of the body: **Details**, **Limitations**, **Observations**, **Contractor Details**, **Supply & Earthing**, **Inspection Schedule**, **Declaration** and **Options**. Two of the tabs are big enough to have their own pages: [Observations](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-observations) and the [Inspection Schedule](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-inspection-schedule). Boards and circuits live in their own sections, [Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-board-manager) and [Circuits & Tests](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-circuits-and-tests). Every field saves as soon as you change it. Fields with a list of standard answers open a picker when you tap them; the others take typed text, numbers or dates. ## Details The **Details** tab records who the report is for and what it covers. A new certificate opens on this tab. ![The Details tab with the client and installation address](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-main-form-details.png) - **Client** — the name and address of the person or company the report is for. - **Installation address** — the occupier and the address of the installation. Tick **Same as client** to copy the client's details and keep them in step. - **Purpose of the report** — why the report is required, the extent of the installation covered, the extent of sampling, who the limitations were agreed with and any operational limitations. - **Premises & installation** — the type of premises (**Domestic**, **Commercial**, **Industrial** or **Other**), the estimated age of the installation, any evidence of alterations or additions and their age, the date of the previous inspection and whether installation records are available. ## Contractor Details The contractor's **trading title**, **address**, **telephone** and **fax** numbers, and the **branch** and **enrolment** numbers, as they print on the certificate. ![The Contractor Details tab](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-main-form-contractor.png) ## Supply & Earthing The characteristics of the supply and the earthing arrangements at the origin. ![The Supply & Earthing tab](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-main-form-supply.png) - **Earthing arrangements** — tap the **system type**: TN-C, TN-S, TN-C-S (PME), TN-C-S (PNB), TT or IT. - **Number and type of live conductors** — tap the a.c. or d.c. arrangement, and confirm the supply polarity. - **Nature of supply parameters** — nominal voltage and frequency, the prospective fault current, whether the supply is looped, the external earth fault loop impedance and the number of supplies. - **Supply protective device** — the BS (EN), type, rated current and short-circuit capacity of the device at the origin. - **Other sources of supply**, the **means of earthing** and the details of any **earth electrode**. - The **earthing conductor**, the **main protective bonding conductors** and the **bonding of extraneous-conductive-parts** — water, gas and oil pipes, structural steel, lightning protection and other incoming services. Scroll down for the **main switch**, with panels for the details that apply if it is an overcurrent protective device or an RCD: ![The main switch, OPD and RCD panels of the Supply & Earthing tab](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-main-form-supply-main-switch.png) The **Appendix** selector on the overcurrent device panel links the main switch to one of the certificate's [appendices](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-appendices). :::tip With the tablet held in portrait, or on a narrow screen, the panels stack into a single column so nothing is cut off. ::: ## Limitations The **Limitations** tab lists the agreed limitations of the inspection. ![The Limitations tab](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-main-form-limitations.png) - Tap **Add Limitation** in the ribbon to add one, then type its wording in the editor and tap **Save**. - Tap a limitation to edit it again, or to **Delete** it. - Limitations raised for you — by coding an item **LIM** on the [inspection schedule](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-inspection-schedule), or by [Intelligence](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-intelligence) — carry standard wording. When you edit one of these you can **Use standard**, **Append comment** or **Replace for print**, and the editor shows exactly what will print on the certificate. ## Declaration The **Declaration** tab is where the report is summed up and signed off. ![The Declaration tab showing the assessment of overall condition](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-declaration.png) - **Assessment of overall condition** is worked out for you: the installation is **Unsatisfactory** as soon as any C1, C2 or FI code is recorded anywhere in the certificate, and **Satisfactory** otherwise. The note under the two options explains which codes were counted. If this disagrees with the *items affecting safety* choice on the Observations tab, a warning asks you to review it before printing. - **Agreed limitations** shows how many limitations are recorded and links to the Limitations tab. - **Summary of the inspection** records the general condition of the installation, the date of the inspection, the recommended date for the next inspection and the reason for that interval. - **Inspected & tested by** and **Qualified supervisor / authorisation** record the names, positions and dates for the engineer who did the work and the person who reviewed it. The company name and enrolment number are taken from the Contractor Details tab. Tick **Completed** when the certificate is finished. ![The Declaration tab after a C2 has been recorded, showing the Unsatisfactory assessment](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-declaration-unsatisfactory.png) :::note Signature capture on the tablet, and the scheme and registration fields, are coming in a later update. ::: ## Options The **Options** tab holds settings for this certificate only: ![The certificate's Options tab](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-main-form-options.png) - The **certificate number**. - The **report colour** used when the PDF is produced: blue, green, purple or red. - The **default phase** and **default number of ways** for new boards added to this certificate. - **Disregard high measured Zs values for the whole certificate**, which suppresses the *measured Zs exceeds maximum* warning everywhere on this certificate. The app-wide settings are under **File → Options** instead; see [Settings and support](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-settings-and-support). --- ## Update certificate logos and details Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/update-certificate-logos-and-details/ You can update your company or association details for any of your certificates either individually or in bulk. # Updating and replacing The company and engineer details are stored with the certificate itself. If you change your company or an engineer's details when you're in the middle of a certificate, then you need to update the certificate with these new details. Sometimes, you may want to completely replace all the company or engineer details in a certificate. Shine Forms lets you do both of those things easily. Just bear in mind that updating only changes details of the same company or engineer, whereas replacing will set completely new values for the certificate. You do both of these from the Certificate Options Dialog. To open the Certificate Options Dialog, click File then Certificate Options. The dialog looks like this: ![Certificate Options Dialog showing sections to update or replace company and engineer details](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/certificate-options-dialog.png) # Changing a single certificate To update an individual certificate, open the certificate and then click File \| Certificate Options to open the Certificate Options dialog: At the bottom of the dialog you will see three buttons that relate to the company and engineer detials. These let you do the following: ## Select company logo and select association logo These buttons will let you select and update the company and association logos for the certificate from any logo file on your computer. ## Update company and engineer details This button will update the company and association logos, company details, engineer signatures and other engineer details such as instruments for the certificate based on the current company and engineer settings. Then click **OK** and then save the certificate to keep the changes ![Dialog screenshot showing options to update company and engineer details](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/update-certificate-company-and-engineers.png) ## Change company address You can enter a different company address and other details for the certificate into the areas shown below, then click **OK** and then save the certificate to keep the changes. ![Dialog screenshot displaying fields for updating the company address](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/update-certificate-company-address.png) Other details such as telephone and association numbers are available in the next tab: ![Tab displaying options to update telephone and other association numbers](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/update-certificate-company-other-details.png) ## Replacing engineers To replace the engineer or company in a cert, use the section titled Replace Company and Engineers towards the bottom of the Certificate Options Dialog. When replacing an engineer you can select the engineer to use in the certificate. To replace an engineer, you tell the program what types of engineer should be replaced by selecting from the options next to the word Replace: ![Dialog showing options to replace engineer details in the certificate](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/update-certificate-replace-engineer.png) Once you have selected the type and the engineer you'll be asked to confirm: ![Confirmation dialog asking to confirm engineer replacement in the certificate](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/update-certificate-replace-engineer-confirmation.png) If you are replacing the main inspection engineer then you will be able to choose whether you want to replace the board's engineers. Once you've clicked Yes, the company or engineer details will be replaced and you can return to the certificate to view the changes. Note that the changes will not be saved until you click Save on the certificate itself. ## Replacing companies To replace the company in a cert, use the section titled Replace Company and Engineers towards the bottom of the Certificate Options Dialog. When replacing a company the current company details from the Home Screen are used. Replacing companies is similar to replacing engineers. If you replace the inspection company then you will have the option to replace the company and association logos at the same time: ![Dialog with options to replace company details including logos](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/update-certificate-replace-companies.png) # Changing certificates in bulk You can also update the the company and association logos, company details, engineer signatures and engineer details for all your certificates in one go. You can choose whether to update only certificates that are not marked as completed or whether to update all certificates. Note that archived or certificates in the Shine Forms Recycle Bin are not affected. To do this, go to the Company and Instruments section in the Home Screen and click on Update Certificate Details in the ribbon: ![Button to update certificate details for company and engineers in bulk](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/update-certificate-details.png) You will then be asked to confirm the action and you can choose whether to update even certificates that you have marked as completed: ![Confirmation dialog asking whether to update certificates including completed ones](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/update-certificate-confirmation.png) After you click **Yes** Shine Forms will update all your certificates. --- ## Upload to Shine Forms Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/upload/ :::warning{title="Temporarily removed"} This feature is not yet available for the 18th Edition forms. It will be added in time for the release of our new tablet apps. ::: BS7671 Amendment 3 certificates in Shine Forms can be uploaded to Shine Forms. This will create the PDF and store a copy of the certificate online in the Shine Forms cloud. You will need to have Shine Forms 2015.2.983 or later installed. You also need to check that Shine Forms can connect to the internet before you upload to Shine Forms. To upload a certificate select the certificate in the Home Screen and click Upload to Shine Forms in the certificate sharing section of the ribbon. ![Screenshot of the Upload button in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/upload.png) You will be asked to confirm the upload. ![Confirmation dialog to upload a certificate in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/upload-confirm.png) Once complete, click the link in the confirmation to go to your forms in Shine Forms: ![Notification indicating successful upload of a certificate in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/upload-complete.png) After a few moments, the form will appear along with your other [forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/shine/forms). ![Forms screen showing uploaded certificates in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/pirform-forms.png) You need to have your company logos and issuers details set up against the account to which the licence is registered before they appear on the reports - see [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/shine/getting-started) for more details. See [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/saving-to-pdf) for details of how to access the main PDF and circuit chart. # Adding a watermark To add some text to the PDF as a watermark, open the certificate and go into the [Certificate Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#certificate-options) and enter the text you want in the watermark section. You can also change the size of the font that's used for the watermark. ![Settings screen in Shine Forms to add watermark text to a certificate](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/watermark-settings.png) # Accessing the PDF Soon after the certificate has been uploaded the PDF will be generated, and you can access it from your forms area here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/forms) If you need to adjust the form, then just do that in Shine Forms and upload again once you're done and the PDF will be regenerated to reflect the changes. **Remember** that you will need to have your [logos](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/shine/company) and [issuers with signatures](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/shine/issuers) set up to see them on the PDFs. For more about working with forms, see [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/shine/forms). --- ## Uploading and the PDF Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-uploading/ :::info{title="Coming soon"} The Shine Forms tablet apps will be available soon. Follow us on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/shine-forms), watch [our blog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog), or [sign up to our newsletter](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/newsletter) for updates. ::: # Uploading and the PDF The certificate PDF is produced by your Shine Forms account, not on the tablet. When a certificate is ready, upload it: the account produces the PDF and keeps a copy of the certificate for Shine Forms Desktop to download. Open **Print Preview** from the ribbon: tap the section name or **Ribbon**, then the **Print Preview** tab. ![The Print Preview section before the certificate has been uploaded](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-print-preview.png) ## Uploading Tap **Upload Now**, either in the ribbon or in the middle of the screen. You need to be signed in and have an internet connection. The status bar under the ribbon shows the upload's progress, and **Cancel** stops it. ![The status bar while the certificate is uploading](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/spectrum-tablet-print-preview-uploading.png) When the upload finishes the status bar reads **Uploaded**, and the certificate shows as **Submitted** on the Home screen. If the upload fails, the status bar says why and offers **Retry**. Nothing you have entered is lost by a failed upload, and you can upload again as often as you like — for example after making a correction. You can also upload from the Home screen: tap **⋮** on a certificate's row and choose **Upload**. Uploads queued while the tablet is offline are sent automatically when it is next connected. ## Viewing the PDF Once the upload has finished, tap **View Online** to open the certificate in your Shine Forms account in the tablet's browser, where you can view, download and share the PDF. :::note **Share**, **Export PDF** and **Print** appear in the ribbon but are not yet available on the tablet. Use **View Online** to get the PDF. ::: ## Upload history Every upload the tablet makes, successful or not, is listed under **File → Upload History**, with the certificate number, the result and who uploaded it. See [Settings and support](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-settings-and-support#upload-history). ## Back in the office Once uploaded, the certificate is in your Shine Forms account. Shine Forms Desktop can download it from there so that it can be reviewed, [merged with other engineers' work](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/merging-certificates) or issued to the customer. --- ## Use keyboard shortcuts Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/keyboard-shortcuts/ You can do most things in Shine Forms without using the mouse. Here is a list of the keyboard shortcuts that are available. # Certificates sections | Key | Action | |---|---| | Tab | Move to the next field. | | Shift + Tab | Move to the previous field. | | CTRL + 1 | Go to page 1. | | CTRL + 2 | Go to page 2. | | CTRL + 3 | Go to page 3. | | CTRL + 4 | Go to page 4. | | CTRL + 5 | Go to boards and circuits. | | CTRL + B | Go to boards and circuits. | | CTRL + I | Go to the Intelligence Manager. | # General | Key | Action | |---|---| | CTRL + S | Saves the current certificate. | | CTRL + F | Shows or hides the find boxes on the current page. | | CTRL + F2 | Goes to print preview. | | CTRL + F3 | Goes to print preview for the circuit chart. | | CTRL + C | Copies any highlighted text to the clipboard. | | CTRL + V | Pastes from the clipboard. | | DELETE | Removes the currently selected photo or appendix attachment. | | LEFT/RIGHT ARROW | Moves to the next selected tab inside a certificate. | | CTRL + F1 | [Collapses or expands the ribbon](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/collapsible-sections). | # Multi-selection controls On controls that let you select from pass/fail/lim etc., you can use the first letter of each option in the list: Multi-select controls can be set using the keyboard by using either the first letter of the value you want or the first letter after the separator (such as A to set it to N/A). ![A diagram showing a multi-select control with different values and their corresponding options to choose from, such as PASS, FAIL, and N/A.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/control-multi-select.png) | Key | Action | |---|------------------| | Space | blank | | P | PASS | | F | FAIL | | Y | YES | | N | NO | | L | LIM | | V | N/V | | A | N/A | | C | N-C or CONFIRMED | | F | FI | _Etcetera._ # Circuits and test results :::tip When you are working in the circuits and test results grid, sometimes the cursor will be "inside" a cell of the grid. Press the Esc key on your keyboard to "come out" and select the grid again. ::: | Key | Action | |---|---| | F5 | **Fill Down To Next Value** — copies a value down into blank cells in the same column (such as Wiring Type), skipping spares, until it reaches the next non-blank cell. | | SHIFT + F5 | **Fill All Blanks** — copies a value into all blank cells in the same column (such as Wiring Type), skipping spares. | | CTRL + F5 | **Fill Entire Column** — copies a value into every cell in the same column (such as Wiring Type), overwriting existing values and skipping spares. | | CTRL + C | Copy the selected value to the clipboard. | | CTRL + V | Paste the selected value from the clipboard (you must copy and paste in the same column). | | CRTL + SHIFT + C | Copy the selected circuit to the clipboard. | | CRTL + SHIFT + V | Paste the selected circuit from the clipboard as a new circuit. | | CRTL + SHIFT + B | Paste the selected circuit values from the clipboard into the currently selected circuit. | | CRTL + Up Arrow | Go to the previous board. | | CRTL + Down Arrow | Go to the next board. | | ALT + Up Arrow | Move the selected circuit up. | | ALT + Down Arrow | Move the selected circuit down. | | CTRL + M | Merges the selected circuit a triple pole (TP) (three phase boards only). | | CTRL + U | Un-merges the circuits (three phase boards only). | ### Type to select When working in the circuits and test results grid you can also start typing a value to begin selecting from the list. In the image below, the user has typed "6". ![Image showing a dropped-down list in the circuit and test results grid, with an example selection of a value starting with "6".](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/circuit-bsen-dropped-down.png) # Appendices | Key | Action | |---|---| | Alt + Up Arrow | Moves the current appendix up in the print order. | | Alt + Down Arrow | Moves the current appendix down in the print order. | | Ctrl + Alt + Up Arrow | Moves the current attachment up in the print order. | | Ctrl + Alt + Down Arrow | Moves the current attachment down in the print order. | # Schedule items | Key | Action | |---|---| | Up Arrow | Moves to the previous schedule item. | | Down Arrow | Moves to the next schedule item. | | Tab | Moves to the previous schedule item. | | ALT + Tab | Moves to the next schedule item. | The following keys set the outcome of the current item: | Key | Action | |---|---| | Space | blank | | P | PASS | | 1 | C1 | | 2 | C2 | | 3 | C3 | | V | N/V | | L | LIM | | A | N/A | | F | FI | # Dropdown controls If you are on a dropdown control (also called a combo box), such as the primary supply OPD BS(EN) selector, you can open the dropdown using your keyboard by pressing Alt + Down Arrow. This is a standard Windows shortcut and will work in other programs too. --- ## Use Windows 10 tablet mode Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-mode/ Shine Forms can work with a keyboard and mouse and also in touch mode when using Windows 10 Tablet Mode. # What is Windows 10 tablet mode? Windows 10 lets you use it as a tablet in touch mode and control programs without a keyboard or mouse. To use this feature, you need a device that has been designed to support this capability such as the [Surface from Microsoft](https://www.microsoft.com/Surface). _Read more about Windows 10 Tablet Mode_ [_here_](https://www.windowscentral.com/what-tablet-mode-windows-10)_._ # Shine Forms desktop and tablet modes Shine Forms has two modes: desktop mode and tablet mode. Desktop mode is best for use with a keyboard and mouse. Tablet mode is best for use without a keyboard and mouse on a suitable touch screen device. Shine Forms can be used in tablet mode, with no keyboard and a mouse (as long as your device supports tablet mode). This mode changes the spacing between the controls to make them easy to access without a mouse and keyboard. All of the controls are still in the same familiar places whether you are in tablet mode or desktop mode. Here are some comparisons of the program in desktop mode and tablet mode: **Shine Forms in desktop mode:** ![Shine Forms main interface in desktop mode](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/main-form-desktop-mode.png) ![Shine Forms main interface in tablet mode](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/main-form-tablet-mode.png) **Shine Forms in desktop mode:** ![Shine Forms EICR screen in desktop mode](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/eicr-desktop-mode.png) ![Shine Forms EICR screen in tablet mode](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/eicr-tablet-mode.png) # Shine Forms onscreen keyboard Shine Forms has a touch keyboard that sits at the bottom of the certificate. This can be turned off if you prefer to use the built in Windows 10 touch keyboard. ![Shine Forms onscreen touch keyboard](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/onscreen-keyboard.png) # Changing to tablet mode You can find options to switch Shine Forms into tablet mode and show the onscreen keyboard in [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options): ![Shine Forms options for tablet mode settings](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/options-tablet.png) You can also find these options in the certificate's ribbon: ![Shine Forms certificate ribbon with tablet options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/_img/eicr-tablet-options.png) _Note that you need to close and reopen Shine Forms to change to and from tablet mode._ # What about other types of mobile devices? Our new [Shine Tablet apps](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-overview) for Android and Apple iPad tablets are coming soon. --- ## Using Pre-Release versions Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/pre-release-versions/ :::warning{title="Use With Caution"} Pre-release versions are early "hot off the press" releases. You may encounter defects or features that are not fully complete. Please us with caution and [revert to the current release if needed](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/pre-release-versions#how-can-i-revert-to-the-current-version). ::: # What is a pre-release version? A pre-release version of Shine Forms is an early preview version. It may contain features or improvements that are work-in-progress and which may not have gone through our full testing regime. We make pre-release versions available for two main reasons: - Testing new versions and features before release. - Early access to defect fixes. # What restrictions are there in pre-release versions? Pre-release versions are fully working versions of Shine Forms. But, there is one important restriction: older versions of Shine Forms cannot [import certificates](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/certificate-sharing#importing-from-a-file) from [export files](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/certificate-sharing#exporting-certificates) created by newer versions. This means that you cannot use a pre-release version to share certificates with any engineers who are not using the same pre-release version or a later version. # Why are pre-release versions not recommended for live work? As well as not being able to share certificates with earlier versions, any defects found in work-in-progress features are likely to take longer than usual to fix and could cause delays to your jobs. It is for these reasons that we do not recommend using Shine Forms for live jobs. # How can I revert to the current version? You can easily revert to the main version of Shine Forms by downloading and installing the latest release version from our [download page](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/). # How to download the latest pre-release version You can download the latest pre-release installer from here: [https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/prerelease](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/prerelease) --- ## Welcome Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/ Welcome to the documentation for [Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/getting-started)! Just select one of the sections above (or in the menu if you're on small screen). There is also a great search at the top right to help you find things. # Shine Forms Our main product is our intelligent electrical inspection and testing desktop application, Shine Forms. A good place to start is here: [Getting started with Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/getting-started) Or, jump right in and read about some of our features, such as: - [The Intelligence feature](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/intelligence) - [How to attach photos and documents to certificates](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/photos-and-documents) - [Our powerful certificate merge feature](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/merging-certificates) - [Creating new certificates from older ones](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/creating-certificates#creating-a-certificate-of-a-different-type) - [Sharing certificates with other engineers](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/certificate-sharing) - [Working with large certificates with many boards](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/board-manager) # Shine Tablet Our new offline Android and iPad tablet apps are coming soon. Read about them here: [Shine Forms tablet app overview](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-overview) # Shine Forms Videos :::tip{title="Shine Forms YouTube Channel"} Find videos about Shine Forms on our [YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwFjvQ3JUCzwsIS0DG3C-hA/videos). ::: # Our Support Services We consider our certification software to be another tool that you use to provide a good service to your customers. Preparing and issuing the certificate is very often the last thing that is done before you get paid. So, we take pride in providing a high quality and speedy support service. Our support service is internet based and we do not provide a telephone support line. We do this precisely because it allows us to provide a faster and higher quality service to all our customers. We also invest in developing tooling such as the [Support Tool](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/support) that will assist you to get Shine Forms running should anything go wrong. Here are some recent statistics from our helpdesk software to show the sort of turnaround that you can expect from us: ![Support statistics showing recent customer support turnaround times](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/_img/support-stats.png) --- ## Where certificates are stored Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/where-certificates-are-stored/ :::success{title="Store your certificates online for free"} To keep your certificates safe, we highly recommend using an online storage and sharing facility such as Dropbox or OneDrive. Read more [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-online). ::: # Where Shine Forms stores your certificates Shine Forms keeps all your certificates on your computer under your user profile. They are stored in the following ways: - In the main Shine Forms certificate database. - In export files created by you or by Shine Forms (.PEX files). - In the automatic Shine Forms backup location. - In backup files created by you. # Recovering files from an old computer You can recover certificates from an old computer in the following ways: 1 - If you still have access to the old computer, then you can use Shine Forms to [take a backup of your certificates and company details](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-create). 2 - If you have configured Shine Forms to use an online storage and sharing facility such as Dropbox or OneDrive, then your files will be in there. You can read how to set that up [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-online). 3 - If you have set up Shine Forms to use external storage such as an external hard disk, then you can recover your backups from there. 4 - If you have shared exported certificates with other engineers by email or some other means, then you can [import the certificates](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/certificate-sharing#importing-certificates) from the export files. 5 - If you still have access to the old computer, but it is not working, then your local computer repair shop may be able to recover files from the hard drive even if it is not working. # Release notes --- ## New Help Desk System Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/new-help-desk-2026/ Date: 2026-08-31 This weekend, we updated our support systems. # Why have we changed? The old system we were using required customers to log into the service desk system. This recently caused some emails to be suspended in the system's spam filter, meaning they were not answered in a timely manner. # What has changed We have taken away anything that requires you to create an account. This also means that you cannot view your support tickets online, just in the emails. Other than that, the new system works the same way as before. To contact our help desk, just drop an email to our [support email address](mailto:support@shineforms.co.uk) and it will create a ticket in our help desk system. To confirm that the email has been received, you will get an automated reply to acknowledge the ticket, and we will reply after it has been reviewed. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/support-email-reply.webp) --- ## Shine Desktop 2026.6 Pre-Release: BS 7671 Amendment 4 Forms Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/desktop-2026-6-pre-release/ Date: 2026-08-12 This article describes an upcoming release of Shine Forms, version 2026.6. This version is a pre-release, available to download now, and the full release will follow. It is headlined by our new BS 7671 Amendment 4 forms. :::warning{title="Use With Care"} Whilst this version is very close to release, it may still contain defects or features that are not fully complete. Read more in our [pre-release documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/docs/pre-release-versions). ::: # BS 7671 Amendment 4: 2026 Forms Amendment 4 was published on 15 April 2026, and from 15 October 2026 new work needs to be certified against it. Shine Forms 2026.6 adds our new Amendment 4 electrical forms — including the **EIC 2026** and the **EICR 2026** — so you can certify to the new edition as soon as you need to. ![Home Screen showing the A4 certificates](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/home-screen-a4-2026.webp) The 2024 forms haven't gone anywhere. Certificates you have already issued are untouched, work in progress carries on exactly as it is, and when you create a new certificate you choose which edition you are working to. That means you can move over job by job, at your own pace, right up to the October deadline. If you'd like a refresher on what actually changed in the regulations, our guide [Amendment 4 — What's Changed & What to Do](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/6/amendment-4-complete-guide) walks through the new chapters and sections and what they mean for your paperwork. You can also upgrade any of your 2024 certificates to 2026 by selecting the certificate in the Home Screen, then click . ![Create Certificate](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/create-cert.png) # Branded PDFs With The Style Editor Your certificates can now carry your own branding. The new **Style Editor** lets you build a *design* — a cover page, a matching end page, header, footer and edge bands that repeat on every page, and a set of report colours — and then make it the default for the certificate types you choose. After that there is nothing to remember at print time: those reports simply come out branded. Open it from **File → Style Editor** on the Home Screen. It starts you off with a library of built-in designs, from three plain starters that pick up your company details automatically, through to six fully branded showcase looks: ![The Style Editor design library, showing built-in and custom designs](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/style-editor-library.png) Pick one, duplicate it, and make it yours. Drag blocks around the canvas, drop in your logo, and add text that fills itself in from each certificate — the certificate number, the inspection dates, the client and installation address, your company contact details: ![Editing a cover page in the Style Editor](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/style-editor-editor.png) **Render PDF…** shows you the finished article on a sample certificate with specimen data, so you can see exactly what your customers will get before you commit to anything: ![The PDF preview of a branded design](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/style-editor-preview-pdf.png) When you're happy, **Default for report type…** puts the design to work. Tick the certificate types it should cover — or tick a whole family in one go, which picks up certificate types we add in future versions too: ![Setting a design as the default for report types](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/style-editor-apply-to-report-types.png) Designs are a single file, so you can email one to a colleague and they can import it straight into their own library. Reports with no default design print exactly as they always have. This release brings the new PDF styling to the latest electrical (Amendment 4: 2026), fire alarm and emergency lighting forms. Read more in our [Style Editor documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/style-editor). # The Schedule Manager, Outside The Certificate The Schedule Manager has been rebuilt, and it no longer lives inside a certificate. It now has its own home under **File → Schedule Manager** on the Home Screen, so you can look after your inspection schedules whenever you like rather than only when you happen to have a report open. ![The Schedule Manager home screen showing the schedule library](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/schedule-manager-home.png) Every schedule is a card showing a preview, whether it is built-in or one of your own, and how many sections and items it holds. Each one also carries an **amendment badge** — **A3:2024** for the 2024 forms, **A4:2026** for the new Amendment 4 forms, or both — and you can filter the library by it. When you create a new certificate, the **Schedule** drop-down offers the schedules that match that certificate's amendment, so an EICR 2026 shows you A4:2026 schedules and an EICR 2024 shows you A3:2024 ones. Custom schedules you built before amendment tags existed are offered for both, so nothing you made goes missing. The standard BS 7671 schedules stay read-only, so the standard wording is always there to come back to. **Duplicate to edit** makes an editable copy in your library — carrying its amendment tag with it — and opens it straight in the editor: ![The schedule editor with a custom schedule open](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/schedule-manager-editor.png) Numbering looks after itself as you add sections, items and notes or move rows around, and you can give an individual item its own outcome list where the standard codes don't fit. Read more in our [Schedule Manager documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/schedule-manager). # Editing Inspection Schedule Text In Place On the EICR and EIC 2024 and 2026 forms, you can now edit the text of an inspection schedule line directly from the schedule — just double-click it and type. Handy when a single item needs its wording adjusting for one particular job and you don't want to build a whole custom schedule for it. # Circuit Columns Stay In View Scrolling **Circuits and Test Results** sideways used to take the circuit number and designation off the left of the screen, which made it easy to lose your place and type a reading against the wrong circuit. The columns up to and including the designation now stay in view as the rest of the grid scrolls. If you preferred it the old way, you can switch it off under **Shine Options → Boards and Circuits → General**. Read more in our [Boards and Circuits documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/boards-and-circuits#freezing-columns). # Faster PDFs And Faster EICRs Generating a PDF is now much faster across the Amendment 4: 2026 electrical, fire alarm and emergency lighting forms. We've also supercharged how EICR certificates load. Reports imported from a PEX file used to drag when they carried photo-heavy appendices — now they snap open. Appendix photos are resized behind the scenes rather than stored at full resolution, so you get the same crisp results with none of the wait, and lighter PDFs into the bargain. # Licence Activation Behind Corporate Proxies Shine Forms could fail to activate or update licences on networks that route internet traffic through a proxy. The cause was an internal connectivity check that relied on a "ping" (ICMP), which proxies and firewalls commonly block — so the app gave up before it ever contacted our servers. Connectivity is now checked by actually reaching the Shine Forms service over HTTPS, through whatever proxy your device uses. Licence activation, licence updates and version checks all go through your corporate proxy and authenticate automatically using your signed-in Windows account, and network requests time out gracefully instead of hanging if a connection stalls. The same fix has been applied to the Shine Forms Support Tool. # Other Changes and Fixes - Change: the FA Inspection H6 2025 form now has an appendices control. - Change: added a single pole option to the RCD poles list, and that list is now user-definable. # How Do I Download The Pre-Release Version? You can download the pre-release from [www.shineforms.co.uk/download/prerelease](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/prerelease). This is a pre-release, so we would love to hear how you get on with it — particularly with the new Amendment 4 forms. Do [get in touch](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/contact) if you spot anything that doesn't look right. --- ## Shine Desktop 2026.5.1861: Job Numbers & Emergency Lighting Corrections Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/desktop-2026-5-1860/ Date: 2026-07-12 This maintenance update for the 2026.5 series adds optional job numbers to certificates and corrects a number of references and typos in the new BS 5266‑1:2025 emergency lighting forms. # Optional Job Numbers You can now record an optional **job number** against a certificate. The field is entirely optional, so if you don't use job numbers nothing changes for you — but if you do, you now have a dedicated place to store the reference and search on it. # Emergency Lighting BS 5266‑1:2025 Corrections Following the release of our BS 5266‑1:2025 emergency lighting forms, we have corrected several standards references and wording issues across the ELI, ELS and ELL 2025 forms: - Removed references to BS 5266‑8 in the EL 2025 forms. - ELI 2025: corrected the monthly and annual references from 7.2.3 and 7.2.4 to 7.4.3 and 7.4.4 respectively. - ELI 2025: fixed the "Inspedtion" typo. - ELS 2025 and ELL 2025: updated the BS EN 1838:2023 reference to BS EN 1838:2024. - ELS 2025 and ELL 2025: corrected the BS EN 50172:2004 reference. - ELS 2025 and ELL 2025: corrected "Regulatory reform" to "Regulatory Reform" and "Requirements" to "requirements". - ELL 2025: corrected "Illuminence" to "illuminence" and removed an extra "m)" and "n)" from the design conformity table. # Other Changes and Fixes - Change: the boards Excel (xlsx) export now uses MiniExcel in place of EPPlus. The exported files are unchanged — this is an internal update to keep exports fast and reliable. # Update 17th July (2026.5.1861) - Fixed a licence activation issue. - Fixed a print preview error. # Update 21 July (2026.5.1863) - Fixed missing variations in EL 2025 PDFs. - Fixed missing appendices in EL 2025 PDFs. --- ## We've Upgraded Your Account Sign-In Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/account-sign-in-upgrade/ Date: 2026-07-05 We've moved Shine Forms accounts onto a new, more secure sign-in system. This is a behind-the-scenes upgrade — **for almost everyone, nothing changes and there's nothing you need to do.** ## What stays the same - **Your email address and password are unchanged.** Sign in exactly as you do today. - Your account, licences, orders and saved forms are all exactly where you left them. - The web address you use to sign in hasn't changed. ## What you might notice - **The sign-in screen looks a little different** — same steps (enter your email, then your password), just a refreshed appearance. - The **very first time** you sign in after the upgrade, it may take a moment longer than usual while we securely move your account across. That's a one-time thing — after that, everything is back to its normal speed. Here's the sign-in screen before and after the upgrade: **Before** ![The previous Shine Forms sign-in screen, with the email address and password fields shown together](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/account-sign-in-upgrade-before.webp) **After** ![The new Shine Forms sign-in screen, which asks for your email address first and then your password](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/account-sign-in-upgrade-after.webp) ## Do I need to do anything? **No.** You don't need to reset your password, re-register, or change any settings. Just sign in as normal with your existing email and password. ## Forgotten your password? Use the **"Forgot password?"** link on the sign-in page and follow the prompts to set a new one — the same as before. ## Need a hand? If you have any trouble signing in, please [get in touch with our support team](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/contact) and we'll sort it out right away. --- ## Shine Desktop 2026.5: Clearer Circuit Fill Commands Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/desktop-2026-5-circuit-fill/ Date: 2026-06-24 This release makes the circuit "copy down" commands in **Circuits and Test Results** clearer and easier to trust on the EIC and EICR 2024 and 2026 forms. # Clearer Circuit Fill Commands When you copy a value down a column in **Circuits and Test Results**, it is now much clearer what each command does. The commands have been renamed consistently in both the **Circuits** ribbon group and the cell right-click menu: - **Fill Down To Next Value** (F5) — copies the cell downward into empty cells, stopping at the first cell that already has a value. (Previously "Copy To Blanks".) - **Fill All Blanks** (Shift+F5) — fills every empty cell in the column. (Previously "Copy To All Blanks".) - **Fill Entire Column** (Ctrl+F5) — overwrites every cell in the column. (Previously "Copy To All".) Each command now has a tooltip explaining where the fill starts, where it stops, and that spare circuits are skipped. Read more in our [Boards and Circuits documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/boards-and-circuits#copying-circuit-values). # Spare Circuits Are Easier To Spot Spare circuits are skipped by all three fill commands, so they are never overwritten. To make this obvious, spare rows are now shaded and dimmed in the grid, with the circuit number shown struck through. The column-header **Select All** and **Select Blanks** commands now skip spares too, so selecting cells and pasting behaves the same way as the fill commands. # Feedback After Every Fill After each fill, a message in the status bar confirms what happened — for example, _"Filled 7 cells in 'Rating' — 2 spare circuits skipped."_ — so a fill that skipped spares is no longer mistaken for nothing happening. # Other Changes and Fixes - New: added an optional job number to certificates. - Change: the fill commands now grey out when they cannot be used, instead of doing nothing. - Fix: corrected several references and typos in the 2025 emergency lighting forms. --- ## Shine Desktop 2026.5: Emergency Lighting BS 5266-1:2025 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/desktop-2026-5/ Date: 2026-05-14 This release is all about our new emergency lighting forms for BS 5266\-1\:2025. # Emergency Lighting BS 5266\-1\:2025 We have updated our emergency lighting forms to the latest BS 5266\:2025 regulations. ![Shine Forms home screen showing the BS 5266\-1\:2025 forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/2026_5_el.webp) You can now also create new BS 5266\-1\:2025 forms from older emergency lighting forms. ![Shine Forms home screen showing creating a BS 5266\-1\:2025 form from a 2016 version](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/2026_5_el_create.webp) # Improved Dropdown Lists Some of the fields that have a dropdown selector also allow you to directly type into them, such as installation extent and overall installation condition. We've made it clearer that you can do this by adding an icon to the left of the field and some text to say so when it is empty: ![A section of the app showing fields that have a dropdown list as well as allowing values to be entered](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/drop-down-fields-that-allow-values.webp) Read more about the Dropdown List Manager in our [documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/drop-down-list-manager). # Other Changes and Fixes - Change: errors in individual certificates are now suppressed and reported when updating certificate details in bulk. - Fix: the last values typed in grids were lost when clicking directly to a ribbon button before moving to another grid cell. - Fix: importing a cert with a duplicated ID would overwrite the adjusted ID. - Fix: import was not correctly renumbering when there was a number clash. - Fix: the import wizard wasn't showing certificate details in the selection grid. - Fix: intelligence re-evaluation was taking too long for larger certificates. --- ## Shine Desktop 2026.4: Configurable Spare Circuits Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/desktop-2026-4/ Date: 2026-03-28 This release brings fine-tuning to how you mark circuits as spares in Shine Forms, and improvements to the simple schematic. # Configurable Spare Circuits Previously, Shine Forms detected spare circuits by looking for the word "spare" in the circuit designation. This release adds the ability to recognise blank circuits as spares, and also add your own keywords to mark as spares. ![A section of the configuration options showing the spare circuit options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/spare-circuit-options.webp) Read more about the [Spare Circuits](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/boards-and-circuits#marking-a-circuit-as-a-spare) feature. # Export Certificates And Circuit Charts To Excel For both certificates and circuit charts, the **Print Preview** now allows you to export them to Excel. ![The Shine Form Print Preview screen showing the export menu](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/desktop-2026-4-export-to-excel.webp) # Simple Schematic Improvements The simple schematic has been updated to show the circuits in the same way as they appear in the Board Manager. When in the **List** view in [Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/board-manager), expand the circuits for the boards you want to see in the simple schematic (**#1** in the image), then click **Print Boards** in the ribbon (**#2** in the image), and you will see the same arrangement of boards and circuits in the simple schematic (**#3** in the image). ![The Shine Forms simple schematic showing in the Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/desktop-2026-4-simple-schematic.webp) # Other Changes and Fixes - Fix: removed a lock error when reindexing the certificate database. - Fix: removed a stray blank page in the EICR PDF after guidance notes when no appendices were present. - Fix: no longer changes the expanded state in Board Manager when printing the simple schematic. --- ## Shine Desktop 2026.3: Pirform Becomes Shine Forms Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/desktop-2026-3/ Date: 2026-03-10 In this release, we've renamed Pirform to become Shine Forms! ![The new Shine Forms splash screen](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/shine-forms-splash-screen.webp) ![The new Shine Forms Home Screen](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/shine-desktop-home-screen-partial.webp) # Other Changes and Fixes - Change: intelligence updates are no longer checked for completed certificates. - Fix: dialogs were centering over the screen, not the parent form. - Fix: in Circuits and Test Results, the Copy to Blanks menu was not appearing directly after selecting a dropdown value in circuits and test results (e.g. break cap). # Update 2026.3.1833, 12th March 2026 - Fix: dialogs were not sizing correctly on small screens. - Fix: installer wasn't installing the dictionaries correctly. --- ## Shine Forms 2026.1: On-Site Guidance For Ring, Lighting, and Radial Circuits Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-2026-1/ Date: 2026-01-13 The first release of 2026 increases the intelligence built into Shine Forms. Our on-site cable-sizing guidance now covers ring, lighting, and radial circuits. Read on for more details. **Update 13 February:** Improved wiring type and reference method reporting, and a ring final circuit intelligence fix. See below for details. # Increased On-Site Cable-Sizing Guidance We've covered ring final circuits for a while now. This release adds on-site guidance cable-sizing intelligence for lighting and radial final circuits. ![Circuit Helper showing on-site guidance for lighting and radial final circuits](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2026-1-circuit-helper.webp) The image above shows lighting and radial final guidance for the last two circuits. Clicking on the information link will take you to the relevant table in our [online documentation](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/reference/on-site-guide-intelligence/): ![The on-site guidance documentation page](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2026-1-documentation-reference-page.webp) Read more about our Circuit Helper in our documentation [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/circuit-helper/). :::note Note that the on-site guidance only applies to flat twin and earth cables, which are type **AF** in Shine Forms: ![The Shine Forms wiring type selector showing the flat twin and earth cable type](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2026-1-wiring-types.webp) ::: # Consistent Intelligence Of course, if you're working on an EIC or a MEIWC, you don't expect to see any intelligence, such as cable-sizing warnings. But, we've got your back, and all Shine Forms' intelligence now applies consistently over all electrical certificates and reports! To that end, we've added wiring type to our MEIWCs: ![Shine Forms' MEIWC showing the new wiring type selector](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2026-1-mw-wiring-type.webp) # Reporting The Max Zs Multiplier The PDFs for both EICs and EICRs now report the max Zs multiplier used, along with any user-defined values of each circuit: ![PDF showing the max Zs multiplier](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2026-1-max-zs-reporting.webp) # Other Changes and Fixes - Change: OneDrive folder detection uses commercial OneDrive locations first, then consumer locations. - Change: improved the keyboard handling in circuit lookup controls. - Change: updated the application to use .Net 10. - Fix: EICR guidance for recipients was missing sections 11-14. - Fix: observations from suppressed intelligence were reappearing after save and re-open. - Fix: FA H6 was not confirming closing with unsaved modifications. - Fix: FA H6 inspection wasn't allowing deletion or copying of observations. - Fix: FA H6 was not correctly numbering observations. - Fix: grid editors were not always responding to key presses, particularly after entering the grid by clicking on a cell border. # Update 13 February 2026 (2026.1.1825) ### Fixed Incorrect Ring Final Cable-Sizing Warnings Ring final circuits that were not standard circuits from the On-Site Guide were incorrectly being flagged with cable-sizing warnings. This has been fixed. If you open a certificate where this issue occurred, you'll see a dialog similar to the following. Click OK to accept the intelligence changes that remove the old, incorrect warnings: ![An image showing the inteligence update dialog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/changed-intelligence.webp) ### Improved Reporting of Wiring Types and Reference Methods We have improved the reporting of wiring types and reference methods in the PDFs for EICs and EICRs. The PDFs will now show the specific wiring type and reference method used in the board, along with detail of the how the max Zs values were calculated. ![A section from the PDF showing the new wiring types and reference method section](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/wiring-types-reference-methods-reporting.webp) ### Other Changes and Fixes - Change: better spacing for EICR observations. - Fix: some dialogs were not centering correctly over parent forms. --- ## Shine Forms 2025.5: Updated to BS 5839-1:2025 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-2025-5/ Date: 2025-08-24

This release of Shine Forms (version 2025.5) brings our fire alarm certificates up to date with BS 5839-1:2025.

**Updates 22 & 28 September, 30 October, 2025:** various updates and fixes available. See below for details. ![Shine Forms Home Screen showing the new fire alarm certificates](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-5-home-screen.webp) # EIC comments on the installation We have moved the EIC comments on the installation to under the schedule of inspections. This makes it more closely aligned with model forms. ![EIC comments on the installation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-5-eic-installation-comments.webp) # Improved send PDF by email We have improved the send PDF by email feature to be more compatible with the different email setups on a variety of machines. ![Send PDF by email](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-5-send-by-email.webp) # Other fixes Other fixes available in this version include: - Change: moved 2022 electrical certs down in the Home Screen. - Change: removed unused observations/limitations from the EIC schedule page. - Fix: could not send log files when no licence was present. - Fix: save button in print-preview now saves in PDF format. # Update 22 September 2025 (2025.5.1779) ### Improved Error Reporting Shine Forms' error dialog now attaches the error report when emailing details to Shine Support. ### Fire Alarm Inspection & Servicing 2025 For this form, we have made the following changes: - Change: added an occupier name. - Change: added an options dialog. - Change: improved the layout of the columns in the data entry sections. - Change: added quarterly inspection of vented batteries. - Change: removed manual call points are conspicuous. - Fix: company address was appearing twice. ### General changes and fixes - Change: preview now completes the report generation before changing pages. - Fix: September dates were displaying as Sept and causing clipping. - Fix: blank PDF were created from the new save and send by email buttons in Print Preview. - Fix: splash screen could appear away from the main form. - Fix: print preview status bar zoom controls were disabled. - Fix: Home Screen wasn't showing the status column for EICR 2024. # Update 28 September 2025 (2025.5.1784) - Change: improved file & folder locking during backup operations. ### Fire Alarm Inspection & Servicing 2025 - Change: can now copy fire alarm inspection & servicing 2025 certs. - Change: removed certificate number field from the data entry screen (now only in options dialog). - Change: "INSPECTION DETAILS" title in data entry changed to "SUMMARY OF THE INSPECTION AND SERVICING" - Change: added missing details from the summary of the inspection and servicing section. - Fix: the print preview wasn't showing updates after changes were made (introduced in 2025.5.1779). - Fix: company and association logos are limited in height. # Update 30 October 2025 (2025.5.1787) - Fix: on-site guidance missing cb/RCBO cases and 88-2/60269-2 and 88-3 line corrections. - Fix: board Zs field was clipping values. - Fix: removed "trail version" watermark from Word and PDF attachments. --- ## Shine Forms 2025.4: Circuit Helper & On-Site Guidance Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-2025-4/ Date: 2025-06-29 This release brings new features and significant usability improvements to help you to understand and review your certificates and reports. The key changes are: - Shine Forms' new circuit helper. - Quickly jumps from the Intelligence Manager to the relevant board or circuit. - Deeper coverage for on-site guidance for ring final circuits. - Added max length information for on-site guidance compliant circuits. # Introducing the Shine Forms Circuit Helper The Circuit Helper is a brand-new feature in Shine Forms that makes it easier to understand your certificates and reports. It brings Shine Forms' circuit intelligence right into the circuits and test results. This makes it easier to understand the board you're working on and much easier when reviewing and checking work. Here is a screenshot of the Circuit Helper in action: ![Screenshot of the Circuit Helper in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2026-1-circuit-helper-annotated.webp) If Shine Forms has applied intelligence to the circuit, the Circuit Helper shows a light bulb ison to at the left of the circuit details (see **1** in the screenshot above). If there is information, it will show an information icon. Clicking on the icon shows the details directly below the circuit. The Shine Forms Circuit Helper lets you take actions without moving away from the circuit. In the screenshot above, you can see two intelligence statements have been applied to circuit 1. You can suppress these directly from the circuit or navigate to the Intelligence Manager (see points **2** and **3** in the screenshot above). When reviewing a certificate, click **Expand Helpers** (see **4** in the screenshot above) in the ribbon for Shine Forms to automatically expand all Circuit Helpers as you navigate through the boards. You can read more about the Circuit Helper in our [documentation](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/circuit-helper/). # Easy navigation from the Intelligence Manager Shine Forms' Intelligence Manager always showed you the location in the certificate where the intelligence was applied. To make it easier to review your certificates, we have added a new feature that lets you quickly jump from the Intelligence Manager to the relevant board or circuit. Click on the location to go directly to the board or circuit in the certificate: ![Screenshot of the Intelligence Manager in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-4-intelligence-manager-navigation.webp) # Improved on-site guidance coverage for ring final circuits We have improved Shine Forms' intelligence around the guidance from the [IET's On-Site Guide](https://shop.theiet.org/on-site-guide-bs-7671-2018-a2-2022-8th-edition) for ring final circuits. We now account for the system type, the RCD mA, and only recognise flat twin and earth cables, which is wiring type **AF** in Shine Forms: ![Shine Forms' wiring types showing flat twin and earth](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-4-wiring-types.webp) When a circuit ring final complies with the on-site guidance, Shine Forms now shows the maximum length of the circuit in the Circuit Helper: ![Screenshot of the Circuit Helper showing the maximum length of a ring final circuit](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-4-circuit-helper-on-site-guide-max-length.webp) Read more in our [documentation](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/reference/on-site-guide-intelligence/). # Other fixes Other fixes available in this version include: - Fix: circuits are now considered spare only when the designation is the word "spare" with no other words. - Fix: some print preview buttons were not working. - Fix: Fire Alarm Inspection certs were using not showing text entered as variations. --- ## Shine Forms Release 2025.3: Ring Circuits & SPD Reporting Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-2025-3/ Date: 2025-05-01 This release brings improvements and fixes to Shine Forms. The highlights include: - Shine Forms' cable sizing intelligence now includes the on-site guidance for ring final circuits. - Improvements to SPD reporting. - Easier adding of images to observations. - Numerous other improvements and fixes. # Return of the ring We have brought back the previous method of handling ring final circuits to Shine Forms' intelligence, which follows the guidance set out in the [IET's On-Site Guide](https://shop.theiet.org/on-site-guide-bs-7671-2018-a2-2022-8th-edition). In versions from 2025.3 onwards you can tell Shine Forms that the circuit is a ring final circuit simply by entering the word "ring" in the circuit designation. Shine Forms intelligence will use the relevant guidance to determine whether the circuit is correctly sized. ![Shine Forms' intelligence reverting for a correctly sized ring circuit](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-3-ring-circuit-intelligence.gif) Read more [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/boards-and-circuits/#ring-circuits). # Dragging observation images You can now easily add images to the selected observation by dragging and dropping them from your computer. Simples! ![Dragging from the file system onto an observation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-3-dragging-images-onto-observations.gif) # Improved SPD reporting We have improved the way that SPD (surge protective device) information is entered and reported in Shine Forms. You can now report SPD status as CONFIRMED, FAIL, or NOT APPLICABLE (N/A). !!! Tip "Use keyboard shortcuts to speed up data entry" You can use Shine Forms' keyboard shorcuts to speed up data entry. More details in our documentation [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/keyboard-shortcuts/#multi-selection-controls). ![SPD status values in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-3-spd-statuses.png) When reporting the SPD is not applicable, you now only have to enter that once: ![Reporting N/A for SPD](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-3-spd-not-applicable-entry.png) But it will still be reported in both the board details and test results in the certificate PDF: ![Reporting N/A for SPD in the PDF in board details](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-3-reporting-spd-na-pdf-details.png) ![Reporting N/A for SPD in the PDF in test results](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-3-reporting-spd-na-pdf-test-results.png) Lastly, when reporting a failure for the SPD, Shine Forms has [intelligence](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/intelligence/) that automatically adds an observation to report the failure, coding it as a C3: ![Reporting FAIL for SPD](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-3-spd-fail.png) ![Observation showing FAIL for SPD](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-3-spd-failure-observation.png) # Improvements to form sizing We have improved the way Shine Forms detects the screen size when it opens, particularly when on smaller screens. # Circuit counts in PDF The circuit counts in the PDF now ignore spare circuits. ![Circuits counts in the certificate PDF](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-3-circuit-counts.png) # Other changes and fixes Other changes and fixes available in this version include: - Change: now populates the Zdb value when creating a new MW from an existing circuit. - Change: improved handling of manually entered max Zs values. - Change: improved image handling by preventing 'in use elsewhere' exceptions. - Change: new lookup controls used for multi-column values (e.g. BS (EN) values). - Change: more improvements to Shine Forms automatic repair feature. - Fix: now recreates missing instruments when loading company files. Fix: intelligence observations codings were not always applied. - Fix: max Zs calculations for 61009 systems in TT installations now reference the RCD residual current. - Fix: error when creating a new cert without an engineer. - Fix: automatic repair now repairs circuit RCD BS values. - Fix: auto-repair corrects schedule items and observations marked as intelligence managed that have no associated intelligence. - Fix: automatic repairs are now carried out when importing from a specific file. - Fix: was not saving some certificate settings, such as excluding NA schedule items from the printed PDF. - Fix: engineer control was not correctly positioned when first shown. - Fix: was not respecting start-maximised setting. **Updates made in version 1750** - Fix: board OCPD rating was not retaining values when the supply is specified as text only. - Fix: wiring type A was missing from cable sizing intelligence relating to Table 4D1A. - Fix: using Ctrl + Up/Down to move boards was also changing the selection. - Fix: improved keyboard handling in circuits and test results. - Fix: Fixed typo in the description of circuit reference method 100. - Fix: F5 was not copying circuit reference method and BS(EN) values. --- ## Shine Forms Prerelease: 2025.3 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-2025-3-pre/ Date: 2025-04-02 This article describes an upcoming release of Shine Forms, version 2025.3. This version is a [pre-release version](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/pre-release-versions/#how-to-download-the-latest-pre-release-verison) available now, and the full release will be available close to Easter 2025. # Return of the ring We have brought back the previous method of handling of ring final circuits to Shine Forms' intelligence. In versions from 2025.3 onwards you can tell Shine Forms that the circuit is a ring final circuit simply by entering the word "ring" in the circuit designation. Shine Forms intelligence will use the relevant guidance to determine whether the circuit is correctly sized. ![Shine Forms' intelligence reverting for a correctly sized ring circuit](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-3-pre-ring-circuit-intelligence.gif) Read more [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/boards-and-circuits/#ring-circuits). # Dragging observation images You can now easily add images to the selected observation by dragging and dropping them from your computer. Simples! ![Dragging from the file system onto an observation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-3-pre-dragging-images-onto-observations.gif) # Improved SPD reporting We have improved the way that SPD (surge protective device) information is entered and reported in Shine Forms. You can now report SPD status as CONFIRMED, FAIL, or NOT APPLICABLE (N/A). !!! tip "Use keyboard shortcuts to speed up data entry" You can use Shine Forms' keyboard shorcuts to speed up data entry. More details in our documentation [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/keyboard-shortcuts/#multi-selection-controls). ![SPD status values in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-3-pre-spd-statuses.png) When reporting the SPD is not applicable, you now only have to enter that once: ![Reporting N/A for SPD](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-3-pre-spd-not-applicable-entry.png) But it will still be reported in both the board details and test results in the certificate PDF: ![Reporting N/A for SPD in the PDF in board details](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-3-pre-reporting-spd-na-pdf-details.png) ![Reporting N/A for SPD in the PDF in test results](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-3-pre-reporting-spd-na-pdf-test-results.png) Lastly, when reporting a failure for the SPD, Shine Forms has [intelligence](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/intelligence/) that automatically adds an observation to report the failure, coding it as a C3: ![Reporting FAIL for SPD](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-3-pre-spd-fail.png) ![Observation showing FAIL for SPD](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-3-pre-spd-failure-observation.png) # Improvements to form sizing We have improved the way Shine Forms detects the screen size when it opens, particularly when on smaller screens. # Circuit counts in PDF The circuit counts in the PDF now ignore spare circuits. ![Circuits counts in the certificate PDF](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-3-pre-circuit-counts.png) # Other changes and fixes Other changes and fixes available in this version include: - Change: new lookup controls used for multi-column values (e.g. BS (EN) values). - Change: more improvements to Shine Forms automatic repair feature. - Fix: now recreates missing instruments when loading company files. - Fix: error when creating a new cert without an engineer. - Fix: automatic repair now repairs circuit RCD BS values. - Fix: auto-repair corrects schedule items and observations marked as intelligence managed that have no associated intelligence. - Fix: automatic repairs are now carried out when importing from a specific file. - Fix: was not saving some certificate settings, such as excluding NA schedule items from the printed PDF. - Fix: engineer control was not correctly positioned when first shown. - Fix: was not respecting start-maximised setting. --- ## Shine Forms 2025.2 Maintenance Release Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-2025-2/ Date: 2025-01-19 We are pleased to announce the release of Shine Forms 2025.2. This is a maintenance release, bringing a small number of new features along with some maintenance fixes. Your copy of Shine Forms should automaticaly detect this update. You can also visit our download page [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/) or download the latest version directly by clicking [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/lastest/). # Three-phase Improvements The 2024 EICR now reports on the number of three-phase and single-phase circuits. !["Shine Forms EICR PDF showing the new circuit counts"](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-2-enhanced-circuit-counts.png) Merged circuits are automatically marked as three-phase. This now happens when you open existing certificates. Note that you need to mark circuits as three-phase: !["Circuits in Shine Forms marked as three-phase"](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-2-circuits-marked-as-three-phase.png) !!! tip "More Accurate Cable-Sizing Intelligence" Marking the circuit as three-phase gives [more accurate cable-sizing intelligence](https://blog.shineforms.co.uk/pirform-2025-1/#updated-cable-sizing-intelligence). # Easier Additional Details Switching In Minor Works Certificates You can now switch the additional details on or off directly from the MW certificate. !["Shine Forms' additional details toggle"](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-2-minor-works-additional-details-toggle.png) We have fixed a defect preventing the relevant PDF items for the additional sections from showing. # Easier Company Details Updates To make changes easier, you can now edit the company name, address, and other details directly in [Certificate Options](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/options/#certificate-options). !["Shine Forms' certificate options showing new company "](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-2-enhanced-certificate-options.png) # Auto-Repair Updates Shine Forms was launched nearly 15 years ago, when the Periodic Inspection Report was the order of the day. You can still work with your older certificates, import them from other engineers, and [create new up-to-date versions](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/creating-certificates/#copying-and-creating-certificates) to save entering information over again. Under the hood, Shine Forms checks and repairs certificates to keep things running smoothly. This release improves that process by: - Fixing more defects, including addressing the cause of a long-standing problem that was difficult to track down. - Observations are renumbered if required. - Intelligence observations with missing locations are updated. - Intelligence is removed from the merged circuits (that is, only applies to the single visible circuit). - Reducing the size of the certificate files. - Fixing a problem where the automatic repairs were not always completing, requiring a second run. # Other Changes and Fixes Other changes and fixes available in this version include: - Fix: was not copying circuit values to blanks in yes/no columns. - Fix: board supply was not updating immediately after making changes. - Fix: observation location control was not correctly sized. - Fix: better column sizing in wizards. --- ## Shine Forms 2025.1 Amd 3 and Improved Intelligence Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-2025-1/ Date: 2025-01-01 This release brings significant intelligence improvements and updated electrical certificates to BS 7671:2018+A3:2024. ![Home screen with new A3 certs](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-1-home-screen-2024.png) # Updated Cable Sizing Intelligence This release includes comprehensive updates to the cable-sizing intelligence in Shine Forms: - Guidance covering tables 4D1A, 4D2A, 4D4A, and 4D5 of BS 7671:2018+A3:2024. - New intelligence for three-phase cable sizing regulations. - Circuits can now be marked as three-phase in a three-phase board. - New wiring types and reference methods to cover the full guidance from BS 7671:2018+A3:2024. - The table from the regulations is noted in both the observations and PDF and in Intelligence Manager. - The new intelligence is available for both A2:2022 and A3:2024 certificates. ![New circuit wiring types and circuit reference methods shown against a three-phase circuit](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-1-circuits-three-phase-and-wiring-types.png) The PDF shows the new flat twin & earth wiring type by default. You can add and report on other wiring types as shown in our documentation [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/boards-and-circuits/#other-wiring-types). ![Shine Forms' PDF showing flat twin & earth wiring types](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-1-circuit-types-in-pdf.png) !!! note "Changes to Ring Circuit Handling" Ring circuit handling has been changed in A2:2022 and A3:2024. Read how to handle that in our documentation [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/boards-and-circuits/#ring-circuits). ## Upgrading Intelligence in Existing Certificates If you open an existing certificate with older cable-sizing intelligence rules, Shine Forms will prompt you to update to the new version. Typically, you would choose OK to remove the old intelligence and apply the new. ![Intelligence update dialog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-1-intelligence-update.png) The new intelligence statements are numbered from 2000 onwards. Choose **OK** to update your certificate, or **Cancel** to leave the older cable-sizing intelligence in place. !!! note "Creating New Certificates from Old Ones" If you create an A3:2024 certificate, any cable-sizing intelligence will be automatically updated during the creation of the A3:2024 certificate. # Updated and Refreshed Max Zs Values We have reviewed and updated all the max Zs calculations in Shine Forms to fully cover the BS 7671:A3:2024 regulations. This includes adding new calculated values for OPD BS 88, 3036, and 88-2. !!! tip "Working With Max Zs Values in Shine Forms" You can read more about working with max Zs values in our documentation [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/boards-and-circuits/#resetting-max-zs-values). # Faster and More Flexible Changes to Company Details You can now change your company details by dragging the company files onto the **Company and Instruments** area of the **Home Screen**. Shine Forms no longer needs to be restarted after changing company details and it now remembers the last company details import location. You can also double-click on the company logo, association logo, or engineer signature to select a new image. ![An animation showing dragging company details files into Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-1-fast-company-changes.gif) For individual certificates, you can now edit company telephone, branch number, and enrolment number from the [Certificate Options](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/options/#certificate-options) dialog. ![Shine Forms' Certificate Options dialog showing the new company details fields](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-1-certificate-options-dialog.png) # Improved Intelligence Manager The **[Intelligence Manager](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/intelligence/#intelligence-manager)** now allows you to suppress or unsuppress all statements in one go. ![Shine Forms' Intelligence Manager showing the new suppress all and unsuppress all buttons](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-1-intelligence-suppress-all.png) We have also simplified the reasons shown against each intelligence item, making them easier to read. The ability to edit from that location has been removed. # Retaining Observations During Recoding When coding a schedule item, Shine Forms automatically adds a linked observation as required (such as a coding of C1, C2, C3, or X). If you later change the coding of the linked observation, Shine Forms will then change the schedule item accordingly. If you change it so an observation no longer applies, say to PASS, then Shine Forms will remove the observation that it has added. However, sometimes you might want to retain an observation even if the schedule item no longer applies. For example, when you want to retain it and add a comment that it has been rectified. You can now tell Shine Forms to retain observations during recoding using **Retain Recoded** in the ribbon. This works from both **Observations and Recommendations** as well as the **Inspection Schedule**. ![Animation showing how to retain observations during recoding in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-1-observations-retain-recoded.gif) # Bulk Copying External Engineers If you are working on a certificate and the engineer isn't in your current Company and Instruments section, Shine Forms has always allowed you to reuse that engineer in the scope of that certificate. In this release, you can now use the **[Copy to Blanks](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/board-manager/#working-with-engineers)** feature in **[Board Manager](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/board-manager/)** to add those types of engineer to boards in bulk. # Direct Entry of Installation Extent You can now type or paste directly into the installation extent area. A small change that can help save time! # Improved Safe Mode Experience Shine Forms runs in a cut-down mode called "[safe mode](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/safe-mode/)" when it cannot find a valid licence. In this release, we have added information to explain why that is happening. ![Shine Forms' safe mode showing more information in the message](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2025-1-safe-mode-warning.png) !!! tip "Things You Can Do in Safe Mode" Safe mode still lets you do things like access your certificate PDFs, print certificates, and take backups. Read more [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/safe-mode/). # Other Changes and Fixes Other changes and fixes available in this version include: - Change: reduced export file (*.PEX) sizes and improved import and export performance. - Change: can now copy/paste directly into circuit designation when the field is in edit mode. - Change: MW "SPD button" changed to "SPD functionality". - Change: improved usability in the new cert dialog: up and down arrows now move the selection and the group headers open when clicked. - Change: improved image sizes in new certificate dialog for higher display DPI and scaling values. - Change: better user experience when opening a missing or damaged certificate. - Change: new company details export file format. - Fix: better sizing of EL date fields and test type control when display scaling is not 100%. - Fix: EL location fields now allow plain text entry. - Fix: some pages on MW, EL, & FA were incorrectly scrolled down when opening and not showing the first controls. - Fix: boards and circuits were showing in MW, and intelligence manager in EL. - Fix: various memory and performance improvements. - Fix: the **Show Export File** button was not enabling in the **Home Screen** after the first export to PDF. - Fix: the first change to board phase could change the selected circuit. - Fix: some MW fields on the 2022 and 2024 PDFs were displaying as neither checked nor unchecked if no values were entered. - Fix: company details were not properly updating from the certificate options dialog. - Fix: wasn't retaining custom supply names. - Fix: now remembers ignoring of a circuit's high Zs values. - Fix: engineers not in the current company were not showing in Board Manager. - Fix: dates were showing months with longer names (SEPT instead of SEP). - Fix: fire alarm G2 engineer position now aligns correctly. - Fix: better wording in emergency lighting large deviations page. - Fix: better wording in emergency lighting and fire alarm ribbon tool tips. - Fix: watermark and pre-release options now available for fire alarms from 2017 and emergency lighting from 2016. - Fix: redundant observations button was showing on fire alarm forms. - Fix: redundant [Intelligence Manager](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/intelligence/#intelligence-manager) tab was showing on fire alarm and emergency lighting forms. - Fix: watermark was not appearing on later reports, and the font was too large. - Fix: controls in the [Intelligence Manager](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/intelligence/#intelligence-manager) were displaying too close together and were not clearing when the intelligence changed. - Fix: initial sizing of engineer and supply controls was not respecting high DPI settings. - Fix: removed incorrect link to fire alarm 2013 H8. - Fix: there were multiple initialisations of board manager. - Fix: EIC schedule values were not visible after being set. - Fix: max Zs value for ('61009', '61008') And RcdOperatingCurrent = 500 And SupplyType = 'TT' fixed - was 10, now 100. - Fix: failure when opening circuits and test results for 2015 certs. - Fix: now ensures schedule item sections always have a heading. - Fix: options dialog was always restarting due to licence updates. ``` --- ## Shine Forms 2024.2 Pre-release Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-2024-2-pre/ Date: 2024-09-22 !!! warning "This article is out of date" This article is about a pre-release version of Shine Forms. Please read about the full release version [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-2025-1). Issue BS 7671:2028+A3:2024 certificates with the new Shine Forms pre-release version which is available now. Read on to understand what else is available in this pre-release and why it's not yet a full release. ![Home screen with new A3 certs](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2024-2-pre-home-screen-2024.png) # Why is this not a full release of Shine Forms? A3:2024 introduces some new guidance in 530.3.201 around when protective devices are bidirectional or unidirectional. We believe there is scope to add some intelligence in Shine Forms to assist with the coding of these types of scenarios. We are currently working out how these scenarios should be handled in Shine Forms and will release the full update when we've done that. In the meantime, please use circuit remarks for any comments against the circuit: ![Circuit remarks in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2024-2-pre-circuit-remarks.png) # How do I download the pre-release version? The following is a direct link to download the latest pre-release version: [www.shineforms.co.uk/download/prerelease](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/prerelease) Read about using our pre-release versions in our documentation here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/installing/#pre-release-versions](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/installing/#pre-release-versions) # Updated cable sizing intelligence !!! update "Temporary removal of ring circuit handling" As of version 2024.2.1688 (released on 31 Oct, 2024), we've removed this change from the pre-release until we finish all the work needed. Watch this space! !!! note "Changes to ring circuit handling" The handling of ring circuits has not yet been included in the new cable sizing intelligence. Read how to handle that in our documentation here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/intelligence-ring-a3-2024-pre](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/intelligence-ring-a3-2024-pre) We have reviewed and updated the cable-sizing intelligence rules in Shine Forms, as per table 4D2A and including updates relevant to the phase. If you open an existing A2:2022 form that has any of the older cable-sizing intelligence rules applied, then Shine Forms will let you know and offer to update the intelligence to the new version. ![Intelligence update dialog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2024-2-pre-intelligence-update.png) You can see that the new intelligence statements are numbers from 2000 and onwards. Choose **OK** to update your certificate, or **Cancel** to leave the older cable-sizing intelligence in place. !!! note "Creating new certificates from old ones" If you create an A3:2024 certificate then any cable-sizing intelligence will be automatically updated during the creation of the A3:2024 certificate. # Updates max Zs values We have reviewed and updated all the max Zs calculations in Shine Forms. This includes adding new calculated values for OPD BS 88, 3036, and 88-2. You can read more about working with max Zs values in our documentation [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/boards-and-circuits/#resetting-max-zs-values). # Bulk copying external engineers If you are working on a certificate and the engineer isn't in your current Company and Instruments section, Shine Forms has always allowed you to reuse that engineer in the scope of that certificate. In this release, you can now use the **[Copy to Blanks](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/board-manager/#working-with-engineers)** feature in **[Board Manager](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/board-manager/)** to add those types of engineer to boards in bulk. ![Bulk copying in Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2024-2-pre-bulk-copy-external-engineers.png) # Other changes and fixes Other changes and fixes available in this version include: Change: improved usability in the new cert dialog: up and down arrows now move the selection and the group headers open when clicked. Change: improved image sizes in new certificate dialog for higher display DPI and scaling values. Change: better user experience when opening a missing or damaged certificate. Change: new company details export file format. Fix: now remembers ignoring of a circuit's high Zs values. Fix: engineers not in the current company were not showing in Board Manager. Fix: dates were showing months with longer names (SEPT instead of SEP). Fix: fire alarm G2 engineer position now aligns correctly. Fix: better wording in emergency lighting large deviations page. Fix: better wording in emergency lighting and fire alarm ribbon tool tips. Fix: watermark and pre-release options now available for fire alarms from 2017 and emergency lighting from 2016. Fix: redundant observations button was showing on fire alarm forms. Fix: redundant [Intelligence Manager](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/intelligence/#intelligence-manager) tab was showing on fire alarm and emergency lighting forms. Fix: watermark was not appearing on later reports, and the font was too large. Fix: controls in the [Intelligence Manager](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/intelligence/#intelligence-manager) were displaying too close together and were not clearing when the intelligence changed. Fix: initial sizing of engineer and supply controls was not respecting high DPI settings. Fix: removed incorrect link to fire alarm 2013 H8. Fix: there were multiple initialisations of board manager. Fix: EIC schedule values were not visible after being set. Fix: max Zs value for ('61009', '61008') And RcdOperatingCurrent = 500 And SupplyType = 'TT' fixed - was 10, now 100 Fix: failure when opening circuits and test results for 2015 certs. Fix: now ensures schedule item sections always have a heading. Fix: options dialog was always restarting due to licence updates. --- ## New Help Desk System Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/new-help-desk-2024/ Date: 2024-09-13 We are moving to a new help desk system with immediate effect! > **WARNING**: The old, secondary email address ending in `@pirform.zendesk.com` will stop working at the end of October. Please update your email contacts to only use [`support@pirform.co.uk`](mailto:support@pirform.co.uk) from now on. # How the new system works The new system works the same way as before. Just drop an email to our [support email address](mailto:support@shineforms.co.uk) and it will create a ticket in our help desk system. You will get an automated reply to acknowledge the ticket: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/new-help-desk-2024-initial-email-and-automated-reply.png) When we reply, you get that in an updated email: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/new-help-desk-2024-agent-response-email.png) # Viewing the ticket online There are links in the email that allow you to view the ticket online. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/new-help-desk-2024-view-online-email-link.png) Clicking on that link takes you to the web portal where you can view and update your ticket: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/new-help-desk-2024-ticket-online.png) # Creating a Shine Forms Support account The Shine Forms Help Desk has a separate login from your Shine Forms account. If you have not already signed in then you will see a page that asks y ou to sign in or create an account: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/new-help-desk-2024-sign-in.png) If you are signing up, then you will be sent a link to verify your email after you've entered your details: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/new-help-desk-2024-sign-up.png) --- ## Shine Forms 2024.1 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-2024-1/ Date: 2024-04-21 Our new release, Shine Forms 2024.1, is now available. This update introduces new features and addresses several issues. Here are the highlights: - "Other" wiring types are reported on the PDF. - Improved handling of max Zs values. - Upload an EICR 2022 to your Shine Forms account. - Usability improvements. - An updated Support Tool. **Update 31st May, 2024**: A maintenance update for 2024.1, was released. Details here. Visit our downloads page on the Shine Forms website to get the most recent version of Shine Forms: [https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download) # Reporting on "other" wiring types Previously, Shine Forms didn’t display wiring types outside the A-H range on the PDF. Now, you can enter additional wiring types using the [Dropdown List Manager](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/drop-down-list-manager/), and these will appear in the “Other” wiring type section against the board in the PDF. Here is an example showing two wiring types that have been added to the dropdown list manager: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2024-1-boards-and-circuits-other-wiring-types-values.png) These appear in the "Other" section in the PDF like this: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2024-1-boards-and-circuits-other-wiring-types-pdf.png) Learn more our documentation [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/boards-and-circuits/#other-wiring-types) # Improved handling of max Zs values We’ve introduced the new **Reset Max Zs** button in the ribbon. This feature allows you to control whether manually entered max Zs values are reset during recalculation. You can choose to reset values for either the current board or all boards. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2024-1-board-reset-max-zs.png) Explore this feature in our online documentation. [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/boards-and-circuits/#resetting-max-zs-values). # Uploading to your Shine Forms account Shine Forms now enables you to upload an EICR 2022 directly to your Shine Forms account. !!! warning "Experimental feature" This is an experimental feature and is subject to change. We are about to release the second beta of our Shine Forms Tablet App, updating them to A2:2022. As part of this, this version of Shine Forms allows uploading of an EICR 2022 from Shine Forms directly to your Shine Forms account. This is not yet avaiable for other form types, but that will come in future releases. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2024-1-main-form-upload-to-shine-forms.png) Once you have uploaded your EICR, you view them in the forms section of your shine Forms account and download the PDFs from there: [www.shineforms.co.uk/forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/forms) ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2024-1-uploaded-form.png) We are making this experimental feature available to help us develop functionality behind the new tablet app that will allow you to share work between Shine Forms and the Shine Forms Tablet App. We would appreciate any feedback you have on this feature and the tablet app in general - drop an email to our help desk at [support@shineforms.co.uk](mailto:support@shineforms.co.uk). For more information about the Shine Forms Tablet App beta, please see our documentation here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/tablet/overview/](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/tablet/overview/) # Updates to Shine Forms Support Tool > **NOTE**: You only need to use the Shine Forms Support Tool when directed to by our help desk: [support@shineforms.co.uk](mailto:support@shineforms.co.uk). Our help desk tool, the Shine Forms Support Tool, has had a significant update. This application is designed to assist us in diagnosing and resolving issues related to Shine Forms. The latest version boasts a fresh visual design and enhanced functionality, aligning with the requirements of modern Shine Forms versions. Take a look at the revamped Shine Forms Support Tool: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2024-1-support-tool.png) # Usability improvements Enhancements have been made to the automatic form repair process. This feature automatically detects and repairs problems in forms. The repair now fixes a number of issues that could prevent Shine Forms from opening the form, along with fixes for incorrect supply text showing against boards and circuits. These enhancements reduce the chances that you'll need to use the updated Shine Forms Support Tool mentioned above! When applying an outdated license from a file, Shine Forms now checks if a more recent version of that license exists. This improvement simplifies the process when an older license file has been selected from your email. Additionally, Shine Forms now detects changes to the license’s expiry date upon startup. # Other changes and fixes The following changes and fixes have been made in this release: New: pre-release builds now export forms that can be imported into the latest released version. Previously, this was not possible. New: updated to the latest version of Microsoft .NET, version 8. Change: the widths of observation columns have been adjusted to make the observation list easier to read and work with. Change: can now add RCD BS (EN) values for various types of RCD into the [Dropdown List Manager](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/drop-down-list-manager/). Change: adjusted intelligence statements relating to Table 3A of Appendix 3 (which was deleted from BS 7671 in Amendment 2) to now reference Regulation 643.7 and/or 643.8. Change: this version no longer upgrades the database to the new format (just contact our help desk if you need assistance: [support@shineforms.co.uk](mailto:support@shineforms.co.uk)). Change: removed an old setting relating to showing long values in OPD selections. Change: the folder dialogs now use the standard Windows versions again. Change: we have made improvements to import speed. Change: removed spurious page breaks in the PDF for some EIC and EICR sections. Change: now confirms schedule overwrite when importing from a file. Fix: options dialog now creates missing save and backup folders. Fix: supply controls were not initialising with the supply circuit selected. Fix: circuit chart PDF was showing circuit RCD operating time instead of the board's value. Fix: supply control was too small in the [Board Manager](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/board-manager/). Fix: further investigation does not show for any observations that are coded. Fix: schedule observations and limitations were not showing inline in the inspection schedule. Fix: spelling mistake, "Extent and Limitiations...", in EIC and EICR PDF was fixed. Fix: dialog was showing behind splash screen when reindexing the database. Fix: archived and deleted items are again excluded from recent items in the start page. Fix: additional sources of supply was not showing correctly in the PDF when there were more than 1 supply. Fix: fixed high memory usage when importing large numbers of forms in a single export file. Fix: values pasted directly into circuit and test results were not showing in the PDF. Fix: "X" in schedule section 1 of the EICR was not appearing correctly in associated observations in the PDF. Fix: was not detecting saves in board manager followed by directly closing the form. Fix: MW 2022 circuit and board values do not appear on the PDF if the MW was created from a board marked as excluded. Fix: A2:2022 boards and circuits report was in the old format. **Note:** the term "_form_" means any document that Shine Forms or Shine Forms produces, such as a "_certificate_" or a "_report_". # Update 31 May 2024 A small maintainence update has been released as version 2024.1.1662. The changes and fixes are: Change: support export now exports the raw data file. Change: improved DPI awareness for high DPI displays. Fix: EIC schedule values were not visible after being set. Fix: max Zs value for 61009/61008 at 500A in TT systems changed to 100 (was 10). Fix: licence message was showing on appendix attachments. Fix: fixed falilure opening some 2015 forms. Fix: now ensures schedule item sections have a heading. Fix: options dialog was always restarting due to licence updates. Fix: fixed incorrect serialisation for board designations. Fix: primary supply characteristics selector was not visible. --- ## Shine Forms 2023.1 - Custom Inspection Schedules Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-2023-1/ Date: 2022-12-30 Our new release, Shine Forms 2023.1, brings new functionality and also a number of snag fixes and tweaks following the major technical update in [Shine Forms 2022.2](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-2022-2). Highlights of this release include: - Sharing of custom inspection schedules with other engineers. - Marking a circuit as a spare clears the values. - Copying circuit values down stops at the next value. - Copied circuit values can be pasted into existing circuits. - Spare circuits are ignored when pasting values. - There is a button to recalculate max Zs values. # Saving and loading inspection schedules ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2023-1-schedule-manager.png) The A2:2022 release of Shine Forms introduced advanced inspection schedule features that allow you to create and save custom inspection schedules. This release brings the ability to save a schedule to a file and to import a schedule from a file. This means you can easily share custom inspection schedules with other engineers. You can read more about managing custom inspection schedules in our online documentation here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/schedule-manager/#exporting-and-importing-schedule-files](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/schedule-manager/#exporting-and-importing-schedule-files) # Improved circuit handling This release contains features that improve the way you work with circuits in Shine Forms. ## Marking circuits as spare You can mark a circuit as spare by entering "Spare" into the circuit designation. This will clear any values in that circuit and the circuit will be ignored when copying values down from another circuit. Read more in our online documentation here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/boards-and-circuits/#marking-a-circuit-as-a-spare](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/boards-and-circuits/#marking-a-circuit-as-a-spare) ## Improvements to copying circuit values The features that allow the copying down of values to other circuits have been improved. These features are available from the ribbon and also when right-clicking over a circuit value. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2023-1-circuit-copy-value-menu.png) You have always been able to copy values down to other cells. This release builds on that by making the default behaviour to stop at the next cell that is not blank. There are also menu items that allow copying to all blank cells or all cells for when you need those. Spare circuits are ignored when copying values from other cells. You can read more about this in our online documentation here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/boards-and-circuits/#copying-circuit-values](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/boards-and-circuits/#copying-circuit-values) ## Improvements to pasting circuit values You have always been able to copy a whole circuit and paste it into any board in the current certificate as a new circuit. This release now allows you to paste the circuit values into the selected circuit instead of adding an new circuit. There is also an option to paste test results which helps with scenarios where you are rebuilding certificates. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2023-1-circuit-paste.png) Read more in our online documentation here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/boards-and-circuits/#copying-circuits](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/boards-and-circuits/#copying-circuits) # Resetting max Zs values You can now reset the max Zs values for either the current board or all boards in the certificate using the button **Reset Max Zs** in the ribbon: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2023-1-board-reset-max-zs.png) # Find things more easily Shine Forms lets you easily find items by typing into "find boxes". As these find boxes take up some screen space, we hide them by default and they appear when you use the `Ctrl + F`[keyboard shortcut](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/keyboard-shortcuts/#general). To make that easier, we have now added a button to show or hide the find box. Press it once to show then press it again to hide! ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2023-1-certificate-toggle-find.png) If you prefer to always show the find boxes, you can tell Shine Forms to do that by ticking the setting in [Shine Forms Options](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/options/#pirform-options): ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2023-1-pirform-options-always-show-find.png) Read about this in our online documentation here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/using-find/](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/using-find/) # Improved data restore experience When you restore your data from a backup, Shine Forms will now keep your settings. This means that you no longer need to adjust items such as the automatic backup and export locations. # Improved support functionality We have improved functionality that is used when you are being assisted by Shine Forms. These include the ability to restore certificates from the latest backup, the certificate repair feature, and to repair the database. # Other changes and fixes Other changes and fixes included in this release are: Change: reinstated ignore high Zs values. Change: circuit chart now shows I delta n mA value instead of rating. Change: max Zs now resets only if the multiplier has changed and the Shine Forms is controlling max Zs values. Change: improved keyboard handling and data entry in the new inspection schedule. Change: increased the inspection schedule dropdown count. Change: scaled schedule column widths as per display settings. Change: now establishes incremental backup location upon restore. Change: now restarts after restoring from a backup. Change: changed installer to be 64-bit only. Change: The main Shine Forms executable is now digitally signed improving corporate manageability. Change: moved from .Net 6 to .Net 7. Change: restore from last available backup will now use autosave files. Fix: company or lookup changes were not triggering backups after closing. Fix: automated certificate fixes now run only on load or import. Fix: circuit chart was not printing with main PDF. Fix: copying a board does not set the numbering. Fix: restore did not proceed if no settings were present. Fix: crash when sending log files. Fix: error when adding company logos. Fix: now removes observations when creating an EIC from another cert. Fix: backup file size reduced by excluding unnecessary files. Fix: does not restart when restore is not successful. Fix: paste circuit menu item was not enabling after copying. Fix: cross threading exception after board ordering changes. Fix: circuit values were showing 299.01 instead of >299 for fields such as insulation resistance. Fix: crash when changing schedule item coding when ordering set to severity. Fix: image, PDF and Word attachments were not rendering correctly. Fix: does not restart after a cancelled backup. Fix: decimal places were showing in some minor electrical works fields. Fix: Now places incremental backup folder under backup folder when selecting the root folder. Fix: now tolerant to legacy data issue with default instruments. Fix: was failing in ELI with null engineers. Fix: pressing Tab in 2018 schedule moves two rows. Fix: creating a MW removes observations. Fix: decimal places were shown in circuit chart when not required. Fix: high magnification with high DPI screen scaling issues. Fix: split appearance to some controls in supply characteristics and earthing pages for some screen resolutions. Fix: inspection schedule set blanks feature was setting heading values. Fix: restore would fail if auto backup before restore folder were not present or accessible. Fix: engineer selection not updating company address on PDF. Fix: user-defined lookups values lost after save and re-open. Fix: abandon changes now removes unsaved changes. Fix: EIC PDF showed blank observations section. Fix: repair facility fails. Fix: tiny field alignment fix in MW 2022. Fix: Suppressed limitations and observations shown on PDF. Fix: Circuit chart printing with multiple boards doesn't page break. Fix: RCD circuit values do not clear when clearing data. ## Update from version 2023.1.1597 Change: improved the folder selection dialog. Fix: updated EIC guidance for recipients to match A2:2022. Fix: crash after adding new schedule item. Fix: was unable to delete custom schedules with old name format. --- ## Shine Forms 2022.2 - BS 7671+A2:2022 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-2022-2/ Date: 2022-09-19 Shine Forms 2022.2 is a major release of Shine Forms and brings some significant changes. The highlights are: - BS 7671+A2:2022 (the "brown book") electrical forms. - EICR inspection schedules can be fully customised. - Significant under-the-hood changes with faster, smaller backups. - A new database upgrade process happens on the first run of Shine Forms 2022.2. # BS 7671+A2:2022 Shine Forms now contains the BS 7671+A2:2022 "brown book" electrical forms for EIC, EICR and MEIWC. In keeping with tradition, we have updated the colour of our splash screen to match the book beside you on your desk! ![splash screen](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2022-2-pirform-splash-2022-2.png) # Schedule Manager Shine Forms now lets you fully customise the inspection schedule for your EICR. ![schedule manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2022-2-schedule-manager.png) You can use the new Shine Forms Schedule Manager to: - Save customised inspection schedules to create your own library of schedules. - Pick the inspection schedule relevant to your EICR. - Add schedule items or sections from your library into the current inspection schedule. - Edit any existing schedule items. - Remove items from your existing inspection schedule. - Reorder items and sections in your existing inspection schedule. - Search for items in your library or the current inspection schedule. - View inspection schedules summarised by sections or as fully detailed lists. As well as any custom schedules that you create, Shine Forms comes with the following schedules: - Condition report inspection schedule for residential and similar premises with a supply of up to 100A. - Example checklist of items requiring inspection during initial verification from page 515 of BS 7671:2018+A2:2022. You can read more about this exciting new feature in our online documentation here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/schedule-manager/](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/schedule-manager/) It's worth noting that, because of the ability to modify items in your inspection schedule, we have removed the additional schedule item comments feature that was available in both the EIC and EICR schedules prior to A2:2022. # Under-the-hood changes Shine Forms 2022.2 brings the most substantial changes to the way Shine Forms is built since 2014. This section outlines the main changes. ## An improved and faster database format Shine Forms 2022.2 introduces a new database format, which makes Shine Forms faster to start up and open forms (*see note at the end*). Backup files are also now smaller. When Shine Forms 2022.2 or later runs for the first time, it checks whether there are any forms from the older version of Shine Forms on the machine. If so, it will upgrade the forms to the new database format. ## Database upgrade process database upgrade Because of the new database, Shine Forms 2022.2 needs to upgrade your existing forms before it runs. This process happens once and may take a few minutes to complete depending on the size of your Shine Forms database and the speed of the computer it is running on. It's worth noting that the database from Shine Forms 2022.1 remains in place and is not affected by the upgrade. This means that, should you need to, you can just install Shine Forms 2022.1 and you will see your all your previous certificates are unchanged. You can read more about this in our documentation here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/database-upgrade/](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/database-upgrade/) ## Significantly faster automatic backups Previously, Shine Forms' [auto backup feature](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/backup/#automatic-rolling-backups/) took a full backup when closing Shine Forms after changes had been made. This could take a long time, especially for customers with large numbers of forms. We have changed the auto backup to take an incremental backup that copies only the items that have changed. This process has drastically reduced the time needed to take the backup (although the first backup will still take a little while). ## No-dependency installation Previous versions of Shine Forms required that the Microsoft .Net Framework 4.8 was installed on your computer. If that was not present then Shine Forms' installer would download and run Microsoft's installer to install it. Shine Forms 2022.2 has been updated to use Microsoft .Net 6 and brings everything needed for it to run without expecting anything on the computer or needing to download anything. The benefits of the new approach come from having reduced dependencies and easier management. The downside of this is that the installer is larger to download - coming in at around 140 MB as opposed to the previous 70 MB. ## Other technical changes Shine Forms no longer supports Windows Server 2003 as Microsoft has ceased supporting that version on Windows. # Other changes and fixes start over main form New: there is an option to open forms over the main Shine Forms screen. New: you can now enter remarks against each circuit, which are shown on the PDF. New: now shows the count for the section at the bottom of the Home Screen. home screen form count Change: some field names from the new A2:2022 forms are reflected in the 2018 forms. Change: form type names now use the standard IET naming conventions. Change: circuits find panel is now hidden by default to save space on smaller screens (press Ctrl + F to show the find panel). Change: URLs are now opened in the default browser. Change: the old licence code dialog has been removed. Fix: photos in EIC 2018 observations were not present in the PDF. Fix: emergency lighting forms were showing with the book icon on the Home Screen and new certs dialog. Fix: ELL large was showing incorrect values for V9 in the PDF. Fix: crashing if import location was blank in browse locations. Fix: changed "Primary Supply OPD Characteristics" to "Primary Supply OCPD Characteristics". Fix: changed intelligence text "main supplementary bonding conductors" to "main bonding conductors". Fix: unable to export to Word file. Fix: changed "Primary Supply OPD Characteristics" to "Primary Supply OCPD Characteristics". Fix: changed intelligence text "main supplementary bonding conductors" to "main bonding conductors". Fix: resetting lookups was not resetting the deleted lookups. Fix: was not properly detecting OneDrive. **Update** Plus a few hot-fixes coming through in the first weeks of the release: - added example items requiring inspection from page 523 to the schedule library. - added Ctrl+F3 keyboard shortcut for circuit chart preview. - added support to detect and report failed upgrades. - circuit chart improvements for A2 2022. - installation reference method could not be entered MEIWC. - 2018 forms responded badly to display scaling of 150%. - max Zs didn't allow decimal places. - RCD BS values did not appear in PDF after using copy to blanks. - EICR schedule didn't allow PASS in section 1. - better naming of backup folders. - observations not added to newly created schedule items. - improvements to logging. - Ctrl + S keyboard shortcut was broken in certificate form. - Manual observation text was white against white. - Improved Rating (A) tooltip text and corrected R1+R2 or R2 column header. - Import wizard doesn't progress following import from a folder. - Circuit RCD A was not mapping across correctly when creating new A2:2022 forms. - Upgrade now ignores orphaned certs. - Upgrade was not running on Apple Silicon. - Logos missing from some reports. - Engineer signatures were lost during the upgrade. - Appendices were hidden. - 5Idn shown in PDFs. - SPD alignment was not correct after form resizing. - Increased log size and created a separate file for legacy logging. *Note that we are using the word 'form' to mean either a certificate or report in Shine Forms.* --- ## Shine Forms 2022.2 Pre-Release Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-2022-2-pre/ Date: 2022-08-29 📢 This post talks about a pre-release version of Shine Forms and focuses on technical changes to the software. Shine Forms 2022.2 is a major release of Shine Forms and brings some significant changes. The highlights are: - BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 (the "brown book") electrical forms. - EICR inspection schedules can be fully customised. - Significant under-the-hood changes. We're putting the final touches to this release now and we're making a pre-release version available for testing and early adopters. There are instructions below for how to access this. Shine Forms Schedule Manager The non-technical changes are mainly around adding the new forms for the new amendment, BS 7671:2018+A2:2022. We have also added the ability to customise and resue inspection schedules in your EICRs. You can read about the new schedule management features in our documentation here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/schedule-manager/](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/schedule-manager/) The rest of this post will focus on the technical changes to the software. These changes fall into two categories: - Updated to the latest version of [Microsoft .Net](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/). - Updated the database to a new format. # No-dependency installation Previous versions of Shine Forms used to run a separate installer to install earlier versions of the .Net Framework. Now we have moved to .Net 6 we now ship everything that is needed to run Shine Forms the main installer. The benefits of this are reduced dependencies and easier management. The downside of this is that the installer is larger to download - coming in at around 140 MB as opposed to the previous 70 MB. # Shine Forms is now faster The new changes have made Shine Forms faster to start up, faster to open certificates, and backup files are now smaller. # Significantly faster automatic backups Previously, the auto backup took a full backup when closing Shine Forms after changes had been made. This could take a long time, especially for customers with many certificates. We have changed the auto backup to take an incremental backup to a folder which has drastically reduced the time to take the backup (although the first backup will still take a little while). # The Shine Forms database upgrade from 2022.1 to 2022.2 database upgrade When Shine Forms 2022.2 or later runs for the first time, it checks whether there are any certificates from the older version of Shine Forms on the machine. If so, it will upgrade the certificates to the new database format. This process happens once and can take a few minutes to complete depending on the size of your Shine Forms database and speed of the target machine. The previous certificate database remains in place and is not affected by the upgrade. # Rolling back to Shine Forms 2022.1 Should you need to, you can just install Shine Forms 2022.1 and you will see your all your previous certificates are unchanged. Contact [Shine Forms Support](mailto:support@shineforms.co.uk) if you need to re-run the database upgrade process. # Other technical changes We have removed support for the Windows Server 2003 due to the fact that it is no longer supported by Microsoft. # Accessing the pre-release There is a pre-release of the new version available for early testing. You can read how to access that in our documentation [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/pre-release-versions/). --- ## Shine Forms Tablet App Beta Launch Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-tablet-app-beta/ Date: 2022-04-01 :::info{title="Historical post — April 2022 beta launch"} This post announced the first public beta of the Shine Forms tablet app in April 2022. Both the **iPad and Android** tablet apps are now generally available. The "not recommended for live work" guidance below applied to the 2022 beta and no longer applies. For current product information, see the [Shine Forms tablet app overview](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/tablet-app-overview/). ::: The first beta of our tablet apps for Android and Apple devices is available now. Read more in our documentation here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/tablet/overview/](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/tablet/overview/) During the beta phase, we may discover defects or other issues that take us a longer time to fix than usual. For this reason, we do not recommend using the app for live work. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/shine-tablet-app-beta-tablet-boards-board-characteristics-1.png) --- ## Security Advisory: Log4J Vulnerability (CVE-2021-44228) Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/security-advisory-cve-2021-44228/ Date: 2021-12-14 A serious and significant security threat has recently been discovered in a very commonly used software component called [Log4J](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-44228). The good news for Shine Forms and Shine Forms users is that we have reviewed all of our products, both desktop and web-based, and determined that none are affected by this security issue. If you want to read more about this vulnerability then a good starting place is [this Cloudflare Blog article](https://blog.cloudflare.com/inside-the-log4j2-vulnerability-cve-2021-44228/). The vulnerability is documented in detail here: [CVE-2021-44228](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2021-44228) Follow us on Twitter for updates: @shineforms --- ## Shine Forms 2022.1.1468 - Certificate Import Improvements Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1468/ Date: 2021-11-20 The main focus of this release is some small fixes for issues that were affecting some of our larger customers. We have again also taken the opportunity to squeeze in a couple of small but juicy new features ahead of our forthcoming tablet app release. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1468-import-drag-drop.gif) Download the latest installer from our website here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/download](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download) Also follow us for updates on Twitter: @shineforms # Importing certificates using drag and drop This release adds the ability to import certificates from other engineers just by dragging the files from Windows directly onto the certificate list in Shine Forms' **Home Screen**. You can also drag a folder to start importing certificates that are in that folder. Read more about Shine Forms' certificate sharing features in our online documentation here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/certificate-sharing/](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/certificate-sharing/) # Import feature remembers your previous settings The import feature used to remember the folder locations from your last import. It now also remembers your date range settings when you are [importing from a folder](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/certificate-sharing/#importing-from-a-folder). ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1468-import-from-folder.png) # Create certificate for the selected customer Shine Forms has always made it really easy to create new certificates from existing certificates by letting [copy](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/creating-certificates/#copying-and-creating-certificates) or [create a certificates of different types](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/creating-certificates/#creating-a-certificate-of-a-different-type) from existing certificates. This release adds an item to the **Create Certificate** menu that lets you quickly create a [new blank certificate for a customer](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/creating-certificates/#creating-a-certificate-for-a-customer). ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1468-create-cert-for-customer.png) Read more about the options for creating certificates in our online documentation here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/creating-certificates](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/creating-certificates) # Easier setup for free online certificate sharing and backup Shine Forms has always let you back up and share certificates using free online storage. We've improved the experience when setting up Shine Forms for use with a team of engineers by automatically using the licence name to create a unique folder for the engineer. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1468-pirform-options-use-dropbox-onedrive.gif) Read more in our online documentation here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/backup-online/](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/backup-online/) # Main fixes The main fixes in this release are to rectify instruments from external engineers being lost after the QS [merged work from other engineers into the main certificate](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/merging-certificates/). This gave the QS had additional work to do in the [Board Manager](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/board-manager/) to reset those boards. There was also a defect that caused a crash in the [Board Manager](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/board-manager/) when working on certificates with around 500 boards or more. # Other changes and fixes Change: you can now contract the import details when importing certificates to make more space to view and select from the list of certificates being imported. Fix: instruments from the cert were not available for selection after [merging work from other engineers](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/merging-certificates/). Fix: import wizard was not respecting the seven day or custom filters. Fix: removed space from the default certificate sharing folder name ("certific ate sharing"). Fix: [Board Manager](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/board-manager/) crashed on some large certificates. Fix: some MW were showing the time in the completion date. Fix: report footer now shows the Shine Forms version. --- ## Shine Forms on Windows 11 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-on-windows-11/ Date: 2021-10-25 Shine Forms runs fine on Windows 11. If you have a new Windows 11 machine then just go ahead and [install Shine Forms](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/installing/) just as you would on any other version of Windows. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-on-windows-11-pirform-on-windows-11.png) ## Upgrading to Windows 11 If you are upgrading the computer you use Shine Forms on to Windows 11, then just follow the simple steps in our documentation to ensure that your Shine Forms certificates are safe during the upgrade. [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/windows-11/](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/windows-11/) Simples! --- ## Shine Forms 2021.2.1456 - Small Maintenance Release Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1456/ Date: 2021-10-24 All this year we have focused efforts almost exclusively on the forthcoming tablet apps. This release is a collection of the few fixes and adjustments that we have managed to squeeze in while the tablet preparations goes on. Download the latest installer from our website here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/download](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download) Also follow us for updates on Twitter: @shineforms # Improved documentation We've improved our online documentation by adding sections to make it easier to find your way around. The search feature has been improved and we've added a section about the soon to be released [Shine Forms Tablet App beta](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/tablet/overview/). You can read find our online documentation here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk) # Recording looped supplies A very small new feature is the addition of the ability to record if a supply is looped on EIC or EICR. This information could be required for DNO applications for connection of renewable technologies such as EV or ASHP. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1456-looped-supply.png) # Automatic OneDrive detection ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1456-automatic-online-storage-detection.png) Shine Forms has always been able to use online storage solutions like [Dropbox](https://www.dropbox.com/plans?tab=personal), [OneDrive](https://onedrive.live.com/about/en-gb/) or similar to store your certificates online. Whilst fixing a problem with the automatic detection of Dropbox, we've also added automatic detection of your OneDrive folder. You can read more in our online documentation here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/backup-online/](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/backup-online/) # Other changes and fixes These are the other changes and fixes that are included in this release. Change: the [Board Manager](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/board-manager) sometimes didn't display [supplies](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/board-manager/#working-with-supplies) correctly. This can now be fixed by repairing the certificate and certificates are automatically repaired when [importing from a PEX file](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/certificate-sharing/). Change: the tagline in footer of PDFsnow reads "Prepared using Shine Forms: www.shineforms.co.uk". Change: adjusted date column width in ELI grids to prevent wrapping. Change: adjusted circuit details column headings in the PDFs. Change: improved PDF appendix and photos by adding "continued" to headings. Fix: Shine Forms was not correctly setting the backup and auto update folders when choosing "Use Dropbox". Fix: licence checks were not being performed when starting up. Fix: licence no longer detects the current licence as an "update". Fix: date fields were showing times in the ELI. Fix: MW PDFs were showing times in the date fields. Fix: schedule item intelligence was not carried into the export files. Fix: some events were not being recorded in the logs. Fix: missing word in EICR PDF "when they are to it" changed to "when they are attached to it". Fix: bad appendix printing with larger photos. Fix: PDF appendix layout was not using all the available space in MW 2018. Fix: EICR PDF showed "I" in the key for wiring types instead of "O". --- ## Shine Forms 2021.1.1445 - MAINTENANCE RELEASE Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1445/ Date: 2020-12-01 Another small maintenance release to address some issues since the previous release. There are also a few small improvements, as below. Download the latest installer from our website here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/download](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download) Also follow us for updates on Twitter: [@shineforms](https://twitter.com/shineforms) # Board and inspection date improvements The board date is the date Shine Forms uses as the inspection date when you add a new boards. Keeping the board date separate from the main date of inspection because it is useful in scenarios such as when you are working on a rolling program of inspections for an installation and reporting in a single certificate. The board date will be first set to the date of inspection when that is first set, but you can select any other date directly from the ribbon (the same is available in Shine Forms' [Board Manager](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/board-manager/)): ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1445-boards-and-circuits-board-date.png) When you are working on a rolling program of inspections you will often create new certificates by [copying the previous certificate](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/creating-certificates/#copying-and-creating-certificates). When you then set the inspection date in that new copy, you don't always want to update the inspection date for all boards in your new certificate. Shine Forms ask whether you want to update the inspection dates for boards that match the previous date before making any changes. You can also optionally update the inspection schedule date and the board date for the certificate: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1445-boards-and-circuits-confirm-update-date-of-inspection.png) If there are boards matching the old inspection date then Shine Forms only asks if you want to update the inspection schedule date and the board date for the certificate: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1445-boards-and-circuits-confirm-update-date-of-only-schedule-date.png) # Option to suppress all intelligence You have always been able to suppress any of [Shine Forms' intelligence](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/intelligence). Now there is a setting to [setting](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/options/#pirform-options) to automatically suppress all intelligence if you want to do that: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1445-options-suppress-intelligence.png) # Improved fault numbering for emergency lighting inspections You can now change the numbering of elergency lighting fault action records from the default numeric to whatever you want. If you change to a letter or double letters, then Shine Forms will automatically add the next line number for you. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1445-lighting-fault-action-numbering.png) # Other changes and fixes Fix: increased space for the observation's number. Fix: the selected cert was not always recognised by the Home Screen copy or create menu. Fix: Shine Forms and the PDF now displays "image could not be loaded" if a damaged or missing image is encountered. Fix: circuit number column heading was badly aligned in the PDF. Fix: allowed for larger circuit numbers in the PDF. Fix: FI observations were appearing as "-" in the PDF. --- ## Shine Forms 2020.5.1436 - Maintenance Release Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1436/ Date: 2020-10-24 This is a small maintenance release to address some issues since the previous release. There are also a few small improvements, as below. Download the latest installer from our website here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/download](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download) Also follow us on Twitter: [@shineforms](https://twitter.com/shineforms) # Board date feature When you are working on a rolling program of inspections for an installation, you will have created a new certificate by [copying the previous certificate](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/creating-certificates/#copying-and-creating-certificates). Some boards will change to a new inspection date and some boards will stay on their previous inspection date. To help in these scenarios we have added a board date that will be used for the inspection date when you add a new board. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1436-boards-and-circuits-board-date.png) When you change the inspection date, Shine Forms used to automatically update the inspection date for any boards whose date matches the old date. If you're working on a certificate for a rolling program of inspections then you won't want to update your boards automatically. So, we've now made the updating optional. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1436-boards-and-circuits-confirm-update-date-of-inspection.png) # Log file improvements To make is easier to send the log file to our Help Desk, we've added a quick link from the status bar menu. Simples! ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1436-home-screen-status-bar-menu.png) # Emergency lighting inspection changes You can now select blanks in the emergency lighting inspection certificate, and also type values not in the drop-down. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1436-emergency-lighting-inspection-blanks.png) # Other changes and fixes Change: licence files are not applied if they are expired, past activation or activated on another machine. Change: coding values are now shown in preference to FI in the PDFs. Change: moved the agreed with field to the top of the agreed limitations list in the EICR PDF. Change: wiring types can now be set by the user. Change: added connection check to main protective conductors section for EIC and EICR. Change: Added 1 phase 3 wire to EIC and EICR. Change: adjusted soft keyboard to improve entry of circuit details. Fix: dropdown values could not be removed by the user. Fix: dropdown values were not respecting user values removed using older versions. Fix: fixed typo in observation intelligence "to ascertaining" -> "to ascertain". Fix: sending the log file to support failed when there were multiple logs present. Fix: lookups were duplicated when user defined values were added. Fix: spaces were not being entered when the soft keyboard was visible. Fix: crash after cancelling closing a certificate with pending changes. ‌ --- ## Shine Forms 2020.4.1416 - Installer Improvements Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1416/ Date: 2020-09-13 This release makes Shine Forms easier to install and update and adds some changes that are part of the continued perparation for our upcoming Android and iPad tablet apps. # Improved Installer Installing Shine Forms has become a lot easier with the new version. To install Shine Forms you just click the download button and then click to open the downloaded file: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1416-new-download.png) And the Shine Forms installer opens straight away: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1416-installer-new.png) Previously, you had to convince your browser that Shine Forms wasn't going to cause the world to end: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1416-download-keep.png) Then you had to wrestle with Windows SmartScreen and convinve it of the same thing: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1416-protected-run-anyway.png) Much better, we think! # Automated Updates Shine Forms now automatically downloads updates for you. When you open Shine Forms it will tell you that an update is ready to install. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1416-download-ready.png) Just click **Yes** to start insnstalling straight away. Simples! ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1416-installer-new.png) # Cloud Licence Agreement The upcoming Android and iPad tablet apps will upload to and download from Shine Cloud. We are also bringing back storing your Shine Forms certificates on Shine Cloud very shortly. The latest Shine Forms installer includes the necessary online storage sections in the end-user licence agreement. Watch for more announcements here about when cloud storage is ready to start again. # Other Changes and Fixes Other changes and fixes available in this release are: - Change: added result of the inspection field to fire alarm inspection and servicing certificate. - Change: updated max Zs values for 88* OPDs. - Change: Shine Forms now use the Dotnet Framework 4.8 (which shipped with the Windows 10 May 2019 update). - Change: when changing the certificate numbers, recycled certs are ignored. - Change: full error suppression for when WMI isn't running (BIOS, CPU, etc.). - Fix: improved writing of licence files to fix scenarios were the file locking prevents Shine Forms from updating the licence. - Fix: emergency lighting inspection PDF was not showing commissioned date or system duration. - Fix: the installer was not removing Shine Forms data when requested. - Fix: some typos in the intelligence. - Fix: certificate type was always included in the export file name irrespective of the value of the setting controling its use. - Fix: Max Zs 80% value formatting could be influenced by the Windows locale settings. --- ## Shine Forms 2020.3.1390 - Folder Import Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1390/ Date: 2020-07-26 This release add some small new features and contains some fixes for issues in previous versions. The highlights of this release are: - Shine Forms YouTube channel. - Importing certificates from a folder. - Taking notes at a board. - Fixes for usability issues in [Shine Forms' Board Manager](https://youtu.be/jagAv5gRPFk) - Improved memory usage when working with [large certificates](https://youtu.be/G_SsuZdOqaU) The latest version is available for download from our website here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/download](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download) You can also now follow us on Twitter: [@shineforms](https://twitter.com/shineforms) > After you've merged work from a number of other engineers, you can easily check and adjust the supplies. Shine Forms lets you drag and drop or click and select. > > Read more here:[https://t.co/JmX4SV1fgw](https://t.co/JmX4SV1fgw)[pic.twitter.com/AJWoXljzir](https://t.co/AJWoXljzir) > — Shine Forms (@shineforms) [July 20, 2020](https://twitter.com/shineforms/status/1285107359447212032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) # Shine Forms on YouTube We have started to create some online videos showing features of Shine Forms. You can see those on our new YouTube channel here (click a link to view): [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwFjvQ3JUCzwsIS0DG3C-hA](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwFjvQ3JUCzwsIS0DG3C-hA) Merging updates from engineers Currently, the following videos are available: - [Creating a 1,000 board EICR with Shine Forms](https://youtu.be/G_SsuZdOqaU) - [Merging boards and observations into a main certificate](https://youtu.be/4VtWzLVNszg) - [Merging engineer updates into your main certificate](https://youtu.be/F7SdavA6aiY) - [Working with Shine Forms' Board Manager](https://youtu.be/jagAv5gRPFk) - [Working with photos and other documents](https://youtu.be/IhUTf4eR2UQ) We've also updated our documentation to add links to these where relevant, such as here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/merging-certificates/](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/merging-certificates/) # Import From a Folder You can now import certificates from all export files in a folder. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1390-import-from-folder.png) Shine Forms can also filter the files being used by the last modified date. This is particularly useful when multiple engineers are sending updates for a job and your are merging those into the main certificate using [Shine Forms' merge feature](http://127.0.0.1:8000/pirform/merging-certificates/)). Read more in our documentation [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/certificate-sharing/#importing-from-a-folder). # Taking Notes at a Board You can now take notes at a board. This provides an easy way to record things such as details for later works. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1390-board-control-notes.png) These notes do not appear in the issued certificate, but are available to view in the [Circuits and Test Results](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/boards-and-circuits/) and [Board Manager](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/board-manager/). The notes can be exported to Excel so that you can work with them outside of Shine Forms. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1390-board-notes-export.png) Read more in our documentation [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/boards-and-circuits/#notes-at-a-board) and about the Excel export [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/save-to-excel/#exporting-boards-and-circuits-to-excel). # Board Manager Usability Fixes This release includes a number of fixes and changes that improve the usability of the [Board Manager](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/board-manager/). - The Board Manager now allows copying values to blanks for more columns. - The Board manager now immediately shows updated circuits when changing ways on an expanded board. - The Board Manager export icon now shows that you are saving to Excel. - Boards remain selected after moving in the board list view.. - The board list view was not allowing selection of multiple boards. - The board tree view was not always updating the hierarchy after changing supplies. - The board tree view did not correctly print the hierarchy. - The board list view selection column is now wider. # Improved Memory Usage When working with [large certificates](https://youtu.be/G_SsuZdOqaU) and keeping Shine Forms open, the memory usage could increase to unacceptable levels. This has now been fixed. (Previously, closing and re-opening would resolve the issue.) # Other Changes and Fixes Other changes and fixes available in this release are - Change: added the option to start forms maximised. - Change: increased max Zs column width. - Change: increased certificate form width. - Fix: observations for excluded boards were still showing in the PDF. - Fix: some typos in the intelligence. - Fix: blank BS EN value was being held internally and could cause an incorrect max Zs calculation. --- ## Shine Forms 2020.1.1377 - BS 7671 Amendment 1 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1377/ Date: 2020-05-29 This is a small maintenance release that updates the electrical forms to BS 7671:2018 Amendment 1. The highlights of this release are: - EIC, EICR and MW forms are now amended to 2020. - The program now again detects when an updated release is available. You can download the new version from our website here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/download](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download) Our documentation has more details of how to install Shine Forms [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/installing/) and how to get started working with Shine Forms [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/getting-started/). # Changes and fixes Change: can now attach appendices to the domestic fire 2019. Change: circuit grid was recognising values entered from the soft keyboard in tablet mode. Change: max permitted disconnection time lookup values can now be set by the user. Change: added check for new versions to the app menu and the quick link menu. Change: repair facility updated to detect and re-apply intelligence that hasn't been fully applied. Fix: dates were clipping in the fire reports. Fix: references to BS5839:2103 changed to BS5839:2109 in domestic fire alarm 2019 cert. Fix: was not detecting when new versions were available. Fix: engineer selection removed from fire acceptance certification section and spaces for external name and position added. Fix: engineer selection removed from fire acceptance lets the acceptee sign and date the printed certificate. Fix: updating company details or address from certificate details would change the main company address. --- ## Website Updates - Login and Read-Only Forms Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/website-updates-may-2020/ Date: 2020-05-02 We are progressing with our forthcoming apps for iPad and Android and hope to be releasing them later this year. We needed a better login mechanism to support users who will be logging in on the tablet apps. So, we've just updated the website to give it a even better login mechanism and we've also moved forward one stage with the sunsetting of the old online forms. Read on to find out what's changed. ## Login and Registration Changes We have changed to a login mechanism provided by Microsoft in their Azure Cloud and have moved all of your website accounts over into Microsoft Azure. Because of this you will need to reset your password before you log in again for the first time (and only need the first time!). You can read about logging in and regsitering in our documentation here: https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/shine/logging-in/ ### Resetting Your Password You can reset your password by clicking here. ### Why Reset Your Password? The reason you need to reset your password is that, because our last login mechanism was secure and industry standard, we are unable to tell what your passwords are. Therefore, we couldn't move then over into Microsoft Azure! ### Visual Changes To The Login You still enter your email and password in the new login mechanism, but it looks a little different. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/website-updates-may-2020-login-enter-credentials.png) Until everyone has logged in once, we have this landing page to show that you need to reset your password for the first time you login. After clicking the link at the top of the website you'll see the following page. Existing users should click the **Login** button, as shown below. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/website-updates-may-2020-login-landing-page.png) ## Read-Only Online Forms There are also changes to the online forms. When we moved to the 18th Edition, we started sunsetting the online forms by not taking them with us and leaving them as 17th Edition only. We're now taking the next step forward and making the forms read-only. This means you cannot create or change any of your online forms from this point onwards. All of your data is still there and you can still access and download the PDFs. --- ## Shine Forms 2020.1.1356 - Updates For BS 5266 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1356/ Date: 2020-01-09 Announcing improved BS 5266 PDFs, attaching documents and photos to issued BS 5266 certificates and more! The highlights of this release are: - Attach documents and photos as appendices to our BS 5839 fire alarm certificates. - Fire alarm PDFs have been updated. - Fire alarm dwelling certificate updated to BS 5839-6: 2019. - New observations and board reports for Electrical Installation Certificates Electrical Installation Condition Reports. - BS 5266 emergency lighting inspection improvements - Improved control when using your keyboard. You can download the new version from our website here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/download](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download) Our documentation has more details of how to install Shine Forms [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/installing/) and how to get started working with Shine Forms [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/getting-started/). More details, as below. # Attaching Documents and Photos to BS 5266 Certificates You can now attach documents and photos as appendices fire alarm certificates. These will then become embedded into the PDF that is issued. Read more in our documentation [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/photos-and-documents/#working-with-appendices). ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1356-appendix-document-attachment.png) # Updated BS 5839 Fire Alarm PDFs The BS 5839 fire alarm PDFs have been updated to make then visually similar to the electrical and emergency lighting PDFs. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1356-fire-pdf-new.png) # New BS 5839-6: 2019 Fire Alarm Dwelling Certificate We have added a new fire alarm dwelling certificate to BS 5839-6: 2019. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1356-fire-dwelling-2019.png) # BS 5266 Emergency Lighting Inspection Improvements We've made a various improvements to the BS 5266 emergency lighting inspection report: - Titles changed in the PDF: - “Declaration Of Conformity” is now “Declaration Of Conformity For The Inspection & Test” - “Organisation Responsible For The Completion” is now “Organisation Responsible For The Inspection & Test” - The column titles were missing the word "needed". - You can now select engineer names from a list (or just type the name in directly). - The on behalf of field is set automatically when no value is entered. - Added dropdown selection to the test record - Action types changed from addition/modification/comment to safeguarding/rectification. - Fixed fault actions were not being saved to the report. - Fixed date formatting in the PDF. - Fixed unable to select the test type. # New Electrical Observation and Board Reports We have added two new electrical reports to enable printing the observations or the boards and circuits from Electrical Installation Certificates and Electrical Installation Condition Reports (2015 and above). Read more in our documentation [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/saving-to-pdf/#other-report-types). ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1356-other-reports.png) # Improved Keyboard Handling We have improved the keyboard handling as follows: - Schedule item values can be set using shortcut keys. - Schedule items can be navigated using the up and down arrow keys. - N/A, N/V and N-C can be set using shortcut keys Details are in our documentation [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/keyboard-shortcuts/#schedule-items) and [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/keyboard-shortcuts/#multi-select-controls). # Other changes and fixes Change: certificate repair now fixes orphaned intelligence limitations. Change: adjusted formatting of report numbers in the PDF headers. Change: certificate form status messages now show for 5 seconds. Changes: Intelligence updates to make compatible with forthcoming tablet apps. These changes are not visible and affect rules 360, 485, 357, 482, 530, 561, 532 533 534 535, 468 & 528. Change: changed the word "photo" in observation list PDF to "figure" to make consistent with the appendix text. Fix: error when dragging outside of an image when cropping in the image editor. Fix: changing appendix information was not marking the certificate as changed. Fix: error when adding word document to an appendix. Fix: reinstated missing status bar items from certificate form. Fix: was not able to change schedule items from blank to FI. Fix: check box was not visible next to description of premises / other in EIC. Fix: detailed MW only allowed the supply to be set to origin. Fix: supply free text was not appearing in PDFs. Fix: typo in import wizard (Shine Forms incorrectly spelled as "Pirfrom"). Fix: Maximum demand field was missng from EICR 2018. Fix: removed headers from emergency lighting inspection fault record. Fix: improved need for repair and safeguarding text in emergency lighting inspection PDF. Fix: improved some control placements when resizing forms. --- ## Shine Forms 2019.3.1330 - Attach Documents to Certificates Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-2019-3-1330/ Date: 2019-08-28 We are pleased to announce the release of the latest version of Shine Forms. As well as fixes and enhancements, this release contains some major new features: - Attaching documents and photos to certificates as appendices. - BS 5266 Emergency lighting inspection certificate. You can download the new version from our website here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/download](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download) # Attaching Documents and Photos to Certificates All of the latest electrical, fire alarm and emergency lighting certificates allow you to create appendices and attach documents, photos and text to those appendices. As well as photos, you can attach Word documents and any PDF file, such as a certificate that you have issued previously. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2019-3-1330-appendix-document-attachment.png) Once attached to the appendix these become part of the certificate and appear on the PDF and printed version. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2019-3-1330-appendix-preview.png) Read more in our [documentation](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/photos-and-documents/#working-with-appendices). # BS 5266 Emergency Lighting Inspection Certificate You can now create emergency lighting inspection certificates using Shine Forms. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2019-3-1330-emergency-lighting-inspection-form.png) You can find these with the other emergency lighting certificates and you can work with them just the same as you do with all your other certificates. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2019-3-1330-home-screen-emergency-lighting-inspection.png) # Remembering the last location Shine Forms now remembers the last location that you opened when you do things such as import a document to an appendix, attach a photo to an observation or import a certificate from an export file. The next time you do that, Shine Forms will start off at that location. The following locations are remembered separately: - Importing a PEX file. - Loading a photo to an observation or appendix. - Loading a document to an appendix. This is a small and simple usability enhancement that we hope will make your life a little easier! # Inspection status in the Home Screen The status of inspections is now visible from the Home Screen for both electrical and emergency lighting inspections. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2019-3-1330-home-screen-inspection-status.png) # Free text for supplies It was always possible to enter a supply and easily [exclude it from the issued certificate](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/excluding-boards/). You can now also just enter the name of the supply as free text. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2019-3-1330-supply-free-text.png) # Excluding schedule items that are not applicable You can now choose to not show schedule items that are marked as not applicable on the PDF or printed certificate. A notice is shown to indicate that only applicable items are shown and the numbering of the items is the same as if they were all present on the printed certificate. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2019-3-1330-excluded-schedule-items.png) This option is available in the [certificate's options](http://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/options/#certificate-options) ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2019-3-1330-certificate-options-exclude-schedule-items.png) # Wiring and reference type dropdowns The wiring type and reference type dropdowns now show the code as well as the long value. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2019-3-1330-wiring-reference-drop-downs.png) # Intelligence updates We have made the following updates to the intelligence for new 2018 electrical certificates, as follows: - Added new intelligence to detect high installation earth electrode values, as per regulation 542.2.4. - Removed additional Zs rules for TT systems that are covered by existing intelligence, as per the requirements in Section 41. (Rules 530-535) - Updated the ring detection in cable selection intelligence. - TT systems with RCD current 30 in checks for OPD BS of 61008 as well as 61009, as per Table 41.5. (Rule 531) - Updated intelligence for OPD selection for 1.5mm cable with respect to table 41DA . (Rule 336) # Adjusted layout of the EIC The layout of the EIC has been adjusted by adding tabbed sections to the details of the installation, for design and particulars of signatories sections. This makes the the form more compact and reduce scrolling. (Plus, you can now also enter the occupier's name which was previously missing!) ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2019-3-1330-adjusted-eic-layout.png) # Support improvements This release incorporates some improvements relating to how the software is supported. These include simplifications to the process of restoring backups when moving machine, including the last archived log file when the program sends logs and improvements to the data repair facility to cover situations where the database has been damaged. # Other changes and fixes New: schedule items can be copied when creating a certificate from an existing one. Change: certificate repair now repairs missing wiring type, reference method and OPD values in circuits. Change: photo location now defaults to the observation location unless set by the user. Change: fixed incorrect year 2018 showing in the in 2015 EIC. Change: improved the experience of using the supply selection tool. Change: swapped max permitted Zs and RCD current fields in the EIC and EICR PDFs to match the order in the main form. Change: Added method of measurement to particulars of installation in EIC PDF. Change: EIC and EICR earthing arrangement fields now appear in PDF in the same order as in the main form. Change: Added maximum demand to nature of supply parameters in EIC PDF. Change: Added number of supplies to nature of supply parameters in EIC and EICR PDF. Change: adjusted export to spreadsheet icons. Fix: max zs values were not showing the second decimal place in the PDF. Fix: Ctrl + 5 was not going to boards and circuits. Fix: main switch RCD time delay in the EIC was not showing on the PDF. Fix: circuit copy/paste for wiring type, reference method and OPD BS was not setting the values. Fix: the user comment against a schedule item's observation or limitation was lost when adjusting the coding. Fix: observation photo values were lost when setting the location of an observation photo by pasting from right-click and then going to print preview. Fix: confirmation of supply polarity and phase sequence confirmed was showing numbers not text against boards in the PDF. Fix: result of inspection in lighting PDF was showing numbers instead of text. Fix: better alignment for circuit number field. Fix: typo in "appropriate" in EL certificates. Fix: typo in schedule item C.4. --- ## Shine Forms 2019.2.1292 - Simplified Minor Works Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1292/ Date: 2019-03-14 We are pleased to announce the release of the lastest version of Shine Forms. This release adds a simplified version of the minor works certificate as well as the automatic exports producing the circuit chart where relevant. There are also improvements to the handling of photos and some "under the hood" simplifications to the reporting engine as we prepare for the tablet versions later in the year. We've also been improving our documentation by moving some of our Help Desk articles to our documentation area. Take a look [here](http://docs.shineforms.co.uk). As ever, you can download this from our website here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/download](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download) # Simplified minor works certificate We have added a simplified minor works certificate for smaller works. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1292-simplified-mw.png) The previous one that records additional details for reporting on works in larger installations is still available and can be accessed by clicking **Additional Details** in the ribbon. You can select the option you prefer as your default in [Shine Forms Options](http://docs.shineforms.co.uk/#/pirform/options?id=pirform-options): ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1292-pirform-options-mw-additional-details.png) # Circuit charts in automatic export Shine Forms now produces circuit charts for EICRs and EICs when it automatically exports your certificate after making changes and when you [refresh exports](http://docs.shineforms.co.uk/#/pirform/saving-to-pdf?id=create-a-pdf-from-the-home-screen) from the Home Screen. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1292-refresh-exports.png) *Auto export is Premium Edition only. Lite Edition users still need to create circuit charts from [Print Preview](http://docs.shineforms.co.uk/#/pirform/saving-to-pdf?id=creating-circuit-charts).* # Expand collapse is easier to find You've always been able to collapse and expand sections in Shine Forms by double clicking the heading or clicking on the far right of the heading. There used to be a arrow icon at the right of the section header, but that went astray. In this release, it's come back! ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1292-expand-collapse.png) # Improved dropdowns We have reduced some of the clutter in the OPD dropdowns. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1292-simplified-opd.png) Which is clearer than the previous version: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1292-previous-opd.png) If you prefer the previous version, you can swap back using ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1292-pirform-options-show-simplified-opd.png) You can also now configure the number of rows shown in dropdowns. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1292-pirofrm-options-dropdown-rows.png) # Photo improvements The way the photos work has been polished a little. This includes things like remembering the last selected photo when you move away and a number of fixes for text that would not appear on the PDF and a crash during auto save after a new photo was added. # Improved column sizing in test schedule The sizing behaviour of circuit and test columns has been improved. The column size has been increased and when you expand the width of the certificate the designation now grows to use all the available width. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1292-circuit-designation-resizing.png) # Other changes Here is the list of other changes and fixes that are in this release. Change: moved the operating current control in the MW 2018. Change: improved handling of circuit voltage field. Change: MW 2018 associated certificate details now only print when entered. Change: updated intelligence for TNCS cable sizing with reference to table 54.8 (rule 334). Change: errors when auto exporting are now reported and do not close the program. Change: schedule items 7.10, 8.14 and 8.15 are now subheadings in the EIC 2018. Change: can now show code values in reference and wiring type dropdowns. Change: simplifications to the reporting engine. Fix: the words "years" or "months" were missing from age of installation and age of alterations in EICR PDF. Fix: test button operation was not displaying correctly in the PDF. Fix: removed duplicated entries in some lookup lists. Fix: setting all items to PASS in the Schedule Item Manager was setting headings. Fix: polarity check was not showing correctly in the MW 2018 PDF. Fix: fixed typo "minerall" insulated cables. --- ## Shine Forms 2019.2.1272 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1272/ Date: 2019-01-26 We are pleased to announce the release of the latest version of Shine Forms. This release includes new pre-release support for EICs, improvements to the inspection schedules for EICRs and EICs and a number of other fixes and improvements, in particular to the 2018 MW. ***Update:** 2019.2.1272 was not allowing boards to be excluded from 2018 EICs and EICRs, which is now fixed in 2019.2.1274.* # Pre-release EICs Shine Forms now has direct support for pre-release electrical installation certificates. You can mark an EIC as a pre-release certificate in [certificate options](http://docs.shineforms.co.uk/#/pirform/options?id=certificate-options). Certificate options showing pre-release This will enable entering and reporting of observations in the EIC. Pre-release observations And the certificate is given a watermark to identify it as a pre-release version. Pre-release watermark # Improved schedule items We have improved the way you view and work with schedule items in the EIC and EICRs. We now show items that are sub-headings. Schedule item subheadings You can now also see the item numbers right next to the code, making it easier to track the item you are working on. Schedule item numbering on the right # Other updates, changes and fixes New: MW 2018 PDF now shows description of the premises. New: EIC schedule item sections A-D added (available when experimental features in [Shine Forms Options](http://docs.shineforms.co.uk/#/pirform/options?id=pirform-options) is on). New: can now copy an observation when working in board observations. Copy board observation New: EICR 2018 now allows recording of the extent of sampling and the reason for the next inspection time interval. New fields Change redundant lookups removed (supply OPD type and OPD nominal current rating). Change: removed duplicated values in OPD rating lookup. Change: increased column widths in circuits and test results. Change: increased certificate form width. Change: Zs value in Part 3 was incorrectly showing board Zs. Change: date of works now shown in MW 2018. Fix: circuit details header was not printing if only one circuit printed on the last page. Fix: combination of increasing number of ways and then merging all circiuts caused a crash when previewing. Fix: photos imported along with certs. Fix: pressing delete on circuit voltage now clears the value. FIx: circuit polarity and test button operation again shows pass before fail when clicked. Fix: certificate number missing from lighthing PDFs. Fix: insulation resistance PE now copied when creating from EIC/EICR. Fix: fixed bad report formatting (use of ExpressionBinding instead of DataBindings). Fix: circuit clear data now clears voltage and AFDD test button values. Fix: setting and clearing circuit AFDD caused NO to show in PDF. Fix: lighting PDFs did not respect colour selection. Fix: limitations were not showing correctly in PDF for EICR 2015 and 2018. Fix: EIC 2018 was always showing 2 phase 3 wire selected in PDF. Fix: can now create EIC and MW 2018 can be created from 2015 versions. Fix: MW circuit conductor CPC lookup control was not working. Fix: default selection for new certificate changed to EICR 2018. --- ## Shine Forms 2019.1.1251 - Attaching Photos and BS 5839-1:2017 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1251/ Date: 2018-12-20 We are pleased to announce the immediate availability of a new version of Shine Forms. Highlights of this release include the BS 7671:2018 electrical forms, BS 5839-1:2017 fire alarm forms as well as being able to attach photos to EICRs. You can get this from our download page here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/download](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/) Read on for more details. # BS 7671 18th Edition This version has all the changes to the electrical forms in accordance with the new 18th Edition of BS 7671. These changes have also been available since September in our [pre-release version](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/18th-edition-pre-release/18th-edition-pre-release.md). ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1251-18th-minor-works.png) # Fire alarm for BS 5839-1:2017 and BS 5839-6:2013 The changes to the latest fire alarm certificates to BS 5839-1 as well as bringing back the domestic certificate from BS 5839-6. Again, these have been available since September in our [pre-release version](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/18th-edition-pre-release/18th-edition-pre-release.md). # Attaching photos to EICR observations You can now attach photos to EICRs which will be printed in the issued certificate and which are referenced against the observations. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1251-observation-photos.png) You can add a title and details against each photo and these will also be printed in the issued certificate. You can also set whether to show the photos in large, medium or small format in the issued certificate. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1251-images-appendix-small.png) Lastly, you can also edit the photo directly inside Shine Forms by rotating or cropping it to make it appear as you want in the issued certificate. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1251-image-editor.png) # Cleaner certificate tree. We have tidied the appearence of the certificates in the main form to make it appear cleaner and easier to read. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1251-cleaner-tree.png) # Removed support for old versions of Windows Windows Vista, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 are no longer supported by Microsoft. This version will not install on those versions of Windows. This version also requires a Windows component called the Dotnet Framework 4.7.1. This is already installed on any updated Windows 10 machine and our installer will prompt you to install if that is not already on your system. # Usability and stability This version also includes changes that make the program even easier to use and run even smoother than before. These include the following: New: now calculates the max Zs values when creating a new cert from an older version. New: added configurations elements to allow adjusting the default file names for exported certificates. Change: improved the automatic value setting for supply AC/DC fields. Change: certificate repair has been improved to make orphaned intelligence observations able to be removed by the user. Change: errors during auto save are reported subtly and no longer stop you working. Change: certificate window is wider when first opened. Change: you can now enter own values for circuit conductor live. Change: certificate repair now repairs EICs with incorrect schedule items. Fix: this version should address out of memory errors that caused the program to close. Fix: the schedule item control now shows the first item when first opened. Fix: the engineer control used to clear the display when the mouse hovered over it. Fix: scroll bars were not showing automatically for short screens on circuit and test page. On top of these there is a new experimental feature to allow importing export files from a folder. # Tags and Multiselect in board manager list view In the list view in Board Manager you can now select more than one board at a time. The available actions, such as Delete Board will act on all the selected boards. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1251-multi-select-boards.png) You can also put one or more text markers called "tags" against each board and use that to select the boards that have or don't have those markers. This feature will be added to circuits in a future release. # Other changes Other changes in this release include: Change: added text "BS (EN)" to MW protected device for the modified circuit. Fix: typo in report heading in EIC 2015 and 2018. Fix: EIC observations were not showing in reports and the setting could not be changed at the certificate level. Fix: corrective action now included when exporting devaitions for emergency lighting certificates. Fix: changing inspection engineer in EIC after setting construction engineer would make unwanted change to the construction engineer. --- ## Attaching Photos to EICRs Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/photos-in-eicrs/ Date: 2018-09-28 Starting with our new 18th edition EICRs, you can use Shine Forms to attach photos to Electrical Installation Condition Reports. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/photos-in-eicrs-observation-photos.png) Highlights of this new feature include: - Attaching one or more photos to EICR observations. - Capturing details relating to each photo such as location and description. - Editing photos directly in Shine Forms. - Printing the photos in an automatically generated appendix in the EICR PDF. - Automatically adding references to photos in the appendix inside each observation in the PDF. There is a pre-release available now and we expect to release this fully in October. Read our last blog post for information about how to download this pre-release and details for using it: **GHOST_URL**/18th-edition-pre-release/ # Attaching Photos To attach photos to an observation, select the observation, click Attach Photos and select the images. Drag and drop will be coming soon! The image title will be read from the name of the photo file and the date taken and location populated from the image's properties. Shine Forms stores a copy of your image and removed image property data from the stored copy. You can change the information against the image, such as title, location, etc., as needed. # Editing Photos Either double-click the photo, or clock Edit Photo in the robbon to open the Shine Forms Photo Editor. The Shine Forms Image Editor lets you rotate photos and show the relevant parts of an image by cropping. Drag over an area with your mouse and it will change the image to show only the area selected or just reduce the size of the photo. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/photos-in-eicrs-image-editor.png) You can click Reset to Original to change back to the original image before you started editing. Just click Save to return to the list of observations with your adjusted photo. # Photos in PDFs Shine Forms automatically collates the photos into an appendix in the EICR PDF. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/photos-in-eicrs-images-appendix-small.png) Shine Forms automatically adds references to the photos in the appendix against the observation so that the client can easily find the photos. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/photos-in-eicrs-image-references-in-pdf.png) Shine Forms lets you print photos in three sizes: small, medium and large. These will print 3, 2 and 1 columns in the photo appendix, respectively. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/photos-in-eicrs-images-appendix-medium.png) You can control this setting for each certificate from the [Certiciate Options](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/#/pirform/options) and you can set your default preference from [Shine Forms Options](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/#/pirform/options). ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/photos-in-eicrs-certificate-options-image-sizes.png) --- ## BS 7671 18th Edition and BS 5389-1:2017 Pre-release Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/18th-edition-pre-release/ Date: 2018-09-16 We are pleased to announce the availability of a pre-release version of the new electrical and fire alarm forms. This release contains the Electrical Installation Certificate, Electrical Installation Condition Report and the Minor Works Certificate for the 18th edition version of BS 7671 as well as updates for our fire alarm forms to BS 5389-1:2017. We are in the final stages of work and expect to release this fully in October. In the meantime, we are making a pre-release version available so that you can take a look at the changes before the final release. As this is a pre-release version, please read the following caveats to make sure it fits your scenario: - Pre-release versions are still being tested and you may find some things don't work as expected. - Shine Forms will not import certificates that were exported by a later version. So, if you export from the pre-release version you will need to use the pre-release version (or later) to import those. That said, the 2015 electrical and 2013 fire alarm forms are unchanged and you can continue to use those as before. You can also install this version on a machine without a licence and use it in trial mode. The installer is available here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/download/prerelease](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/prerelease) Please also note that **this version will not run on Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and Windows Vista**. This is because these operating systems are no longer supported by Microsoft. Along with the new forms, the following changes are included in this version: New: now calculates max Zs values when creating a new cert from an older one. Change: added text "BS (EN)" to MW protected device for the modified circuit. Change: can now enter own values for circuit conductor live. Change: Shine Forms will now report any errors during the auto-save in the certificate and will not close the program. Change: certificate repair now repairs EICs with incorrect schedule items. Fix: corrective action now included when exporting devaitions for emergency lighting certificates. Fix: this version hopes to address the spurious out of memory errors that some users have experienced. Fix: schedule item control now shows the first item in the list when first opened. Fix: changing inspection engineer in EIC after setting construction engineer would make unwanted change to the construction engineer. Fix: engineer control display text was cleared after mouse hover. Fix: scroll bars were not showing automatically for short screens on circuit and test page. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/18th-edition-pre-release-18th-pre-release.png) --- ## End of Support for Windows 8 and 8.1 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/win-8-end-of-support/ Date: 2018-08-30 The Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 operating systems are no longer supported by Microsoft. This means that it is not safe or secure to use as it will not receive any more security patches from Microsoft. You can read more on Mocrosoft's website here: [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/18581/lifecycle-faq-windows-products](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/18581/lifecycle-faq-windows-products) The last version of Shine Forms that will install on Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 is Shine Forms 2018.1.1200. Future versions will require Windows 7 or Windows 10. Any customers still using Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 should upgrade now to a more recent version of Windows. --- ## End of Support for Windows Vista Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/vista-end-of-support/ Date: 2018-03-09 The Windows Vista operating system is no longer supported by Microsoft. This means that it is not safe or secure to use as it will not receive any more security patches from Microsoft. You can read more on Mocrosoft's website here: [https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/22882/windows-vista-end-of-support](https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/22882/windows-vista-end-of-support) The last version of Shine Forms that will install on Windows Vista is Shine Forms 2018.1.1200. Future versions will require Windows 7 or later. Any customers still using Windows Vista should upgrade now to a more recent version of Windows. --- ## Changes in 18th Edition of BS 7671 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/changes-in-bs-7671-2018/ Date: 2018-03-04 The IET have now released a list of the changes coming along in the lastest version of BS 7671. Read about these and download a document of the changes from the IET website here: [https://electrical.theiet.org/wiring-regulations/18th-changes.cfm](https://electrical.theiet.org/wiring-regulations/18th-changes.cfm) ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/changes-in-bs-7671-2018-WuTMxwe.jpg) --- ## Shine Forms 2018.1.1200 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1200/ Date: 2018-03-03 This release brings the ability exclude boards from the PDF and introduces the ability customers to integrate Shine Forms with their own IT systems and use Shine Forms as part of their automated engineer workflows. ## Excluding Boards from the PDF Shine Forms now allows you to exclude boards in EICRs and EICs from the PDF. To exclude boards, open the Board Manager and mark the board for exclusion. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1200-8lEkJh4.png) Excluded boards don't appear in the PDF. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1200-hq5sRB7.png) When a board is excluded, any intelligence associated with the board or its circuits will be suppressed automatically. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1200-B7ojyb6.png) If you have already suppressed some intelligence at a board, Shine Forms will remember this and leave it suppressed once you include the board again. ## Shine Forms API and Shine Forms Jobs These changes are only visible in Shine Forms if your company is using these features. If you are interested in integrating Shine Forms with your existing IT systems and automating your engineer workflows, please contact our helpdesk: [support@shineforms.co.uk](mailto:support@shineforms.co.uk). The Shine Forms Public API allows you to automate the creation and management of jobs, tasks and forms. Here is the summary from the API documentation: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1200-FeNQI6w.png) Jobs and forms (such as EICs or EICRs) that are assigned to engineers will automatically appear in their copy of Shine Forms. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1200-R7GZDo8.png) ## Other Changes and Fixes - Change: wiring type codes now shown in EIC and EICR PDFs. - Change: allowed user-defined values for installation earth electrode measurement method. - Fix: improved the layout for certificate observations in tablet mode. - Fix: corrected use of the word "design" in EIC inspection and testing declaration. - Fix: intelligence control reasons list was not clearing old values. - Fix: intelligence changes dialog was poorly sized in tablet mode. - Fix: now shows the correct attached forms after job refresh. --- ## Shine Forms 2017.3.1185 - Fixes and internal changes Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1185/ Date: 2017-07-29 This release contains a few fixes and a number of internal changes. The internal changes are not visible and are there to enable work to continue on features that will be released later in the year. Fix: Emergency lighting report titles now have "Installation" at the end. Fix: Primary supply short circuit capacity now shown in EIC and EICR PDFs. Fix: Column header out of alignment in circuits header on EIC and EICR PDFs. Fix: Circuit test results now select values when entered via tab key. Fix: Emergency lighting large design engineer can now be individually specified. Fix: Emergency lighting large deviations now show in PDF. Fix: Print preview was not scrolling smoothly and was missing scroll bars. Fix: Blank page was printed in fire alarm H7 when overflow page was shown. Fix: Fix for "mapper not found" errors. --- ## BS 7671:2018 Draft for Public Comment Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/bs-7671-2018-draft-for-public-comment/ Date: 2017-06-19 The Draft for Public Comment (DPC) for BS 7671:2018 is now available. Have your say and influence the proposed content of the 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/bs-7671-2018-draft-for-public-comment-WuTMxwe.jpg) The DPC is your chance to see the proposed content ahead of publication and put forward your views to JPEL/64, the technical committee responsible for BS 7671. This is your opportunity to have your say about the IET Wiring Regulations. #### How to comment The process is simple. Visit the BSI webpage for the DPC, sign up with your email address and access the document. You can add your comments to each Regulation as you go through, saving them as you go. As long as you’ve saved your comments you can leave and come back to it at a later date. Once finished you can submit your comments, ready for discussion by JPEL/64. If a comment is saved you can return and change it, as long as you haven’t already submitted it. Please note: comments can only be considered if accompanied by a proposal for improvement/change. You will be unable to comment via the BSI system if a proposal for improvement/change is not provided. You have until 23rd August 2017 to submit your comments. After this date, the DPC period closes and no more comments are accepted. JPEL/64 will discuss all submitted comments over the following months and make final decisions before BS 7671:2018 is published, expected to be July 2018. #### What’s changing? The DPC for BS 7671:2018 contains many completely revised and redrafted sections, chapters and regulations. An entirely new area (Part 8, Section 801) is proposed, encompassing requirements for energy efficiency. An overview of the proposed changes is included in the introduction to the DPC, providing a summary of some of the key amendments and new content. Have your say on the DPC now - visit the IET's website here: [https://electrical.theiet.org/bs-7671/](https://electrical.theiet.org/bs-7671/) --- ## Shine Forms 2017.2.1146 - Tablet Mode and Emergency Lighting Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1146/ Date: 2017-04-30 This release brings two big changes to Shine Forms: Windows 10 tablet mode and the new emergency lighting forms to BS 5266-1:2016. Along with these there are a other exciting new features such as adding your own OPD devices and RDC currents, changing the company address for individual circuits, printing observations in order of severity, improvements to the circuit reordering and the ability to turn off drag and drop. All this along with some fixes. ## Windows 10 Tablet Mode We have added a mode to Shine Forms that makes it possible to use Shine Forms without a keyboard or mouse on Windows 10 tablet devices, such as such as the [Surface from Microsoft](https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/surface) and [Mix by Lenovo](https://www.lenovo.com/gb/en/laptops/ideapad/miix-series/c/ideapad-miix-series). Shine Forms tablet mode adjusts the spacing between the controls to make is suitable for use by touch and also adds an onscreen keyboard for inputting values. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1146-mTWVJxw.png) Read more about this mode in our documentation [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/tablet-mode/) ## Emergency Lighting to BS 5266-1:2016 We have added the emergency lighting forms from the latest regulations for both large and small installations. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1146-VCZYQPw.png) ## User defined OPD BS and RCD operating currents For situations where you need to enter values that are not in the program, you can add these in the Dropdown List Manager. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1146-wbrqtHK.png) ## Change company address per certificate You can now adjust the company address for an individual certificates. You can do this from [Certificate Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/pirform-options/), as well as the logos used for that certificate: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1146-7A7snxB.png) ## Report observations in severity order Observations can now be presented in order of severity on the PDF reports. The following setting controls that for all certificates: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1146-xNeCQhI.png) You can also set this for individual certificates from the certificate options: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1146-NLIlfEp.png) **Note:** if you want to install an earlier version of Shine Forms, then you will need to set this feature back to *Board Order* for both the main options and any certs that have used this setting. ## Improved circuit moving You can now move circuits up and down inside a three phase group without changing the board back to single phase. When you want to move a three phase group up or down, select the top or bottom circuit respectively and the whole group will move up or down. ## Turn off drag and drop There are settings in [Shine Forms Options](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/options/) that let you turn off dragging and dropping for both circuits and boards. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1146-be6aTU0.png) ## Fixes - Association logos set against the certificate were not showing on the circuit chart. - Optional schedule section headings were not shown in PDF. - Shine Forms website now shown on the bottom of the fire alarm and emergency light --- ## Shine Forms 2017.1.1105 - Schedule Item Comments Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1105/ Date: 2017-02-18 A new version of Shine Forms was released on 18th February, 2017. Changes in this version include the ability to add comments against an item in the schedule. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1105-XI1rmSm.png) Any comments entered are shown directly under the schedule item in the PDF: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1105-BMlPbR7.png) We have also made the layout of the main switch controls is now consistent across the EIC and the EICR. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1105-BZBEnn9.png) The full list of changes and fixes are as follows: New: comments can now be entered against schedule items in EIC and EICR. New: clearing engineers in Board Manager now also clears their instruments. Change: can no longer copy circuits between three phase and non-three phase boards. Change: main switch controls consistent across EIC and EICR. Change: measured operating time entry available in EIC main switch. Change: comments and locations from schedule item observations are now copied over when creating a 2015 EIC/EICR from a 2011 EIC/EICR. Change: added area to specify other extraneous bonding to both EIC and EICR. Change: added associated cert and observation fields to MW PDF. Fix: corrected a typo in MW 2015 PDF ("protected device" has been changed to "protective device"). Fix: can now enter values for other sources of supply in EIC and EICR. Fix: error when changing cert number with large number of pending intelligence evaluations (collection changed error). Fix: occasional errors when the program was asked to copy information to the clipboard. Fix: current rating was not appearing in the EICR PDF. Fix: error when merging a board without a designation. Fix: error after clicking next when a filter was applied in the certificate merge wizard. Fix: error when creating PDF if there were blank values present in the list. *This release is dedicated to the memory of Derek Gordon Wickes, a good man who cared and who always kept pushing forwards.* --- ## Shine Forms 2017.1.1089 - Better Circuit and Board Handling Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1089/ Date: 2016-11-12 A new version of Shine Forms was released on 12th November, 2016. Changes in this version include new features to allow copying of circuits to other boards and enhancements to the board manager to make it easier to adjust the board engineers. The fire alarm and minor works certificates have been adjusted, along with R1+R2 and R2 fields being brought back into the minor works. Medical facility disconnection times have been added along with enhancements to automatically repair faults found in certificates that would previously have caused the program to show an error. The program also now has a new splash screen. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1089-Z9H5LOM.png) New: new splash screen. New: can now copy circuits to other boards (see [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/boards-and-circuits/#copying-boards-and-circuits/) for details). New: board manager now allows clearing of engineers and copying current engineer to blanks. New: automatic certificate repair when copying or creating a new cert. Change: removed H8 fire alarm dwelling cert (still available with experimental features setting). Change: added zone plan and EIC present to FA acceptance certificate. Change: added R1+R2 and R2 fields to MW. Change: adjusted layout of printed MW report. Change: moved max permissible Zs into the protective device section in the MW. Change: now continues silently when finding an orphan board or circuit when composing a new certificate. Change: Changed name of setting in certificate details to match main Shine Forms options ("sync values with supply circuits"). Change: added medical facility disconnection times. Change: removed unused setting to suppress intelligence. Change: changes to intelligence now shown whilst intelligence manager is open. Change: report continuation pages can now grow to greater than one page. Fix: fixed incorrect references to section 2 in fire alarm H2 and H3 PDFs. Fix: removed MW earth fault loop field. Fix: fire alarm continuation sheets now print correctly. Fix: removed the second '&' characters in H6 title Fix: FA inspection report text not overflowing correctly. Fix: Typo in MW ("premittted"). Fix: fixed error when creating certs from other certs caused by pre-existing defective data in certificate (PIR-21). Fix: added locking to prevent conflicts when creating images during auto save. Fix: EIC risk assessment was not shown on PDF. Fix: potential fix for index error when upgrading certificate and reapplying intelligence. Fix: removed incorrectly placed word "design" from EIC 2015. Fix: removed additional logos next to addresses in fire alarm PDFs. Fix: fixed crash caused by having more than one internal company. Fix: corrected text in 2013 fire alarm certificates that referred to 2002. Fix: board signature in reports was taken from main certificate. Fix: was not detecting Dropbox folder for Dropbox version 2.8 or above. --- ## Updated Help Center Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/updated-help-centre/ Date: 2016-09-13 We have updated our online Help Center to use a clearer, less cluttered view and to make it easier to use. You can access articles giving help and support, as well as view your help tickets - and all from one place on the web. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/updated-help-centre-okgTaYN.png) Search shows matching articles as you type: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/updated-help-centre-f7KitGX.png) Or press Enter to go to a list of matches: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/updated-help-centre-x7hGT5i.png) Articles are presented in a clean and easy to read layout: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/updated-help-centre-N2omffG.png) --- ## Shine Forms 2016.2.1057 - Maintenance Release Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1057/ Date: 2016-07-03 A new version of Shine Forms for BS 7671 Amendment 3 was released on 03rd July 2016. This is a maintenance release and contains a number of fixes, and also brings Zs fields into the Minor Works 2015. Shine Forms has also been updated to 3.0.355 to add the Minor Works reports corresponding to the changes to Shine Forms. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1057-max-zs-fix.png) Change: permissible and measured Zs now shown in MW 2015 report. Change: U0 value now available in EIC 2015 and EICR 2015. Change: maximum demand value now available in EIC 2015. Change: improved layout of EICR conductors and main switch controls. Change: links are now opened in the default browser. Fix: circuit values were not shown in MW 2015 circuit charts. Fix: changed use of "design" in EIC 2015 construction details section. Fix: rated and measured RCD time fields were reversed in EIC and EICR reports. Fix: added RCD measured operating time to EICR. Fix: additional supplies was same as number of supplies, is now one less. Fix: EIC earth electrode value was not showing on PDF. Fix: after creating one cert and setting schedule item values the schedule item values were shown in a new cert. Fix: EIC 2011 was not creating observations for schedule items. Fix: now removes observations from schedule items --- ## Shine Forms 2016.1.1043 - New Fire Alarm Certs Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1043/ Date: 2016-04-17 A new version of Shine Forms for BS 7671 Amendment 3 was released on 17th April 2016. This release brings back the new fire alarm certs for BS 5839-1:2013. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1043-eQMMFXE.png) New: fire alarm 2013 reports added. New: fire alarm commissioning now shows whether copy of specification given. New: added schedule reset option to certificate repair. New: observations and limitations that will not be printed in the PDF are shown in italic and strike-through. Change: board supplies now shown in 2015 circuit chart. Fix: copying certificate and removing test results fixes schedule items with coding unable to be changed. Fix: certificate repair fixes schedule items with coding unable to be changed. Fix: suppressed observations were counted in the number of observations on the EICR. Fix: certificate location in amendment 3 EICR observations was not always correct in PDF. Fix: print circuit chart with main report now setting works for 2015 reports. Fix: do not print guidance notes setting now works for 2015 reports. Fix: blank observations and limitations are no longer shown in the PDF. --- ## Shine Forms 2016.1.1032 - Installer Improvements Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1032/ Date: 2016-01-30 A new version of Shine Forms for BS 7671 Amendment 3 was released on 30th January 2016. This release contains the following changes: Change: simplified installation of .NET Framework 4.6. Change: board and circuit designations show details of supplied boards in PDFs. Download the latest installer from [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/). Read about installing in our documentation [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/installing/). --- ## Shine Forms 2016.1.1029 - Maintenance Release Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1029/ Date: 2016-01-23 A new version of Shine Forms for BS 7671 Amendment 3 was released on 23rd January 2016. This release focuses on fixing issues caused by pre-release versions prior to 1023 and contains: Change: improved certificate repair feature. Change: additional extra logging to trace error with intelligence. Fix: import, repair and convert caused a crash. Download the latest installer from [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download). Read about installing in our documentation [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/installing). --- ## Shine Forms 2016.1.1023 - EIC and EICR Improvements Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1023/ Date: 2015-12-20 A new version of Shine Forms for BS 7671 Amendment 3 was released on 20th December 2015. This release contains: Change: added supply conductors material and CSA to EIC and EICR PDF. Change: removed protective measures against electric shock from EIC and EICR. Change: removed key for EICR codes from EIC PDF inspection schedule header. Fix: now correctly selects engineers with the same name in different companies. Fix: inconsistent alignment in EIC PDF engineer name. Download the latest installer from here. Read about installing in our documentation here. --- ## Shine Forms 2016.1.1017 - Amendment 3 PDFs Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-1017/ Date: 2015-12-13 A new version of Shine Forms for BS 7671 Amendment 3 was released on 13th December 2015. This release brings back the PDF generation into the desktop program. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1017-JgdBcnk.png) One thing to note is that the release requires the Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6.1 to be installed on your computer. If that's not already present, the Shine Forms installer will download and install that from the Microsoft site. Alternatively, you can download and install it from Microsoft yourself. Read more here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/installing/](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/installing/) Update: 2016.1.1019 released on 14th Dec 2015 to fix schedule FI items not loading correctly. --- ## Shine Forms 2015 PDFs: Release Candidate 3 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-2015-pdf-rc3/ Date: 2015-11-22 A third release candidate of Shine Forms with 2015 PDFs is now available from our website (2106.1.1008). This release builds on the last release and adds a number improvements from user feedback. As ever, before installing make sure to read what's new and different in our last posts: [http://blog.shineforms.co.uk/pirform-2015-pdf-rc2](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/pirform-2015-pdf-rc2/pirform-2015-pdf-rc2.md) [http://blog.shineforms.co.uk/pirform-2015-pdf-rc1](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/pirform-2015-pdf-rc1/pirform-2015-pdf-rc1.md) The latest release candidate can be downloaded from here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/pirformrc](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/pirformrc) Fix: added main switch location to EIC. Fix: corrected typos in reports. Fix: removed old 1 phase 3 wire from EIC. Fix: added fuse rating setting to EIC. Fix: report colours were not respected in local PDFs. Fix: errors when creating 2015 EIC from 2011 EICR. Fix: schedule items now visible in PDF. ###### Update 29th November 2016 An updated version (2016.1.1010) is now available that contains the following fix: Fix: schedule items that were meant to be excluded were showing in the PDF. --- ## Shine Forms 2015 PDFs: Release Candidate 2 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-2015-pdf-rc2/ Date: 2015-11-18 A second release candidate of Shine Forms with 2015 PDFs is now available from our website. This release fixes problems with showing schedule items in PDFs and errors when creating a certificate from another certificate. Make sure to read what's new and different in our last post: [http://blog.shineforms.co.uk/pirform-2015-pdf-rc1](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/pirform-2015-pdf-rc1/pirform-2015-pdf-rc1.md) You can download the latest release candidate from here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/pirformrc](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/pirformrc) ###### Update Another version (2016.1.1005) is now available that also includes: Fix: report colours were not respected in local PDFs. Fix: errors when creating 2015 EIC from 2011 EICR. --- ## Shine Forms 2015 PDFs: Release Candidate 1 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-2015-pdf-rc1/ Date: 2015-11-13 A new release candidate of Shine Forms is now available from our website. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1468-import-drag-drop.gif) ### What's new Shine Forms 2016.1.1000 allows the amendment 3 PDFs to be generated on the computer that Shine Forms is running on and without needing to be uploaded. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2015-pdf-rc1-JgdBcnk.png) Remember that this is a "release candidate", which means it's a version of the program that is *nearly* ready to be released. It is still being tested and you *may find that some things do not work as reliably as expected*. ### What's different This version of Shine Forms requires the Microsoft .NET Framework 4.6 to be installed on your computer. If it is not already found, the Shine Forms installer will download and install that for you. You can also install this manually yourself. Read more in our documentation here: [docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/installing](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/installing/) #### Where can I get it? You can download the latest release candidate from here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/pirformrc](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/pirformrc) --- ## Shine Forms 2015.2.992 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-992/ Date: 2015-10-27 A new version of Shine Forms for BS 7671 Amendment 3 was released on 25th October 2015. This is a maintenance release to fix some issues with the [last release](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-bs7671-amendment-3). This release contains: New: can now add watermarks to uploaded 2015 PDFs from Shine Forms. Fix: corrected some typos in the lookups. Fix: schedule manager would crash for 2015 certificates. Download the latest installer from here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/download](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download) Read more in our documentation here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/) --- ## Shine Forms for BS 7671 amendment 3 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-bs7671-amendment-3/ Date: 2015-10-18 ### Shine Forms for BS7671 amendment 3 I am pleased to announce that Shine Forms for BS7671 amendment 3 is now available. ![Imgur](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-bs7671-amendment-3-oqXpCoc.png) #### What's new ###### New format EIC, EICR and MW The main change is the new amendment 3 versions of the Electrical Installation Condition Report, Electrical Installation Certificate and Minor Works Certificate are now included in Shine Forms. ###### New format max Zs and schedule items The 2015 forms in Shine Forms work the same way as the 2011 forms did, and now have the new amendment 3 max Zs values and schedule items. ###### Copying schedule items When you create a 2015 form from another form, Shine Forms will carry across as many of the schedule items of the source certificate as possible. If there are schedule items in the new certificate that habe the same number and whose description matches, then the schedule item will have the same value as in the source. This also works for optional sections that you have included in the source certificate — they will be included in the newly created certificate. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-bs7671-amendment-3-RO5ZyeS.png) #### What's different Shine Forms works the same for amendment 3 forms with the following exceptions: ###### PDFs are created online Amendment 3 PDFs are created online by Shine Forms and are available in your account's [forms area](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/forms). ###### You can only upload 2015 format certificates to Shine Forms Previous versions of Shine Forms allowed you to upload 2011 format certificates to Shine Forms, where they would be converted to the new 2015 format. You then used the online editor to adjust before issuing. Starting from Shine Forms 2015.2.983, you need to first use Shine Forms to convert your 2011 forms to the 2015 format and then [upload to Shine Forms](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/upload/). #### What do I need to know before installing With this version, you also cannot just reinstall the previous version of Shine Forms without uninstalling and removing the database. As always, you should make sure you take a [backup of your certificates](https://pirform.zendesk.com/entries/278034-Backup-your-certificate-data) and keep it somewhere safe before installing the new version. #### Where can I read more? You can read more in the documentation section of the Shine Forms website: [docs.shineforms.co.uk](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/) #### Where can I get it? You can download the installer from the download area on our website: [www.shineforms.co.uk/download](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download) --- ## BS 7671 Amendment 3: Shine Forms Release Candidate 3 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-amendment-3-rc3/ Date: 2015-10-11 Shine Forms for BS 7671 Amendment 3 Release Candidate 3, Shine Forms 2015.2.989, is now available. ### What do I need to know before installing If you haven't read our last article about the Shine Forms for BS 7671 Amendment 3, read it here: [Shine Forms Amendment 3 RC2](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-amendment-3-rc2) Remember that this is a "release candidate", which means it's a version of the program that is *nearly* ready to be released. It is still being tested and you *may find that some things do not work as reliably as expected*. With this version, you also cannot just reinstall the previous version of Shine Forms without un-installing and removing the database. As always, you should make sure you take a [backup of your certificates](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/backup/#manual-backups) and keep it somewhere safe before installing the new version. ***If you are in any doubt, then do not install it on any computer you use for production work.*** ### Changes Change: intelligence now active in 2015 certs. Change: can now create MW 2015 from MW 2011 and MW 2008. Change: schedule items copied when copying or creating EICR 2015 from EICR 2011 (see [here](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/inspection-schedule/) for more). ### Where can I get it? You can download the latest version from the following link: [https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/prerelease/](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/prerelease/) --- ## BS 7671 Amendment 3: Shine Forms Release Candidate 2 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-amendment-3-rc2/ Date: 2015-10-04 Shine Forms for BS 7671 Amendment 3 release candidate 2, Shine Forms 2015.2.987, is now available. ### What do I need to know before installing If you haven't read our last article about the Shine Forms for BS 7671 Amendment 3, read it here: [Shine Forms release 990](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-release-990) Remember that this is a "release candidate", which means it's a version of the program that is *nearly* ready to be released. It is still being tested and you *may find that some things do not work as reliably as expected*. With this version, you also cannot just reinstall the previous version of Shine Forms without un-installing and removing the database. As always, you should make sure you take a [backup of your certificates](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/backup/#manual-backups) and keep it somewhere safe before installing the new version. ***If you are in any doubt, then do not install it on any computer you use for production work.*** ### Changes Fix: EIC schedule items codes only now allow PASS and N/A. Fix: MW 2015 location was clearing value after moving from the field. Fix: MW 2015 fields were not uploading to Shine Forms. Fix: duplicated schedule items were causing failures. ### Where can I get it? You can download the latest version from the following link: [https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/prerelease/](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/prerelease/) --- ## BS 7671 Amendment 3: Shine Forms Release Candidate 1 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-release-990/ Date: 2015-09-27 Shine Forms for BS 7671 Amendment 3 Release Candidate 1 is now available. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-990-uKGrLu5.png) #### What's new ###### New format max Zs and schedule items The 2015 forms in Shine Forms work the same way as the 2011 forms did, and now have the new amendment 3 max Zs values and schedule items. ###### Copying schedule items When you create a 2015 form from another form, Shine Forms will carry across as much of the schedule items of the source certificate as possible. If there is a schedule items in the new certificate that has the same number and whose description matches, then the schedule item will have the same value as in the source. This also works for optional sections that you have included in the source certificate - they will be included in the newly created certificate. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-990-RO5ZyeS.png) #### What's different Shine Forms works the same for amendment 3 forms with the following exceptions: ###### PDFs are created online Amendment 3 PDFs are created online by Shine Forms and are available in your account's [forms area](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/forms). ###### You can only upload 2015 format certificates to Shine Forms Previous versions of Shine Forms allowed you to upload 2011 format certificates to Shine Forms, where they would be converted to the new 2015 format. You then used the online editor to adjust before issuing. Starting from Shine Forms 2015.2.983, you need to first use Shine Forms to convert your 2011 forms to the 2015 format and then [upload to Shine Forms](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/upload/). #### What do I need to know before installing The current version is a "release candidate", which means it's a version of the program that is *nearly* ready to be released. It is still being tested, and you *may find that some things do not work as reliably as expected*. With this version, you also cannot just reinstall the previous version of Shine Forms without uninstalling and removing the database. As always, you should make sure you take a [backup of your certificates](https://pirform.zendesk.com/entries/278034-Backup-your-certificate-data) and keep it somewhere safe before installing the new version. ***If you are in any doubt, then do not install it on any computer you use for production work.*** #### Where can I read more? You can read more in the documentation section of the Shine Forms website: [docs.shineforms.co.uk/docs](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/) #### Where can I get it? You will need a version of Shine Forms from 2015.2.983 or above. Click [here](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/pirformrc) download the latest release candidate. **Update:** release candidate 2 now available, see [here](https://blog.shineforms.co.uk/pirform-amendment-3-rc2/). --- ## Amendment 3 coming to Shine Forms Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-amendment-3/ Date: 2015-08-23 I know we said we wouldn't, but work is underway to add the Amendment 3 forms to Shine Forms! We've made great progress with the new online and offline forms, but we're behind on where we wanted to be. We've also had a lot of feedback that you would like to be able to carry on using Shine Forms. So, we began working on that a while ago and will have that ready for preview soon. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-amendment-3-neJ6ZOq.png) ### Creating the PDFs The first releases of the amendment 3 version of Shine Forms will let you do everything that you expect with the 2015 forms, apart from creating a PDF. You will be able to upload the certificate to Shine Forms and the PDFs will available for download from your account online. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-amendment-3-fqvVSUx.png) If you haven't got access to the internet from where you're working, you can export the certificate to a PEX file and email it back to the office and it can be uploaded to Shine Forms from there. --- ## New Amendment 3 Beta Forms Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/more-amendment-3-beta-forms/ Date: 2015-07-01 We've released a round of updates to our amendment 3 beta. ### New Forms You can now create Electrical Installation Condition Report, Electrical Installation Certificate and Minor Works using the online forms. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/more-amendment-3-beta-forms-eHwwYxv.png) You can also upload these forms from Shine Forms to Shine Forms and for them to be converted to the amendment 3 format. Read more [here](https://pirform.zendesk.com/entries/35567641-Uploading-certificates-from-Pirform). ### Website Updates The website has been updated to improve navigation and let you change things like company details, company logos and issuer details and signatures. ### Documentation We've added some documentation to get you started. Read or search through the articles here: [https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/) The best place to start is our getting started page here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/gettingstarted](https://docs.shineforms.co.uk/pirform/getting-started/) Check out our frequently asked questions list here [www.shineforms.co.uk/faq](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/faq) --- ## Announcing Amendment 3 Beta Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/announcing-amendment-3-beta/ Date: 2015-05-31 The first beta Electrical Installation Condition Report for BS 7671 Amendment 3 is available to try now. ## Getting Started Visit the forms page on our website: [www.shineforms.co.uk/forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/forms/) ![Empty form list](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/announcing-amendment-3-beta-empty-form-list.png) Click on New Form to open a new EICR, fill in your values and click Save when done: ![New EICR](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/announcing-amendment-3-beta-new-eicr.png) When you go back to your forms page to see the new EICR. You can download the PDF from there or edit to continue making changes. ![Form list with form](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/announcing-amendment-3-beta-form-list-with-form.png) ## Upload from Shine Forms You can now upload your certificates directly from Shine Forms. Just select the certificate and click "Upload to Shine Forms" to send it to your [forms area](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/forms/): ![Shine Forms upload](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/announcing-amendment-3-beta-pirform-upload.png) This works for EICRs today, we will be adding the other forms over the next few weeks. Make sure you have the latest version of Shine Forms installed to do this: [www.shineforms.co.uk/download](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download/) ## Progress and Feedback Watch our progress and give us feedback on our support forum here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/suggestions](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/suggestions) ## Questions and Answers #### What is a “Beta” version? When something is a "beta" version it means that it's ready for previewing, but is not finished and may contain things that are wrong or that don't work. #### Is this ready for issue? No, not yet. It will not be ready for issue until we are out of beta. #### What’s not ready yet? At present, there are a number of things that are not present or are not finished. We will be adding these over the next few weeks. For example, the intelligence has not been adjusted for Amendment 3, the report is still being refined, there is no three phase handling as well as some more things that are still in progress too. #### What devices can I use it on? Currently the online version is available and can be used from any device that can access the internet. So, that means you can use it on your iPad, Android or Windows tablet as well as from your Windows or Mac laptop. #### How will it work with Shine Forms? You will be able to upload your certificates from Shine Forms. Shine Forms will keep going until we release our new Shine Forms Desktop programs, which you will be able to use Windows and Mac OSX. See our [roadmap](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/roadmap/) for more details. #### What's next? Over the next few weeks, We will be completing the Electrical Installation Condition Report, Electrical Installation Certificate, Minor Works and Visual Condition for amendment 3 and making these available online first. We will then add the intelligence to these forms and bring out the tablet versions. The tablet versions will look exactly like the online version and you will be able to move between using your iPad and the online at any time as you complete the report. --- ## The New Shine Forms Blog Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/the-shine-forms-blog/ Date: 2014-12-13 Welcome to the new Shine Forms blog! We have cleaned up the old Shine Forms blog and transferred relevant posts over to here for reference. --- ## The Future of Shine Forms Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/the-future-of-shine-forms/ Date: 2014-11-26 Shine Forms is not going away and it will continue to be developed and supported. The program is still produced, owned and operated by the same company, Atlantic Business Solutions Ltd. We now sell and support directly from our own website here: [www.shineforms.co.uk](https://www.shineforms.co.uk) If you are a Shine Forms user then head over to [www.shineforms.co.uk](https://www.shineforms.co.uk) and login as usual. You will find all your licences, orders etc. under the My Account menu, or directly here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/portal](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/portal) You can buy and renew licences here: [www.shineforms.co.uk/buy](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/buy) Support is just the same as before - email our help desk here: [support@shineforms.co.uk](mailto:support@shineforms.co.uk?subject=Support%20Request) There were some malicious and incorrect emails sent to Shine Forms customers in late November, and also some malicious postings about Shine Forms on electrical forums. These were not accurate and we were unable to prevent them being sent. We apologies for any confusion that was caused! --- ## Shine Forms Release 2014.1 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-release-2014-1/ Date: 2014-03-03 We are please to announce a new version of Shine Forms is now available. **Update: changes since version 2014.1.919** - New: added export of certificate list to CSV. - Change: improved vertical sizing of emergency lighting forms. - Change: printed certificates now show "amended to 2013" instead of "amended to 2011". - Fix: minor works now shows occupier address in form, preventing the printed version from being changed. - Fix: pressing enter to select in new cert dialog opened the cert selected in the home screen as well as the new cert. - Fix: changes to user defined lookups were not being saved. - Fix: after suppressing intelligence that removed an observation, the observation numbering was incorrect. - Fix: three phase circuit numbers now correct in VCR. - Fix: correct file filter now shown when exporting to Excel. # Improved board manager Shine Forms’ Board Manager has been significantly improved in this release. It now lets you visualise how the boards in the installation are connected and lets you set a board’s supply by dragging and dropping. You can also use the Board Manager to print out a simple board diagram. To get started, open a certificate and click on the Board Manager tab next to Circuits and Test Results: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2014-1-1-12.png) You’ll see the familiar buttons in the ribbon to let you work with the boards. There are some new ones as well: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2014-1-2-11.png) There are two views of your boards which you can access by clicking on Supplies or List in the Actions section. It is the Supplies view shows the boards arranged according to their supplies. The List view just shows the boards in a list, just as in the previous Board Manager. In the Boards section you can work with the boards in the cert by adding, copying, deleting, moving or changing the number of ways. These work just the same as they do in the Circuits and Test Results page. In the Circuits section you can find control whether the Supplies view shows circuits under the boards. Show Circuits shows or hides the circuits for the selected board. Expand All and Contract All shows or hides the circuits for all boards. Note that if a circuit is supplying another board then it is always visible. Lastly, the Print and Export section lets you print a simple circuit chart and to export a list of the boards to an Excel spread sheet (Premium Edition only). ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2014-1-3-11.png) ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2014-1-4-7.png) You can set the supply for a board by clicking in the Supply column and selecting the supply for the board. You can do this in both the Supplies and List views. The Supplied view lets you also set the supply by dragging and dropping a board onto the supply. # Setting supplies using drag and drop The new Board Manager Supplies view also lets you set supplies by dragging and dropping a board onto the supply board or circuit. To do that click and hold the indicator to the left of the board designation, then drag onto the supply board and you will see a green arrow appear showing that you can drop there: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2014-1-5-5.png) If you hold the mouse over the board it will expand to show the circuits. Drag over the circuit to select it (or stay over the board to select the board): ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2014-1-6-6.png) When you drop the board the new supply is set: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2014-1-7-4.png) Use the Show Circuits button in the ribbon to show or hide the circuits for the selected board, or the Expand All / Contract All to show or hide all the circuits in the Supplies view. You can adjust the delay before the circuits are shown when hovering over a board from Shine Forms Options: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2014-1-8-3.png) # Reordering circuits You can also reorder circuits by dragging and dropping them in the new Board Manager Supplies view! # Export Company Details To make it easier to set up Shine Forms when you have multiple copies, you can now export the company details to a file and import them on another computer. The file contains all the information about the company, engineers and instruments along with the logos and signatures. Importing a file will replace all of those details on the target computer. This feature requires the Premium Edition. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2014-1-9-2.png) # Print circuit charts with certificates To save printing twice you can now print the circuit charts along with the main certificate. This also means that your circuit charts are included in the PDF that you email to the customer. This is set by an option in Shine Forms Options: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2014-1-10-1.png) # Operational improvements We’ve added some things to make it easier for your IT department or our support team to keep you running when things go wrong. - Shine Forms can now repair some things that are wrong with certificates from older versions. - Shine Forms Support can now send a code to repair common problems with all the certificates, saving you having to send your data to us for repair. - The Home screen shows whether the program can access the internet. - The Home Screen shows a warning if automatic backup is turned off. - The Home Screen shows the time of the last backup. - The program now allows you to access your certs as PDF after your licence has expired (we previously had to send you an updated licence to do this). - The licence report feature now includes the user and machine names. This makes it easier for your IT department to work out which licence is on which computer. - Licences can now send the user and computer names when they update over the internet (optional and requires the user to opt in). - The licence information display on the Home Screen has been improved and now shows the licence name when updated over the internet. # Other changes and fixes Other changes and fixes in this release are: New: can automatically set the backup to use Dropbox if it is installed. Change: setting cert to unsatisfactory now ticks there are items affecting safety. Change: setting there are items affecting safety now sets report to unsatisfactory. Change: ensures export location exists before exporting. Change: updated various internal components, improving performance. Fix: removed binding formatting to fix spurious format error from UI. Fix: fixed error on machines requiring Windows Performance Counter repairs. Fix: certificate location was not showing in the intelligence manager. Fix: licensing less liable to be broken by upgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1. Fix: main form was not updating the certificate after saving when a category was selected. Fix: fire alarm completion dates now show the entered date. Fix: it is now possible to record the completion date for fire alarm certs. Fix: mouse wheel scrolling now works in certificates. Fix: installation extent was not overflowing to continuation pages in EIC. Fix: could not select cell values using Select All/Select Blanks if cells were selected in other columns. Fix: moved missing merged circuits fix to when cert is loaded (potential fix for memory overload experienced by some users). Fix: last backup status was always showing as none taken. Fix: circuit's supplied board list not cleared when reassigning the supply after three phase merge. Fix: installer now installs desktop shortcut. Fix: installer now associated Shine Forms files. Fix: prevented time out when starting up after a database repair on larger databases. Fix: export was not always saving to user defined export location. Fix: incorrect expiry date was shown when entering licence using a code. Fix: observation grid sorting causes value changes to wrong item. Fix: EIC observations page was not the same as the EICR version. Fix: corrected typo from "lighting" to "lightning protection". Fix: default values overwrote user entered values after saving and opening (e.g. SELV on EIC as N/A). Fix: was unable to add or remove deviations in emergency lighting certs. --- ## Shine Forms Update 2013.2 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-update-2013-2/ Date: 2013-07-25 We’re pleased to announce a new version Shine Forms 2013.1 that is available now from our [website](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/download). This is a minor release with a the changes and fixes and changes. Shine Forms is the only electrical testing software on the market today with the relevant regulations from BS7671 built into the program – these include both the changes from Amendment 1 in 2011 as well as the 2008 version of the regulations. **Update: additional fixes since 2013.2.825:** Change: improved logging information for support and error reports. Change: simplified data transfer when moving licence. Change: now recognises three phase merged circuits by the circuit number. Change: observations and limitations grids now show the source of each item (intelligence, schedule or user). Change: can now enter text against "general" observations created by intelligence. Change: observation ordering now accounts for custom locations entered by user. Fix: ensured imported certs get all new fixes and updates. Fix: recreation of missing three phase circuits was happening too many times. Fix: changed text from Lighting Protection to Lighting in PIR, EICR and EIC 2011. Fix: observation ordering did not correctly detect boards from location text. Fix: changes to observation ordering in the certificate options was not respected. **Update: additional fixes since 2013.2.822:** Fix: crash when spell checking fire alarm certificates. Fix: intelligence and Zs changes did not apply to copied circuits until after the cert was reloaded. # Print observations in board order Shine Forms now prints the observations in the same order that you have your boards and circuits. This makes the certificates easier to read, especially when there are a large number of boards and observations. If you change the reorder your boards or circuits, then the observations will be reordered in the printed certificate too. If you want to show the observations in the order they were added (which was what happened in previous versions of Shine Forms), then you can change the setting in Shine Forms Options: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-update-2013-2-1-11.png) You can also specify that for individual certificates from the Certificate Options: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-update-2013-2-2-10.png) # Observation location selector To make it easier and more accurate to enter the location of an observation you have added, you can now select the location of an observation from a list of the boards and circuits in the certificate. Just clicking on the location column of an observation to do this: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-update-2013-2-3-10.png) # Other changes and fixes Change: improved the text on the message when Shine Forms cannot use your internet connection. Change: Minor Works report text changed from Line Line to Live Live. Fix: copying merged three phase circuits now shows the copied circuit group as merged. Fix: error when deleting a circuit with no supply. Fix: error in 811 when checking licence at start up. Fix: error when closing a certificate under some circumstances. --- ## Shine Forms Release 2013.1 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-release-2013-1/ Date: 2013-04-03 We’re pleased to say that version Shine Forms 2013.1 is now available now from our website. Shine Forms is the only electrical testing software on the market today with the relevant regulations from BS7671 built into the program – these include both the changes from Amendment 1 in 2011 as well as the 2008 version of the regulations. Whist we’ve called this release 2013.1, the eagle eyed amongst you will notice that we have in fact been releasing a number of updated throughout 2013. In fact, we have issued 5 updates with new features already this year, and more with minor fixes (if you want to see what was in these, go and read this article). So, what’s have we been doing since then? # Copying boards between certificates Ever wanted to copy a board from one certificate to another? Well, now you can! The Certificate Merging feature in the Premium Edition allows you to take boards and board observations from one or more other certificates and copy them into a main certificate. Useful when you need to a break larger job up between different engineers. We’ve now added a stage that let’s you choose which boards you want to bring across. You can choose all boards, a single board or any number in between. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2013-1-1-10.png) Of course, as well as merging into a larger certificate, you can also use this feature to copy boards from one job into another. You can read more about how to use this really powerful feature in our Help Desk. # Drag and drop to reorder boards and circuits Reordering your boards and circuits just got easier with the new drag and drop features. To reorder, just click on the indicator at the left of the row, then drag and drop on the new location. This works wherever you can see a list of boards or circuits: In the board manager: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2013-1-2-9.png) The board selector in the circuits and test results: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2013-1-3-9.png) And also on the circuits grid: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2013-1-4-6.png) # Observations in Electrical Installation Certificates Some customers have asked to be able to include observations along with their EICs. There is now a setting that allows you to do that. Open the EIC and go to the certificate options ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2013-1-5-4.png) ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2013-1-6-5.png) # More control over the spell checker Shine Forms has a built-in spell checker that helps to make sure all your reports and certificates are correct and professional. We’ve added a number options to help you control the way the spelling checker works. Just open Shine Forms Options and go to the General section: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2013-1-7-3.png) Shine Forms works best on a reasonably modern computer (read our system requirements in our Help Desk here). However, some customers like to use Shine Forms on a much lower powered computers such as netbooks. To help reduce the load on these sort of computers, you can turn off the spell checking during typing from the same section shown above. # Other changes and fixes We’ve also made the following changes and fixes: Change: circuit designation now shown against the board supply. Change: find feature now available in Board Manager. Change: no additional page in minor works with long comments. Change: intelligence update checking now records the last intelligence version that was used when checking the certificate. Change: can now specify synching of Zs values at circuit level and force updating from cert options. Change: suppressed errors loading start page control. Change: now checks for updated licences each time the app starts. Change: copied boards are now positioned under the board being copied. Change: updated image next to the board selection control. Fix: removing board from large certificates (over 300 boards) was quite slow. Fix: export observations now disabled when no observations. Fix: installation extent overflow in EIC was not correct. Fix: comments on the installation not overflowing correctly in MW report. Fix: crash when refreshing export of multiple certs. Fix: circuit Zs values now carry through to supplied board. Fix: engineer controls showed the wrong engineer until focused or the mouse was hovered (print was okay). Fix: export observations now preserves full file name when cert number contains not permitted characters. Fix: certs were being marked as changed when after opening and viewing boards when no changes had been made. Fix: crash when opening an imported certificate that contained an engineer with a blank name. Fix: circuit numbering was incorrect after merging, moving and unmerging. Fix: three phase merged circuits were not split after changing to single phase. Fix: could not select using space bar in export, import and merge wizard when selection column was focussed. Fix: watermark now defaults to show in front so that it shows on all pages. Fix: intelligence manager locations were not correctly shown in the controls when the same statement applied to multiple locations. Fix: circuits incorrectly numbered after importing a cert with merged circuits and un-merging the circuit. Fix: spelling checker was highlighting correct words as incorrect. Fix: spelling error in inspection schedule item 4.6. Fix: EICR Page 1 was missing review engineer position from printed report. --- ## Shine Forms Update 2012.2 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-update-2012-2/ Date: 2012-11-06 Since we released the new version, we’ve released regular updates and made a couple of changes that are worth talking about. If you haven't already, you can read the full release notes for version 2012.2 in the previous post. # Export observations to a spreadsheet You can now export all the observations in a certificate to a spreadsheet. This gives you access to the observations for things like preparing a schedule of works or to use when costing remedial works. Just click the button marked Export Observations in the ribbon: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-update-2012-2-1-9.png) This will create a .CSV file that you can then open in your favourite spreadsheet software. Note that this feature requires the Premium Edition or the Certificate Sharing bolt on. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-update-2012-2-2-8.png) # Notification of intelligence changes If the intelligence is updated between version of the program, then it may happen that either new intelligence applies to a certificate or intelligence that used to apply no longer applies. When you open a certificate, Shine Forms now checks to see if there are any intelligence statements that are added or removed and if there are it will show you a summary of the changes. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-update-2012-2-3-8.png) If you want to accept the changes, then just clock OK and they will be applied to the certificate. If you want to keep the certificate as it was, then just cancel and nothing will be changed. # Easier management of backup and export locations You can now move your your backup and export folders to be under a single root folder in one go. This makes it easier to set up Shine Forms to use cloud services like Dropbox or SkyDrive with Shine Forms for free online certificate storage or for free online based certificate sharing. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-update-2012-2-4-5.png) # Three phase handling improvements We’ve polished the way Shine Forms handles three phase circuits. Adding a circuit now adds a group of three, and copying a circuit now copies the whole group. If you have a board where all the circuits are merged and you add a circuit, Shine Forms now keeps the circuits merged (they used to become un-merged). We’ve also fixed a couple of problems where the names of circuits were not correctly set after deleting merged circuits. The new behaviour is that Shine Forms renumbers the circuits. So, if you have 1TP - Hall, 2TP - Kitchen and you delete 1TP – Hall, you’ll be left with 1TP – Kitchen. # Other changes and fixes These are the other changes and fixes we have made since we released 2012.2. ###### Version 746 and after New: added shortcut key for moving boards up and down. New: now shows current licence information in Home Screen. Change: better handling of errors when import fails to read the import file. Change: new board manager icon. Change: focus now set to first control when page first shown. Change: fixed failure writing error reports when no log file present. Change: BS 88-2 Zs values changed for 125A and 160A. Change: improved logging of id failures when composing certificates from export. Change: improved error message importing a cert and the export version is not recognised. Change: updated DX components to v12.2. Change: can now cancel out of a spelling check. Change: now removes spaces from licence code before applying. Change: can now open .Shine Forms file directly from the application. Change: removed old licence information section in options. Fix: spelling checker was highlighting correct words as incorrect. Fix: spelling error in inspection schedule item 4.6. Fix: EICR Page 1 was missing review engineer position from printed report. Fix: autosave was failing after copying board with circuit intelligence related to circuit parameters. Fix: pages now scrolled to top when first shown (was showing scrolled part way down). Fix: board Idn values were carrying through to new boards. Fix: spell check form was showing when entering grid cells. Fix: disk size calculation was failing for large disks. Fix: move board/circuit up/down controls were not greying out when on first/last item. Fix: was not correctly creating export folders before auto export. Fix: some pages were starting up scrolled half way down (MW, EIC). Fix: handled intelligence control index out of range exceptions when opening tests page. Fix: fixed typo in deactivation message. Fix: date of next inspection now defaults to blank, not 01/01/0001.Fix: could not select a file other than default when exporting. Fix: improved experience when program has been deactivated on the computer. ###### Version 743 - 746 New: can now collapse and expand any section when creating certificates. New: reminders of licence expiries now built into the application. Change: removed additional expandable sections in EIC/PIR schedules. Change: all sections are now collapsible. Change: rearranged EICR agreed limitations to follow standard layout. Change: adjusted column widths in board manager. Change: adjusted continuation size for EICR operational limitations and MW installation extent. Fix: start page now shows the certificates in the order they were most recently saved. Fix: if the company name was not set then other company details would not be saved. Fix: start page now shows the certificates in the order they were most recently saved. Fix: if the company name was not set then other details would not be saved. Fix: sizing of EICR limitations on page 1 was bad on low resolution screens. Fix: copied circuits did not show values after using copy to blanks. Fix: circuit conductor live column was rounding to 1 decimal place. Fix: error when re-opening the same certificate after an auto export. Fix: board manager wasn't showing scroll bars properly. ###### Earlier Updates New: added ability to reset the circuit numbers in a board back to defaults. Change: added option to turn off checking for intelligence updates. Change: added ability to check for intelligence updates from certificate options. Change: activation/deactivation codes now only show if licence is in appropriate state. Change: now resets supply text when a circuit or board is removed. Change: now reassigns board supplies when a supplying circuit or board is removed. Change: moved extent of limitations in EICR to the correct location. Change: improved the way the selections are handled in the circuits grid. Change: now takes a backup of the current certificates before restoring. Change: added option to turn off the spell checker. Change: improved performance for when the exported file location is on a network that is not connected. Change: BS 3871 Type 3 5A MCB max Zs rated corrected in accordance with errata from BS 7671 Amendment One. Change: improved logging during database restore. Change: improved the way export grid shows selected certificates after opening. Change: does not show activation code when there is no licence. Change: now detects statements that have been added or removed as a result of intelligence changes. Change: increased logging for certificate form. Change: update company details now also updates review engineer. Change: removed old insulation resistance fields from MW 2011. Change: removed redundant Circuit Insulation Resistance Neutral Earth and Circuit Insulation Resistance Phase Neutral from MW 2011. Change: renamed P/P to L/L and P/E to L/E in MW 2011. Change: now only creates save locations if they are under the user profile. Change: adjusted layout of error dialog. Change: simplified automated creation of backup and save locations. Change: automated creation of backup and save locations. Fix: copying three phase merged boards removed circuits in the copy and did not set ways correctly. Fix: boards remained attached to supply circuits after deletion. Added support command to update affected data. Fix: updated intelligence detection was falsely detecting updates. Fix: copying and deleting circuits was acting on three circuits even in single phase. Fix: can now delete values in the r1,rn,r2,r1+r2 and r2 when focus is inside the control. Fix: intelligence updated to fix string matching on numeric fields. Fix: migration was firing more than once for some users. Fix: auto save was firing too often. Fix: auto save was not correctly clearing up discarded auto saves. Fix: installation extent on minor works was not overflowing correctly. Fix: fixed spurious format exception when opening new MW. Fix: possible fix for image in use errors when auto saving with preview open. Fix: would crash when clicking new certificate when emergency lighting node was selected (format error converting to decimal). Fix: company logos changes not preserved after closing and reopening. Fix: was not able to save changes to design and construction engineers in EIC. Fix: possible fix for image errors after first cert save. Fix: now removes characters that are not allowed from the names of output files. Fix: multiple files were not shown in the import wizard. --- ## Shine Forms Release 2012.2 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-release-2012-2/ Date: 2012-10-21 We are pleased to announce a the release of a new version of Shine Forms - the best electrical testing and certification software has just got a whole lot better! Read on for details of what’s changed and click on the images to view an enlarged version. Update 06-Nov-2012: as well as the changes below, read about our recent update to this release here. # Performance Improvements This new version is a lot faster than the last one! We have done a lot of work on the performance of the program for this release. This involved some significant structural changes along with a number of smaller changes to make the whole program work much faster. You will notice the changes most if you have a large number of certificates in the program at any one time. Remember too that the program works best on a computer with a dual core processor and over 2GB of RAM, Windows 7 (or 8) is recommended. # Windows 8 Shine Forms works fine on Windows 8. You may notice that the screenshots below are taken on Windows 8. # Certificate Merging You can now bring boards and observations from one or more other certificates into a master certificate. On larger installations there will often be more than one engineer doing the inspection. Shine Forms now fully supports this way of working and allows you to split the work up among one or more other engineers. You then just merge their work back into a single main certificate after they have completed. So how does this work? To start off, you need to have imported the certificates from the other engineers and have saved a main certificate into which you want to bring their boards. It may be that you have done half of the job and another engineer has done the other half and sent you their work at the end of the day. You now want to finish off the certificate and send it to the customer. You would first select the certificate in the Home Screen that you are going to merge the boards into, then click the merge feature under Create Certificate. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-1-8.png) Shine Forms will lead you through the process, the next being to select one or more certificates to bring boards and observations in from: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-2-6.png) When you click next, Shine Forms looks at the boards that you are going to merge and makes sure that board designations will be unique after the merge. Shine Forms also remembers boards and observations that were previously merged and replaces the board or observation if you merge the same certificates again. If anything is going to be changed, you will see these on the next page in the merge wizard: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-3-7.png) Notice that Shine Forms automatically gives boards a new designation, but you can change that in the Merge Wizard if you need to. If there is nothing to show you, that page will be skipped. After that, Shine Forms lets you check what it is going to do: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-4-4.png) After you click Merge Certificates, the Merge Wizard does the merging and finishes. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-5-3.png) The changes are still not saved at this point. Clicking Finish opens the certificate with the new boards and board observations merged in for you to review. When you’re happy with that, just click save to make the changes permanent. Please note that this feature is not available in the Lite Edition, you need to have the Premium Edition or the Certificate Sharing bolt on. # Automatic backup, save and export Shine Forms has always let you take backups of your certificate data. In this version we’ve made keeping your data safe and secure even easier than before. Shine Forms now takes backups of your certificates automatically. Even better, we’ve made this work seamlessly with the most popular online backup facilities, such as Dropbox and SkyDrive. As both Dropbox and SkyDrive have plans that give you free storage, this means that you can now take advantage of this free online cloud storage in Shine Forms. We’ve also added an automatic export feature that means that Shine Forms will create both a PDF and an export file every time you save it. You can set this up to use Dropbox or SkyDrive and so you’ll always have access to your certificates when you’re away from your PC. So, when you’re on a client’s site you can access your latest certificates by just logging into your Dropbox or SkyDrive account on your iPad and open up the latest certificate there and then. We’ve also added an auto-save feature to make sure you don’t lose any work if your computer shuts down for any reason whilst you’re working on a certificate. Read more about each feature below. ## Automatic backup Shine Forms has always had a backup facility, helping you to keep you valuable certificate safe and sound. In the past, you had to remember to take a backup and save the file somewhere. From now you can let the program do that for you every time you close the program. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-6-3.png) How it works is that Shine Forms watches you work and if you have made any changes to a certificate then Shine Forms will take a backup for you when you close it down. Not only that, but Shine Forms keeps up to 6 months of backups for you. You just tell it the folder in which to save then Shine Forms will keep the last 14 days’ worth of backups, the end of week backup from the last 6 weeks, and the end of month backups from the last 6 months. ## Automatic save We also don’t want you to lose any work if your computer unexpectedly shuts down, so we’ve added an auto-save feature. Every 30 seconds Shine Forms checks whether you’ve made any changes and saves them to a safe area until you decide to save them yourself. You can see when the certificate was last saved at the bottom left of the certificate: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-7-2.png) If your computer closes down for any reason before you get a chance to save your work, Shine Forms will ask if you want to open the automatically saved version the next time you open the certificate: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-8-2.png) Auto-save doesn’t get in your way and you can carry on working while Shine Forms saves in the background. This doesn’t replace the need to save and the program still expects you to save as you go along, it just now watches your back in case you forget to do that! ## Automatic export If you make any changes to a certificate, then when you close it the program will automatically save an export file containing the latest version of the certificate along with a PDF of the certificate. These are saved to folders of your choice, the default being a folder under your Documents folder. Shine Forms tells you when it auto-exports a file at the bottom left of the Home Screen: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-9-1.png) Please note that auto-export is only available in the Premium Edition or with the Certificate Sharing bolt on (but auto-backup and auto-save area available in the Lite Edition). # Ease of access You can easily access the exported PDF and export files from the Home Screen. Click on show PDF Report and Show Export File buttons and Shine Forms will take you straight to the file in Windows. If these buttons are greyed out, then just click on Refresh Exports and the files will be created. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-10.png) You can also access any of the data folders easily by using the Data Folders menu at the right of the ribbon. # Restore from backup Shine Forms has always let you take a backup of your certificate data for safe keeping. You can now restore that backup to get all your certificates back from that file. When you restore from a backup it will replace all your current data, so you should make sure that is what you want to do before proceeding. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-11.png) There are some limitations: you can only restore backups that were taken from this version (or later) and you can only restore backups onto the same computer that they were taken on. Shine Forms Lite Edition users will be pleased to hear that this feature is available in the Lite Edition. # Online Backup with Dropbox and OneDrive One of the really exciting thing that you can do with the new automatic backup feature in Shine Forms is use it to back up your valuable certificate data online. Saving backups to a folder makes Shine Forms compatible with online backup and sharing services like Dropbox and Microsoft’s OneDrive. In fact, Shine Forms is now compatible with any online backup and sharing service that uses folders on your PC. All you do is to tell Shine Forms to use a folder under your Dropbox folder of under your SkyDrive folder for its auto-backups and auto-exports. Job done! Both Dropbox and OneDrive have a free plan that gives you a good amount of storage space, so you can back up your valuable certificates securely online for free. That means that even if your computer is stolen or your hard disk crashes and the data is lost, then your Shine Forms certificate data is completely safe online and you can get it back just by signing into your Dropbox or OneDrive account from another computer. Please visit the Dropbox and OneDrive websites for more details: Dropbox: [https://www.dropbox.com/](https://www.dropbox.com/) SkyDrive: [http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/skydrive/home](http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/skydrive/home) # Online Certificate Sharing with Dropbox and OneDrive If you have a Premium Edition licence or the Certificate Sharing bolt on, then you can use the automatic export feature to automatically make certificates available across your company using the sharing features of an online storage provider that works from folders on your computer, such as Dropbox and Microsoft SkyDrive. All you do is to set the automatic export folders to a folder under your Dropbox or OneDrive folder. If you have a single top level folder for your company data, then give each engineer a folder under that, then use the sharing features of Dropbox or OneDrive to give the other people in your company read access to the engineer’s folder. It’s best to only allow the engineer themself to write to that folder that engineer, that way you know the data has only been changed by them. This same technique also works on a company network, but you will need to ask your network administrator to set up read and write permissions to prevent one engineer’s data from being changed by others. # Improved inspection schedule We’ve made some improvements to the inspection schedule. You can now edit the text of observations without leaving the inspection schedule: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-12.png) You can suppress the built-in observation text so you have complete control over what is printed in the report: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-13.png) Ticking Suppress Details means that only your text shows in the printed version: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-14.png) If you are working in the Observations and Recommendations section then you can suppress the details from there too. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-15.png) As you’d expect, this all works just the same for limitations. **TIP:** If you suppress the text and leave the comment blank then Shine Forms will not print anything on the report. Speaking of limitations - we now add limitations for the schedule items that you code as LIM. You can work with the limitation without leaving the inspection schedule and adjust the text that appears on the report same way you can with an observation: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-16-5.png) Lastly, you may have noticed in the screenshots above, the column headings now also stay in place when you scroll down the schedule items. They used to scroll out of view, which made it difficult to keep track of where you were. # Improved PDF export Shine Forms has always allowed you to save your certificate to a PDF file which you could email to your customer. Shine Forms now protects these PDF files from being changed by anybody with PDF editing software by adding a password that prevents editing. Shine Forms now names the PDF file the same as the certificate number and we have also taken away the detailed export options that used to appear when you saved the PDF. If you want to allow the file to be edited or you want to see the detailed file options when exporting, then you can adjust the PDF Export settings in Shine Forms options: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-17-1.png) # Import and export improvements We’ve made some improvements to the import and export. Although these changes are small, they make it a lot easier for people who do a lot of importing and exporting. The Import Wizard now automatically changes page after file selection and defaults to selecting all certificates in the file. When you want to export a certificate, Shine Forms now automatically selects the certificate selected in the Home Screen for export in the export Wizard (that also works for multiple selections): ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-18.png) We’ve added buttons to the Export and Import Wizards that let you select all or select none, and to toggle the selection (unselect all selected and select all that are not selected). We’ve improved the visual appearance of the list of certificates. Each line become selected when you click on it (or unselected if it was already selected), or if you prefer to use the keyboard then you can press the spacebar to select or unselect. If you are importing a number of files, Shine Forms will remember the location of the last file you opened and let you select a file from there when you next import (although that location is reset again when you close Shine Forms). # Simplified administration experience Previously, you needed to copy and paste your licence codes from an email. We have made this easier and the licences can now be sent out as files attached to an email. Save these files to either the standard download folder or your desktop and Shine Forms will find them when it next starts up and automatically apply the licence without you having to do anything else. If you licence has expired, then Shine Forms will now check on the internet for any licence updates when it starts up. So, when you have upgraded your licence this will be applied automatically (if there is an internet connection available). You can also ask Shine Forms to check for updated licences at any time from Shine Forms Options: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-19.png) We have also made the process of moving a Shine Forms from one PC to another easier. You just need to export your data on one PC, then contact us and we will send you a file that will allow you to restore the data from your other PC on your new PC. Previously, this process meant that you had to upload your certificate data to our website for processing. You can also now send log files and error reports directly to our help desk from inside the program. # New Home Screen buttons There is a new Create Certificate button on the Home Screen that gives you access to the merge, copy and create from features. There is also a button that lets you quickly open the folders that you have configured for backups, exports and certificate sharing. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-20.png) # More flexible “create from” features We’ve added more ways to create one certificate from another. You can now create a Minor Works and Electrical Installation Condition Reports from any Electrical Installation and Visual Condition Certificates (2008 and 2011). To access these features, select the certificate you want to copy or create another type of certificate from, then click the Create Certificate button in the ribbon: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-21-1.png) # Individual certificate numbering You can now change the way Shine Forms generates certificate numbers and you can do this individually for each certificate type. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-22.png) This quite flexible and can generate numbers in a variety of formats. More details on how this works can be found in this article on our Help Desk: [https://pirform.zendesk.com/entries/22186227-changing-how-certificate-numbers-are-generated](https://pirform.zendesk.com/entries/22186227-changing-how-certificate-numbers-are-generated) # Change logos for individual certificates If you want to use a company or association logo for just one certificate, then now you can. In the Logos section at the bottom of the Certificate Options screen, there are buttons that allow you to select the company and association logos for just that certificate. You can also update an individual certificate to the latest company details after changes are made to company and engineer signatures from that section. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2012-2-23.png) When you’re updating certificate details in bulk from the Company and Instruments section of the Home Screen, you can now select whether to update only completed certificates or all certificates. # Other changes and fixes ###### Changes - Can now select more than one certificate at a time in the Home Screen. - Associated certificate number now automatically populated when creating a Minor Works from another certificate. - Circuit conductor live now allows 2 decimal places. - The tab key now sets value and moves to next cell in all circuit cells (this wasn’t happening previously in decimal value cells). - Improved handling of errors during backup. - Improved warning dialogs. - Changed backup file naming convention from Pirform-Data-Backup-* to Pirform-Backup-*. - Removed unused fields from G6. - Evaluation version now includes the ECA and ELECSA packs. - Evaluation version now includes import and export features (export files from an evaluation version can only be imported by another evaluation version). - Improved activation/deactivation code dialog. - Licence entry dialog now has link to licence manager. - Removed popup notifications when changing schedule item values. - Schedule items coded by intelligence can be up-coded (C3 to C2), but not down-coded (C2 to C3). - When the intelligence changes a schedule item and is then reverted, the user’s originally entered value is now restored. - Schedule manager can now sets blank only values in a section or all the values. - Schedule item observations now only added for codes C1 - C3. - Now sets the name of the exported PDF files to be certificate type and number. - Removed the need for an evaluation licence. - Error reporting now creates a single error report file. - Max Zs settings in options now state that they apply to the EICR and Visual Condition. - Removed the configuration option to pre-load reports. - Now properly reports import/export errors to the user. - Certificate status now set to current after import. - Improved naming when copying boards or circuits multiple times. - Now shows the time of the last save when editing certificates. - Installer no longer requires service packs on Windows Server 2003 and 2008. ###### Fixes - Removed additional supply confirmation field from page 3 of the printed reports. - Description of the minor works is now set to blank when creating a Minor Works from another certificate. - Corrected spelling for R1, Rn, R2 intelligence statements. - Corrected spelling on Electrical Installation Condition Report Page 1. - Fixed incorrect caption in Minor Works 2008. - Merged three phase boards can now be un-merged after being imported. - Spell checker now checks as you type in observations, limitation and circuits. - Improved the visual appearance whilst spell checking very large certificates. - Spell checking large certificates could cause a board’s number of ways to be reset during spelling check. - Pasted values in some circuit grid columns (wiring type) were not showing on the printed report. - Tab moved two spaces in the circuit grid, now moves one. - Electrical Installation Condition Report and Electrical Installation Certificate 2011 were printing continuation pages when not needed. - Program crashed when using keyboard to enter observation outcome codes. - Instruments were not changing when the engineer changed in Minor Works. - Instrument changes not being saved properly or reflected in the printed reports. - More than one company was shown when importing certificate with multiple external engineers. - Enabled overall assessment of the installation in Visual Condition 2008 & 2011. - Moving a user defined lookup item down now keeps the lookup item selected. - Worked around a common reason for upgrade failures. - Design 1 company enrolment number, telephone and engineer position were being set to the design 2 values. - Can now delete text values from controls that allow both text and numeric values e.g. MW insulation resistance P/P. - MW installation fields now show values correctly on printed certificate. - Keyboard shortcuts were not always setting PASS/FAIL/etc. values. - Ordering of user defined lookups was not correct after saving. - Corrected bad formatting for some first page text fields that have continuation pages. - Electrical installation page 3 multiple telephone numbers which caused extra page to be printed. - Clear circuit data now clears all values. - Removed association logo still appeared in report until application is restarted. --- ## Shine Forms Premium Edition Now Available Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/premium-edition-now-available/ Date: 2012-03-04 It's been a long time coming, but Shine Forms Premium is finally here. With the inclusion of our powerful Certificate Sharing feature, and Fire Alarm and Emergency Lighting Certification, the Premium Edition is the best value for money certification software available. What's more, upgrade your first Lite licence to Premium, (or purchase your first Premium licence) and we will give you a second Premium licence absolutely free! # 2 for 1 Premium Licence We have had much demand from users who want to install Shine Forms on a second machine, perhaps to take to site, or for a colleague to use. Now we are introducing a fantastic deal for users who upgrade to Premium, or buy their first Premium licence, to be issued with a second licence, absolutely free! This isn’t just a one time offer, it applies for the life of the licence. Renew next year, and we’ll renew the second one too. This only applies to the first Premium licence, any subsequent licences will be charged at full price, and are for use on one PC only. # Upgrades Upgrades are calculated on a pro-rata basis, so you only pay for what you use. To find out how much it will cost you to upgrade, log in to the store and click the BUY button. Here you will see how much it will cost you to upgrade, based on the length of time left on the licence you are upgrading. For more information, contact us at [sales@shineforms.co.uk](mailto:sales@shineforms.co.uk) # Fire alarm certificates FirePremium now includes a full range of Fire Alarm Certification to BS 5839-1:2002. Individual certificates for all aspects of Fire alarm work, allows separate companies to be responsible for different sections such as Design, Install or Commissioning. A dwelling certificate is included for domestic premises and similar installations. # Emergency lighting certificates EmergencyPremium also includes Emergency Lighting Certification to BS 5266-1:2011. The model forms from this standard allow the user to choose whether the installation is large or small, small being denoted as less than 25 emergency lighting luminaires. # Certificate sharing Available for some time as an optional bolt-on, Premium also contains our powerful certificate sharing feature.sharing This allows the export of individual certificates and reports, and allows them to be imported on another machine. This great feature saves time on the paper trail, ensures the most accurate information is passed from one person to another, and perhaps most importantly, speeds up the invoicing process. A certificate could be sent from a remote site, imported, edited reviewed, issued and invoiced within a matter of hours rather than days. # Create Minor Works from existing certificates One of the cleverest new features in this version is the ability to create Minor Works Certificates from existing certification. Choose the Create Minor Works button, and you can pick any board and circuit from an existing report or certificate to base a Minor Works from. A new Minor Works will be created with all the relevant information from the existing, including the client name, address, system types and all circuit details. Simply edit, test and print! # Create anything from anything If you have carried out an EICR and let's say the consumer unit needs replacing. Simply choose create EIC and Shine Forms will generate a brand new EIC, based on all the relevant elements from the original. Simply edit, re-test and print! This feature also works in reverse, meaning you can create an EICR from an EIC, or an EICR from a PIR 2008! # New look and feel pir-form-iconWe've given the program a fresh "paint job" and updated the desktop icon. We've also made some improvements to the performance which should be noticable on all but the slowest of machines. We hope you like it! # Fixes and other changes New: new splash screen and icon. New: now uses Office 2010 styling in the ribbon with a File menu on each form. New: board and statement counts now show in certificate form. New: wait screens now shown when Shine Forms is working. Change: observations can now be copied. Change: performance improvements throughout. Change: installation extent for EICR, VCR and PIR can now take long text. Change: improved user messages in licence entry screen. Change: improved database upgrade times from previous release. Change: circuit fields that allow numeric values with text lookups are now all consistent and easier to use. Change: VCR 2011 now uses amendment one style observations. Change: estimated age of installation and alterations and next inspection period now allows entries in years, months or weeks. Change: can now enter LIM in circuit measured Zs and RCD delta N fields. Change: removed zero decimal place in lookups. Change: increased width of certificate form when first opened. Change: inspection schedule outcome now shows all rows. Change: items adversely affecting safety set automatically when adding or removing observations. Change: prevented import of later version export files. Fix: report text overflow settings adjusted throughout. Fix: prevented find overlapping limitations in VCR and EICR. Fix: crash when deleting a number of limitations. Fix: detects and fixes certificates with incomplete entries resulting from "type + tab" bug (PIR-808). Fix: circuit lookup dropdown stayed open after tabbing away. Fix: create certificate options now enable correctly in "all certificates" view. Fix: board observation grid now shows amendment one style lookups. Fix: OPD BS 60947 - 2 types now show MCB and ACB. Fix: schedule section 7 now shown in standard report. Fix: details of errors at startup are now logged correctly. Fix: some OPD BS lookups were not displaying or importing correctly. Fix: updating company details could remove details of engineers who are not in database from certs. Fix: number text controls our of grids now show dropdown when typing begins. Fix: removed incorrect backup location. --- ## Shine Forms Release 2011.3.549 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-release-2011-3-549/ Date: 2012-03-03 This is a maintenance release, Shine Forms 2011.3.549, improves on our previous Amendment One release, Shine Forms 2011.3.508. For details of all the previous Amendment One changes, please read our blog post here: [http://goo.gl/u7kbf](http://goo.gl/u7kbf). # Create EIC from EICR or PIR We’ve added a feature to let you create an EIC from either an EICR or a PIR. Just select the EICR or the PIR in the Home Screen then click Copy or Create From and select the Create EIC option, as shown below. Your new EIC will open up with the same details as the EICR or PIR. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2011-3-549-1-6.png) # Scrolling improvements We’ve made it easier to scroll by making certificates scroll using the mouse wheel. This was requested by users to help with navigation on smaller screens. # Other changes and fixes - Installer now supports installation on XP x64 SP2. - Simplified new EIC dialog engineer options. - Test instrument categories default to selected for new instruments. - Now informs the user when updating certificate details is complete. - Removed unused complete report and send for review buttons. - The import file is now checked before importing. - Made clear that the option for separate circuit and test result pages applies only for 2008. - Removed the installer message about uninstalling the previous version during an update. - Removed 6A OPD rating from dropdown lists. - Reduced size of main certificate database file. - Added inspection schedule engineer to EICR and VCR 2011 inspection schedule. - Changed position of EICR fuse rating field. - Added main fuse rating to EICR page 3. - Added confirmation of supply polarity to EICR page 3. - Changed DC text from pole to wire on EICR page 3. - Feature not available dialog now points to www.pirform.co.uk/products. - Fixed multi-line and text overspill in printed certificates. - Adjusted Minor Works Zs intelligence adjusted. - EIC 2011 continuation page now includes comments. - Schedule item section headings no longer print values in the two right hand columns. - Improved database maintenance routines to be faster reduce database file size bloating. - Improved startup and certificate opening times by loading when preview page is first shown. ###### Fixes - Duplicated entries after archiving and recycling certificates. - Improved DB Ipf behaviour when clicking new boards. - Orphaned engineers removed during DB maintenance. - Removed stray engineers that have no company. - Deleting a company now deletes associated engineers. - Operational limitations and reasons now spill over to continuation page properly. - EIC 2011 installation extent now spills over correctly onto continuation page. - EICR operational limitations and reasons added to continuation page. - Now loads schedule items added after the certificate was created. - Schedule manager now visible in EICR & VCR 2011. - Overall assessment field now available for VCR 2008 & 2011. --- ## Shine Forms Maintenance Release November 2011 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-maintenance-release-november-2011/ Date: 2011-11-25 After releasing the last version of Shine Forms , which included the new EICR and all the updates for Amendment One, we thought a quick maintenance update was in order to fix a couple of issues and release some great new features. # Inspection schedule manager One of the main updates is to the Inspection Schedule. We have included 4 new optional inspection sections, that may apply to your installation. If they do, use the Inspection Schedule Manager to select which sections you require. These additional sections will now be available for inspection and will appear in the printed report. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-maintenance-release-november-2011-1-5.png) # Set all values to PASS with one click Another great feature incorporated in the Inspection Schedule Manager, is the ability to set All values in a particular section to PASS. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-maintenance-release-november-2011-2-4.png) Set all the values you want first, then change any odd values to whatever they should be. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-maintenance-release-november-2011-3-5.png) # Other changes We also made a few changes and fixes to things that just weren’t right. New: can now set all values in a section to PASS New: Can copy an entire certificate, including test results New: additional inspection sections for installations beyond the scope of the model form Change: dropdown menus now automatically size their list up to 15 rows Change: observations and recommendations removed from EIC 2011 and MW 2011 Change: design engineer 2 now available for change if Does All is chosen Fix: improved certificate number generation, especially when copying certificates Fix: Minimum height set for agreed limitations field in MW 2008 Fix: crash fixed when selecting newly added engineer in board manager Fix: Next inspection field replaced in EIC 2008 Fix: Comments field now prints from EIC 2011 --- ## High Zs values in TT installations Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/high-zs-values-in-tt-installations/ Date: 2011-10-11 Shine Forms now has a new feature that allows you to disregard high Zs readings for TT installations. This feature must only be used if the requirements of Regulation 411 in relation to disconnection by means of an RCD has been met. ###### How does it work? If your installation has a RCD as a main switch, you can select the “Disregard Zs for this certificate” option. Now, when entering values that exceed the maximum permissible, the intelligence will not trigger. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/high-zs-values-in-tt-installations-1-7.png) If you do not have an RCD as a main switch, but have a particular board that is protected by an RCD, then select the “Disregard Zs for this board” option. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/high-zs-values-in-tt-installations-2-5.png) If there is a split board, and only some of the circuits are protected by an RCD, then individual circuits can be selected. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/high-zs-values-in-tt-installations-3-6.png) --- ## Shine Forms Release 2011.2 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-release-2011-2/ Date: 2011-10-11 We are pleased to announce the release of a new version of Shine Forms is now available from our download area. The main new feature of this release is the ability to import and export your certificates and reports. Please note that certificate import and export is available as a paid addition to the Lite Edition licence. You can add this “bolt on” to your Lite Licence using our website store. # Certificate sharing Shine Forms now lets you export one or more certificates to and from a file. Whilst very simple and flexible to use, this is a major feature and we will be posting some more articles about this feature later this week. # Ignore high Zs values You can now control whether to disregard high Zs readings in TT installations. You can do this for the entire installation, for particular boards or even for particular circuits. Of course, this must be used with caution and only when there is adequate protection by means of an RCD. Tripping times must meet the requirements of Regulation 411. # Other changes New: you can now set the default backup location in Shine Forms Options. New: added a setting to control background loading. Change: agreed limitation lookup no longer user definable. Change: help links available on forms. Change: improved licence entry and activation feedback. Change: better use of available screen height throughout. Fix: crash when activating licence using internet. Fix: crash when previewing a blank report. Fix: long lines in limitations & installation extent causing text to be hidden. Fix: options dialog was showing scroll bars. Fix: default phase was not saved. Fix: instruments not properly initialising in new cert and cert options dialogs. Fix: engineer selections in new cert dialog now show correctly on certificate. Fix: error when recalculating max Zs. Fix: machine code not showing in licence details. Fix: bad refreshing of main form certificate views. Fix: was not loading association logo. Fix: bad handling of items moving between archive, recycle bin and main views. Fix: engineers now deleted when company deleted. Fix: crash when moving circuit when board phase has not been set. --- ## Ring Circuit Intelligence Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/ring-circuit-intelligence/ Date: 2011-06-16 To tell Shine Forms that a circuit is a ring final circuit, just enter the word *ring* into the Circuit Description field. Shine Forms looks at 5 separate aspects to determine whether the over current protective device you have selected is appropriate to the cable size in use. These are: - Wiring type - Reference method of installation - Cable size - Protective device rating - Whether the circuit is a ring final circuit (Shine Forms assumes all circuits are radials until you tell it otherwise). ###### Example If your wiring type is A (PVC/PVC cables), your reference method is C (Clipped Direct), the cable size is 2.5mm and the protective device is 32A, Shine Forms will generate some intelligence informing you that the combination goes beyond the recommendations of BS 7671. Entering the word ‘Ring’ into the circuit description will now Revert that intelligence. ###### Why? Under Regulation 433.1.5, in Lehman’s terms, if the cable can carry 20A in its installed conditions, then a 30A or 32A protective device, combined with 2.5mm (or 1.5mm for MICC) is acceptable if the circuit is wired as a ring. ###### Exceptions If your Reference Method is either 101 or 103 (Table 4D5), then the de-rating factor of the insulation brings the current carrying capacity down to 17A and 13.5A respectively. Therefore a rethink is required here, and don’t be fooled by thinking upgrading to 4.0mm will do for Reference Method 103, as this de-rates the cable to 17.5A. --- ## Shine Forms Release 2011.1 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-release-2011-1/ Date: 2011-05-04 We are pleased to announce the release of a new version of Shine Forms Lite is now available from our download area. This version has been a long time coming, but it’s certainly worth the wait. here are a lot of improvements and new features along with fixes to a number of issues in the previous version. I recommend you all update to the new version as soon as possible. The big improvements in this release are: - Three Phase Circuit Handling - Google-Style Find Facility - More Performance Improvements - Dropdown List Manager - Integrated Data Backup Read on for more details of these and other improvements in this new version. # Three phase circuit handling Shine Forms now automatically numbers three phase circuits. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2011-1-1-4.png) There is a new menu in the ribbon that lets you merge or unmerge circuits in a three phase board (note the shortcut keys that are shown on the menu too): ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2011-1-2-3.png) This lets you do things like this: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2011-1-3-4.png) If you want to, you can also enter your own numbering for the circuits – whether the board is three phase or not. If you enter your own numbering then Shine Forms will stop automatically renaming the circuits. However you number your circuits, this is available when selecting a supply: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2011-1-4-3.png) You can also set the default board phase for new boards in Shine Forms Options and in Certificate Options. The default number of ways has also been changed from 8 to 9. # Google-style find facility We have added a search facility throughout the software that lets you find what you want to find quickly and easily. Just type what you’re looking for into the find box and Shine Forms will do the rest. Let’s say you’re looking at a board like this one: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2011-1-5-2.png) And you want to see all the lighting circuits. Just type “light” into the find box above the circuit grid and you get this: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2011-1-6-2.png) Very simple, very powerful! We’ve even put it into the board selection tool to help you when working on big jobs: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2011-1-7-1.png) If you want to hide the find box just press Ctrl + F, then press Ctrl + F to bring it back again. # Shine Forms is faster – again! We made Shine Forms faster in the last release. We’ve done it again in this one! On most machines you will see very noticeable improvements of 20% when opening Shine Forms, loading, previewing and copying certificates. Users who are using Shine Forms on very low power machines like netbooks should see Shine Forms load a whole lot quicker too. (Note that we recommend that you use something more powerful than a netbook – a dual core processor with at least 2GB of RAM is the recommended minimum). # Lookup Manager You can now edit some of the lookup values using the new Dropdown List Manager: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2011-1-8-1.png) At this time you can change the circuit conductor CPC, installation extent and report purpose values. We will be putting out another release soon that will let you change more values. # Integrated data backup We’ve added a button to the Home Screen that lets you take a backup of your certificates. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2011-1-9.png) Taking regular backups and saving them somewhere safe – like online storage or an external hard drive – will help prevent you losing your certificates if your computer suffers a disaster. Note that this feature only lets you backup your data, we do not support restoring from a backup unless under the direction of Shine Forms Support. # Report updates All reports have been improved. You should notice that the layout is now clearer and more efficient. Installation extent field now carries over onto a continuation page and we’ve fixed an issue where page 2 did not grow properly. # Other changes - The Home Screen grids are now laid out in a much clearer fashion. - The Home Screen certificates are now ordered by when they were last changed. - Copied certificates now have a new certificate number. - Copy certificate now copies limitations and observations. - Added missing tool tips in the Certificate Form. - The circuit move controls now disabled if a circuit cannot be moved. - OPD rating can now accept decimal values. - Improved error reporting. - Better information is provided when a licence validation fails. - Removed the clear button from board selection drop-down. ###### Fixed Issues Fix: start page now does not close the program if it fails. Fix: could previously enter more text than the database field size in various locations causing a crash. Fix: un-posted circuit data was duplicated when moving a circuit. Fix: extent of installation continuation pages were not being shown. Fix: bad numbering of intelligence limitations after a manual limitation. Fix: spellchecker was reverting changes to words in grids. Fix: incorrect tracking of user changes to circuit names that caused changes to be reverted. Fix: incorrect numbering of new circuit/board when adding new after one has been deleted. Fix: crash after deleting a new certificate from Home Screen to Shine Forms Recycle Bin. Fix: bad scrolling in New Certificate Dialog. Fix: crash when removing observations from intelligence. Fix: error dialog saying “access to disposed object”. Fix: both double click and enter now opens certificates from the All Certificates grid. Fix: corrected spelling in recycle bin confirmation dialog. Fix: confirmation now shown after copying activation code. Fix: fixed alignment of start page links (component defaults changed in new version). Fix: start page now correctly handles ellipsis characters. --- ## Improvements since 2010.2 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/improvements-since-2010-2/ Date: 2010-10-31 In our last release, along with new features we also fixed a problem that caused the database file to grow larger than it needed to be. Shine Forms checks its database after it opens and updates it if needed and the last release contained an update that had quite a lot of work to do and which could take a minute or more even on a powerful PC. When this update was run on a database file that had grown too large, some user’s machines were unable to complete the upgrade and failed showing the standard Windows error reporting dialog. This was not a good position and we apologise if you were affected by this. Our mission is to produce high quality software and, when we don’t get that completely right the first time, we want to provide the best support that we possibly can. So, when we started getting reports of problems we set about getting our users up and running again as quickly and smoothly as possible. Shine Forms has automatic error reporting built in to help us find and fix any defects in the software. This looks like the screen show below and, if you choose to allow it, the error report gets sent to us across the internet. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/improvements-since-2010-2-1-3.png) However, for this problem the automatic reporting was not yet loaded by Shine Forms and we first heard of this problem from users on our forums here. # The fix Usually when things go wrong, we release an updated version that fixes the issue. However, in this circumstance the problem was caused by a combination of the bloated database file and the user’s PC not managing to get through the upgrade. The large database file size problem was fixed in this new release, so that won’t happen in the same way again. But, that was “too little, too late” for users who were already affected by the problem! The best we could do here was to process the user’s data for them and then send it back so they could carry on working. So that’s just what we did and along the way, we made a few improvements to the way we work so we would be able to respond even better if anything like this happens again. What were the improvements? # The Support Tool We updated our Support Tool – a small program that we use when helping users through support problems. It looks like this: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/improvements-since-2010-2-2-2.png) Specifically, we added the facility to compress the certificate database and then chop it up into chunks so they could be emailed to us for processing. This let us get around email providers limiting the size of email attachments. We also built in a facility to help replace the data once we had sent it back. # The helpdesk software During this time we began to use some now helpdesk software so that we could keep better track of user’s problems. This was really useful and proved its worth in the initial flurry of problems soon after release. If you send an email to [support@Pirform.co.uk](mailto:support@Pirform.co.uk) then this gets routed to the helpdesk and is managed by the helpdesk software until the problem is solved. We will be making some of it’s features available on our website in the coming months, so watch this space for more details. # The website improvements It was clear that some users were having problems attaching multiple files to emails and we wanted a way to make this easier. So, we also added a feature to the Client Centre on the website to allow you to upload files and to download files that we send back. To get there, just go to our website and click the Client Centre link near the top: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/improvements-since-2010-2-3-3.png) Then go into the section marked “My support files”: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/improvements-since-2010-2-4-2.png) You then see an area that lets you upload and download files: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/improvements-since-2010-2-5-1.png) # The upshot Although we work very hard to make sure we get things right the first time, I am sure that there will be another time where we don’t quite manage that. However, I do hope that these changes will improve the service we give and help us to keep your copy of Shine Forms working as smoothly as it should. --- ## Shine Forms Release 2010.2 Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-release-2010-2/ Date: 2010-09-13 We are pleased to announce the release of a new update of Shine Forms Lite is now available from our download area. This version contains a lot of changes and fixes a number of issues in the previous version and I recommend you all update to the new version. In this release we have improved the overall performance of Shine Forms, introduced a spell checker and added a the new Shine Forms Start Page to keep you up to date with us when Shine Forms starts. We hope you like the new version, read on for more details of what’s changed. # Shine Forms is faster We have made some good improvements in Shine Forms’ performance. We have removed some of the lags when you first opened a certificate and the print preview now appears a lot faster than before. Shine Forms still loads things up when it first starts and those of you with slower computers may be more aware of this start up delay than those with faster machines. To help us make Shine Forms faster, we have updated it to use a more recent component that is installed with Windows. If this component is not already installed then the Shine Forms installer will install it for you. There’s more details in the section called Installer Changes below. # Spell Checker To make your certificates even more accurate, we have added a spell checker. Shine Forms now checks the spelling for you as you type and indicates words that may be spelt wrong in the familiar manner with a squiggly red line: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2010-2-1-2.png) If you right-click over a word that has one of these lines, the menu that appears will have quick-fix options for the particular word. You can also access other spell check options from this menu: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2010-2-2-1.png) There is also a button on the ribbon that will perform a full spell check of the whole certificate. # Shine Forms Start Page When you open Shine Forms, you will now see the Shine Forms Start Page. This is a page on the Home Screen that gives you easy access to the certificates that you have recently opened, lets you quickly access the Shine Forms website and shows you the latest news from our blog. It looks like this: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2010-2-4-1.png) To open a recent certificate just click on it. To go open a link just click on it. To read the full news article - you guessed it - just click on it! To close the Start Page you can just click the arrow at the top left or press the Esc key on your keyboard. # New Copy Certificate Feature You can now copy certificates to make another certificate with the same details as the one being copied. All the details of the previous certificate are copied with the exception of the test results. To copy a certificate first select it in the Home Screen and then click the Copy Certificate button in the ribbon. After you confirm the copy the new certificate will open for you to make changes. If you do not want to keep the copied certificate then just close it without saving changes. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2010-2-5.png) # Shorter Reports Option We’ve added an option to not print the guidance notes with the printed certificate. You can access this option from Print section in Shine Forms Option: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2010-2-6-1.png) We will be adding the option to print the guidance notes separately to the rest of the certificate in a later release. # Installer Changes As mentioned above, the installer now updates a Windows component to it’s latest version before it installs. This component is called the Microsoft Dotnet Framework and Shine Forms now needs version 4.0 of that to be able to operate. If you do not have this installed already, then Shine Forms will download this from Microsoft and update your computer before it continues. If this happens on Windows Vista or Windows 7 you will require administrator privileges to be able to install. The Shine Forms installer will detect that this is needed and will ask you for the appropriate privileges before it continues. If your computer is controlled by your IT Department then you may need to contact their service to install this component. If the component is already installed then Shine Forms just install normally. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2010-2-7.png) While the Shine Forms Installer is downloading the Dotnet Framework 4.0 you will a screen similar to this: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-release-2010-2-8.png) Please note that the whole download and install of this component can take a long time, depending on the speed of your internet connection. # Intelligence Updates When you change a value, Shine Forms waits for a short while before updating the certificate based on BS7671. This is slightly different to the previous version which waited until you moved to another field before doing any updates. We have also fixed a problem where you could manually set a value that had been previously set by intelligence and we have included 61008 RCD tripping time intelligence on circuits. # Report Updates We have made some adjustments to the margin settings and general layout of the printed reports and corrected a couple of spelling mistakes. The margins are consistent now across all pages. # Other Changes - Added an associated RCD to the Minor Works. - Added RCD types to Minor Works. - Shine Forms no longer stays on top of other programs on your computer. - Database file size is now automatically reduced after each upgrades and periodically when used. - Updated internal components and the installer to the supplier’s latest versions. - Shine Forms now informs the user when an unrecognised file format is selected as a logo file. ###### Fixed Issues Fix: suppressed statements was preventing value changes. Fix: prevented modification of observation and limitation numbers. Fix: prevented Shine Forms window from obscuring other windows when using the Windows Taskbar to select. Fix: margin warning no longer appears when printing reports. Fix: preventing changes to values that are set by the intelligence now works as in all circumstances. Fix: resetting numeric field to zero dis not revert applied intelligence. Fix: text/number controls now allow entries that start with a decimal point. Fix: crash after selecting UNKNOWN or LIM in Main OPD on page 3. Fix: board inspection date is now set by default. --- ## Shine Forms Lite Available Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/releases/shine-forms-lite-available/ Date: 2010-07-10 We are very happy to announce that Shine Forms is now available for purchase from our website store. It has been nearly two years since we announced Shine Forms and seven months since we made the first beta version available. We'd like to say a big thanks to all of you who have given us feedback during this time. We always love to hear from our user community and we love that you help to shape the way Shine Forms is today. # How Shine Forms is licensed Shine Forms is licensed annually and the licence allows you to install and use Shine Forms on a single machine. You can move it to another machine if you want, but you can only have it on a single machine at any one time. When your year’s licence has expired you will need to purchase another year’s licence to be able to continue working with Shine Forms. If you do not want to purchase another licence you will still be able to get to the certificates you have in Shine Forms, you just won’t be able to create new certificates or change the details of any existing certificates. I will write another article about how you can move Shine Forms between machines and what happens if you do not want to renew your Shine Forms licence soon. # Client Centre The Client Centre is the area on the website that contains your information. This area gives you access to your licence codes in case you lose the email we send. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-lite-available-1-13.png) You can get to your Client Centre by using the link [https://www.shineforms.co.uk/portal](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/portal) or by using the My Account link towards the top right of our website. If you are not already logged in, the website will ask you to log in and then take you to the Client Centre. # Trial Edition There is a free 30 day trial available so that can try Shine Forms before you buy it. The trial edition does everything that the Lite Edition does, with two exceptions: certificates print with a watermark to indicate that it is a trial edition and you will see a “nag screen” each time you start Shine Forms. When you purchase Shine Forms this watermark will be removed from all your certificates and you will no longer see the nag screen. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-lite-available-3-12.png) # Specimen report ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-lite-available-2-12.png) To be able to download the trial edition you have to sign up on our website. You also have to agree to allow us to offer help by email if Shine Forms is having problems on your machine. # Licence codes sent by email When you download Shine Forms, we will send you a licence code by email that let’s you start your 30 day trial period. When you purchase Shine Forms we will send you another licence code that will “unlock” the full edition and remove the watermark. You will not have to reinstall Shine Forms and all you have certificates will not be affected (other than having the watermark removed!). # Entering a licence code When you first install and run Shine Forms you will see this licence entry screen: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-lite-available-4-8.png) Copy the licence code from the email and paste it into the area in the middle of the above screen. We’ve made it as easy as possible to do this and you don’t have to be that accurate when you copy the licence code. You can copy text surrounding the code, as long as you copy all the code we will work out the rest after you paste it in. Read more about this feature here. After you have pasted the licence code in you will be able to see the licence details as below. ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-lite-available-5-6.png) Click OK and Shine Forms will automatically restart to apply the changes. Note that it is Shine Forms that will restart - your computer will not be restarted! ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-lite-available-6-7.png) # Changing a licence code Sometime you will need to enter another licence code, such as when you have purchased Shine Forms after using an evaluation version. You can do this by opening the licence screen from Shine Forms Options, as follows: Click the Shine Forms button: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-lite-available-7-5.png) Then click Shine Forms Options: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-lite-available-8-4.png) Then go to the Licence Information section and click on Enter New Licence Key: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-lite-available-9-3.png) This will open the licence entry screen and let you enter a licence code as above. # Activating Shine Forms When you buy Shine Forms you have bought a licence to use it for a year on a single machine. To lock Shine Forms to your machine you need to “activate Shine Forms” within 15 days of your purchase. If you have an internet connection then Shine Forms can do that for you over the internet. If you do not have an internet connection then you can can get an activation code from your Client Centre on our website. When Shine Forms needs to be activated you will see this after you open Shine Forms: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-lite-available-10-2.png) You can click Activate Now to allow Shine Forms to activate over the internet. You can choose to activate at another time or you can use the links to go to your Client Centre. If you do not activate Shine Forms within the 15 day activation period, you will need to use the Client Centreto obtain an activated licence code. (Note that this feature is not yet available, we will be adding this feature to the Client Centre very soon.) # Software Support We are passionate about the quality of our software and we want to ensure that it works as best as it possibly can in all respects. Because of this, we have built automatic error reporting into Shine Forms. In the unfortunate circumstance that Shine Forms experiences an error when you are using it, you will see a screen like this: ![](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-lite-available-11-1.png) Shine Forms will then shut down. Notice that you have the option to automatically send details of the errors to us. If you do not want to send details of the error to us then uncheck the box. If you choose to send us details of the error, then we will use this to help us identify and fix the cause of the error. If you choose to send details of the error, then we may contact you by email to offer help with the error. If you do not want us to help you at that time, then please just ignore our email and we will not contact you again. The next time you send an error report to us we may again send you an email to offer to help – please feel free to not respond if you do not want us to help. # Blog --- ## What Does Electrical Certification Software Cost? | UK Guide Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/8/what-does-electrical-certification-software-cost-uk-guide/ Date: 2026-08-18 Certification software is sold in several ways in the UK, and the price on a website tells you little about what you'll pay over a year. Two products advertised at similar figures can cost you hundreds apart depending on how many certificates you produce and how many people need access. This covers the pricing models you'll come across, what each one costs you over a year, and how to work out which suits the way you work. ## Per certificate You pay for each certificate you produce. Some scheme tools work this way, often bundled with your registration so there's no separate software purchase. The appeal is that a quiet month costs almost nothing. There's nothing to pay upfront and no fixed cost when work is thin. The thing to work out is your busy months. Per-certificate pricing follows your workload, so the cost rises in the weeks you're already stretched. A contractor producing thirty certificates in March pays six times what they paid in a quiet January. One of our customers, Alan Smith of [Alan Smith & Sons](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/case-studies/alan-smith-and-sons) in Coventry, said: "I pay a yearly fee, whereas some companies charge per certificate. With those companies, if you're doing 200 certificates a year, you're paying 200 separate charges." If your volume is low and steady, per certificate can be the cheapest option on this list. Work out your annual number before deciding. ## Monthly subscription A fixed fee per month, usually with unlimited certificates. Cancel and you stop paying, though you may also stop having access to the certificates you produced. It suits businesses that want a small regular outgoing rather than a lump sum, and teams that change size through the year. Two things to check. How additional users are charged, because the structures vary a lot. Some products charge full price per person, some add a smaller monthly fee for each extra engineer, some include office staff at no cost, and some offer a flat rate covering unlimited engineers. A small per-user fee adds up once you multiply it across the team and the year. Seven pounds a month across four extra engineers is over three hundred pounds a year. The second is what happens to your certificate history if you stop paying. That matters more than it sounds when you need to produce a report from three years ago. ## AI credits and usage-based charges A newer model, usually layered on top of a subscription rather than replacing it. The software includes an allowance of credits or tokens each month, and AI features consume them as you work. What consumes a credit varies by product. It might be a circuit imported from a photo, an observation the AI drafts, or a check it runs against your values. Some products let unused credits roll over, and additional credits are usually sold at a small unit price. Two things worth working out. What a typical certificate costs you in credits, since a full EICR with a dozen circuits uses considerably more than a Minor Works. And which features draw on them, because if the regulation checking is metered, the cost scales with how much checking you want doing. For most single-engineer workloads a monthly allowance will cover it. The picture changes with volume, so ask what happens when you go over and what the unit price is. ## Upfront licence You buy the software once and own that version. No compulsory renewal. It suits contractors who want the cost dealt with in one go and are comfortable staying on the version they bought. Two things usually sit alongside the licence fee. Updates and support are often sold as an optional annual package, and while it's optional in name, it's what keeps you current when BS 7671 changes. Ask what a major amendment costs if you're not on the package. Licences are also frequently tied to one computer, with a mobile or tablet version sold separately. If you want the software on a laptop in the van and a desktop in the office, that's two purchases rather than one. ## Annual licence A flat yearly fee, usually with unlimited certificates. You know at the start of the year what the software costs you by the end of it. It suits anyone whose volume varies, and teams where several engineers need the same software. The cost doesn't move when March is busy. The thing to check is what's counted. Some annual licences are per engineer, some cover a team, some charge extra for additional certificate types or reports. The figure only means something once you know how many licences you need. This is the model we use for Shine Forms. Unlimited certificates, a flat annual cost, regulation updates included, and no metered charges for the checking. ## Working out your own number Five things to establish before comparing anything. Your annual certificate volume. Not your best month multiplied by twelve. Look at last year properly. **How many people need access.** Per-user pricing changes the picture completely for a team of four, and it's the figure most often left out of the comparison. **Which certificate types you produce.** If you work under BS 5839 or BS 5266 as well as BS 7671, check whether those cost extra or come as standard. **Whether anything is metered.** If AI features draw on credits, work out roughly what a normal week uses. **What's separate.** Support, updates, additional reports, mobile versions, cloud storage. These show up as add-ons often enough to be worth asking about directly. Then run your numbers against each model rather than comparing advertised prices. A per-certificate product and an annual licence can't be compared any other way, and neither can a monthly figure that turns out to be per person. ## What free usually means Free certification software exists, though it's rarely free across a whole year. Scheme tools are often free at the point of use with per-certificate charges layered on. Free tiers of subscription products may not let you produce a finished PDF. Trials are free for a period of time. Templates and spreadsheets cost nothing and produce nothing an assessor will accept We've covered that properly in [Is There Free Electrical Certificate Software?](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/8/free-electrical-certificate-software) ## Before you commit Take a trial and produce a certificate on it. Price is the easiest thing to compare and the least useful on its own, because software that takes you an extra twenty minutes per certificate costs you more than the licence fee ever will. Our [30-day trial](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/free-trial) is fully functional with no feature gating. Current pricing is on our [pricing page.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/pricing) For the wider set of questions, [How to Choose Electrical Certification Software](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/6/choosing-electrical-certification-software) works through what else to check. --- ## Is There Free Electrical Certificate Software? Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/8/is-there-free-electrical-certificate-software/ Date: 2026-08-18 Yes, in several forms. Whether any of it is free across a whole year is a different question, and the answer usually depends on what you produce and how much of it. This covers what's on offer without a licence fee, what each version charges for instead, and what free costs you in time. ## Scheme provider tools Most scheme bodies offer certification software to registered contractors, included with your membership. There's no separate software purchase to justify and it's already tied to your registration. What's usually charged for is the certificates themselves. Free at the point of use, with a fee each time you produce one. For a contractor doing a handful a month that can work out cheaper than any licence. For anyone busy, the sums change quickly, and they change most in the months you can least afford it. The other consideration is what happens if you change scheme. Software that came with the membership tends to go when the membership does, and your certificate history can go with it. ## Free tiers of paid software A number of products offer a permanently free tier alongside their paid plans. You can create certificates, use the software properly, and pay nothing. The gate is usually at the end. Producing the finished PDF, sending it to a client, or saving it at all often requires a subscription. Where a product includes AI features, the free tier may come with a limited allowance of credits, with a subscription needed beyond that. These are worth using, as long as you treat them as an extended trial rather than a permanent arrangement. Find out where the gate sits before you build a workflow around one. ## Free trials Nearly every product offers one, usually somewhere between fourteen and thirty days. The useful ones are fully functional with no features held back. Two things worth checking. Whether the trial gives you the whole product or a cut-down version, since a trial that hides the features you're evaluating tells you very little. And whether the certificates you produce during it stay accessible if you don't subscribe. Use it properly while you have it. Complete a real certificate rather than clicking around. Enter a value you know is wrong and see whether the software says anything. That single test tells you more about a product than its website will. ## Templates and spreadsheets Free certificate templates circulate widely, as Word documents, spreadsheets and blank PDFs. They cost nothing and they produce something that looks like a certificate. What they don't do is check anything. Nothing verifies a Zs reading against the maximum for that circuit, nothing flags a cable that doesn't suit the load, and nothing updates when BS 7671 changes. Every calculation and every regulation reference is yours to get right and yours to keep current. They also make consistency across a team almost impossible to maintain, since there's nothing holding one engineer's version to the same standard as another's. ## What free costs you Three things, and none of them show up on an invoice. **Time. **Manual entry, manual checking, and re-keying the same client details across several forms. Twenty minutes extra per certificate across a busy year is a working week. **Consistency. **When several engineers produce work under one name, something has to keep the output the same. With free tools that something is a person, usually the QS, checking by hand. **Risk.** An error that reaches a client is your error regardless of what produced the paperwork. Software that checks your values as you enter them is the difference between finding a mistake on site and finding it later. ## Working out whether free is cheaper It often is, for the right business. A sole trader producing a few certificates a month, confident in their own figures, working under one scheme they've no plans to leave, is well served by a scheme tool and a spreadsheet. The point it stops being cheaper is usually volume, team size, or the moment you're signing off work somebody else carried out. Our [guide to what certification software costs](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/8/electrical-certification-software-cost) works through the pricing models and how to run your own numbers against them. ## Trying the paid version If you want to see what the difference is in practice, our [30-day trial](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/free-trial) is fully functional with nothing held back. Produce a real certificate on it, put a wrong value in deliberately, and see what happens. For the wider set of questions, [How to Choose Electrical Certification Software](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/6/choosing-electrical-certification-software) covers what else to check before you commit. --- ## How to Fill in an EICR Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/8/how-to-fill-in-an-eicr/ Date: 2026-08-18 An EICR follows a fixed structure. Filling it in section by section, in order, is the easiest way to keep the report consistent with itself. If you're completing your first few condition reports, this covers what each section asks for and why it sits where it does. ## 1. Client and installation details Every EICR opens with who the report is for and what it covers. The client's details, the address of the installation, whether the occupier is someone different, the purpose of the report, and what you know about the installation itself. Include its age, the type of premises, and whether it's been altered or extended since the last inspection. Finish this section before you move on. It's the quickest part of the report and the easiest to leave half done, and a complete first page sets the tone for everything after it. ## 2. Extent and limitations This section is the easiest to shortcut, and it's the one worth taking time over. The extent and limitations define what the inspection covers. Which parts of the installation you inspected and tested, and which parts you couldn't. A sealed void, a circuit you couldn't isolate, an area you weren't given access to. Agree them with the client before you start work, rather than once you've finished and are writing the report up. If a limitation comes up partway through, stop and agree it with whoever instructed the inspection, then and there. Access refused to a room, say, or a circuit that can't be isolated without shutting down something critical. This section works in your favour. An EICR reports on what was inspected and nothing else, so a limitation you've recorded and agreed is a limitation you've accounted for. One you decided on your own after the fact is harder to stand behind later. ## 3. Supply characteristics and earthing arrangements Record the type of earthing arrangement (TN-S, TN-C-S or TT), the number and type of supplies, and the measured or established values for the supply. Usually the external earth fault loop impedance and the prospective fault current. These figures feed straight into the schedule of test results. They set the maximum permitted values you're checking each circuit against, so getting them right here saves you unpicking the whole schedule later. Verify them on site rather than assuming. Copying from a previous report for the same property is a common shortcut, and supplies do get changed. TT installations need their own checks too, including RCD protection and earth electrode resistance, which a TN-C-S assumption would miss. ## 4. Schedule of inspections The schedule of inspections is the visual and physical check. No testing yet, just looking, and confirming item by item that the installation meets what's expected of it. This is where you first record PASS, LIM, N/A or one of the classification codes against each item. Work through it as you go rather than trying to remember what you saw at the end. Items left blank because you weren't sure, or because you'd come back to them, are the ones you can miss. ## 5. Schedule of test results This is where you record, circuit by circuit, the circuit description and designation, the protective device type and rating, the conductor size, and then the test results. Continuity of protective conductors, insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop impedance at the far end of each circuit, and RCD operating and trip times where RCD protection applies. Check each Zs reading against the maximum permitted value for that circuit's protective device and disconnection time, rather than recording it and moving on. A value that passes on your instrument but sits close to the limit is worth a second look, particularly when it doesn't match the other circuits on the same board. Keep your test instrument in current calibration and keep the record against its serial number. Scheme assessors ask for it as a matter of course, and it's the thing that lets your results stand on their own. ## 6. Observations and classification codes Record anything you find during the inspection or testing that doesn't meet the standard, with a classification code. C1, C2, C3 or FI. Each observation should be specific enough that the client, another electrician or an assessor can tell what was found and where. A C1 changes what you do next. Danger is present, so the person ordering the work needs telling straight away in writing, and the danger needs making safe before you leave site. The code on the report is the record of it, not the action itself. Classification is a judgement call on the facts in front of you rather than a lookup table. If you want worked examples, [EICR Observation Codes Explained](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/8/eicr-observation-codes-explained) covers C1, C2, C3 and FI in detail. Consistency counts as much as accuracy. When your team produces reports under one name, the same finding should get the same code, whoever carried out the inspection. That's what makes a set of reports hold together when someone reads them side by side. ## 7. Declaration and next inspection date The declaration is where the report gets signed off, and it needs two signatures. The person who carried out the inspection and testing, and the person authorising the report for issue. In a small company that can be the same person, but both roles have to be represented. This is also where you record the overall outcome, satisfactory or unsatisfactory, following on from the codes in the observations section, and recommend a date for the next inspection. The interval depends on the type of installation, its condition and how it's used. There's no single default that suits every property, so apply your judgement rather than reaching for a standard figure out of habit. ## 8. Issuing the report Before it goes out, check it as a whole rather than section by section. Every field completed, every schedule item coded, observations matching what's recorded in the schedule, photos and appendices attached, both signatures in place. Keep a copy. If you're working in a team, whoever reviews the work, a QS or a senior engineer, should be able to see what was entered and what got queried, rather than just the finished PDF. ## Where Shine Forms fits in Shine Forms takes you through an EICR in this order, section by section, and checks your values against BS 7671 as you enter them. A Zs reading over the maximum for that circuit gets flagged at the point you type it in, while you're still on site and can do something about it. The regulation checks are verified directly against BS 7671 by someone who helps write it. Observations and codes stay linked to the schedule items they came from, so classification stays consistent, whoever on the team carried out the inspection, with an audit trail of what was entered and reviewed. If you're weighing up certification software and want to know what else to check, [How to Choose Electrical Certification Software](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/6/choosing-electrical-certification-software) covers it. Or see our [EICR software.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/eicr-software) --- ## EICR Observation Codes Explained Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/8/eicr-observation-codes-explained/ Date: 2026-08-18 An EICR does more than say whether an installation is safe. It records specific findings, each one classified with a code, and those codes drive the report's outcome. If you're new to condition reports, or you're a landlord who's just been handed one with a page of C2s on it, this covers what the codes mean and what happens next. ## What an observation code classifies A code doesn't describe the installation as a whole. It classifies one specific finding that doesn't meet the requirements of BS 7671. A missing piece of bonding, an overloaded circuit, a socket with no earth. Each finding gets its own code, and one report can carry several different codes across several findings. The code reflects the risk attached to that one finding, on the facts as found on the day. Two similar-looking faults can carry different codes depending on the circumstances around them. How a circuit is used, what's connected to it, how accessible it is, whether other protective measures are already in place. Classification is the inspector's professional judgement applied to BS 7671, rather than a fixed table of faults matched to codes. That's worth holding onto as you read the examples below. They're there to show the kind of finding that tends to attract each code, not to be matched against what's in front of you on site. There are four codes in use on the current EICR: C1, C2, C3 and FI. ## C1, danger present C1 means a danger exists right now and there's a risk of injury. It calls for immediate action. Where an inspector finds a C1, the usual response is to make that part of the installation safe before leaving the property, by isolating a circuit for example, where that can be done safely. Whoever instructed the inspection needs to be told straight away. Not left to be read on the paperwork later. Findings that tend to be coded C1 include exposed live conductors somebody could touch, a consumer unit with a damaged enclosure leaving live parts accessible, or a socket outlet with live parts exposed behind a broken faceplate. **What happens next.** The danger gets made safe or isolated before the report is even finished. The report records what was found and what was done about it. ## C2, potentially dangerous C2 means the finding is potentially dangerous should a fault or another condition occur, and it calls for urgent remedial action. It sits below C1 because there's no live danger in front of the inspector on the day, but there's a real risk if circumstances change. A fault develops, someone touches the wrong thing, a protective device doesn't operate the way it should. Findings that tend to be coded C2 include missing earthing or bonding where the installation requires it, an absent or non-functioning RCD where one is needed for the circuits it protects, or a protective device that doesn't match the cable it's protecting. \*\*What happens next. \*\*The client needs the remedial work doing urgently. A C2 doesn't require the electrician to stay on site and put it right there and then, the way a C1 does, but it shouldn't be sitting there in six months either. ## C3, improvement recommended C3 is the only code that doesn't affect the overall outcome. It flags something that falls short of current guidance without being dangerous, most often an installation which complied under an earlier edition of the regulations and hasn't been brought up to current recommendations since. Findings that tend to be coded C3 include no RCD protection on socket circuits in a property where it isn't strictly required but would be sensible to add, or missing circuit labelling at the consumer unit. **What happens next.** It's a recommendation rather than a requirement. The client can act on it or leave it. There's no urgency attached to a C3 on its own. ## FI, further investigation required FI means the inspector found something that couldn't be fully assessed within the scope of the inspection. A limitation on access, a symptom without an obvious cause, wiring that needs tracing before its condition can be judged. An FI doesn't say a danger exists, and it doesn't say everything is fine. It says the inspector doesn't yet have enough information to classify what they found. Findings that tend to be coded FI include signs of overheating at a point that couldn't be opened up during the visit, or evidence of an intermittent fault that wasn't reproducible on the day. **What happens next.** The further investigation needs to happen, and the report should say by when. Treat an FI with the same urgency as a C2 until the investigation shows otherwise. An unclassified finding isn't a safe one by default. ## X, and why it isn't a fifth code You may also see an X on a report. It isn't a fifth classification. It belongs to one specific place, section 1.1 of the inspection schedule, where BS 7671 allows any item to be marked X. Where an item is marked that way, a comment against it belongs in section K, the observations section, so the reason sits alongside everything else found on the day. Outside section 1.1, the codes are C1, C2, C3 and FI. Shine Forms carries the X through to that observation automatically, so the schedule and the observations stay tied together. ## How the codes decide the outcome The overall result, satisfactory or unsatisfactory, follows from the codes recorded against the report. Any C1 or C2 makes the report unsatisfactory. C3 codes on their own don't. A report carrying C3s and nothing worse can still be satisfactory. C3 is the only code compatible with a satisfactory outcome. An FI means the assessment isn't complete. Until the further investigation resolves it, the outcome can't be confirmed as satisfactory. If you're a landlord or agent holding an unsatisfactory report, the next step is getting the C1 and C2 items, plus any open FIs, put right by a qualified electrician, then having those items re-inspected and signed off. A full new EICR isn't always needed for that, so ask the electrician who produced the original report what they'd suggest. ## How long you've got Landlords in England work to a deadline set by the private rented sector electrical safety regulations. The report may specify a shorter period for a particular item, and where it does, that shorter period applies. Written confirmation that the work has been done then goes to the tenant and the local authority. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements, so check the position where the property is. ## Consistent classification, wherever it happens Because classification is a judgement call, the same finding can be coded differently by two inspectors, or by the same inspector on two different days. That's professional judgement working as it should. It's also a problem for a team producing reports under one name, and for a landlord comparing two reports on the same property from different visits. Shine Forms ties codes to the specific schedule item they came from and generates the linked observation when an item is coded C1, C2, C3 or FI. The wording and the code stay consistent with what's recorded in the inspection schedule, whoever on the team carried out the inspection. If you want to see how that fits together, our [EICR software](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/eicr-software) covers it. For the report as a whole, [How to Fill in an EICR](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/8/how-to-fill-in-an-eicr) works through it section by section. --- ## Best Electrical Certification Software UK Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/8/best-electrical-certification-software-uk/ Date: 2026-08-18 We make Shine Forms. That's worth putting at the top, because a vendor writing about the best certification software isn't a neutral party and there's no sense pretending otherwise. What we can do is describe what each product is, how it's sold and who it's built for, and leave the judgement to you. It's all taken from each company's own website. No star ratings, no review counts, no opinions on anyone's reputation including ours. Prices are left out deliberately. They change, and a comparison built on figures goes stale fast. Pricing model tells you more anyway, since that's what decides whether a busy month costs more than a quiet one. For the checklist version before you look at products, [How to Choose Electrical Certification Softwar](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/6/choosing-electrical-certification-software)e works through the questions to ask. ## What we've compared What each product is, which platforms it runs on, how it's sold, and whether it checks your values against BS 7671. ### Clik Cert Desktop and mobile certification software, sold in NICEIC-branded form as NICEIC Cert Software. It sits within Joblogic's wider field service management platform alongside job scheduling, invoicing and asset management. It suits NICEIC-registered contractors who want certification as part of a bigger job management system. ### EasyCert A long-running Windows desktop product from TySoft covering BS 7671, BS 5839 and BS 5266. Sold as a one-off purchase, with updates and support through a separate annual package. Each licence covers one installation, so a second machine means buying again. It suits contractors who prefer to buy outright and work mostly from one computer. ### Electraform Pay-as-you-go. You buy certificate credits in blocks and spend one per certificate, with photographs drawing on a separate pool of image credits. It suits low or unpredictable volume. The thing to work out is your annual number, since the cost follows your workload and rises in your busiest months. ### iCertifi An app family covering electrical, fire, gas and PAT certification, sold through the App Store with unlimited certificates on every plan. Cloud Pro adds team collaboration, remote QS sign-off and sync across iPhone, iPad and Mac. Separate AI features read boards from photographs. It suits teams working from Apple devices, particularly anyone producing gas or fire certificates too. ### Megger CertSuite A cloud-based service with a companion app, covering BS 7671 certificates alongside EV charge points, fire, emergency lighting and PAT. Megger's test instruments connect to it directly. Sold per user, monthly or annually. It suits teams already using Megger instruments who want results moving from the tester into the certificate. ### NAPIT FastTest Covers electrical, fire, gas, ventilation and emergency lighting, running on phones, tablets and browsers though not macOS. Sold as an annual licence including 200 AI credits, spent one per AI circuit generation. NAPIT members can notify work from within it. It suits contractors who want the widest certificate range in one product and are with NAPIT. ### NICEIC Online Free to registered contractors, with the cost falling on the certificate numbers you buy. It suits modest volumes if you're settled with NICEIC. Worth running your annual number rather than assuming free means free, and worth asking what happens to your history if you change scheme. ### Shine Forms That's us, formerly Pirform. The BS 7671 rules are programmed in and check your values as you enter them, so a Zs reading over the maximum for that circuit is flagged while you're still standing at the board. Those checks are verified directly against BS 7671 by someone who helps write it. That's [Gary Gundry MIET](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/3/gary-gundry-bs7671), who sits on the JPEL/64 committee responsible for the wiring regulations. The rules come from the standard itself, not from a model trained on what the internet says about wiring regulations. And the checking isn't metered, so it doesn't cost you more to have more of it. Code a schedule item C1, C2, C3 or FI and the linked observation is created for you, and removed again if you change the coding. Desktop and tablet, running on Windows, iPad and Android, with the same certificate open on either. [Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/boards-and-circuits) gives you every board and circuit on one screen. You can copy a certificate to a different type, turn an EIC into an EICR without re-entering the boards, or create a Minor Works from circuits already recorded. On larger jobs, boards and observations from several engineers merge into one master certificate.Certificates are stored as files you own, backed up automatically and to your own Dropbox or OneDrive. Boards, circuits and observations export to Excel whenever you want the data outside the certificate. Issued PDFs carry tamper protection. It works with any scheme provider, and covers [BS 5839 fire alarm](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/fire-alarm-certificate-software) and [BS 5266 emergency lighting ](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/emergency-lighting-certificate-software)certificates alongside BS 7671. In use since 2011, with around 650 contractors producing certificates on it. Sold as a flat annual licence with unlimited certificates and regulation updates included. Full feature breakdown on the [comparison page.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/features) It suits teams where several engineers produce work under one name, and anyone authorising certificates they didn't test themselves. ### TradeCert App-based and built around cloud collaboration, sold monthly with no contract and unlimited certificates. Additional engineers cost a smaller monthly fee each, office users are free, and the free tier needs a subscription to download PDFs. AI features are metered through a monthly token allowance. It suits teams wanting live collaboration between site and office, and anyone comfortable with a bill that varies with AI usage. ## The question worth asking Most of the products here will produce a certificate, and several will collaborate across a team and sign off remotely. Fewer will tell you whether the values on the certificate are right. So when you're comparing, ask each of them where the regulation knowledge comes from, who verifies it against the current standard, whether the checking is metered, and how quickly support answers when something goes wrong. Ask us the same. Then take a trial and produce a real certificate on it. Enter a value you know is wrong and see what the software does. We can't see inside anyone else's software, so we don't know how their checking works. That's exactly why it's worth asking. Our [30-day trial](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/free-trial) is fully functional with nothing held back. The [EICR software](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/eicr-software) page covers what the checking looks like on that certificate type, and [what electrical certification software costs](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/8/electrical-certification-software-cost) compares the pricing models properly. --- ## How to Switch Your Team to Amendment 4 Before October Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/7/how-to-switch-your-team-to-amendment-4-before-october/ Date: 2026-07-21 Amendment 4 was released in April, and the clock is now ticking on the other end of the changeover. The previous edition of BS 7671, the Brown Book, is withdrawn on 15 October 2026. After that, without contractual agreement between all parties involved (refer to page 12 of Amendment 4), every new certificate has to reference Amendment 4. Both editions are valid until then, so there's no need to panic. But there's a bit to sort out, especially if you're running a team. The firms that handle this well are the ones that plan the switchover rather than leaving it to the deadline. Here's how to do it cleanly. ## Pick a changeover date Choose the date your firm moves fully to Amendment 4, and put it in the diary. One date, clearly communicated, beats everyone guessing. Make sure every engineer knows when it is and what changes for them. ## Get your templates and defaults ready Update your certificate templates and default dropdowns to Amendment 4 before the date, not after. Review your standard wording, your notes and your observation libraries while you're at it. And check your logo and company details still come through correctly on the new forms. ## Brief the team Walk everyone through what's changed and where. Agree how you're handling jobs that are already in progress. And point the team at the full Amendment 4 guide so they've got the detail when they need it. ## The one rule that catches people out Both editions are valid right up to 15 October, but only within a single project. So don't mix editions on one job. If you start a job under Amendment 4 it has to stay under Amendment 4 all the way through. An assessor will spot a mixed job a mile off. ## Download the switchover checklist We've turned all of this into a one-page checklist you can print and keep. Pick a date, update your templates, brief the team, tick it off. Download the Amendment 4 Switchover Checklist → With Shine Forms, the regs side is already handled. The Amendment 4 changes are built in, verified by Gary Gundry who helps write BS 7671, so when your team enters their values, the software checks them against Amendment 4 as they work. Every engineer, working to the same standard, every time. --- ## Managing Certificate Quality Across Multiple Engineers Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/6/managing-certificate-quality-across-multiple-engineers/ Date: 2026-06-08 You've got engineers out on site. They're good at their jobs. But when the certificates come back, they don't look the same. One engineer writes detailed observations. Another writes the bare minimum. One catches every regulation limit. Another misses things you have to send back. If you're a Qualified Supervisor or running a team, you know this problem. You're signing off certificates you didn't complete yourself, trusting that someone else got it right. That's a lot of liability resting on consistency you can't always control. ## The problem with multiple engineers Every electrician learns regulations slightly differently. They interpret things based on their training, their experience, and whatever they picked up along the way. That's fine when it comes to practical work. But certificates need to be consistent. The same circuit tested by two different engineers should produce the same compliant certificate. In practice, it often doesn't. Some engineers are thorough. Some rush. Some remember every Zs limit off the top of their head. Some haven't looked at a regulation table since their last assessment. When you're responsible for signing off their work, you're also responsible for catching what they missed. ## What most contractors do The usual approaches: **Spot checks**. You review a percentage of certificates before they go out. Time-consuming, and you're still relying on catching errors manually. **Templates.** You create standard templates so everyone starts from the same place. Helps with formatting, but doesn't catch regulation errors. **Training.** You run refresher sessions on common mistakes. Useful, but knowledge fades. The engineer who attended training in January might forget something by March. **Trust.** You trust your experienced engineers and hope for the best. Works until it doesn't. None of these actually solve the problem. They just manage it. ## What if the software did the checking? This is where [regulation intelligence](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/3/regulation-intelligence) comes in. When BS 7671 rules are built directly into the software, every engineer gets the same checks. Not because they remembered to look something up. Because the software won't let them submit values that don't comply. Engineer enters a Zs reading that exceeds the limit? Software flags it. Every time. For every engineer. Engineer selects a cable size that doesn't match the load and installation method? Software suggests compliant alternatives. The consistency doesn't depend on the engineer's memory or attention to detail. It's built into the system. ## What this means for Qualified Supervisors If you're signing off certificates, you want to know the basics have already been checked. You still need to review the work. You still need to apply professional judgement. But you're not starting from scratch, wondering whether someone remembered the maximum Zs for a 32A Type B device. The software already caught that. You can focus on the things that need human judgement rather than regulation arithmetic. ## Training new engineers This matters even more when you've got newer team members. An engineer who qualified last year doesn't have decades of regulation knowledge in their head. They're still building that experience. In the meantime, they're producing certificates that go out under your company name. With regulation intelligence built in, newer engineers get guided toward compliant values as they work. They're learning the regulations through the software, not despite it. They'll still make mistakes. Everyone does. But fewer of those mistakes will end up on certificates. ## The consistency benefit When every engineer uses software with the same regulation checks built in, you get something valuable. Consistency. A certificate from your most experienced engineer looks the same as one from your newest. The values comply with the same standards. The observations follow the same logic. Clients notice this. Scheme providers notice this. And when you're tendering for larger contracts, being able to demonstrate consistent quality across your team matters. ## What this doesn't replace Software doesn't replace professional judgment. It doesn't replace site knowledge. It doesn't replace the experience that tells an engineer something isn't right even when the numbers look fine. What it does is handle the regulation checking that should be consistent across everyone. It catches the obvious errors so your engineers can focus on the work that needs their experience. ## How Shine Forms handles this We've built BS 7671 regulations directly into the software, verified by Gary Gundry who sits on the committee that writes them. When your engineers enter values, the software checks them against current regulations instantly. Flags errors. Suggests compliant alternatives. Applies the same standards whether the engineer has been with you for twenty years or twenty days. Every engineer. Same regulations. Consistent certificates. If you're managing a team and want to see how this works in practice, start a free trial. Add a couple of your engineers. See what gets flagged. --- ## How to Choose Electrical Certification Software Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/6/how-to-choose-electrical-certification-software/ Date: 2026-06-06 There's no shortage of electrical certification software on the market. They all produce certificates. They all claim to be easy to use. The differences are in the detail, and the detail is what catches you out later. The right electrical certification software checks your values against BS 7671, gets its intelligence from the regulations themselves, works with any scheme provider, runs on desktop and tablet, stores your data safely and comes with support that answers. These are the things to check before you commit. ## Checking your values against BS 7671 Some software is a digital form and nothing more. You type in values, it prints a certificate. Enter something wrong and it prints the wrong value, no questions asked. Better software checks what you enter against BS 7671 limits. If a Zs reading exceeds the maximum for that circuit, it flags it. If a cable size does not match the load and installation method, it tells you. This matters more on EICs, EICRs and Minor Works produced by a team. When several engineers use the same software, or you are signing off work you did not complete yourself, the checking is what protects you. So before you buy, find out whether the software just accepts what you type or whether it checks that it complies. ## How it uses AI AI is built into a lot of certification software now. The thing to check is where the answers come from. Some software runs on AI trained on the internet. The internet is full of outdated regulations and plain wrong information, so the software can hand you a confident answer that is years out of date. Better software has the regulations programmed in and checked against the current standard by someone who knows it. Its answers come from BS 7671 itself, kept current as the standard changes. So before you buy, find out where the software's intelligence comes from. Where the answer comes from matters as much as the answer. ## Working with any scheme provider Some software only works with one scheme provider. If you are NICEIC, that is fine. If you want to move to NAPIT or another scheme later, you might need new software. Other software works with any scheme provider. Your certificates, your choice of scheme. If that flexibility matters to your business, check it before you buy. ## Desktop, tablet or both Some software is desktop only. Some is tablet only. Some gives you both. Think about how your engineers work. Some finish certificates on site on a tablet. Others prefer the office and a laptop. Some need both. Tablet-only software works well until you hit something complex or need to connect to your office systems. Desktop-only software works well until you are on site without a laptop. The best option is the one that fits how your team already works, not how someone thinks you should. ## What happens to your data Your certificates are your records. If the software company disappears, or the app stops working, or a file corrupts, you need to know your data is safe. Things to check: - Where your data is stored, on your device, in the cloud, or both - Whether you can back up certificates yourself or rely on the provider - Whether you can export your data if you switch software later - The company track record, and whether they have lost customer data before This is dull to think about. It stops being dull the day something goes wrong. ## How the pricing works Pricing models vary. Some charge per certificate. Some charge per user per month. Some charge an annual licence fee for unlimited certificates. Per-certificate pricing adds up fast when you are busy. A quiet month costs less. A busy month costs more than you planned for. Annual licensing gives you a predictable cost. You know what you are paying for the year, whatever your volume. Work out what you would pay on your typical workload, not the headline price. ## Which certificates and standards it covers If you only work under BS 7671, most software handles that. If you also do fire alarm installations under BS 5839 or emergency lighting under BS 5266, check the software covers those too. One system for everything beats juggling several platforms. ## Support that answers Software breaks sometimes. You will have questions. When that happens you want answers quickly, from someone who knows the software. Check how support works before you commit. Look at how fast they reply, whether you reach someone who understands the product, and whether there is a help desk where you can track your request rather than waiting on an email that disappears. Reviews from other users tell you more than any sales pitch. Support quality shows up in what people say months in, not on the pricing page. ## Try before you buy Most software offers a free trial. Use it properly. Do not just click around the interface. Complete a certificate. Enter some test values and see what the software does with them. Try the features you would use day to day. A trial is your chance to find the problems before you are committed to paying for them. ## What we would suggest We make Shine Forms, so we are biased. But based on everything above, these are the things we think matter most: - [Regulation intelligence](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/3/regulation-intelligence) verified directly against BS 7671 by someone who helps write it, so it catches errors before you submit them - Software that is open about where its intelligence comes from, and gets it from the regulations rather than the internet - Flexibility to work with any scheme provider - Desktop and tablet options so you can work however suits you - Reliable data storage, optional cloud backup, and a 15-year record of never losing customer data - Predictable pricing instead of paying per certificate - Support that replies fast, from people who know the software If that sounds like what you are looking for, try a 30-day free trial and see if it fits. --- ## What a Scheme Assessor Looks For - And How to Stay Audit-Ready Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/6/what-a-scheme-assessor-looks-for-and-how-to-stay-audit-ready/ Date: 2026-06-05 The annual assessment comes round once a year. The work that earns it happens every other day. Whatever scheme you're with - NICEIC, NAPIT, ELECSA or another - the visit follows a similar shape. An assessor turns up, reviews your office paperwork and records, talks to the QS, and goes out to recent jobs. The aim is to see whether the work going out under your name reflects what the scheme expects. The point isn't to catch you out. It's to check you're working the way you said you'd be working. ## What the Visit Looks Like A full annual assessment can take most of a day. The assessor wants to meet the QS and, where applicable, the Principal Duty Holder. They review paperwork, check test equipment, and pick a sample of recent jobs to inspect on site and review the certificates for. You don't choose which jobs they pick. That last bit is the part most contractors underestimate. The assessor wants to see a spread of work, not just the polished EICR you wrote up last week. So the standard has to hold across every certificate, on every job. ## The Certificates Certificates are where most of the assessment time gets spent. The assessor is looking for: - Completeness. Every field filled, every test result entered, no gaps. - Consistency. Different engineers across the team producing the same shape of certificate, with the same checks applied the same way. - The right edition. From 15 October, every new certificate has to reference Amendment 4. That last point is harder than it sounds. During the transition window, work designed under the previous edition can still be certified under it. Mixing editions inside one project is the trap. ## Signatures Signatures get pulled up more often than most other things on a certificate. The rule is straightforward. The engineer who carried out the inspection and the person who authorised the report both need to sign. Two roles, two signatures, both clear. That is for EICs, EICRs and Minor Works. If your team isn't tight on this already, [How Amendment 4 Affects Your Certificates](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/4/amendment-4-certificates) covers what changed. ## Calibration Records Test equipment has to be in calibration, and you have to be able to prove it. The assessor will ask to see the records. They'll usually want the calibration certificates matched against the equipment serial numbers, not a vague paper trail. Go through your kit before the visit. Anything outside its calibration window is going to get flagged. ## Qualified Supervisor Review The QS has to be active in the work, with evidence behind it. The assessor wants to see certificates that have been reviewed, things flagged and corrected, an audit trail showing the QS doing the job. Without that, the visit gets harder. A QS reviewing five engineers' work by eye, on paper, with no record of what was looked at and when, is doing the job invisibly. From the assessor's side, invisible is the same as not done. Year-Round, Not the Week Before The contractors who breeze through the assessment are the ones whose work doesn't need a tidy-up beforehand. The day-to-day standard is already where it needs to be. If the certificates going out from your team this week would pass an assessment, you're audit-ready. If they wouldn't, the gap shows up whenever the visit happens. Aim for assessment day to look like any other day. ## Where Shine Forms Fits In Most of what an assessor checks is consistency. The same standards applied the same way, by every engineer, on every job. Shine Forms keeps that consistent for you. The regulation checks come from BS 7671 verified directly against BS 7671 by someone who helps write it, so every engineer applies the same edition the same way. Observations and limitation notes are captured as you go, so nothing gets dropped. The audit trail comes built in. What each engineer entered, what got reviewed, when. That doesn't replace the QS. It gives the QS something solid to review against, and the assessor something tidy to look at. For more on how the regulation side works, read [What We Mean By "Regulation Intelligence" (And Why It's Not AI).](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/3/regulation-intelligence) --- ## Running a Team When You Can't Get Staff Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/6/running-a-team-when-you-can-t-get-staff/ Date: 2026-06-05 The [Electrical Contractors' Association](https://www.eca.co.uk/news/2026/feb/electrical-skills-gap-deepens-as-apprenticeship-starts-fall-despite-surging-demand) now calls the UK electrical skills gap a "live and growing threat." Their 2026 Skills Index shows electrical apprenticeships fell 5.5% last year, while demand keeps rising. The cause isn't a lack of interest. Over 26,000 people enrolled on government-funded electrical courses last year, but fewer than 1 in 5 made it through into an apprenticeship or skilled job within 12 months. The route from classroom into qualified work is jammed. The smaller firms who train most apprentices are finding the cost and risk harder to absorb. For a contractor running a team of four to thirty engineers, that isn't an abstract industry problem. It's the engineer you couldn't replace last quarter. The apprentice you took on instead. The QS who is now reviewing certificates from a team that skews more junior than it used to. This isn't going away. ## **What It Means Day to Day** When the shortage of experienced engineers tightens, two things happen at once. The work doesn't slow down. EV charging, heat pumps, renewables and net zero all pull on the same pool of people, and the pool isn't getting bigger. Meanwhile the team you have ends up doing more. More junior engineers taking on more, sooner. People still earning their experience, producing certificates that need closer review. The QS gets caught in the middle. More work landing on the review desk, less of it coming in finished. The standard has to hold, but the queue grows. ## **What Can Help** A few things take some of the load off: - **Hire from a wider pool.** Apprentices, improvers, career changers. The trade has spent a long time waiting for fully qualified electricians who aren't there. Bringing people up takes longer but is steadier than waiting. - **Standardise onboarding.** The first weeks should look the same for every new engineer. Same templates, same processes, same review steps. Variability you can avoid is variability the QS doesn't have to catch later. - **Build review into the day, not the end of the week.** A certificate reviewed before it leaves the office is a different job from a certificate reviewed after the customer's had a copy. The sooner an engineer sees what they got wrong, the quicker they stop getting it wrong. - **Don't leave the regulation checks to memory.** A junior engineer can't be expected to remember every Zs limit, cable rating and disconnection time. If those checks happen the same way every time - by software, a checklist, anything that doesn't depend on memory - the certificate comes out consistent no matter who filled it in. ## **Where Shine Forms Fits In** A new engineer can produce a regulation-compliant certificate from day one if the regulation checks are built into the work, not held in someone's head. Shine Forms is built around that. The regulation checks come from BS 7671 verified directly against BS 7671 by someone who helps write it. Every value entered is checked against the right limits as it goes in. Cable sizing, Zs limits, disconnection times. The software applies the regulation the same way for every engineer, whether they've been with you twenty years or twenty days. That doesn't make a junior engineer a senior one. It does mean the regulation side of the certificate looks the same coming from either of them. The QS reviews the work. The software has already done the regulation checks. For more on how that works, read [What We Mean By "Regulation Intelligence" (And Why It's Not AI)](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/3/regulation-intelligence). --- ## Amendment 4 - What's Changed & What to Do Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/6/amendment-4-what-s-changed-what-to-do/ Date: 2026-06-05 Amendment 4 was published on 15 April 2026. It is the biggest update to BS 7671 since the 18th Edition came in, and the trade calls it the Orange Book. Amendment 4 adds two entirely new chapters, two new sections, and reworks several existing ones. Amendment 3 (2024) has now been folded into the main document too, so the Orange Book is one consolidated book - no separate PDF to keep alongside it. The previous edition, the Brown Book, stays valid until 15 October 2026. After that, every new certificate has to reference Amendment 4. This is what's in the Orange Book, and what you need to do before October. ## **Two New Chapters** Two areas have been brought into BS 7671 for the first time. ### **Chapter 57 - Stationary Secondary Batteries** Battery storage is everywhere now. Domestic systems paired with solar. Commercial backup. Larger battery installations on industrial sites. Until now, BS 7671 didn't have a dedicated chapter for it. Chapter 57 provides guidance on stationary secondary battery systems. If you've been doing this work, you've been steering without a map. Now there is one. ### **Chapter 81 - Energy Efficiency** This is a shift in direction for BS 7671. The regulations have always been about safety. Now they are starting to address energy performance too. Chapter 81 is a framework rather than detailed requirements, but it signals where future editions are going. Energy efficiency is becoming part of the electrical installation conversation. More detail on both chapters in[ Amendment 4 Introduces Two New Chapters](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/4/amendment-4-new-chapters). ## **Two New Sections** ### **Section 545 - Earthing for ICT Systems** If you've worked on server rooms, data centres or network installations, you know the headaches around functional earthing versus protective earthing. Different guidance documents saying different things. Section 545 addresses broadcast, communication and computer network systems, with clear distinctions between functional and protective earthing. ### **Section 716 - Power over Ethernet** PoE has been creeping into everything. Security cameras, access control, building automation, wireless access points. BS 7671 now addresses distributing extra-low voltage DC power through data cables. For contractors doing office fit-outs and smart building work, this section fills a gap that has been open for years. More detail on both sections is in[ Amendment 4 Adds Two New Sections for ICT and Data Work](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/4/amendment-4-ict-data). ## **Other Changes** Plenty of existing material has been revised, and a few new arrivals are worth knowing about. ### **Section 710 - Medical Locations** Section 710 had a major revision, plus a new schedule of test results for recording the resistance of supplementary protective equipotential bonding conductors. If you work in healthcare, dental or veterinary premises, the testing and recording side of the job has changed. ### **EV Charging - RDC Protective Devices** Amendment 4 introduces requirements for residual direct current detection devices in EV charging installations. EV chargers can produce DC residual currents that conventional RCDs won't pick up, and the regulations now address how to protect against them. For anyone doing EV chargepoint work - and that's most contractors at this point - the protective device side of these installs has tightened. ### **PNB Earthing Systems** For the first time, BS 7671 covers PNB earthing systems. Contractors working on PNB arrangements now have explicit guidance in the standard. Before, they had to interpret around the gap. ### **AFDDs** Amendment 4 expands the guidance on where Arc Fault Detection Devices should be installed. AFDDs have been gaining ground across recent amendments. Amendment 4 takes that further. ### **Smaller Items Worth Knowing** - Firefighter's switches - revised guidance for emergency disconnection. - EICR notes - rewritten, with new phrasing and tighter formatting. - Cables in walls - installation methods reorganised into a single table. - Signatures - the engineer who did the inspection and the person who authorised the report both need to sign EICs, EICRs and Minor Works. Two roles, two signatures. - Buried cable duct voltage drop data - new figures added to the appendices. For a fuller walkthrough of what's changed on the certificates themselves, see[ How Amendment 4 Affects Your Certificates](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/4/amendment-4-certificates). ## **What Stays the Same** Amendment 4 is a substantial update but it doesn't rewrite the foundations. Maximum Zs tables, disconnection times and cable current capacities haven't moved. If you do standard domestic work without batteries, PoE or medical locations, your day-to-day numbers are largely unchanged. You still need the Orange Book, but the core practice you know carries forward. ## **The Transition Window** Amendment 4 published on 15 April 2026. The Brown Book is withdrawn on 15 October 2026. The six months in between is the transition period. During the window, you can certify work to either edition. The rule is consistency within a project. One edition per job, start to finish. You can't design to one and certify to the other. After 15 October, Amendment 4 becomes the only current edition. Every new certificate from then on has to reference it. The simpler approach for most firms is to switch the whole company over before October. Finish jobs already designed to the Brown Book under the Brown Book. Put everything new onto Amendment 4 from a set date. One edition in use across the team, nothing to track between jobs. ## **What You Need to Do** A short action list: - **Get a copy of the Orange Book.** Scheme providers will expect you to have it by October. - **Pick a switchover date.** Earlier is easier than later. Tell the team and stick to it. - **Check anything currently in design.** Decide which edition each project is being completed to, and stay consistent within that project. - **Update your software.** Your certification tools need to be on Amendment 4 before your switchover date. If they aren't ready, your team can't be either. - **Brief the QS.** They are the one who has to spot any drift across the team during the transition. ## **How Shine Forms Handles Amendment 4** The regulation checks in Shine Forms come from BS 7671 verified directly against BS 7671 by someone who helps write it. When Amendment 4 changed a value or a check, the software changed with it. Switch a job to Amendment 4 and the regulation checks switch with it. No old Brown Book figures slipping through. Every engineer applies the same edition the same way. For more on how that works under the hood, read[ What We Mean By "Regulation Intelligence" (And Why It's Not AI)](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/3/regulation-intelligence). --- ## Amendment 4 Transition Period - What You Can and Can’t Do Until October Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/6/amendment-4-transition-period-what-you-can-and-can’t-do-until-october/ Date: 2026-06-05 Amendment 4 to BS 7671 was published on 15 April 2026. You can work to it today. The previous edition is still valid too. That’s the part that catches people out. For six months, two editions of the wiring regulations sit side by side. Both are current. Both are acceptable. But run them side by side without a plan and certificates start going out under the wrong standard. ## Two Dates, Six Months Apart 15 April 2026 is when Amendment 4, the Orange Book, was published. It can be used from that date. 15 October 2026 is when the previous edition is withdrawn. Most people just call that one the Brown Book. Strictly, it’s the Brown Book plus the free Amendment 3 update that came after it. The six months in between is the transition period. While it runs, both are recognised. ## Two Standards, One Rule Until 15 October you can certify work to either edition. A job designed and installed to the Brown Book can be certified to the Brown Book. A job done to Amendment 4 is certified to Amendment 4. The rule is consistency within a project. One edition per job, start to finish. You can’t design to one edition, install to another, and certify to a third. That holds at company level too. A firm can run one job on the Brown Book and the next on Amendment 4 in the same week. Both are valid. What you can’t do is mix the two editions in a single project. On a job with one engineer, that takes care of itself. The risk shows up across a team, where different people pick up different parts of the same project at different times. ## What Happens in October After 15 October, the Brown Book is withdrawn. Amendment 4 becomes the only current edition of BS 7671. From that date, new installations, additions and alterations are all certified to Amendment 4. Periodic inspection and testing is carried out to it as well. Scheme providers will expect you to be working to the Orange Book, and to have a copy when they assess you. The transition window exists to let you finish jobs already running to the Brown Book. It isn’t there to put the switch off for six months. ## How You Tell Which Edition a Certificate Used Every certificate states which edition of BS 7671 it was issued to. So in theory, you check the certificate. In practice, that line is a declaration. It tells you the edition the engineer meant to work to. It doesn’t prove the limits and checks behind the certificate match it. An engineer who has used Brown Book values for years can put Amendment 4 on the form and still apply the old figures out of habit. The certificate reads as compliant. The work behind it says otherwise. A Qualified Supervisor only catches that by going back through the values, circuit by circuit. The more engineers you run, the longer that takes. ## What We’d Do The transition window gives you flexibility. It doesn’t tell you to use it. Running two editions side by side for six months means every engineer has to know which book each job belongs to, and the Qualified Supervisor has to police it across every certificate that comes in. That is a lot of room for error, spread over half a year. The simpler approach is to switch the company over in one move. Finish the jobs already designed to the Brown Book under the Brown Book. Put everything new onto Amendment 4 (the Orange Book) from a set date. Pick the date, tell the team, and from then on there is one edition in use and nothing to track. For most firms, that is less work and less risk than carrying two editions. ## How Shine Forms Handles the Switch Shine Forms applies the correct edition of BS 7671 for you. The regulation checks are verified directly against BS 7671 by Gary Gundry, who helped write it. When you enter test results, the software checks them against the right limits for the edition in use. Switch a job to Amendment 4 and the checks switch with it. No old values slipping through out of habit. What the certificate declares and what the software checked are the same edition. When Amendment 4 itself changes a value or a check, the software changes with it. Automatic. No extra cost. No waiting for an update. Across a team, that means every engineer applies the same edition the same way. Whether they’ve been with you twenty years or twenty days. For more on what changes on the paperwork itself, read [How Amendment 4 Affects Your Certificates](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/4/amendment-4-certificates). For the two new chapters Amendment 4 adds, see [Amendment 4 Introduces Two New Chapters.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/4/amendment-4-new-chapters) --- ## Using AI for Regs Questions - What to Trust and What to Check Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/6/using-ai-for-regs-questions-what-to-trust-and-what-to-check/ Date: 2026-06-03 AI is on jobs already. Engineers use it to summarise documents, draft scope notes and write variation letters. Some also ask it regs questions between jobs. Using it is a given. The harder part is using it without sending out a certificate built on a wrong answer. AI is good at some things. It's risky for others. Knowing the difference is most of the job. ## What AI Is Useful For AI is good at the parts of the job that eat time but don't decide compliance. Pull a long email into a tidy summary. Rewrite a customer-facing note in plain English. Draft a method statement from a few bullet points. Build a first version of a quote or a scope of works so you have something to edit rather than something to write from scratch. It is also useful as a starting point on a topic you don't know well. Ask it to explain functional earthing or how SPDs work and you'll get a clear, readable summary. Treat that as a way in, not a final answer. AI saves you time on anything that isn't the regulation itself. Drafting, summarising, tidying up. ## Where It Falls Down The thing to remember is what AI is and isn't. AI is like a well-read stranger. It might be right. It might sound right and be wrong. You can't tell from the answer. AI doesn't know the difference between a correct answer and a confident-sounding wrong one. It is trained on what it has read, and what it has read can be out of date, partial, or just wrong. Forum posts. Old training notes. Articles written under earlier amendments. The answer comes back in the same tone whether it is right or not. For regs questions, that is a problem. A Zs limit, a cable size, a disconnection time. These need to come from BS 7671, not from a confident paragraph that might be off. One last trap. Don't ask AI to check its own answer. Ask any AI 'is this correct' and it'll usually tell you yes. Sounding sure is the default. That doesn't mean it is. ## The Amendment 4 Problem Amendment 4 was published in April 2026. Most AI tools were trained months or years before that. They don't know what is in the Orange Book. Some don't even know it exists. That means anything AI tells you right now about a regulation value, a section number or a cable rating is, at best, based on the previous edition. At worst it is older than that, mixed with forum advice it absorbed somewhere. This will improve as AI tools update. For the rest of 2026, treat any AI answer on a BS 7671 detail as starting from the wrong book. 15 October sharpens this. The previous edition is withdrawn on that date, and from then on every new certificate has to be to Amendment 4. An AI giving you Brown Book values past 15 October is giving you values you can no longer use. There's no guarantee the major AI tools will be updated to Amendment 4 by then. Their updates happen on their schedule, not yours. ## What to Double-Check A rough rule. If the AI answer is going to shape a certificate, check it. If it's only going on an email or a draft, you can usually let it run. Worth checking every time. - Any number. Zs limits, voltage drop, cable ratings, disconnection times, fuse and MCB ratings. AI confidently quotes old figures. - Any regulation reference. AI sometimes invents section numbers that sound right. If you can't find it in the regs, it might not be there. - Anything tied to a date or an amendment. AI may be answering as if it is 2023. Verify the edition it is referring to. - Anything safety-critical. RCD ratings, earthing arrangements, special locations. If a mistake here ends up on a certificate, AI's confidence won't help you in front of a scheme assessor. If you're using AI to help you learn, none of this is a problem. If you're using it to fill in something that has your name on it, the rule is simple. Check it against the book. ## Where Our Software Sits in This Shine Forms is bringing AI in where it earns its keep, on the parts of the job that don't decide compliance. More on that side of things in the Chief AI Officer piece. For regulation compliance, the software doesn't lean on AI. The checks come from BS 7671 rules verified directly against BS 7671 by someone who helps write it. Enter a value, the software checks it against fixed limits. Not against a probable answer. The combination is the point. AI where AI is useful. Verified rules where the answer needs to be right. For more on how the regulation side works, read [What We Mean By "Regulation Intelligence" (And Why It's Not AI)](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/3/regulation-intelligence). And to meet the person leading the AI work at Shine Forms, see [Meet Dr David Dickie, Our Chief AI Officer.](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/4/meet-dr-david-dickie-chief-ai-officer) --- ## How Amendment 4 Affects Your Certificates Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/4/how-amendment-4-affects-your-certificates/ Date: 2026-04-21 These are the updates that will change how you complete your paperwork. ## EICR Condition Report Notes Have Been Rewritten The notes for the person producing the condition report have been redrafted and reorganised. There's also clear confirmation that signatures on reports must be from those conducting the inspection and authorising the report. If your current process is a bit loose on who signs what, tighten it up now. ## Chapter 65 Has Clarifications on Periodic Inspection and Testing Worth reviewing when the amendment drops. ## Medical Locations Have Enhanced Requirements If you work on healthcare facilities, expect more detailed regulations for electrical installations in clinical settings. ## Firefighters' Switches Have Revised Guidance Installations requiring emergency disconnection get updated requirements. ## Regulation 522.6 on Cables in Walls Has Been Reorganised The requirements haven't changed, but they're clearer now. The content has been reorganised into a table. Small mercy. ## New Appendix Data for Buried Cables in Ducts More accurate calculations for voltage drop and current-carrying capacity in specific installation conditions. ## Shine Forms Will Update From Day One For contractors managing teams, consistency is very important. You won't have engineers producing certificates based on outdated checks while waiting for a software update. Gary isn't going to read about Amendment 4 when it's published. He's helping write it. When the regulations change, Shine Forms changes with them. Automatic. No extra cost. No waiting. --- ## Amendment 4 Introduces Two New Chapters Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/4/amendment-4-introduces-two-new-chapters/ Date: 2026-04-21 Amendment 4 introduces two entirely new chapters to BS 7671. Both address areas where the regulations were overdue for guidance. ## Chapter 57 Covers Battery Installations Battery storage is everywhere now. Domestic systems paired with solar. Commercial backup power. The regulations were overdue for catching up, and now they have. This chapter provides detailed guidance on stationary secondary battery systems. If you're already doing this work, you've been navigating without a proper map. Now you'll have one. ## Chapter 81 Introduces Energy Efficiency This is a shift in direction for BS 7671. The regulations have always been about safety. Now they're starting to address energy performance too. Chapter 81 is a framework rather than detailed requirements, but it signals where future editions are heading. Energy efficiency is becoming part of the electrical installation conversation. ## Your Software Needs to Keep Up When Amendment 4 comes into force, every certificate you issue must comply with the updated regulations (you have 6 months to do so). Your values need checking against new requirements. Your forms need to reflect the changes. Most certification software will race to update after publication. Developers reading the same documents as everyone else, trying to interpret what the changes mean, pushing updates weeks or months after the regulations come into force. During that gap, you're producing certificates on software that doesn't know the rules have changed. Gary isn't going to read about Amendment 4 when it's published. He's helping write it. The regulation intelligence in Shine Forms comes from him - not from a developer searching the IET website. When Amendment 4 arrives, Shine Forms will be updated quickly. Automatic. No extra cost. No waiting. --- ## Amendment 4 Adds Two New Sections for ICT & Data Work Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/4/amendment-4-adds-two-new-sections-for-ict-and-data-work/ Date: 2026-04-20 ## Section 545 Addresses Earthing for ICT Systems If you've worked on server rooms, data centres, or network installations, you'll know the headaches around functional earthing versus protective earthing. Different guidance documents saying different things. Engineers making it up as they go. Section 545 addresses broadcast, communication, and computer network systems with clear distinctions between functional and protective earthing. Finally. ## Section 716 Covers Power over Ethernet PoE has been creeping into everything - security cameras, access control, building automation, wireless access points. The regulations now address distributing extra-low voltage DC power through data cables. For contractors doing office fit-outs and smart building work, this section fills a gap that's been open for years. ## We'll Keep You Updated As Amendment 4 gets finalised, [Gary](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/3/gary-gundry-bs7671) will be sharing more details on what the specific changes mean for your forms and certificates. Not speculation. Not summaries of summaries. Information from someone who's helping shape the regulations. When Amendment 4 lands, you'll be ready from day one. --- ## Preparing for Amendment 4 - What You Need to Do Now Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/4/preparing-for-amendment-4-what-you-need-to-do-now/ Date: 2026-04-08 ## What You Don't Need to Worry About Your 18th Edition qualification stays valid. You won't need to resit your 2382 qualification. Amendment 4 doesn't wipe the slate clean - it builds on what's already there. The electricians who'll struggle are the ones who've been ignoring amendments. If you're still working from Amendment 1 knowledge, you've already got catching up to do. Amendment 4 will just add to the pile. ## How to Prepare Now ### Download Amendment 3 if you haven't already. It's free from the [IET](https://www.theiet.org), [BSI](https://www.bsigroup.com), or [NICEIC](https://www.niceic.com) websites. You need it alongside the brown book to be current right now. ### Review your EICR signature process. The updated condition report requirements emphasise clear confirmation of who conducted the inspection and who authorised the report. Make sure your process is tight. ### Consider whether battery work is in your future. Chapter 57 opens up a growing market for contractors who understand the requirements. Worth getting ahead of. ### Make sure your software will keep up. When the regulations change, you need your certificates to change with them. Not weeks later. Not when the developer gets around to it. Immediately. ## We'll Keep You Updated As Amendment 4 gets finalised, Gary will be sharing more details on what the specific changes mean for your forms and certificates. Not speculation. Not summaries of summaries. Information from someone who's helping shape these regulations. When Amendment 4 lands, you'll be ready from day one. --- ## Meet Dr David Dickie, our Chief AI Officer Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/4/meet-dr-david-dickie-our-chief-ai-officer/ Date: 2026-04-08 # Meet Dr David Dickie, our Chief AI Officer Dr David Dickie has spent nearly 20 years in AI research and development. His background spans industrial engineering, financial services, and, most recently, healthcare - building AI that analyses brain scans, detects neurodegeneration, and helps clinicians make better decisions. The kind of work where being wrong has serious consequences. He's now joined Shine Forms as Chief AI Officer. We asked him the questions we think every electrician and Qualified Supervisor (QS) should be putting to their certification software company right now. ## You've been in AI for almost 20 years. What do you make of the current noise around it? Lots of people think of ChatGPT when they hear AI. But ChatGPT, and other chatbots like it, are only one part of AI - a very visible part, but still just one part. There's a whole spectrum of AI techniques beyond chatbots and other generative AI tools, and the right one depends entirely on the problem you're trying to solve. Right now, a lot of companies are doing it backwards. They've decided they need a chatbot and are desperately looking for somewhere to put it. ## Several certification software companies are already rolling out AI features like ChatGPT. What's your view? There's a significant risk there. ChatGPT has a well-documented habit of making things up. It produces confident-sounding answers that can be completely wrong, often referred to as “hallucinations”. But these are nothing like how humans hallucinate, they’re just statistical quirks that come from how large language models like ChatGPT are built.. You cannot roll that out into a safety-critical environment without serious guardrails in place. There's also a very recent study on programmers using large language models for coding, which I think about a lot. They estimated they were getting efficiency gains of 40% - 50% from the models. But when researchers actually measured what was happening, they were taking longer and making more mistakes. And 95% of generative AI initiatives in large enterprises have so far delivered zero return. I'd expect some of those certification software companies to land in that bucket. ## What should electricians and QSs be asking when a software company says it uses AI? Ask where the regulation knowledge comes from and what type of AI they are using specifically. If it’s generative AI that “learned” regulation knowledge from the internet, you're dealing with a model that averages across whatever it found online. Forum posts, outdated PDFs, old edition interpretations. The model doesn't know what it doesn't know, and when it doesn't know something, it doesn't tell you. It just produces something that sounds plausible (those “hallucinations” that we spoke about before). Me and my wife have a Border Terrier. Scruffy wee thing. When Google makes those little memory videos from your photos, it kept grouping the dog with the cats. Its ‘learning’ model had never seen a Border Terrier that small before, so it filed her under cat. Funny when it's a dog. Not funny when an engineer photographs a circuit configuration the model has never seen before. It won't say it doesn't know. It'll give you something. And the engineer might not know it's wrong. ## Where does AI fit at Shine Forms? Shine Forms already has something most companies don't - regulation knowledge verified directly against BS 7671 by someone who helps write it. That's a strong foundation. We won't be dropping a generative model on top of that and hoping for the best. We start with the problem, not the solution. There are things broader types of AI that people don’t commonly think about can do here that would help - prioritising inspection jobs by risk, finding subgroup of tasks that can be done together to save time. But none of that gets rolled out until we're confident it's doing what we intend it to do. ## What does your involvement look like day to day? Day one is understanding the roadmap and the problems Sean and Gary are hearing from customers. Then it's our job to work out whether AI can solve any of those problems, what type of AI that is (if any), and how long it would take to do it properly. We don't come in with a fixed solution. We come in with questions. Sean and Gary know this product and this industry. I know AI. That's the combination. ## Last question. Glasgow or Edinburgh? Glasgow. All day long. Edinburgh is lovely if you like things that look like Harry Potter and castles at the top of hills. _Dr David Dickie is Chief AI Officer at Shine Forms. He has built AI functions at some of the world’s largest organisations, holds a PhD from the University of Edinburgh and lives in Glasgow. He has over 4000 citations across 100+ published research papers._ --- ## What We Mean By "Regulation Intelligence" (And Why It's Not AI) Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/3/what-we-mean-by-regulation-intelligence-and-why-it-s-not-ai/ Date: 2026-03-24 We get asked this a lot. What does "intelligence" actually mean when we talk about our software? Fair question. The word gets thrown around so much in software marketing that it's basically meaningless. So here's the straight answer. ## The short version Regulation intelligence means we've programmed BS 7671 rules directly into the software. When you enter values, the software checks them against those rules and tells you if something's wrong. That's it. No magic. No mystery. ## How it works Say you're entering Z's readings on an EICR. You type in a value. The software instantly checks it against BS 7671 maximum permitted values for that circuit type, cable size and protection device. If your reading is fine, nothing happens. You carry on. If your reading exceeds the limit, the software flags it. You see a warning. You can check your measurement or investigate the circuit. The same thing happens with cable sizing. Enter your load requirements and installation method, and the software suggests cable sizes that comply with the regulations. Not because it's guessing. Because the regulation tables are built in. ## Where did these rules come from? Gary Gundry. He sits on JPEL/64, the committee that writes BS 7671. He also sits on international IEC committees, works with the IET, and serves on the national committee for BS 5266." When Gary says "this is how the regulation works", he's not interpreting it. He helped write it. We took that knowledge and programmed it into the software. Every regulation check, every compliant value suggestion, every limit warning comes from verified BS 7671 requirements. ## How is this different from AI? AI learns from data. It reads things online, spots patterns, and makes predictions based on what it's seen. The problem is obvious. What if the data it learned from was wrong? Outdated regulations, forum posts with bad advice, old certificates with mistakes, or old regulations. AI doesn't know the difference between a correct answer and a confident-sounding wrong one. Our regulation intelligence doesn't learn from anything. It doesn't predict. It checks your values against fixed rules that we've programmed in. Rules that came directly from the regulations and were verified by someone who writes them. Think of it like this. AI is like asking a well-read stranger for advice. They might be right. They might sound right, but be wrong. You can't really tell. Regulation intelligence is like having the regulation book built into your software, with someone who helped write it double-checking the answers. ## What about the future? We're not against AI. We're planning to use more of it for things like understanding handwritten notes, reducing typing, and helping with data entry. But for regulation compliance? We'll keep using verified rules. Because when you're signing off a certificate, you need to know the software caught errors using actual regulations. Not an algorithm's best guess. ## What does this mean for your certificates? Four things. ### Mistakes get caught before submission. Enter a value that doesn't comply, and you'll know about it straight away. Not after the certificate's been sent. ### Less time spent checking. You don't need to look up regulation tables. The software already knows the limits. ### Consistency across your team. Every engineer gets the same checks. Whether they've been with you for twenty years or twenty days, the software applies regulations the same way. ### Reduced liability. Regulation errors get flagged automatically. Your certificates go out with compliant values because the software helped you get there. ## Still sounds vague? Here's a specific example. You're testing a ring final circuit with a 32A Type B MCB. You enter a Zs reading of 1.2Ω. Basic software would accept that. You typed a number, it printed a number. Our software would flag it. BS 7671 maximum Zs for a 32A Type B device is 1.15Ω at operating temperature. Your reading is over the limit. That's regulation intelligence. Software that knows the rules and checks your work against them. --- ## Amendment 4 Is Coming - And It's Bigger Than You Think Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/3/amendment-4-is-coming-and-it-s-bigger-than-you-think/ Date: 2026-03-17 Right now, electricians' forums are full of speculation about Amendment 4. Training companies are already selling courses on regulations that haven't been finalised. Trade magazines are publishing articles based on the Draft for Public Consultation that closed months ago. Everyone's got an opinion. Most of them are guessing. Gary Gundry isn't guessing. He sits on the committee that wrote Amendment 4. He was in the room when these decisions were made. He was on the committees that shaped the 18th Edition, Amendments 1, 2, and 3. So when we tell you what's coming in Amendment 4, we're not summarising someone else's summary. We're telling you what Gary knows. ## This Is the Most Significant Amendment to BS 7671 in Years Amendment 3 gave us one new regulation and two definitions. Useful, but hardly a page-turner. Amendment 4 is different. Entirely new chapters. New sections covering technologies that didn't exist when the 18th Edition was written. Updates across multiple parts of the regulations that will affect how you complete certificates. If you've been coasting on your 18th Edition knowledge, this is the one that'll make you pay attention. ## What's Covered in Amendment 4 ### New chapters: - Chapter 57 covers battery installations - Chapter 81 introduces energy efficiency ### New sections: - Section 545 addresses earthing for ICT systems - Section 716 covers Power over Ethernet ### Updates affecting your certificates: - EICR condition report notes rewritten - Signature requirements clarified - Chapter 65 periodic inspection clarifications - Medical location requirements enhanced - Firefighter's switch guidance revised - Regulation 522.6 reorganised into a table - New appendix data for buried cables in ducts We'll cover each of these in detail in upcoming posts. ## The Dates You Need to Know Amendment 4 is published on 15 April 2026. You can start using it immediately. The current version will be withdrawn six months later, around October 2026. After that point, you'll need to be working on Amendment 4. That six-month window gives you time to get familiar with the changes. But if you're producing certificates in October on software that hasn't updated, you've got a problem. The old version won't exist any more. Your software needs to know that. --- ## The BS 7671 Expert Behind Shine Forms - Meet Gary Gundry Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/3/meet-gary-gundry-the-bs-7671-expert-behind-shine-forms/ Date: 2026-03-16 When your software checks a value against BS 7671, where does that knowledge come from? For most electrical certification software, it's a reference guide. Perhaps someone read the regulations, typed them into a database, and hoped they got it right. Or worse, it's what AI scraped together from outdated forum posts and old PDFs – or simply someone's best guess from 2019. For Shine Forms, the knowledge comes from Gary Gundry. Gary doesn't just know BS 7671. He’s on the national committee that helps write the standard. ## **Who is Gary Gundry?** If you've been in the electrical industry for a while, you might already know Gary. Whether you’ve seen him present at [NICEIC](https://www.niceic.com) TechTalks or Elex shows, caught one of his presentations, or attended one of his training courses, he is one of the UK's leading figures in electrical safety. He has over 40 years of experience in the industry, and he's spent most of that time helping electricians understand the regulations to get things right. He's been a member of the [IET's](https://www.theiet.org) Wiring Regulations Policy Committee, and now regularly serves on [JPEL/64](https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/committees/50001574), the decision-making committee for BS 7671. When the Wiring Regulations change, Gary is one of the key people in the room shaping those decisions. He also serves on the national committee for BS 5266, the emergency lighting standard. And more recently, he's been he serving as a UK technical expert on several [International IEC technical committees](https://www.iec.ch/national-committees), helping shape global electrical safety standards. Gary doesn't just read the Wiring Regulations. He helps update and proofread them. He is someone who shapes the regulations, often many years before they become the standards you work with. ## **40 Years in Electrical Safety** Gary has worked in every part of the electrical industry. He started his career as an apprentice electrician at SEEBoard Plc.  Then, having qualified, he transferred to Eastern Electricity to be a Service Engineer and a trainer before setting up an electrical contracting business, where he took the company to NICEIC Approved Contractor status. In the late 90s, he took a job at the [NICEIC](https://www.niceic.com) as a Technical Author. He was quickly promoted to Senior Engineer, where he produced training course material and technical guidance for Approved Contractors. He then joined [Electrical Safety First](https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk), serving for several years as Senior Electrical Engineer and then Electrical Installation Safety Manager. In these vital roles, he championed electrical safety and best practices and influenced stakeholders on consumer needs. Since 2015, Gary has run his own consultancy, working with organisations including [Electrical Safety First](https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk), the [IET](https://www.theiet.org), the [ECA](https://www.eca.co.uk/), and [CORGI Technical Services](https://www.corgitechnical.com/). He's a respected technical author, a regular guest speaker at industry events, and has appeared on radio and TV. You might have seen him in YouTube videos or partnering with [Learninglounge.com](https://www.learninglounge.com) on their award-winning 18th Edition and EV online training courses. If you've met Gary at an event, you'll know he's easy to talk to. He'll happily chat through a regulation question over a coffee, and he's been known to make a room laugh during a technical presentation. That's just how he is. ## **What This Means for Your Electrical Forms & Certificates** You know your job. You know how to test an installation, how to interpret results, and how to complete a form. Shine Forms doesn't replace that knowledge. What it does is check the values you enter against current BS 7671 requirements. When something doesn't comply, the software flags it so you can decide on how to proceed. Not interpreted. Not guessed. Correct. Gary has been working behind the scenes to ensure our authentic regulation intelligence is verified directly against BS 7671. They’re the real thing, direct from someone who helps write it.  And, more are planned. And because Gary also serves on the BS 5266 committee, the same applies to your emergency lighting certificates. ## **Verified Regulation Knowledge** The electrical industry has a problem with knowledge of the Wiring Regulations. BS 7671 is complex. It’s regularly updated. Different electricians interpret it differently. And forum discussions are full of confident answers that contradict each other. Even training courses sometimes teach outdated information. (Not Gary’s, of course! 😉) Shine Forms gives you regulation knowledge direct from the source. Gary was in the room when the 18th, Amd 1, Amd 2, Amd 3, and Amd 4 were finalised. When BS 7671 changes, Shine Forms will be ready. ## **Use Gary's Knowledge for Your Benefit** Gary has spent 40 years helping electricians understand and apply regulations correctly. He's written and delivered training courses, produced technical guidance, presented at events, and answered thousands of questions along the way. Now that knowledge is being built directly into Shine Forms. In the lead-up to the launch of Amd 4 on 15 April 2026, Gary is happy to explain the key changes and what they mean to you and your forms and certificates. So, [sign up](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/free-trial) today to find out what’s been added, deleted or updated! Every engineer on your team gets the same guidance that Gary would give them. Consistent, accurate, and direct from the source. ## **Try Shine Forms** See how regulation intelligence guides your team to consistent, compliant forms and certificates. **30-day free trial. No card required.** [Start your free trial](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/free-trial) --- ## Pirform is Now Shine Forms. Why We've Rebranded Our Electrical Certification Software Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2026/3/pirform-is-now-shine-forms-why-we-ve-rebranded-our-electrical-certification-software/ Date: 2026-03-10 For 15 years, our software was called Pirform. If you've been using it for a while, you'll remember why. PIR stood for Periodic Inspection Report – the form every electrician knew. When we launched, PIR forms were the industry standard. The name made sense. Then BS 7671 changed. Periodic Inspection Reports became Electrical Installation Condition Reports. EICRs replaced PIRs. The electrical industry updated its terminology, its forms, its processes. Our software kept pace with every change. But the name didn't. We were still calling ourselves Pirform – named after a form type that hasn't existed for years. It was time our name caught up. ## **Why We Chose the Name Shine Forms** We know that electrical compliance involves issuing a certificate or report at the end of some activity. Those reports or certificates are the documents issued to the customer. To produce those, we fill in a form. So when we chose a new name, "Forms" had to be in there. Why "Shine"? Because your work should reflect its quality. Professional forms. Accurate data. Regulation-compliant certificates. Work that shines. And with Gary Gundry now ensuring BS 7671 is built directly into our software, we can say with confidence that everything Shine Forms produces is 100% correct. ## **What is Shine Forms?** Shine Forms is electrical certification software with built-in regulation intelligence. Unlike software that simply prints what you enter, Shine Forms checks your values against BS 7671 as you work. When something doesn't comply with current regulations, you see it straight away. The software supports all the forms and certificates you need. - **Electrical forms and certificates (BS 7671)** – EICR, EIC, Minor Works - **Fire safety certificates (BS 5839)** – Design, Installation, Commissioning, Verification, Inspection & Servicing - **Emergency lighting certificates (BS 5266)** – Full certification support Whether you're a sole trader producing domestic electrical forms or a large contractor managing multiple engineers across commercial projects, Shine Forms ensures every form is regulation-perfect. ## **Working with Gary Gundry** We're now working with Gary Gundry, who sits on the international committees that help shape BS 7671. He’s ensuring our authentic regulation intelligence is verified directly against BS 7671. We'll be sharing more about Gary and what this means for your forms and certificates in a separate post. Watch this space. ## **What's Staying the Same** Changing our name doesn't mean changing what works. Your login still works. Your certificates and forms are safe. Your settings haven't changed. The software you've relied on for years is still here – same regulation intelligence, same accuracy, same support team that picks up when you call. We've been producing electrical forms and certificates for 15 years. More than 650 electrical contractors trust Shine Forms. That's not changing. ## **From Pirform to Shine Forms. 15 Years of Electrical Certification Software** When we started, electrical certification software was basic. You typed in values, it printed a form. That was it. We wanted more. We wanted software that helped electricians get things right. Software that understood BS 7671, flagged errors before they became problems, and produced professional forms and certificates every time. Pirform delivered that for 15 years. Now Shine Forms takes it further. With tablet apps coming for onsite work. With BS 7671 Amendment 4 ready before the regulations even launch. With regulation expertise you can trust. Same commitment to accuracy. Same focus on making electrical certification easier. Better name. --- ## Introducing Circuit Helper: Smarter Circuit Reviews in Shine Forms Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2025/6/introducing-circuit-helper/ Date: 2025-06-29 Understanding your electrical certificates and reports just got easier. Shine Forms new **Circuit Helper** feature brings circuit intelligence right where you need it—directly in your circuits and test results. Whether you're entering values or reviewing completed work, the Circuit Helper makes it faster and more intuitive to see what Shine Forms intelligence is doing and why. ## What is the Circuit Helper? The Circuit Helper is a powerful new feature that displays Shine Forms intelligent circuit analysis directly alongside your circuit details. Instead of switching between your work and the Intelligence Manager, you can now see, understand, and act on intelligence statements right where you're working. ![Screenshot of the Circuit Helper in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2026-1-circuit-helper-annotated.webp) ## Key Features ### Visual Indicators at a Glance The Circuit Helper shows clear indicator icons next to each circuit (**1** in the image above): - **Light bulb icon** - Shine Forms has applied intelligence to this circuit - **Information icon** - Important information is available about this circuit - **Instant toggle** - toggle on or off by clicking the icon or using the ribbon (**4** in the image above) No more guessing whether Shine Forms has analysed a circuit—the indicators tell you immediately. ### Inline Intelligence Details Click any indicator icon to expand the details directly below the circuit. You'll see: - **Intelligence statements** - What Shine Forms has calculated or determined - **Quick actions** - Suppress intelligence or navigate to the Intelligence Manager - **Important information** - Like maximum circuit lengths for on-site guide compliance Everything you need is right there, eliminating the need to switch between screens. ### One-Click Actions From the Circuit Helper, you can (**2** & **3** in the image above): 1. **Suppress intelligence** - Directly from the circuit, with one click 2. **Navigate to Intelligence Manager** - Jump straight to detailed management 3. **View documentation** - Access relevant help docs instantly This streamlined workflow saves time and keeps you focused on the task at hand. ### Expand All for Easy Reviewing When reviewing or checking work, click the **Expand Helpers** button in the ribbon to automatically expand all Circuit Helpers throughout the certificate. As you navigate through boards, you'll see all intelligence and information at once—perfect for QA reviews or final checks before submitting certificates. ## Why Circuit Helper Matters ### For On-Site Work When you're working on-site, every second counts. The Circuit Helper lets you: - Quickly verify Shine Forms calculations without leaving the circuit - Spot issues or intelligence applications immediately - Make informed decisions about suppressing or accepting intelligence ### For Office Reviews When reviewing certificates back at the office: - Use **Expand Helpers** to see all intelligence at once - Quickly identify circuits that need attention - Streamline your QA process with visual indicators ### For Training New Team Members The Circuit Helper makes it easier to train new engineers: - They can see exactly what Shine Forms is doing and why - Inline explanations help build understanding - Visual feedback reinforces learning ## How It Works with Shine Forms' Intelligence The Circuit Helper integrates seamlessly with Shine Forms existing intelligence features: - **Cable sizing automation** - See the results right in the circuit - **Earthing conductor selection** - Understand why Shine Forms chose a particular size - **RCD operation** - View compliance checks inline - **Ring circuit validation** - See maximum lengths for on-site guide compliance - **Schedule items** - Understand automatic schedule item generation Learn more about [how Shine Forms intelligence works](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/intelligence) in our documentation. ## Getting Started The Circuit Helper is available in **Shine Forms 2025.4** and later. It's automatically enabled—just look for the indicator icons next to your circuits. ### Tips for Using Circuit Helper 1. **Start with Expand Helpers** - When reviewing work, click **Expand Helpers** first to see everything at once 2. **Click for details** - When entering data, click indicators as you go to understand what Shine Forms is doing 3. **Use quick actions** - Don't navigate away—suppress or manage intelligence right from the circuit 4. **Check information icons** - These often contain helpful guidance like maximum circuit lengths ## What's Next? The Circuit Helper is just the beginning of making Shine Forms more intuitive and informative. We're continually improving how Shine Forms communicates its intelligence to help you work more efficiently and confidently. ### Related Features Want to dive deeper into Shine Forms capabilities? Check out these related topics: - Shine Forms [Intelligence System](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/intelligence) - How automatic calculations work - [Ring Circuit Intelligence](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/on-site-guide-intelligence) - IET On-Site Guide compliance - [Working with Boards and Circuits](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/boards-and-circuits) - General circuit management ## Learn More Ready to see the Circuit Helper in action? Visit our [detailed documentation on Circuit Helper](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/circuit-helper) to learn about all its features and capabilities. Have questions or feedback about the Circuit Helper? We'd love to hear from you—contact our support team or join the conversation on our community forums. --- ## Understanding Ring Circuit Intelligence: IET On-Site Guide Compliance in Shine Forms Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2025/5/ring-circuit-intelligence-on-site-guide/ Date: 2025-05-01 Ring final circuits are one of the most common circuit types in UK electrical installations, but they come with specific requirements under BS 7671 Regulation 433.1.5. Shine Forms intelligence automatically validates your ring circuits against the IET On-Site Guide recommendations, ensuring your designs comply with regulations without manual calculations. ## What Are Ring Final Circuits? A ring final circuit is a wiring configuration where the live, neutral, and earth conductors form a complete loop, starting and ending at the same protective device. This design allows smaller cable sizes (typically 2.5mm²) to be protected by larger protective devices (30A or 32A) because current flows in both directions around the ring. Under Regulation 433.1.5, if a cable can carry 20A in its installed conditions, then a 30A or 32A protective device combined with 2.5mm² (or 1.5mm² for MICC) cable is acceptable—provided the circuit is wired as a ring. ## How Shine Forms Validates Ring Circuits Shine Forms examines five key aspects to determine whether your ring final circuit design complies with BS 7671 and the IET On-Site Guide: 1. **Wiring type** - Cable construction and insulation material 2. **Reference method** - How the cable is installed (clipped direct, in conduit, etc.) 3. **Cable size** - Cross-sectional area of conductors 4. **Protective device rating** - Overcurrent protection characteristics 5. **Circuit designation** - Whether it's identified as a ring ### Telling Shine Forms It's a Ring Circuit Simply enter the word **"ring"** in the circuit designation field. Shine Forms will recognise this and apply the ring final circuit validation rules. ![Shine Forms recognizing a ring circuit from the designation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/Feature%20Ring%20circuit%20validation%20%282%29.png) ## Practical Example: The Classic 32A Ring Let's walk through the most common ring final circuit: - **Wiring type**: A (PVC/PVC cables) or AF (flat twin and earth) - **Reference method**: C (Clipped Direct) or 100/102 (enclosed in conduit/trunking) - **Cable size**: 2.5mm² live, 1.5mm² CPC - **Protective device**: 32A Type B MCB or RCBO Without specifying "ring" in the designation, Shine Forms would flag this combination as non-compliant—2.5mm² cable wouldn't normally be suitable for a 32A protective device. **But when you add "ring" to the designation:** Shine Forms recognises this as a valid ring final circuit per the On-Site Guide and reverts any intelligence warnings. The combination is compliant under Regulation 433.1.5 because: - The cable can carry 20A (tabulated current-carrying capacity) - It's wired as a ring, so current flows both ways - The 32A protective device is appropriate for this configuration ## On-Site Guide Compliance Tables Shine Forms incorporates Table 7.1(ii) from the IET On-Site Guide, which provides maximum circuit lengths for common ring and lighting circuit configurations. ### Valid Ring Final Circuit Configurations The most common valid ring finals for flat twin and earth cable (wiring type AF): | Device Rating | Standard | Cable Size | CPC Size | Reference Methods | Max Length (TN-S + RCD) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 30A | BS 3036 | 2.5mm² | 1.5mm² | 100, 102, A, C | 106m | | 32A | MCB/RCBO | 2.5mm² | 1.5mm² | 100, 102, A, C | 106m | | 32A | BS 88-2 | 2.5mm² | 1.5mm² | 100, 102, A, C | 106m (voltage drop limited) | These maximum lengths assume: - TN-S earthing system - 30mA RCD protection - 230V supply voltage - Ambient temperature of 30°C - No de-rating factors The Circuit Helper in Shine Forms displays these maximum lengths when you're working on ring circuits, making it easy to verify compliance at a glance. ### When Ring Circuits Aren't Valid Not all cable and device combinations work for ring finals. Shine Forms will warn you if: **Reference Method 101 or 103 (Table 4D5)** The de-rating factor for insulation brings current-carrying capacity down to 17A and 13.5A respectively—below the 20A requirement for ring finals. Even upgrading to 4.0mm² only increases capacity to 17.5A for method 103. **Solution**: Use clipped direct (Method C) or enclosed in conduit/trunking (Methods 100/102) instead, or design as a radial circuit. **Insufficient cable size** If you try to use 1.5mm² cable for a 32A ring with certain installation methods, Shine Forms will flag it as non-compliant. **Solution**: Upgrade to 2.5mm² cable or reduce protective device rating. ## Working with the Circuit Helper When you designate a circuit as a ring, the [Circuit Helper](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2025/6/circuit-helper) displays helpful information directly in your circuit: - **Maximum circuit length** - Calculated based on your specific configuration\*\* - **Compliance status** - Whether your design meets On-Site Guide recommendations - **Limiting factors** - What constrains the circuit (voltage drop, Zs, adiabatic limit) Click the Circuit Helper information icon to see detailed calculations and understand exactly why Shine Forms determined a specific maximum length. ## Other Circuit Types: Lighting and Radials Shine Forms On-Site Guide intelligence doesn't stop at ring finals. It also validates: ### Lighting Circuits Common configurations like: - 6A with 1mm² or 1.5mm² cable - 10A with 1.5mm² cable - 16A with 2.5mm² cable ### Radial Final Circuits Power circuits including: - 16A radials with 2.5mm² cable - 20A radials with 2.5mm² or 4mm² cable - 32A radials with 4mm², 6mm², or 10mm² cable Each circuit type has specific maximum lengths based on protective device type, earthing system, and RCD protection. ## Understanding the Limiting Factors The maximum circuit length for any configuration is constrained by one or more factors: ### Voltage Drop (vd) The circuit length where voltage drop exceeds 3% of supply voltage (typically 6.9V for 230V systems). ### Earth Fault Loop Impedance (zs) The circuit length where earth fault loop impedance exceeds the maximum Zs for the protective device to disconnect within the required time. ### Adiabatic Limit (ad) The circuit length where the cable's ability to withstand fault current without damage is exceeded. ### Line to Neutral (sc) The circuit length where line-to-neutral fault conditions affect compliance. Shine Forms shows which factor is limiting your circuit in the Circuit Helper and Intelligence Manager, helping you understand design constraints. ## Common Scenarios ### Scenario 1: Standard Kitchen Ring **Configuration**: 32A MCB, 2.5mm² cable, reference method C (clipped direct) Simply type "ring" in the circuit designation. Shine Forms confirms compliance and shows maximum length of 106m for TN-S with RCD protection. ### Scenario 2: Garage Ring on Different Installation Method **Configuration**: 32A MCB, 2.5mm² cable, reference method 101 (surrounded by thermal insulation on one side) Shine Forms warns this isn't valid for a ring circuit—the de-rated current capacity is only 17A, below the 20A requirement. **Solution**: Use 4mm² cable, change installation method, or design as a radial circuit instead. ### Scenario 3: Existing Installation with 4mm² Cable **Configuration**: 32A MCB, 4mm² cable, reference method C Type "ring" in the designation. Shine Forms confirms compliance and shows increased maximum length of 171m due to the larger cable. ## Integration with Shine Forms' Intelligence System Ring circuit validation is part of Shine Forms broader [Intelligence system](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2025/1/intelligence-saves-time), which means: ### Automatic Validation As soon as you type "ring" in the circuit designation, Shine Forms: - Checks your configuration against On-Site Guide tables - Calculates maximum circuit length - Reverts any previous cable sizing warnings if the ring is valid - Adds warnings if the configuration isn't suitable for a ring ### Intelligence Manager Visibility All ring circuit intelligence appears in the Intelligence Manager where you can: - See exactly what Shine Forms checked - Review the specific table or regulation referenced - Suppress intelligence if your professional judgment differs - Navigate directly to the circuit in question ### Cascading Updates If you change any parameter (cable size, protective device, installation method), Shine Forms automatically: - Recalculates ring circuit compliance - Updates maximum circuit length - Reverts or adds intelligence as appropriate - Keeps all related fields synchronized ## Best Practices ### Always Specify "Ring" in the Designation Don't rely on Shine Forms to guess whether a circuit is a ring. Explicitly identify rings by including "ring" in the circuit designation field. ### Check Maximum Circuit Length Even if Shine Forms confirms compliance, verify your actual circuit length doesn't exceed the calculated maximum. The Circuit Helper makes this easy. ### Review Installation Method Carefully The reference method significantly affects current-carrying capacity. Methods 101 and 103 often make ring circuits non-viable. ### Consider Radials for Long Runs If your circuit exceeds the maximum ring length, consider designing it as a radial with appropriately sized cable and protective device. ### Use the Circuit Helper Keep the Circuit Helper expanded when entering circuit details. Real-time feedback helps you make informed design decisions before completing the certificate. ## Glossary of Terms **Reference Methods** - Installation methods from BS 7671 Appendix 4: - **Method A/C**: Clipped direct to surface or structure - **Method 100**: Enclosed in conduit in a thermally insulated wall - **Method 101**: Enclosed in conduit in a thermally insulated wall, touching one side - **Method 102**: Enclosed in conduit on a wooden or masonry wall - **Method 103**: Enclosed in conduit in a thermally insulated wall, touching both sides **Protective Device Standards**: - **BS 3036**: Rewireable fuses (semi-enclosed) - **BS 88-2 / BS EN 60269-2**: Cartridge fuses - **BS 88-3**: Cartridge fuses for household use - **MCB**: Miniature circuit breaker (Type B/C/D) - **RCBO**: Residual current circuit breaker with overcurrent protection **Wiring Types**: - **Type A**: PVC insulated, PVC sheathed cables - **Type AF**: Flat twin and earth cables (most common in domestic installations) ## Learn More Want to dive deeper into related Shine Forms features? - [How Shine Forms Intelligence Saves Time](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2025/1/intelligence-saves-time) - Complete guide to the intelligence system - [Introducing Circuit Helper](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2025/6/circuit-helper) - Visual circuit intelligence - [On-Site Guide Intelligence Documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/on-site-guide-intelligence) - Complete technical tables and references - [Boards and Circuits Guide](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/boards-and-circuits) - Working with circuits in Shine Forms ## Questions About Ring Circuits? Ring final circuit design can be complex, especially when dealing with unusual installation methods or longer cable runs. If you have questions about how Shine Forms validates your specific configuration, our support team is here to help. Contact us at support@shineforms.co.uk or consult our comprehensive documentation at docs.shineforms.co.uk. --- ## How Shine Forms Intelligence Feature Saves Time and Improves Accuracy Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2025/1/how-shine-forms-intelligence-saves-time/ Date: 2025-01-15 In the world of electrical certification, consistency and accuracy aren't just nice-to-haves—they're essential. That's why Shine Forms includes a powerful **Intelligence** feature that automatically applies BS 7671 regulations as you work, helping you create certificates faster and with greater confidence. ## What is Shine Forms Intelligence? Shine Forms Intelligence is a unique feature that keeps an eye on electrical regulations from BS 7671 as you enter values into your certificates. Think of it as having an experienced colleague looking over your shoulder, automatically filling in related fields, adding required observations, and ensuring nothing gets missed. The Intelligence feature works across: - **Electrical Installation Certificates (EIC)** - **Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR)** - **Minor Works Certificates** As you work, Shine Forms Intelligence can: - Add observations and limitations automatically - Set values throughout the certificate (not just where you're working) - Update schedule items based on your entries - Apply cascading changes when one value affects others ## The Two Key Benefits ### 1. Improved Consistency Human error is inevitable when you're creating dozens of certificates under tight deadlines. Maybe you forget to add an observation when marking something as C1, or you miss updating a related field when changing a test result. Shine Forms Intelligence eliminates these mistakes by: - **Never missing related fields** - If something should be filled in, it will be - **Removing outdated entries** - When you change a value, related observations are automatically removed if no longer applicable - **Applying regulations uniformly** - The same standards are applied every time, ensuring consistency across all your work ### 2. Saves Time and Effort Time is money, and Shine Forms' Intelligence gives you back hours every week by: - **Automating repetitive data entry** - No need to manually add related observations or update multiple fields - **Reducing double-checking** - Confidence that related fields have been handled correctly - **Speeding up certificate creation** - Focus on testing and inspection, not administrative tasks ## How It Works: A Practical Example Let's walk through a simple but common scenario: marking a schedule item as **C1** (Code 1 - Danger present). When you mark an item in Section 1 of the schedule as C1, Shine Forms automatically: 1. **Records an observation** noting that there's a Code 1 item in the schedule 2. **Adds a second observation** stating that appropriate authorities should be notified ![Observation list showing section 1 marked as C1 and its effects](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/docs/intelligence-section-1-c1-observations.png) Notice how one action (marking C1) triggered two automatic responses. This is intelligence in action—Shine Forms knows the regulations and applies them instantly. ## Real-Time Intelligence Notifications As you work, Shine Forms shows discreet pop-up notifications in the lower right corner whenever intelligence is applied or removed. These notifications: - Keep you informed about what's happening - Help you understand Shine Forms logic - Build confidence in the automated changes ![Pop-up notification showing intelligence added](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/docs/intelligence-section-1-c1.png) You're always in control—these are informational only, and you can manage or suppress any intelligence statement you disagree with. ## The Intelligence Manager: Your Control Center The **Intelligence Manager** is where you can review and control everything Shine Forms Intelligence does. Access it from the ribbon to: ### See What's Been Applied Get a complete list of all intelligence statements Shine Forms has added to your current certificate, including: - What was changed - Where it was applied - What triggered the change ### Navigate Directly to Affected Areas Click on the **Location** column to jump straight to the relevant board, circuit, or field in your certificate. No more hunting through tabs to find what changed. ### Suppress When Needed Engineering judgment always takes precedence. If you disagree with an intelligence statement in a particular situation, simply tick the **Suppressed** column to override it. ![Intelligence Manager screenshot](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/docs/intelligence-section-1-c1-intelligence-manager.png) ## Key Intelligence Features ### Cable Sizing Automation Shine Forms analyses your circuit parameters and automatically: - Calculates appropriate cable sizes - Considers voltage drop - Accounts for installation method - Checks against BS 7671 requirements ### Earthing Conductor Selection Based on your main protective conductor size and installation type, Shine Forms: - Determines correct earthing conductor sizes - Applies Table 54.7 from BS 7671 - Updates related schedule items ### RCD Operation Monitoring When you enter RCD test results, intelligence: - Checks operation times against limits - Adds observations for failed tests - Updates schedule items with appropriate codes ### Ring Circuit Continuity For ring final circuits, Shine Forms: - Validates continuity test results - Checks R1+R2 calculations - Verifies compliance with Regulation 433.1.5 ### Schedule Item Automation As you mark schedule items with codes (C1, C2, C3): - Appropriate observations are automatically added - Related authorities/notifications are noted - Summary counts are updated ## How Suppressing Works Sometimes you need to override Shine Forms Intelligence based on your professional judgment. That's completely fine—Shine Forms respects your expertise. ### When You Suppress Intelligence: 1. Tick the **Suppressed** column in the Intelligence Manager 2. Any changes made by that statement are immediately removed 3. The intelligence statement remains visible but inactive 4. You can un-suppress it anytime ### When You Change the Triggering Value: If you change the value that originally triggered the intelligence (like changing C1 back to N/A), Shine Forms automatically: - Removes the intelligence statement entirely - Cleans up all related changes - Returns the certificate to its previous state This is called **reverting** intelligence, and it happens automatically. ## Cascading Intelligence One of Shine Forms most powerful features is how intelligence can trigger additional intelligence. Here's a real-world example: **Scenario**: You mark the earthing conductor as **FAIL** **What Shine Forms Does Automatically**: 1. Sets a schedule item to **C2** (Code 2 - Potentially dangerous) 2. The C2 code triggers an observation about the failed earthing 3. Another observation is added about remedial action required 4. The observations summary is updated ![Cascading intelligence example](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/docs/intelligence-earthing-conductor-fail.png) This cascading effect means one test result can properly update multiple areas of your certificate—instantly and accurately. ## Types of Intelligence in Shine Forms Shine Forms includes several types of intelligence beyond the standard BS 7671 checks: ### BS 7671 Intelligence The main intelligence system that appears in the Intelligence Manager, covering regulations for cable sizing, protective devices, earthing, and more. ### Schedule Intelligence Automatically adds observations and limitations based on schedule item codes. Works seamlessly with BS 7671 intelligence. ### Max Zs Intelligence Calculates and enters maximum earth fault loop impedance (Zs) values for circuits based on protective device characteristics. ## Getting Started with Intelligence Shine Forms Intelligence is automatically enabled and works right out of the box. However, there are a few settings you might want to know about: ### Auto-Suppress All Intelligence If you prefer to work without intelligence (perhaps when creating certificates for very unusual installations), you can enable **Auto-suppress all intelligence** in Settings. This tells Shine Forms to automatically suppress all intelligence statements as they're created. ![Auto-suppress intelligence setting](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/docs/options-suppress-intelligence.png) Most users keep intelligence enabled—it's one of Shine Forms most valuable time-saving features. ## Best Practices ### Trust But Verify While Shine Forms Intelligence is highly reliable, always review intelligence statements (especially when learning the software) to build confidence in how it works. ### Use the Intelligence Manager Make the Intelligence Manager part of your review process. A quick scan shows you everything Shine Forms has done and helps catch any unusual situations. ### Suppress Wisely Only suppress intelligence when you have a specific engineering reason. Suppressing without understanding why Shine Forms applied the rule might mean you're missing something important. ### Check Cascading Effects When you suppress an intelligence statement, be aware that it might affect other related intelligence. Check the Intelligence Manager after suppressing to see if anything else changed. ## What's Next? Want to dive deeper into specific aspects of Shine Forms Intelligence? - [Learn about Ring Circuit Intelligence](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2025/5/ring-circuit-intelligence) - How Shine Forms validates ring finals against the IET On-Site Guide - [Discover the Circuit Helper](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2025/6/circuit-helper) - See intelligence directly in your circuits as you work - [Read the detailed Intelligence documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/intelligence) - Complete technical reference ## Questions About Intelligence? The Intelligence feature is one of Shine Forms most powerful capabilities, and we're always here to help you get the most from it. If you have questions about how intelligence works or need help with a specific scenario, contact our support team. Have you discovered a time-saving intelligence feature we didn't mention? Share your experience with us—we love hearing how Shine Forms makes your work easier! --- ## Board Manager: Visualising and Managing Complex Electrical Installations Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2024/4/board-manager-managing-complex-installations/ Date: 2024-04-21 Modern electrical installations often involve multiple distribution boards fed from various sources—main incoming supplies, sub-mains, generators, and more. Managing these complex supply chains in a certificate can be challenging. The Shine Forms Board Manager provides visual tools and efficient workflows to handle even the most intricate multi-board installations with ease. ## Why Board Manager Matters When inspecting or designing installations with multiple boards, you need to: - **Understand supply relationships** - Know which boards feed which - **Maintain accurate documentation** - Record the complete installation structure - **Work efficiently** - Make changes without repetitive data entry - **Present clearly** - Show clients how their installation is organised - **Coordinate teams** - Assign engineers to specific boards systematically The Board Manager addresses all these needs in one comprehensive interface. ## What You Can Do with Board Manager The Shine Forms Board Manager is a central hub for working with boards across your entire certificate: ### Visualisation & Navigation - **Visualise**in which the ** board connections** - See how boards connect in a tree structure - **Switch between views** - Tree view for relationships, list view for operations - **Expand and collapse nodes** - Focus on specific parts of the installation ### Board Operations - **Add and copy boards** - Create new boards or duplicate existing ones - **Delete multiple boards** - Select and remove several boards at once - **Reorder boards** - Change the order in which the boards appear in the certificate - **Reorder circuits** - Organise circuits within each board - **Exclude boards from PDF** - Hide specific boards from printed certificates ### Supply Management - **Change board supplies** - Use drag-and-drop or selection dialogue - **Visualise**the ** supply chains** - See the flow from incoming supply through sub-boards - **Update supply details** - Modify supply characteristics for each board ### Engineer and Instrument Management - **Assign engineers per board** - Record who inspected or tested each board - **Set instruments** - Track which test equipment was used where - **Copy to blanks** - Populate blank fields with the current engineer/instrument - **Clear all assignments** - Reset engineer and instrument data across all boards ### Export and Reporting - **Export to Excel** - Create spreadsheets of boards and circuits - **Print supply diagrams** - Generate visual documentation of board relationships ## Two Views of Your Installation The Board Manager offers two complementary views of your installation. ### Supplies View: Visual Relationships Click **Supplies** in the ribbon to see boards organised by their supply relationships: ![Board Manager supplies view showing tree structure](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/board-manager-tree.png) This tree view shows: - The incoming supply at the top - Main distribution boards beneath it - Sub-mains and their fed boards indented appropriately - The complete supply chain from source to final circuit Use the **+** and **-** buttons or the ribbon controls to expand and collapse sections as needed. This is invaluable when documenting complex installations where understanding the supply hierarchy is critical. ### List View: Efficient Operations Click **List** in the ribbon to see all boards as a flat list: ![Board Manager list view](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/board-manager-list.png) List view is ideal for: - Selecting multiple boards for bulk operations - Quickly scanning board details - Finding specific boards by designation or location - Performing operations that don't require understanding supply relationships You can select multiple boards using Ctrl+Click or Shift+Click, just like in Windows Explorer: ![Multiple board selection in list view](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/board-manager-list-multi-select.png) ## Working with Board Supplies Understanding and documenting board supplies is fundamental to electrical certificates. The Board Manager makes this straightforward. ### Changing a Board's Supply **Method 1: Using the Supply Column** Click into the Supply column for any board: ![Selecting supply using the dropdown](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/board-manager-select-supply.png) Select the appropriate supply from the dropdown. Shine Forms shows all available boards that could supply the selected board. **Method 2: Drag and Drop** The most intuitive method—simply drag a board and drop it onto its supply board: ![Dragging and dropping to change supplies](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/board-manager-drag-drop.png) The board immediately moves to appear under its new supply in the tree structure. This visual feedback makes it easy to organise complex installations. ![Animated drag and drop demonstration](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/board-manager-drag-supplies.gif) ### Supply Chain Scenarios **Scenario 1: Basic Installation** - Incoming supply → Main distribution board → Branch circuits **Scenario 2: Sub-Main Installation** - Incoming supply → Main distribution board → Sub-main cable → Garage consumer unit Use drag-and-drop to move the garage consumer unit under the main board. The tree structure immediately reflects this relationship. **Scenario 3: Multiple Sub-Mains** - Incoming supply → Main distribution board → Three sub-mains feeding: - Outbuilding workshop - Detached garage - Garden office Create all boards, then drag each sub-board onto the main board. The tree view shows the complete structure at a glance. **Scenario 4: Split Installation** - Two incoming supplies (e.g., normal and generator) - Each supplies different boards Use the Supplies view to verify each supply chain is correct and no boards are accidentally connected to the wrong source. ## Managing Engineers and Instruments When multiple engineers inspect an installation or different test instruments are used at various locations, the Board Manager helps you track these details efficiently. ### Viewing and Editing Engineer Details Both views show the engineer and instrument information for each board: ![Editing engineer and instrument details](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/board-manager-change-engineer.png) Click into any engineer or instrument field to change it for that specific board. ### Copy to Blanks After copying a previous certificate or adding new boards, you often need to update the engineer and instrument details for boards where these fields are blank. **To use Copy to Blanks:** 1. Ensure the correct engineer and instrument are selected in the ribbon 2. Click **Copy to Blanks** in the ribbon 3. Confirm the operation ![Copy to blanks confirmation dialog](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/board-manager-copy-down-confirm.png) Shine Forms copies the selected engineer and instrument to all boards where these fields are currently blank. Boards already assigned to an engineer or instrument remain unchanged. This is particularly useful when: - You've copied a certificate from a previous inspection - Multiple engineers worked on the installation - Some boards were tested with different instruments ### Clear All Engineers and Instruments When starting a new certificate based on a template or previous installation: 1. Click **Clear Engineers** or **Clear Instruments** in the ribbon 2. All boards have their engineer or instrument fields cleared 3. Use Copy to Blanks to assign the current engineer/instrument This two-step process ensures you don't accidentally leave old engineer or instrument data in your new certificate. ## Adding, Copying, and Deleting Boards ### Adding New Boards Click **Add Board** in the ribbon to create a new distribution board. Shine Forms adds it to the certificate and opens the board details for you to complete. ### Copying Existing Boards When you have similar boards (e.g., identical consumer units in a block of flats): 1. Select the board to copy 2. Click **Copy Board** in the ribbon 3. Shine Forms creates a duplicate with all circuits and settings 4. Modify the designation and adjust circuits as needed This saves significant time compared to entering every circuit manually. ### Deleting Multiple Boards To remove several boards at once: 1. Switch to List view 2. Select multiple boards (Ctrl+Click or Shift+Click) 3. Click **Delete Board** in the ribbon 4. Confirm the deletion All selected boards and their circuits are removed from the certificate. :::warning Deleting boards is permanent. Use Shine Forms' backup features or save before performing bulk deletions, especially when cleaning up copied certificates. ::: ## Reordering Boards and Circuits ### Reordering Boards The order boards appear in the certificate PDF for clarity and professionalism. **To reorder boards:** - Select the board - Use the **Move Up** or **Move Down** buttons in the ribbon - Repeat until the boards are in the desired order Alternatively, in Supplies view, changing a board's supply automatically repositions it in the tree structure. ### Reordering Circuits The Board Manager also lets you reorder circuits within a board: 1. Navigate to the board containing the circuits 2. Use the circuit reordering controls 3. Arrange circuits logically (e.g., lighting first, then sockets, then larger loads) This is particularly useful when circuits were added in the order discovered rather than in a logical presentation order. ## Excluding Boards from PDFs Sometimes you want a board recorded in your certificate but not shown to the client in the PDF: - Boards not yet installed, but planned for future work - Boards in areas outside the inspection scope - Temporary boards that will be removed **To exclude a board from the PDF:** 1. Select the board in Board Manager 2. Check the **Exclude from PDF** option 3. The board remains in your Shine Forms certificate but won't appear in the printed output This keeps your internal records complete while presenting only relevant information to clients. ## Adjusting Board Ways Consumer units and distribution boards come in various sizes—6-way, 10-way, 18-way, etc. The Board Manager lets you quickly adjust the number of ways: 1. Select the board 2. Use the **Ways** control in the ribbon 3. Enter the number of ways 4. Shine Forms updates the board This affects circuit capacity and how the board appears in documentation. ## Exporting to Excel For installations with many boards and circuits, an Excel export provides a convenient overview and allows external analysis or record-keeping. **To export boards and circuits:** 1. Open the Board Manager 2. Click **Export to Excel** (or use the File menu) 3. Choose a location to save the file 4. Open the Excel file The export includes: - Board designations and locations - Circuit numbers and descriptions - Cable types and sizes - Protective devices - Test results - Supply relationships Learn more in our [Excel export documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/save-to-excel#exporting-boards-and-circuits-to-excel). ## Printing Supply Diagrams The Board Manager can generate printable diagrams showing how boards connect: 1. Ensure you're in Supplies view 2. Arrange the tree to show the information clearly 3. Click **Print Diagram** in the ribbon 4. Print or save as PDF These diagrams are excellent for: - Client handover documentation - Training new engineers on the installation - Planning future modifications - Understanding existing installations during inspections ## Working with Split Boards Split boards (consumer units with multiple RCDs protecting different groups of circuits) present a documentation challenge. The Board Manager works alongside other Shine Forms features to handle these correctly. ### Reporting Split Board RCDs While all circuits in a split board belong to the same physical board, they may have different RCD protection: **Best practice for split boards:** 1. Create one board in Shine Forms representing the consumer unit 2. Enter all circuits 3. Specify RCD details for each circuit individually 4. Use [circuit remarks](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/boards-and-circuits#circuit-remarks) to clarify which RCD protects which circuits Example remarks: - Circuit 1-5: "Protected by RCD1 (80A, 30mA Type A)" - Circuit 6-10: "Protected by RCD2 (80A, 30mA Type A)" These remarks appear in the printed certificate, making the split board arrangement clear to clients and other engineers. Learn more about split boards in our [dedicated documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/split-boards). ## Common Board Manager Workflows ### Workflow 1: New Installation Certificate 1. Open Board Manager 2. Add main board 3. Enter main board details 4. Add sub-boards as needed 5. Use drag-and-drop to set up supply relationships 6. Assign engineer and instruments using Copy to Blanks 7. Verify supply chain in Supplies view ### Workflow 2: Copying a Previous Certificate 1. Copy the previous certificate 2. Open Board Manager 3. Delete boards no longer present 4. Clear all engineers and instruments 5. Update engineer and instrument to current 6. Use Copy to Blanks to assign across all boards 7. Verify supply relationships haven't changed ### Workflow 3: Complex Commercial Installation 1. Add all boards in any order using List view 2. Switch to Supplies view 3. Drag boards onto their supplies to build the tree 4. Expand and collapse sections to verify each supply chain 5. Export to Excel for client documentation 6. Print supply diagram for installation records ### Workflow 4: Multi-Engineer Inspection 1. Open Board Manager 2. Use List view to see all boards 3. Sort or filter by location or designation 4. Assign specific engineer to each board individually 5. Verify each engineer has correct instrument assigned 6. Check assignments before generating certificate ## Tips for Efficient Board Management ### Use Consistent Naming Adopt clear board designation conventions: - **Location-based**: "DB Kitchen", "DB Garage", "CU Workshop" - **Function-based**: "Main Board", "Lighting Submain", "Socket Submain" - **Level-based**: "Ground Floor DB", "First Floor DB" Consistent naming makes boards easier to find and organise. ### Build Supply Chains as You Go Don't wait until the end to organise board supplies. As you add each board, immediately drag it to its correct supply. This prevents confusion and reduces errors. ### Review in Supplies View Before Finalising Before completing a certificate, spend a moment in Supplies view verifying the supply chain accurately reflects the installation. This catches errors that might not be obvious in List view. ### Use Excel Export for Client Meetings Export boards and circuits to Excel when discussing installations with clients. The spreadsheet format is familiar and easy to share digitally. ### Use Copy Board for Repetitive Installations For blocks of flats, student accommodation, or similar repetitive installations, create one board in full, then copy and modify. This ensures consistency and saves time. ## Integration with Other Shine Forms Features The Board Manager works seamlessly with other Shine Forms features: ### With Circuit Helper The [Circuit Helper](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2025/6/circuit-helper) appears when working on individual boards, providing real-time validation. Use Board Manager to navigate between boards efficiently, then rely on Circuit Helper for detailed circuit work. ### With Intelligence When you reorganise boards or change supplies, Shine Forms' [intelligence system](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2025/1/intelligence-saves-time) recalculates automatically, updating any observations or warnings related to board configuration or supply characteristics. ### With Excel Export Combine Board Manager organisation with [Excel export](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/save-to-excel) to create comprehensive installation documentation for clients, facilities managers, or maintenance teams. ### With PDF Generation Board order in Board Manager determines the order boards appear in printed certificates. Organise boards logically before generating PDFs to ensure professional, easy-to-follow documentation. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Can I change a board's supply after entering all circuits? Yes. Use Board Manager to change the supply at any time. Shine Forms updates all related information automatically, including intelligence and supply text. ### What happens to circuits when I delete a board? All circuits in the deleted board are also deleted. Make sure you don't need the circuit data before deleting boards. ### Can I see boards from multiple certificates at once? No. Board Manager shows boards from the currently open certificate only. To work with multiple certificates, open them separately. ### How do I document a board with mixed RCD and non-RCD circuits? Use one board and specify RCD protection circuit-by-circuit. Use circuit remarks to clarify the arrangement if needed. See our [split boards documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/split-boards). ### Does reordering boards affect test result numbering? No. Test results are tied to specific boards and circuits regardless of display order. Reordering only affects how they appear in the certificate. ### Can I export supply diagrams to other formats besides PDF? Print to PDF provides the most flexibility. You can then convert the PDF to images or other formats using external tools if needed. ## Learn More Explore related features and documentation: - [Complete Board Manager Documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/board-manager) - Full technical reference - [Working with Boards and Circuits](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/boards-and-circuits) - Detailed circuit entry guide - [Split Boards Documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/split-boards) - Handling consumer units with multiple RCDs - [Exporting to Excel](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/save-to-excel) - Complete export features - [Circuit Helper](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2025/6/circuit-helper) - Visual circuit intelligence ## Questions About Board Manager? Need help organising a particularly complex installation or want guidance on best practices for multi-board documentation? Our support team can provide assistance with Board Manager workflows tailored to your inspection scenarios. Contact us at support@shineforms.co.uk or explore comprehensive documentation at docs.shineforms.co.uk. --- ## Custom Inspection Schedules: Tailoring EICRs to Your Inspections Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2022/9/custom-inspection-schedules/ Date: 2022-09-19 Not every electrical inspection is the same. A domestic property inspection differs from a commercial premises inspection. A small flat needs different schedule items than a large house with outbuildings. The Shine Forms Schedule Manager gives you complete control to create customised inspection schedules that match your exact inspection requirements. ## Why Custom Schedules Matter The standard BS 7671 inspection schedule is comprehensive, but it includes items that may not apply to every installation you inspect. Custom schedules let you: - **Remove irrelevant items** - Skip items that don't apply to the installation type - **Add specific items** - Include checks relevant to particular installations or client requirements - **Create inspection templates** - Build reusable schedules for common scenarios - **Improve efficiency** - Focus on what matters for each inspection - **Maintain consistency** - Use standardised schedules across your team For example, you might create separate schedules for: - Domestic properties under 100A - Commercial premises with three-phase supplies - Industrial installations with motor circuits - New build initial verifications - Periodic inspections with a limited scope ## What You Can Do with the Schedule Manager The Shine Forms Schedule Manager is a comprehensive tool for managing inspection schedules. You can: ### Create and Manage Schedule Libraries - **Save custom schedules** - Build your library of reusable schedules - **Pick relevant schedules** - Select the right schedule for each EICR - **Export schedules to files** - Share custom schedules with other engineers - **Import schedules** - Add schedules created by colleagues ### Customise Schedule Content - **Add schedule items or sections** - Include items from your library - **Edit existing items** - Modify item descriptions to match your needs - **Remove unnecessary items** - Delete items that don't apply - **Reorder items and sections** - Organise the schedule logically ### Navigate and Search - **Search for items** - Find specific items in your library or current schedule - **View in different modes** - See schedules summarised by sections or fully detailed - **Toggle expanded/collapsed** - Focus on sections of interest ## Built-In Schedules Shine Forms includes several pre-configured schedules to get you started: ### Standard Schedules - **Condition report inspection schedule** - For residential and similar premises with supplies up to 100A - **Example checklist for initial verification** - From BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 page 515 - **Example items requiring inspection** - From BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 page 523 These built-in schedules provide a solid foundation. You can use them as-is or customise them to create your own variations. ## Working with the Schedule Manager ### Opening the Schedule Manager Click **Schedule Manager** in the ribbon when working on an EICR. The Schedule Manager opens with two panels: - **Left panel** - Your schedule library (saved schedules) - **Right panel** - Current certificate's schedule (what will print) ![Schedule Manager interface showing library and current schedule](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2022-2-schedule-manager.png) ### Selecting a Schedule from Your Library Use the dropdown at the top left to select any schedule from your library. This shows you the schedule's contents without changing your current certificate. ![Selecting schedules from the library dropdown](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2022-2-schedule-manager-selecting-schedule.png) ### Copying Items Into Your Schedule To add specific items from your library into the current certificate: 1. Select the item or section in the left panel (library) 2. Click **Copy Selected** in the middle buttons 3. The item or section appears in your current schedule on the right This is perfect when you want to add a few items to an existing schedule without replacing everything. ### Replacing the Entire Schedule To replace your current inspection schedule completely: 1. Select the schedule you want from the library (left panel) 2. Click **Replace** in the middle buttons 3. Your certificate's schedule is replaced with the selected one This is ideal when starting a new EICR and you want to use a specific schedule template. ## Customising Schedule Items ### Adding New Items To create a new schedule item: 1. Select the section where you want to add the item 2. Click **Add Item** in the ribbon 3. Enter the item description 4. The item appears in that section ### Editing Item Descriptions To modify an existing item: 1. Select the item in your current schedule (right panel) 2. Click **Edit Description** (or double-click the item) 3. Change the text as needed 4. Click OK to save ![Editing schedule item descriptions](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2022-2-schedule-manager-editing.png) This is useful when you need to adjust wording to match specific installation characteristics or client terminology. ### Removing Items To delete unnecessary items: 1. Select the item or section in your current schedule 2. Click **Delete Item** 3. The item is removed from the schedule ![Removing items from the schedule](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2022-2-schedule-manager-removing.png) Items removed from your current certificate's schedule remain in your library schedules for future use. ## Organising Your Schedule ### Moving Items and Sections Use **Move Up** and **Move Down** buttons to reorder items or sections in your current schedule. ![Moving items to reorder the schedule](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2022-2-schedule-manager-move-down.png) This lets you organise items logically—for example, grouping all earthing items together or ordering items to match your inspection workflow. ### Collapsing and Expanding Sections Click **Toggle Expanded** in the ribbon to collapse all sections, showing just section headers. Click again to expand all sections. You can also right-click individual sections to collapse or expand them separately. ![Right-click context menu for schedule management](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2022-2-schedule-manager-right-click-menus.png) ## Saving Schedules to Your Library Once you've customised a schedule, save it to your library for future use: 1. Click **Save To Library** in the ribbon 2. Enter a descriptive name (e.g., "Domestic under 100A - Standard") 3. Optionally add a description explaining when to use this schedule 4. Click Save ![Saving custom schedules to the library](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2022-2-schedule-manager-save-schedule.png) The schedule becomes available in the library dropdown for all future EICRs. ### Naming Best Practices Use clear, descriptive names that indicate: - Installation type (domestic, commercial, industrial) - Size or complexity (under 100A, three-phase, etc.) - Purpose (periodic inspection, initial verification) Examples: - "Domestic Flat - Basic Inspection" - "Commercial Office - Full Schedule" - "Industrial with Motors - Initial Verification" - "Rental Property - Landlord EICR" ## Searching for Items When working with large schedules, use the search feature: 1. Click **Toggle Find** in the ribbon 2. Enter search terms in the find boxes 3. Matching items are highlighted in both panels ![Using search to find schedule items](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2022-2-schedule-manager-find.png) This is particularly useful when you want to quickly locate specific items like "RCD" or "bonding" across large schedules. ## Sharing Schedules with Other Engineers ### Exporting Schedules To share a custom schedule with colleagues: 1. Select the schedule in the library dropdown 2. Click **Export Schedule** in the ribbon 3. Confirm the schedule name and optional description 4. Choose where to save the file 5. Send the file to your colleague ![Exporting schedules to share with other engineers](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-2022-2-schedule-manager-export-to-file.png) ### Importing Schedules To add a schedule someone shared with you: 1. Click **Import Schedule** in the ribbon 2. Select the schedule file they sent 3. The schedule appears in your library dropdown This makes it easy to standardize inspection schedules across teams or share specialized schedules for particular installation types. ## Working with the Inspection Schedule ### Automatic Observations and Limitations When you code a schedule item with C1, C2, C3, or FI, Shine Forms automatically creates an associated observation. The observation is linked to that schedule item. ![Automatic observations linked to schedule items](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/blog-2022-2/schedule-item-observation.png) Similarly, coding an item as LIM automatically adds a limitation. ![Automatic limitations when coding LIM](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/blog-2022-2/schedule-item-limitation.png) Changing the coding to a different value removes the observation or limitation—Shine Forms keeps everything synchronized automatically. ### Using the Inspection Schedule Manager The Inspection Schedule Manager (different from the Schedule Manager) helps you quickly enter values across multiple schedule items: 1. Click **Inspection Schedule Manager** in the ribbon 2. Select sections to update 3. Choose whether to update only blanks or all items 4. Select the value to apply (PASS, N/A, etc.) 5. Click Done ![Inspection Schedule Manager for bulk updates](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/blog-2022-2/schedule-item-manager.png) This is perfect for marking large groups of items as PASS or N/A quickly after inspecting different areas of an installation. ### Set All Blanks to Pass Use the **Set All Blanks To Pass** button at the lower left to mark all blank items as PASS in one action. This is useful when most items passed and you only need to code the exceptions. ### Excluding Not Applicable Items from PDFs You can choose to hide schedule items marked as N/A from printed certificates: 1. Go to [Certificate Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options#certificate-options) 2. Enable the option to exclude N/A schedule items 3. The PDF shows only applicable items with a note explaining the exclusion ![Excluded schedule items in printed certificates](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/Feature%20Sharing%20and%20merging%20certificates.png) This creates cleaner, more focused reports for clients while maintaining complete records in Shine Forms. ## Common Scenarios ### Scenario 1: Creating a Template for Rental Properties You regularly inspect rental properties and want a streamlined schedule: 1. Start with "Condition report inspection schedule" 2. Remove items that rarely apply to rental properties 3. Add specific items that your letting agent clients require 4. Save as "Rental Property - Standard EICR" 5. Use this template for all rental inspections ### Scenario 2: Commercial Premises with Three-Phase A commercial client needs regular inspections: 1. Start with a standard schedule 2. Add items specific to three-phase installations 3. Add items for emergency lighting and fire alarm interconnections 4. Include checks for business-critical circuits 5. Save as "Commercial - Three Phase Template" 6. Export and share with colleagues who inspect this client's other locations ### Scenario 3: Limited Scope Periodic Inspection A client requests inspection of specific areas only: 1. Start with a standard schedule 2. Remove all sections not relevant to the agreed scope 3. Add a note item in each section explaining the limitation 4. Save as "Limited Scope - [Client Name] Template" 5. Use for all inspections under this agreement ### Scenario 4: New Build Initial Verification Initial verifications need a different focus than periodic inspections: 1. Use the "Example checklist for initial verification" schedule 2. Add items specific to your quality checks 3. Remove items that don't apply to new installations 4. Save as "Initial Verification - New Build" 5. Keep it updated as building regulations change ## Tips for Effective Schedule Management ### Start with Built-In Schedules Don't create schedules from scratch. Start with one of Shine Forms' built-in schedules and modify it. This ensures you don't miss important items. ### Create General Templates First Build broad templates (domestic, commercial, industrial) before creating highly specific ones. You can always customise a general template for unique situations. ### Review Schedules Periodically As regulations and your practices evolve, review and update your saved schedules. Mark outdated schedules clearly if you need to keep them for historical reasons. ### Document Special Requirements Use the schedule description field to explain when and why to use specific schedules. This helps colleagues choose the appropriate template. ### Test Before Sharing Before exporting a schedule to share with your team, use it on a real EICR to verify it works as expected. This avoids confusion and corrections later. ## Integration with Other Shine Forms Features Custom schedules work seamlessly with other Shine Forms features: ### With Intelligence Shine Forms' [intelligence system](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2025/1/intelligence-saves-time) automatically creates observations for custom schedule items just like standard ones. If you code a custom item as C1, Shine Forms adds the associated observation. ### With Photos You can attach photos to observations created from custom schedule items. Everything works the same way whether using standard or custom schedules. ### With Templates Company-wide schedules can be distributed through template certificates. Create a template with the appropriate custom schedule, and all new certificates from that template inherit it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Can I modify the standard BS 7671 schedule? Yes. Select the standard schedule, make your changes, and save it with a new name. The original standard schedule remains available unchanged. ### Will custom schedules work on other computers? Yes, if you export the schedule to a file and import it on the other computer. Schedules saved to your library are stored locally in Shine Forms' database. ### Can I have multiple custom schedules? Absolutely. Create as many as you need. Many engineers maintain 5-10 schedules for different inspection scenarios. ### Do custom items appear in the PDF? Yes. Custom schedule items print exactly like standard items in the certificate PDF. Clients won't know the difference. ### What happens to observations if I delete a schedule item? If the item is coded (C1, C2, C3, FI, LIM), the associated observation or limitation is also removed when you delete the item. ### Can I revert to the standard schedule? Yes. Simply use the Schedule Manager to replace your current schedule with any built-in schedule. Your customisations aren't applied until you save changes to the certificate. ## Learn More Want to explore related features? - [Complete Schedule Manager Documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/schedule-manager) - Technical reference with full feature details - [Working with the Inspection Schedule](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/inspection-schedule) - Day-to-day schedule usage - [Observations and Limitations](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/observations-and-limitations) - Managing EICR findings - [Certificate Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options) - Controlling what appears in PDFs ## Questions About Custom Schedules? Need help creating the perfect inspection schedule template? Our support team can provide guidance on schedule organisation and best practices for your specific inspection scenarios. Contact us at support@shineforms.co.uk or explore our complete documentation at docs.shineforms.co.uk. --- ## Certificate Sharing and Merging: Collaborating on Multi-Engineer Installations Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2019/8/certificate-sharing-and-merging/ Date: 2019-08-28 summarises the Shine Forms' certificate sharing and merging features make it seamless to divide work, share updates, and combine results into professional, unified certificates for clients. ## Why Certificate Sharing Matters When multiple engineers work on the same installation, you need to: - **Divide work efficiently** - Assign specific boards or areas to different engineers - **Work simultaneously** - Don't wait for one engineer to finish before another starts - **Combine results** - Bring work from multiple engineers into a single certificate - **Track updates** - Incorporate changes as engineers revise their work - **Maintain quality** - Review work before issuing to clients - **Ensure consistency** - Keep engineer details and test instruments accurate Without effective sharing and merging, teams waste time waiting, manually re-entering data, or risking errors when consolidating work. ## Certificate Sharing Overview Shine Forms certificate sharing system uses small, self-contained export files that are easy to share through any method: - **Email** - Send export files as attachments - **Cloud storage** - Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive - **Network drives** - Company file servers - **USB drives** - Physical transfer when needed ### Export File Benefits - **Small file size** - Compact files easy to email or share - **Self-contained** - Include all certificate data, photos, and engineer details - **Engineer information preserved** - Even engineers outside your company are recorded correctly - **Multiple certificates** - Export multiple certificates in one file if needed - **Automatic generation** - Export files created automatically on save ## Automatic Exports: Always Up to Date One of the most powerful features in Shine Forms is the automatic export generation. ### How It Works Every time you close a certificate after saving changes, Shine Forms automatically: 1. Generates an export file (.pex) in your configured sharing location 2. Creates a PDF of the certificate 3. Names files using certificate type, number, and date 4. Overwrites previous versions to ensure the latest is always available ### Configuring Auto-Export Location Set your auto-export location in [Shine Forms Options](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/options): 1. Open **Shine Forms Options** 2. Navigate to the sharing/export section 3. Select a folder—ideally in Dropbox, OneDrive, or a network drive 4. Click Save **Best practice**: Use an online storage folder so engineers can access exports from any location without manual file transfers. ### Accessing Auto-Exports From the Home Screen, select a certificate and: - **Show Export File** - Opens the folder containing the latest export file - **Show PDF Report** - Opens the folder containing the latest PDF If these buttons are disabled (no auto-export exists yet), click **Refresh Exports** to generate them. ![Home Screen showing export access buttons](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1292-refresh-exports.png) ## Exporting Certificates Manually While automatic exports cover most scenarios, you may need manual exports for: - Sending certificates to specific recipients - Creating exports before auto-export is configured - Splitting large exports into smaller email-sized chunks ### Export Process 1. Select certificates in the Home Screen (Ctrl+Click for multiple) 2. Click **Export to File** in the ribbon 3. Review selected certificates, click Next 4. Configure filename and destination 5. Optionally split into chunks for email 6. Click **Export Certificates** Shine Forms opens the folder containing the export file and selects it for you. ## Importing Certificates Engineers receiving export files can import them into their copy of Shine Forms using several methods. ### Method 1: Import from File 1. Click **Import from File** in the Home Screen 2. Browse to the export file 3. Select certificates to import 4. Review and confirm If a certificate already exists in Shine Forms, the import overwrites it. Shine Forms warns you before proceeding. ### Method 2: Drag and Drop The fastest import method: 1. Open Shine Forms' Home Screen 2. Drag export files from Windows Explorer 3. Drop them onto the certificate list 4. Confirm import ![Drag and drop import demonstration](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1468-import-drag-drop.gif) This works with both individual export files and folders containing multiple export files. ### Method 3: Import from Folder Ideal when importing work from multiple engineers: 1. Click **Import from File**, check **Import from folder** 2. Browse to the folder containing export files 3. Shine Forms finds all export files (including subfolders) 4. Select certificates to import 5. Confirm ![Folder import selection](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/pirform-1390-import-from-folder.png) ### Filtering by Modified Date When importing from folders, filter by modification date to find recent work: - **All files** - Import everything found - **Today** - Only files modified today - **Last 7 days** - Files modified in the past week - **Since specific date** - Files modified after a date you choose This is particularly useful when engineers continuously update work in a shared folder. Import only files modified since your last merge. ## Merging Certificates: Bringing Work Together Certificate merging is where Shine Forms' collaboration features truly shine. Merge combines boards and observations from multiple certificates into a single unified certificate. ### Common Merge Scenarios **Scenario 1: Multi-Engineer Job** Three engineers inspect a commercial building—one handles each floor. Each engineer works on their own certificate. The supervisor merges all three certificates into one for the client. **Scenario 2: Work Review** An engineer completes inspection work and exports their certificate. A senior engineer imports it, reviews the work, makes corrections, and issues the final certificate. **Scenario 3: Ongoing Installation** Engineers continuously update their work as an installation progresses. The project manager regularly merges updates into the main certificate, tracking progress and incorporating changes automatically. **Scenario 4: Dividing Complex Sites** A large industrial site has main building, workshops, and multiple outbuildings. Engineers are assigned specific areas. Work is merged as each area completes. ## How to Merge Certificates ### Step 1: Select Target Certificate The target certificate receives the merged boards and observations. 1. Open the Home Screen 2. Select the target certificate (or create a new one) 3. Click **Create Certificate** → **Merge Boards and Observations** The Merge Certificate Wizard starts. ### Step 2: Select Source Certificates Choose certificates containing boards you want to merge. You can select multiple source certificates to merge simultaneously. This is useful when combining work from several engineers in one operation. ### Step 3: Select Boards to Merge Shine Forms shows all boards from the selected source certificates. Select boards to merge. You can: - Select all boards from one certificate - Pick specific boards from each certificate - Mix and match as needed ### Step 4: Handle Renames and Replacements Shine Forms intelligently prevents conflicts and tracks merged boards: **Conflict Prevention** If a source board has the same designation as a board already in the target certificate, Shine Forms automatically renames it using the source certificate number. You can change this to any designation you prefer. **Update Tracking** Shine Forms remembers which boards were merged from which certificates. If you merge the same board again later (because the engineer sent an update), Shine Forms replaces the previous version automatically—no duplicates. This intelligent tracking is what makes ongoing collaboration work. Engineers can refine their work and send updates, knowing you can easily incorporate changes without manual board deletion and re-merging. ### Step 5: Review and Complete Shine Forms summarises the merge operation. Review carefully: - Boards being added - Boards being replaced (updates) - Board designations after rename Click **Back** to make adjustments or **Merge Certificates** to complete. The target certificate opens, showing the merged boards. Review the results: - Check board supplies are correct - Verify engineer assignments - Review merged observations - Save when satisfied **If there's a problem**, simply close without saving. No changes are made to the target certificate. ## Intelligent Merge Features Shine Forms' merge system includes several sophisticated features that make collaboration reliable and efficient. ### Merge Memory Shine Forms records: - Which boards came from which source certificates - When boards were last merged - Original engineer details for each board This memory allows: - **Automatic updates** - Re-merging the same board replaces the old version - **Version tracking** - Know which certificate provided each board - **Conflict avoidance** - Prevent duplicate board designations ### Engineer Information Preservation When merging, Shine Forms maintains: - Engineer names for each board (who inspected/tested) - Instrument details (what equipment was used) - Original certificate numbers and dates This ensures proper attribution and audit trails, critical for quality management and regulatory compliance. ### Observation Merging Observations (C1, C2, C3, FI codings) merge along with boards: - Observations tied to schedule items follow their boards - Standalone observations can be merged separately - Observation numbering adjusts automatically in the target certificate ### Supply Chain Preservation When boards with sub-mains are merged, the complete supply chain transfers: - Main board and all boards it feeds merge together - Supply relationships remain intact - Board hierarchy is maintained in Board Manager ## Practical Collaboration Workflows ### Workflow 1: Dividing Work on a Large Property **Setup:** 1. Create main certificate with installation details 2. Export to file 3. Distribute to team engineers **Each engineer:** 1. Import the main certificate 2. Add their assigned boards and circuits 3. Complete testing 4. Auto-export saves their work continuously **Supervisor:** 1. Import from folder containing all engineers' auto-exports 2. Filter by "today" or "last 7 days" 3. Create new certificate or select existing target 4. Merge boards from all engineers 5. Review combined certificate 6. Make final adjustments 7. Generate PDF for client ### Workflow 2: Work Review and Correction **Engineer:** 1. Complete certificate 2. Export and send to supervisor **Supervisor:** 1. Import engineer's export 2. Review work 3. Make corrections or add notes 4. Export updated certificate **Engineer:** 1. Import supervisor's updated export (overwrites original) 2. See corrections and notes 3. Make additional changes if needed 4. Re-export **Supervisor:** 1. Import engineer's revised export 2. Final review 3. Issue certificate ### Workflow 3: Continuous Updates During Installation **Day 1:** Engineer tests first floor, exports work **Supervisor:** Imports and merges into main certificate **Day 2:** Engineer completes more work on first floor (additional circuits), exports again **Supervisor:** Imports latest export, merges—Shine Forms automatically replaces first floor boards with updated versions **Day 3:** Second engineer completes second floor, exports **Supervisor:** Imports both engineers' latest exports, merges simultaneously **Result:** Main certificate continuously updated with latest work from all engineers, no duplicate boards, all changes tracked. ### Workflow 4: Shared Folder Collaboration **Setup:** All engineers configure auto-export to shared Dropbox/OneDrive folder **Engineers work independently:** Auto-exports update shared folder automatically on save **Supervisor periodically:** 1. Import from shared folder 2. Filter by "since last import date" 3. Merge new/updated boards 4. Review and save **Benefits:** - No manual file sending - Always access to latest work - One import operation gets all updates - Engineers don't interrupt their workflow ## Best Practices ### Use Cloud Storage Configure auto-exports to save in Dropbox, OneDrive, or similar. Benefits: - Engineers access exports from anywhere - No manual file transfers - Automatic synchronization - Accessible on tablets and phones (for viewing PDFs) See our [online storage documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-online) for detailed setup guidance. ### Establish Clear Board Designations Before dividing work, agree on board designation conventions: - **By location**: "Ground Floor DB", "First Floor DB", "Garage CU" - **By area**: "Reception Boards", "Workshop Distribution", "Office DB" - **By function**: "Lighting Panel", "Socket Panel", "Motor Control Panel" Clear designations prevent confusion when merging. ### Regular Merge Intervals Don't wait until the end of a job to merge: - Merge daily or at end of each shift - Catch issues early when they're easy to fix - Maintain comprehensive current documentation - Allow project managers to monitor progress ### Test the Workflow Before starting a major job: 1. Create a test certificate 2. Practice exporting 3. Practice importing 4. Practice merging 5. Ensure all engineers understand the process Discovering workflow issues on a test certificate is much better than during live work. ### Maintain One Master Certificate Designate one person to maintain the master certificate: - Avoids confusion about which certificate is "official" - Ensures consistent review standards - Simplifies client communication - Provides single source of truth ### Review Before Issuing After merging: - Check all board supplies are correct - Verify engineer assignments are accurate - Review observations for consistency - Test the PDF generates correctly - Ensure certificate completeness Don't assume merged content is perfect—always review. ## Troubleshooting Common Issues ### Export File Not Found **Problem:** Show Export File button is disabled **Solution:** - Click **Refresh Exports** to generate new export file and PDF - Verify auto-export location is configured in Options - Check you have write permissions to the export folder ### Can't Find Engineer's Latest Work **Problem:** Imported certificate seems outdated **Solution:** - Verify engineer actually saved their certificate (check modified date) - Ensure you're importing from the correct folder - Use folder import with date filter to see recent files - Check engineer's auto-export is configured and working ### Merged Boards Have Wrong Supply **Problem:** After merging, boards show incorrect supply relationships **Solution:** - Open Board Manager in target certificate - Use Supplies view to visualise board connections - Drag boards to correct supplies - Save the corrected certificate ### Observations Missing After Merge **Problem:** Expected observations didn't merge with boards **Solution:** - Verify source certificate actually has the observations - Check observations are coded properly (C1, C2, C3, FI, LIM) - Standalone observations (not tied to schedule items) may need separate action - Re-merge if necessary after confirming source has observations ### Duplicate Boards Appearing **Problem:** Same board appears twice with different designations **Solution:** - This happens if board designations changed between merges - Shine Forms tracks boards by internal ID, not designation - Delete duplicate manually - Maintain consistent designations to avoid this ## Integration with Other Features ### With Board Manager After merging, use [Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2024/4/board-manager) to: - Visualise the complete installation - Reorganise board order - Verify supply chains - Update engineer assignments ### With Intelligence Shine Forms' [intelligence system](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2025/1/intelligence-saves-time) recalculates after merges: - Validates merged boards - Checks supply compatibility - Updates observations if issues found - Ensures merged certificate complies with regulations ### With PDF Generation Auto-exports create both .pex and PDF files: - PDFs available immediately without opening Shine Forms - View on tablets, phones, or computers - Share with clients for progress updates - No Shine Forms license needed to view PDFs ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Can I merge part of a certificate? Yes. Select specific boards during merge—you don't need to merge everything from a source certificate. ### What if two engineers worked on the same board? Choose which engineer's version to keep. Shine Forms can't automatically merge changes within the same board—one version replaces the other. ### Can I merge across different certificate types? No. Only merge boards between certificates of the same type (EIC to EIC, EICR to EICR, etc.). ### What happens to test instruments when merging? Instrument details for each board are preserved. The merged certificate shows which instrument was used for each board's tests. ### Can I undo a merge? If you haven't saved the target certificate, close it without saving. If you saved, restore from a backup or re-import the target certificate's export from before the merge. ### Do export files expire? No. Export files remain valid indefinitely. You can import old export files years later if needed. ### Can engineers work offline? Yes. Engineers work in Shine Forms normally, even without internet. Once online, auto-export to cloud storage synchronises automatically. ## Learn More Explore related features and documentation: - [Complete Certificate Sharing Documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/certificate-sharing) - Full technical reference - [Merging Certificates Guide](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/merging-certificates) - Detailed merge procedures - [Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2024/4/board-manager) - Managing multi-board installations - [Online Storage Setup](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup-online) - Configuring Dropbox/OneDrive integration - [Backup Strategies](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/backup) - Protecting your work ## Questions About Collaboration? Need help setting up certificate sharing workflows for your team or troubleshooting merge issues? Our support team can provide guidance on collaboration best practices for your specific scenarios. Contact us at support@shineforms.co.uk or explore comprehensive documentation at docs.shineforms.co.uk. --- ## Adding Photos to Electrical Certificates: A Complete Guide Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2018/9/photo-attachments-in-eicrs/ Date: 2018-09-28 A picture is worth a thousand words—especially when documenting electrical installation conditions. Shine Forms' photo attachment feature makes it easy to capture, edit, and present photographic evidence directly in your Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs) and Electrical Installation Certificates (EICs). ## Why Photos Matter in Electrical Certificates When inspecting electrical installations, you often encounter conditions that need visual documentation: - Dangerous wiring configurations - Non-compliant equipment - Installation methods requiring remedial work - Evidence of damage or deterioration - Before and after comparisons Adding photos to your certificates: - **Provides clear evidence** - Visual proof of installation conditions - **Reduces disputes** - Clients can see exactly what you observed - **Improves communication** - Pictures clarify technical observations - **Supports recommendations** - Visual justification for remedial work - **Creates complete records** - Comprehensive documentation for future reference ## Key Features Shine Forms' photo attachment system includes everything you need to document installations professionally: ### Attach Multiple Photos to Observations Add one or more photos to any observation in your EICRs and EICs. Each photo can be linked to specific observations, making it easy for clients to see exactly what you're referring to. ![Attaching photos to observations in Shine Forms](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/photos-in-eicrs-observation-photos.png) ### Smart Photo Information When you attach a photo, Shine Forms automatically: - Reads the title from the filename - Extracts the date taken from the image metadata - Pulls location information from GPS data (if available) - Stores a clean copy without metadata for privacy You can edit any of this information—title, location, description—to provide context specific to your inspection. ### Built-In Photo Editor Don't let sideways photos or unnecessary background clutter your certificates. Shine Forms includes a photo editor that lets you: - **Rotate photos** - Fix orientation issues with one click - **Crop images** - Focus on the relevant detail - **Remove margins** - Clean up whitespace from documents - **Reset to original** - Undo changes if needed ![Shine Forms photo editor interface](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/photos-in-eicrs-image-editor.png) Simply double-click a photo or select **Edit Photo** from the ribbon to open the editor. Make your adjustments and click **Save** to update the certificate. ### Automatic PDF Formatting Shine Forms handles all the formatting automatically: - Creates a professional photo appendix in your PDF - Adds references in observations pointing to appendix photos - Offers three print sizes (small, medium, large) - Maintains image quality in printed certificates ![Photo appendix in certificate PDF](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/photos-in-eicrs-images-appendix-small.png) Clients see references like "See photos in Appendix A" directly in observations, making it effortless to find the related images. ![Photo references in observations](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/photos-in-eicrs-image-references-in-pdf.png) ## How to Attach Photos ### Method 1: Using the Ribbon 1. Select the observation you want to attach photos to 2. Click **Attach Photos** in the ribbon 3. Select one or more images from your file system 4. Review and edit photo information as needed ### Method 2: Drag and Drop The fastest way to add photos: 1. Open your file explorer 2. Find the photos you want to attach 3. Drag them directly onto the observation Shine Forms will automatically attach them and populate the metadata. ## Working with Photo Appendices Beyond observation photos, Shine Forms lets you create custom appendices containing: - **Photos** - Installation images, equipment labels, board layouts - **PDF documents** - Manufacturer specifications, test equipment certificates - **Word documents** - Additional reports, correspondence, notes ### Creating an Appendix 1. Navigate to the **Appendices** section in your certificate 2. Click **Add Appendix** 3. Give it a descriptive title 4. Click **Add Attachment** to add photos or documents 5. Repeat to add multiple attachments to the same appendix When you attach a PDF or Word document, Shine Forms automatically: - Converts each page to an image - Removes document margins - Preserves your original file :::tip You can attach both photos and documents to the same appendix. Shine Forms will arrange them in the order you added them. ::: ## Editing Photos After Attachment Already attached a photo but need to adjust it? No problem. ### To Crop a Photo: 1. Open the photo editor (double-click or use **Edit Photo**) 2. Ensure the **Crop** button is selected 3. Drag over the area you want to show 4. Click **Save** ### To Rotate a Photo: 1. Open the photo editor 2. Click **Rotate** (rotates 90° anticlockwise) 3. Repeat until the orientation is correct 4. Click **Save** ### To Remove Whitespace: Perfect for scanned documents or PDFs with margins: 1. Open the photo editor 2. Click **Crop Whitespace** 3. Shine Forms automatically removes surrounding whitespace 4. Click **Save** ## Controlling Photo Print Size Shine Forms offers three photo print sizes: - **Small** - 3 columns per page, ideal for overview shots - **Medium** - 2 columns per page, balanced detail and coverage - **Large** - 1 column per page, maximum detail for close-ups ![Medium-sized photos in appendix](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/images/photos-in-eicrs-images-appendix-medium.png) You can set photo size: - **Per certificate** - From Certificate Options - **As a default** - From Shine Forms Options Most users find medium size provides the best balance, but you can adjust based on the level of detail needed. ## Best Practices ### Take Clear, Relevant Photos - Focus on the specific issue or condition - Ensure adequate lighting - Include context (e.g., show the board or room) - Take multiple angles if helpful ### Add Descriptive Information - Update photo titles to be specific (e.g., "Damaged cable in kitchen consumer unit") - Include location details (e.g., "Ground floor distribution board") - Add descriptions explaining what the photo shows ### Use the Editor Strategically - Crop to highlight the relevant detail - Rotate photos to correct orientation - Remove distracting backgrounds when possible ### Organize Appendices Logically - Group related photos together - Use clear appendix titles - Consider creating separate appendices for different areas or issues ## Privacy and Data Protection Shine Forms takes privacy seriously: - **Removes metadata** - GPS data, camera info, and other metadata are stripped from stored copies - **Preserves originals** - Your original photos remain unchanged - **Secure storage** - Photos are stored within your certificate file This means you can safely share certificates with clients without exposing personal information embedded in photo metadata. ## Common Questions ### Can I attach photos to EICs as well as EICRs? Yes! Photo attachment works with both EICRs and EICs (Electrical Installation Certificates). ### What happens to my original photos? Shine Forms stores a copy of each photo within the certificate file. Your original photos remain unchanged in their original location. You can safely delete or move them after attachment. ### What file formats are supported? Shine Forms supports all common image formats including JPG, PNG, BMP, and GIF. For document appendices, you can attach PDF and Word documents (.doc, .docx). ### How many photos can I attach? There's no practical limit. You can attach as many photos as needed to document the installation properly. Keep in mind that more photos will increase PDF file size. ### Can I remove a photo after attaching it? Yes. Select the photo and use the delete or remove option in the ribbon to remove it from the observation or appendix. ## What's Next? Photo attachments are just one way Shine Forms helps you create comprehensive, professional electrical certificates. To learn more: - [Read the complete Photos and Documents documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/photos-and-documents) - Full technical reference with videos - [Learn about Appendices](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/photos-and-documents#working-with-appendices) - Adding documents to certificates - [Explore EICR Features](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/eicr) - Complete guide to condition reports ## Need Help? Have questions about photo attachments or need assistance? Our support team is here to help. Contact us at support@shineforms.co.uk or visit our documentation for more guides and tutorials. --- ## Create Anything from Anything: Converting Between Certificate Types in Shine Forms Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2012/3/create-anything-from-anything/ Date: 2012-03-04 Electrical work often evolves from one certificate type to another. An EICR reveals a consumer unit needs replacing, suddenly you need an EIC. A circuit addition requires a Minor Works certificate based on existing installation data. Updating certificates to new regulation versions demands tedious re-entry. Shine Forms "Create Anything from Anything" feature eliminates this repetitive work, converting certificates intelligently and accurately. ## Why Certificate Conversion Helps Converting between certificate types manually is time-consuming and error-prone. You need to: - **Avoid re-entering data** - Installation details, board configurations, client information - **Maintain accuracy** - Ensure converted data matches the source certificate exactly - **Save time** - Focus on testing and inspection, not data entry - **Stay organised** - Keep related certificates connected logically - **Update to new regulations** - Migrate certificates as standards evolve Certificate conversion addresses all these needs automatically. ## What You Can Convert Shine Forms supports conversion between most certificate types and regulation versions: ### Installation Certificates (EIC) ↔ Inspection Reports (EICR) - **EICR to EIC** - After an inspection reveals work needed, create an EIC with existing installation details - **EIC to EICR** - Follow up installation work with periodic inspection using the same installation data ### Minor Works Certificates - **Any certificate type to Minor Works** - Create Minor Works based on specific circuits from existing certificates - **Boards and circuits preserved** - Select the exact circuit for the new Minor Works ### Regulation Updates - **2011 to 2015 (Amendment 3)** - Update certificates to new regulation versions - **2015 to 2018** - Migrate to 18th Edition - **2018 to 2018+A1 to 2018+A2** - Keep certificates current with amendments ### Other Conversions - **Between regulation versions** - Any older certificate type to current regulations - **Copy with modifications** - Create a modified copy of the same certificate type ## How Certificate Conversion Works ### Opening the Conversion Tool 1. Go to the Home Screen 2. Select the source certificate (the certificate you want to convert from) 3. Click **Create Certificate** in the ribbon 4. Choose the conversion type The **Create Certificate** menu shows options based on your source certificate type: - **Copy** - Create identical copy of same type - **Create EIC** - Generate Installation Certificate from source - **Create EICR** - Generate Inspection Report from source - **Create Minor Works** - Generate Minor Works from selected circuit - **Merge Boards and Observations** - Combine multiple certificates (covered in [our merging article](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2019/8/certificate-sharing)) ### What Gets Converted When converting certificates, Shine Forms intelligently carries over: **Installation Details** - Client name and address - Installation address (if different) - Supply characteristics (TN-S, TN-C-S, TT, etc.) - Earthing and bonding details - Main protective device information **Boards and Circuits** - Board designations and locations - Circuit descriptions and types - Cable sizes and types - Protective device ratings - Reference installation methods **Optional: Test Results** - Circuit test measurements - Earth loop impedance values - Insulation resistance readings - RCD test results **Optional: Observations** - Coded observations (C1, C2, C3, FI, LIM) - Observation descriptions - Related schedule items **Optional: Schedule Items** - Inspection schedule codings - Matched between certificate types where possible - Intelligent-generated items excluded (recalculated in new certificate) ### Conversion Confirmation Before creating the converted certificate, Shine Forms shows a confirmation dialogue with key decisions: - **Certificate number** - Shine Forms suggests the next available number - **Include observations** - Check to carry over observations from source - **Include test results** - Check to carry over test measurements - **Copy schedule items** - Check to transfer inspection schedule codings Make your selections and click **OK** to create the converted certificate. ## Converting EICR to EIC: Common Scenario The most frequent conversion scenario: an EICR reveals work that requires an EIC. ### The Situation You complete an EICR for a domestic property and find: - Consumer unit is non-compliant and requires replacement - Several circuits fail testing - No RCD protection for required circuits The client authorises replacement work. You need an EIC for the new consumer unit installation. ### Converting the Certificate **Step 1: Select the EICR** In the Home Screen, select the completed EICR. **Step 2: Create EIC** Click **Create Certificate** → **Create EIC** **Step 3: Configure Conversion** In the confirmation dialogue: - Accept the suggested certificate number (or change it) - **Uncheck "Include observations"** - Observations from inspection aren't relevant to new installation - **Uncheck "Include test results"** - You'll perform fresh tests on new installation - **Uncheck "Copy schedule items"** - EIC schedule differs from EICR **Step 4: Modify as Needed** The new EIC opens with: - Same client and installation details - Same boards (which you'll modify for new consumer unit) - Same supply characteristics Modify the certificate: - Update boards for new consumer unit configuration - Update circuits for new wiring - Enter new test results - Complete installation details specific to EIC - Add design and installation signatures ### Why This Saves Time **Without conversion:** - Re-enter client name and address - Re-enter installation address - Re-enter supply characteristics - Re-enter earthing arrangement - Manually recreate board structure **With conversion:** All installation details transfer automatically. You focus only on what changed: the new consumer unit and circuits. ## Converting EIC to EICR: Following Up Installation Another common scenario: following up installation work with periodic inspection. ### The Situation You installed a new consumer unit and circuits. Five years later, the client requests periodic inspection. You need an EICR but don't want to re-enter all the installation details. ### Converting the Certificate **Step 1: Select the EIC** Find the original installation certificate in the Home Screen. **Step 2: Create EICR** Click **Create Certificate** → **Create EICR** **Step 3: Configure Conversion** - Accept the suggested certificate number - **Uncheck "Include observations"** - No observations on original installation - **Uncheck "Include test results"** - Need fresh test measurements - **Check "Copy schedule items"** - Useful reference, though you'll inspect everything fresh **Step 4: Complete Inspection** The new EICR opens with: - Installation details from original EIC - Board and circuit structure from installation - Blank test results ready for new measurements - Inspection schedule ready for coding Perform your inspection and complete the EICR normally. ### Benefits - Installation continuity documented - Board structure reflects actual installation - Circuit descriptions match original installation - No risk of data entry errors - Client impressed by your record-keeping ## Creating Minor Works from Existing Certificates Minor Works certificates often relate to existing installations. Shine Forms makes it easy to create them from any certificate type. ### The Situation During a periodic inspection, the client asks you to add a socket to an existing ring final circuit. You need a Minor Works certificate for this addition. ### Creating Minor Works **Step 1: Select Source Certificate** Select the EICR (or EIC) containing the circuit you're extending. **Step 2: Create Minor Works** Click **Create Certificate** → **Create Minor Works** **Step 3: Select Circuit** Shine Forms shows boards and circuits from the source certificate. Select the ring final circuit you're extending and click **OK**. **Step 4: Complete Minor Works** The new Minor Works certificate opens with: - Client and installation details - Circuit description from selected circuit - Cable type and size from selected circuit - Protective device details from selected circuit - Supply characteristics from source certificate Complete the Minor Works: - Enter work description (e.g., "Added one twin socket outlet") - Add new test results - Enter inspector details - Sign and issue ### Why This Matters Minor Works often extend existing circuits. Having accurate circuit details from the source certificate ensures: - Correct cable sizes recorded - Protective device ratings accurate - Supply characteristics correct - Compliance with original installation design ## Copying Certificates Sometimes you need a duplicate or near-duplicate certificate. ### Common Copy Scenarios **Scenario 1: Similar Property** Inspecting multiple identical properties (e.g., flats in a block). Copy one EICR, change apartment number and specific findings, save hours of re-entry. **Scenario 2: Before/After Documentation** Create two versions of a certificate—one showing conditions before work, one after. Copy, modify, compare easily. **Scenario 3: Template Creation** Create a "template" certificate for common installation types. Copy it for each new job, modify specifics. ### How to Copy **Step 1: Select Source** Select the certificate to copy. **Step 2: Copy** Click **Create Certificate** → **Copy** **Step 3: Configure Copy** Choose whether to include: - Observations - Test results - Schedule items **Step 4: Modify Copy** The copied certificate opens. Change: - Certificate number (Shine Forms suggests next number) - Date - Engineer (if different) - Installation-specific details - Test results - Observations ## Updating to New Regulation Versions When regulations update, you may need certificates under new standards for ongoing work or reference. ### Converting to Amendment 3 (2015) **Source:** 2011 format certificate (PIR, EIC, etc.) **Process:** 1. Select 2011 certificate 2. Create an appropriate 2015 certificate type 3. Check "Copy schedule items" 4. Shine Forms matches schedule items where possible **Result:** 2015 format certificate with: - Updated schedule items - New max Zs values - Amendment 3 form layout - Original installation data preserved ### Converting to 18th Edition (2018) **Source:** Amendment 3 (2015) or earlier **Process:** 1. Select source certificate 2. Create 18th Edition equivalent 3. Review schedule items (significant changes from 17th Edition) 4. Update any regulation-specific fields **Result:** 18th Edition certificate ready for current work. ### Converting to Amendment 2 (2022) **Source:** BS 7671:2018 certificate **Process:** 1. Select 2018 certificate 2. Create 2018+A2:2022 equivalent 3. Review updated schedule items 4. Complete any new A2:2022 specific fields **Result:** Current regulation certificate with updated requirements. ## What Doesn't Convert Shine Forms is intelligent about conversion, but some elements can't transfer: ### Incompatible Elements **Test Results When Installation Changes** If converting EICR to EIC for consumer unit replacement, test results don't transfer—you're testing a new installation. **Observations From Inspections** Observations about existing installation conditions aren't relevant to new installation certificates. **Intelligence-Generated Schedule Items** Shine Forms excludes schedule items created automatically by intelligence. The intelligence system recalculates based on new certificate data. **Regulation-Specific Fields** Fields specific to one regulation version may not exist in another. Shine Forms omits these during conversion. ### Mismatched Schedule Items When converting between EIC and EICR: - Schedule items differ significantly between types - Shine Forms matches where possible by item number and description - Non-matching items are left blank in target certificate - Codings may not be relevant (e.g., C1 from EICR isn't applicable in EIC) This is expected—review and update schedule items after conversion. ## Best Practices ### Choose Conversions Thoughtfully Before converting, ask: - **Does the source data apply?** - Don't convert from unrelated certificates - **Will test results be valid?** - Only include test results if they apply to new certificate - **Are observations relevant?** - Inspection observations rarely apply to installation certificates - **Is schedule data useful?** - Schedule items may need complete re-evaluation ### Review Converted Certificates Carefully After conversion: - **Verify installation details** - Ensure transferred data is still accurate - **Update changed information** - Modify any details that don't apply - **Check board and circuit structure** - Confirm boards match current installation - **Review schedule items** - Validate transferred schedule codings - **Re-test as appropriate** - Don't rely on old test results for new work ### Use Conversion for Customer Continuity Converting maintains installation history: - Client sees you have comprehensive records - Installation changes are documented systematically - Future inspections reference accurate historical data - Professional image enhanced ### Name Certificates Clearly After conversion, consider certificate numbering: - Use sequential numbers for related certificates - Note relationships in certificate references - Keep customer name and installation address consistent - Use installation descriptions to differentiate multiple locations ### Keep Source Certificates Never delete source certificates after conversion: - Maintain audit trail - Reference historical data - Compare before/after states - Support warranty or liability questions ## Integration with Other Features ### With Certificate Sharing Convert and share in one workflow: 1. Import the engineer's EICR 2. Convert to EIC for remedial work 3. Complete EIC 4. Export both EICR and EIC to engineer See our [certificate sharing article](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2019/8/certificate-sharing) for details. ### With Board Manager After conversion, use [Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2024/4/board-manager) to: - Reorganise boards for new installation - Update supply relationships - Verify the converted board structure - Add or remove boards as needed ### With Intelligence Shine Forms [intelligence system](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2025/1/intelligence-saves-time) recalculates after conversion: - Validates converted circuits - Checks cable sizing for new certificate context - Generates new observations if issues found - Excludes original intelligence-generated schedule items ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Can I convert between all certificate types? Most conversions are supported. You can convert between EIC, EICR, and Minor Works, and update regulation versions for any certificate type. ### What if I convert incorrectly? Simply delete the converted certificate if you haven't saved significant work. Otherwise, create a new conversion with correct settings. ### Do converted certificates link to originals? No. Once converted, certificates are independent. However, you can reference source certificates in descriptions or remarks. ### Can I convert multiple certificates at once? No. Convert one certificate at a time. For combining multiple certificates, use the [merging feature](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2019/8/certificate-sharing). ### Will the conversion update old regulation versions automatically? No. You must explicitly convert to new regulation versions. Shine Forms doesn't automatically update certificates to newer regulations. ### Can I convert a certificate multiple times? Yes. You might convert an EICR to EIC, then later create a Minor Works from the EIC. Each conversion creates an independent certificate. ### What happens to photos and appendices? Photos and document appendices don't automatically convert. Add them to the new certificate as needed. ## Practical Workflows ### Workflow 1: EICR Leading to Installation Work 1. Complete EICR finding consumer unit requires replacement 2. Convert EICR to EIC (exclude observations and test results) 3. Modify boards for new consumer unit 4. Perform installation work 5. Complete testing and EIC 6. Issue both EICR (original findings) and EIC (remedial work) to client ### Workflow 2: Installation with Subsequent Minor Additions 1. Complete initial installation EIC 2. Six months later, client requests socket addition 3. Convert EIC to Minor Works, selecting circuit being extended 4. Perform minor works 5. Complete and issue Minor Works certificate 6. Both certificates on file for this installation ### Workflow 3: Periodic Inspection Series 1. Initial installation: EIC created 2. Five years later: Convert EIC to EICR, perform first periodic inspection 3. Five years later: Convert previous EICR to new EICR, perform second periodic 4. Complete history of installation maintained through conversions ### Workflow 4: Regulation Update for Ongoing Project 1. Start project under BS 7671:2018 2. Mid-project, Amendment 2 published 3. Convert existing certificates to 2018+A2:2022 format 4. Complete remaining work under new amendment 5. All certificates consistent with current regulations ## Learn More Explore related features and documentation: - [Creating Certificates Documentation](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/docs/creating-certificates) - Complete reference for all certificate creation methods - [Certificate Sharing and Merging](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2019/8/certificate-sharing) - Collaborating with multiple engineers - [Board Manager](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2024/4/board-manager) - Organising complex installations - [Intelligence System](https://www.shineforms.co.uk/blog/2025/1/intelligence-saves-time) - Automatic validation and checking ## Questions About Certificate Conversion? Need help choosing the right conversion for your situation or troubleshooting conversion issues? Our support team can provide guidance on certificate workflows and best practices for maintaining installation documentation. Contact us at support@shineforms.co.uk or explore comprehensive documentation at docs.shineforms.co.uk. # Case studies --- ## How Taff Housing keeps electrical certificates accurate across 1,600 properties with Shine Forms Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/case-studies/taff-housing-cardiff/ Date: 2026-05-26 _'It helps take the results of electrical testing and make the process smoother and easier. From paper, onto certification, to be saved and sent to the tenant.'_ **Andrew Rodwell** Senior Electrician, Taff Housing ## In this story - Five engineers maintaining certificates across 1,600 social housing properties - Built-in regulation intelligence flags errors before senior review - Template modification saves hours on follow-up remedial work - Easy certificate sharing between engineers and the senior reviewer - Custom-branded PDFs sent directly to tenants - Twelve years of reliability through regulation changes ## Customer summary [Taff Housing](https://www.taffhousing.co.uk) is a Cardiff-based housing association managing around 1,600 properties and looking after roughly 4,000 tenants. Unlike many associations that spread across regions, Taff Housing focuses exclusively on Cardiff, which lets the team build deep local knowledge of the homes they look after. Behind every home lies the responsibility of keeping it safe and compliant. That includes the electrical certificates that prove every property meets BS 7671 requirements, produced consistently across the team and delivered to tenants on time. The team has used Shine Forms since 2014. _'I've been with the company for around seven and a half years,'_ says Andrew Rodwell, Senior Electrician at Taff Housing. _'In that time, Shine Forms has been how we produce every certificate.'_ ## **Five engineers, 1,600 properties, one consistent workflow** Taff Housing's in-house electrical team handles every certificate the association produces, from five-yearly EICRs to installation certificates, minor works and remedials. Maintaining 1,600 properties on a five-yearly EICR cycle is a significant compliance task. Every property needs testing, every certificate needs producing, and every result needs to reach the right tenant within 14 days under Welsh housing rules. The team handles this with a clear workflow. Engineers visit properties with pre-printed forms to capture their test results and observations onsite. Back at the office, they type the results into Shine Forms to produce the certificate. _'They'll go to site with pre-printed forms, scribble down their notes, readings, any information they need, and then go back to Shine Forms to type up the certificates,'_ Andrew explains. Once a certificate is complete, it comes to him for review before being passed to the compliance team for tenant distribution. _'They fill them out, then pass them over to me. I'll quality check them, and we save it on our system.'_ ## **Shine Forms catches what engineers might miss** For someone reviewing certificates from a team of engineers, regulation intelligence built into the software changes the role. Rather than starting every check from scratch, Andrew sees certificates that have already been validated against BS 7671 as they were entered. _'Shine Forms is good at picking up bits and bobs that you may have otherwise not noticed,'_ he says. _'When certificates come over to me, I can double-check them.'_ The software flags anything that looks wrong before the engineer submits the certificate. _'It has the intelligence that picks up if it believes someone may not have input something correctly,'_ he explains. ## **Modify existing certificates, don't start from scratch** A large portion of Taff's work comes from remedial jobs that follow an EICR. Rather than producing a brand-new certificate every time, engineers can copy and modify the original. _'If we carry out an EICR and there are follow-up works and remedials, it's really handy because you can modify the existing templates,'_ he says. _'That's a big time saver. You don't have to start from scratch and type everything out again.'_ Across hundreds of similar social housing properties, the ability to reuse existing certificates makes a huge difference to how much time the team spends on paperwork rather than electrical work. ## **Easy sharing between engineers and the senior electrician** With five engineers producing certificates and one senior electrician checking them, the team needs to share files quickly and fix issues without disruption. _'It's very easy to get them back and forth,'_ Andrew says. _'If there are any slight errors that need to be rectified, we can sort it quickly.'_ That responsiveness matters when Welsh housing rules give the team 14 days to get every certificate to the tenant. ## **Custom-branded PDFs that reach every tenant** Every certificate that leaves Taff Housing represents the association to its tenants. The team uses Shine Forms' custom branding so each PDF carries their logo and identity. Once Andrew has reviewed and saved each certificate, it goes to the compliance team to be printed and posted. Posting every certificate is the most reliable way to make sure it reaches the right tenant, whether or not they're online. Whether produced for one property or hundreds, every certificate reaches the tenant looking professional and on-brand. ## **Software that keeps up with regulations** Taff Housing is registered with [NAPIT](http://napit.org.uk), which means the team's electrical work is assessed against BS 7671 as part of their scheme membership. Keeping certificates up to date with the latest amendments is part of the job. _'We're audited by them, so keeping up to date with the new regs is a must for us,'_ Andrew says. Amendment 4 was published on 15 April 2026, with the transition to it required by October. Shine Forms will be updated ahead of that date so engineers continue producing compliant certificates. ## **Responsive support over the long term** Over twelve years, Taff's electrical team has built a working relationship with Shine Forms that comes down to one thing. Quick responses when something needs looking at. _'I've messaged Sean and Shine Forms support a few times about bits and bobs, and they're always responsive,'_ he says. _'They always answer back. They always have an answer. They're great.'_ ## **Smoother certification from site to tenant** For Taff Housing, Shine Forms has handled twelve years of regulation changes, team changes and a portfolio of 1,600 properties without becoming the problem the team needs to manage. _'It helps take the results of electrical testing and make the process smoother and easier. From paper, onto certification, to be saved and sent to the tenant.'_ **Andrew Rodwell** Senior Electrician Taff Housing --- ## How Prolec keeps certificates accurate and professional with Shine Forms Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/case-studies/prolec/ Date: 2026-03-31 _'When you convert to PDF, it looks more professional than most of the competitors out there. And the intelligence in the software picks up on things - it checks your values against the regulations. That's what you need.'_ **Oliver Fink** Project Manager, Prolec Electrical Services ## In this story - Professional PDF output for high-end commercial work - Built-in regulation intelligence catches errors automatically - Every engineer produces regulation-perfect certificates - Time savings and confidence for Qualified Supervisors ## Customer summary Since 2013,[ ](https://www.prolecservices.co.uk/)[Prolec Electrical Services](https://www.prolecservices.co.uk/) has built a reputation as the contractor you call for electrical work when you can't afford mistakes. Their projects include data centres where downtime is expensive, banks where security is non-negotiable, and historic buildings where modern compliance meets heritage preservation. The team has built long-lasting relationships with clients who trust them with infrastructure others might miss or not fully understand. When you're working at this level, your certificates need to reflect the quality of your electrical work. This is why Prolec chose Shine Forms. _'The software does what we need it to do,' says Oliver Fink, Project Manager at Prolec. 'And converting to PDF looks more professional than most of the competitors out there.'_ ## Every engineer applies regulations the same way Prolec's work includes maintaining uptime in data centres and modernising electrical systems in historic buildings whilst preserving their architectural integrity. The certificates need to be accurate and professional. _'We've got clients who expect a certain standard across everything', explains Oliver. 'The certificates we produce are part of that. Shine Forms helps us maintain that professional appearance.'_ Beyond appearance, there's substance. Shine Forms has BS 7671 regulations built directly into the software, catching errors before certificates go out the door. _'The intelligence in the software is helpful', says Oliver. 'It picks up on things, checks your values against the regulations. It's accurate, which is what you need when you're producing certificates.'_ The regulation intelligence means engineers spend less time double-checking calculations and more time focused on the electrical work. It saves time and gives the Qualified Supervisor confidence that certificates have been completed properly across the team. ## Support that responds when you need it Working on commercial installations means keeping projects on track. _'When we need some technical help, the support is responsive', Oliver says. 'That makes a difference. We can get back to work rather than waiting around for answers.'_ Getting a quick response keeps the job on track when something needs sorting. Oliver and his team can resolve issues and move on rather than stalling projects while waiting for support. ## Software built for electrical contractors Prolec needs electrical certification software that handles the full range of their work - electrical installations under BS 7671, fire alarm systems under BS 5839, and emergency lighting under BS 5266. Shine Forms supports all three. _'We're using it across different projects, ' explains Oliver. 'Having one piece of software that covers what we need means engineers aren't jumping between different systems.'_ The software includes features Prolec uses regularly: - Produces professional PDF’s that looks better than competitors - Certificates show Prolec's branding and their NICEIC scheme provider logo - Built-in regulation intelligence that highlights errors automatically - Multi-standard support for electrical, fire alarm and emergency lighting work - Responsive technical support ## Catch mistakes before submission Prolec's certificates reflect their work - professional, accurate values, and compliant with regulations. _'Our certificates represent our work', says Oliver. 'They need to look professional, be accurate, and meet all the regulatory requirements. Shine Forms helps us achieve that.'_ The built-in regulation intelligence particularly helps when managing multiple engineers. It ensures consistency across the team and reduces the risk of errors. _'Having the regulations built in means the software catches errors and typos', explains Oliver. 'It's checking your values, making sure everything complies. When you're producing hundreds of certificates across different projects, that makes a huge difference to quality and confidence.'_ The certificate and regulation accuracy mean Prolec's certificates reflect the standard their clients expect - whether that's a data centre operator, a facilities manager, or a historic building trust. _'The intelligence in the software picks up on things - it checks your values against the regulations. That's what you need when you're producing certificates.'_ **Oliver Fink** Project Manager Prolec Electrical Services --- ## How Masterfix handles certificate flexibility across 100+ daily jobs Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/case-studies/masterfix/ Date: 2025-12-10 How Masterfix handles certificate flexibility across 100+ daily jobs _'Being able to put our own job numbers on certificates, and then change the electrical certificate quickly from an unsafe EICR to Minor Works - those are the most beneficial things for how we run the business.'_ **Mark Woolner** Electrical Manager, Masterfix Property Services ## In this story - Convert certificates as work requirements shift - Custom job numbering keeps 100+ daily jobs traceable - Regulation intelligence maintains consistency across 10 electricians - Responsive support when regulations change - 14 years of continuous use since 2010 ## Customer summary [Masterfix Property Services](https://master-fix.com/) handles the full range of property maintenance - electrical, heating, plumbing, and building works. Their electrical team manages planned servicing for commercial clients like Nando's, reactive maintenance for property management companies, and emergency insurance claims across the South of England. Running a multi-trade operation that creates 100+ jobs daily means electrical certificates must stay organised and adaptable. This is why Masterfix has used Shine Forms since 2010. _'I was doing consulting work for the ECA at the time, meeting contractors and seeing what software they used,' explains Mark Woolner, Electrical Manager at Masterfix. 'That's when I came across Shine Forms.'_ ## Certificates that adapt when work changes Property maintenance rarely follows the plan. You arrive to complete an EICR. The property fails. Now you need remedial work certificates. Or insurance damage reveals more extensive electrical issues than initially assessed. _'We can quickly change a certificate from an unsafe EICR into Minor Works or an EIC, or update it to a satisfactory grade,' Mark explains. 'That flexibility is essential for how we operate.'_ Shine Forms lets you evolve an existing certificate to match what the work actually became. No recreating from scratch when requirements change. _'In terms of how we run the business, that's the most beneficial thing.'_ ## Job numbers that prevent certificate chaos Masterfix can create 100 jobs across multiple locations in one day. How do you ensure the right certificate matches the right job when it lands back in the office? _'If 10 of those are EICRs, the engineer knows which job number to use,' says Mark. 'When the certificate comes back to the office, we know exactly which job it belongs to.'_ Shine Forms lets Masterfix use its own job numbering system. Electricians enter the same reference number that already exists in their job management system. No manual matching. No confusion about which certificate relates to which invoice, which client, which property. _'Being able to put our own job numbers on certificates is beneficial for how we run the business," said Mark._ ## Regulation intelligence that maintains standards Managing 10 electricians across residential, commercial, and insurance work means ensuring every certificate meets BS 7671 requirements, regardless of who completes it. The software flags regulation issues as electricians work. Qualified Supervisors Mark and Dan check every certificate before it goes out, but the built-in intelligence catches problems early. _'The regulation intelligence works well. We check all the electrical certificates that come back to us. The templates keep everything in a consistent format.'_ Templates ensure formatting stays uniform across the team. New electricians follow the same structure as experienced ones. Clients receive consistently professional electrical certificates. ## Support that responds when regulations change Electrical regulations are updated regularly. When BS 7671 changes, someone needs to explain what's different and why your certificates need updating. _'Usually only when they update or regulations change, I email a message to support if we have any problems, and the team quickly sorts it out,' says Mark._ Quick support responses keep work moving. No waiting days for answers when regulations shift and certificates need adjusting. ## Features that save time on repeat work Property management contracts often involve similar electrical installations across multiple properties. Starting each certificate from scratch wastes time. _'On bigger jobs, electricians use the certificate copying feature. They can copy and modify certificates rather than starting from scratch each time.'_ Similar layouts mean similar certificates. Copy the structure, update the specific readings, and move to the next property. ## Software that adapts to operational reality Multi-trade contractors like Masterfix don't have simple, predictable workflows. Work changes mid-project. Certificates need matching to dozens of simultaneous jobs. And standards need maintaining across the team. After 14 years, Shine Forms continues handling Masterfix's electrical certification because it works with that reality rather than against it. _'That flexibility and how it fits how we run the business - that's why we've stayed with it.'_ **Mark Woolner** Electrical Manager Masterfix Property Services --- ## Alan Smith & Sons trusts Shine Forms for cost-effective electrical certificates Source: https://www.shineforms.co.uk/case-studies/alan-smith-and-sons/ Date: 2025-12-10 _'I pay a yearly fee and can do as many certificates as I want. I've done 200 in a year. It's very cost-effective compared to paying per certificate.'_ **Alan Smith** Founder, Alan Smith & Sons Electrical ## In this story - Long-term reliability - Built-in regulation intelligence flags potential errors automatically - Unlimited certificates for one annual cost - Responsive technical support when needed - Straightforward software for electricians, not computer experts ## ## Customer summary [Alan Smith & Sons Electrical](https://www.yell.com/biz/alan-smith-and-sons-coventry-6226086/) has served Coventry and the surrounding areas for decades, building a reputation through quality work and customer recommendations. What started as a sole-trader operation has grown into a family business, with Alan's son, Neil, now running the company alongside two employed electricians. They specialise in domestic electrical contracting alongside ongoing contracts with local housing associations and schools. Their work ranges from single domestic properties to managing multiple similar installations across large-scale projects. Throughout all the changes in the electrical industry, one constant has remained - Shine Forms for their electrical certificates. _'I've been with Shine Forms since the beginning,' says Alan. 'I'm quite happy with it. I can do it, and there are no issues.'_ ## Straightforward electrical certificates Alan Smith & Sons needs software that handles different types of work without complications. From domestic rewires to multi-property contracts, the certificates need to be professional and meet regulation requirements. _'I carried on with Shine Forms because I could manage it. I could do it,' Alan explains. 'I'm an electrician, not a computer expert. The software just works.'_ The ability to copy and modify certificates for similar properties has proven particularly valuable when testing multiple properties with identical electrical layouts. _'When you're doing multiple similar installations, being able to copy certificates makes a big difference,' says Alan. 'You're not starting from scratch every time. It saves hours of repetitive data entry.'_ ## Software flags regulation changes Following a regulation update, Alan discovered one of the benefits of having regulation intelligence built in. Cable reference codes that had been standard for years had changed, and the software flagged this for his attention. _'The software asks questions about what kind of cable you're using and how it's fixed,' Alan explains. 'When the regulations were updated, some of the reference letters changed. The software caught this straight away and flagged it for me to review.'_ Rather than submitting a certificate without realising the references had changed, the built-in intelligence alerted him to check the issue. A quick message to the team confirmed what had changed in the updated regulations. _'They explained what had changed and what needed selecting differently,' says Alan. 'Once I knew what the update had changed, I could fix it.'_ Having regulations built into the software means it can flag potential issues when updates happen, helping engineers stay aware of changes across BS 7671 amendments. _'The software picks up on regulation changes and flags them for you to review,' says Alan. 'Regulations keep updating, and having software that alerts you to those changes is helpful.'_ ## Support that responds Over the years, Alan has built a working relationship with the Shine Forms team based on quick responses and practical solutions. _'If I've got an issue - usually only when they update or regulations change - I email a message, and the team quickly sorts it out.' Alan explains. _ For a busy electrical contractor, that responsiveness keeps projects on track. Issues get resolved quickly so work can continue without delays. _'The support is excellent,' Alan says._ ## Pricing that makes business sense One aspect of Shine Forms that Alan particularly values is the pricing structure. The yearly licence means unlimited certificates without worrying about mounting costs during busy periods. _'I pay a yearly fee, whereas some companies charge per certificate,' Alan explains. 'With those companies, if you're doing 200 certificates a year, you're paying 200 separate charges. With Shine Forms, I can do as many as I want for the same annual cost. It's very cost-effective.'_ The pricing model provides predictable costs regardless of workload for a business handling domestic work and larger commercial contracts. A busy month doesn't mean an unexpectedly large software bill. ## Software built for electricians Alan Smith & Sons represents the type of electrical contractor Shine Forms was built for - businesses focused on electrical work, not wrestling with complicated software. The software handles their work across domestic installations, social housing projects, and schools. Certificates are produced consistently across different project types. _'I was chairman of the Leicestershire & Warwickshire branch of the ECA for nine years,' Alan recalls. 'I always told people, Shine Forms work well for me. Why would I want to change when I've no issues?'_ ## Reliable, professional output For Alan Smith & Sons, Shine Forms delivers what electrical contractors need - certificates produced reliably, with support available when needed, at a price that makes business sense. Whether it's a single domestic rewire or 200 certificates across varied projects, the software handles it consistently. _'I've been with Shine Forms since the beginning. I'm quite happy with it. I can do it, and there's no issues.'_ **Neil Smith** Managing Director Alan Smith & Sons Electrical