This article covers the recommended approach for conducting a contents inventory onsite with a policyholder. Following this workflow consistently will help you capture a thorough, accurate loss sheet and get the most out of Adjusto's AI valuation pipeline.
Before you start: Ask the policyholder to walk you through any high-value or sentimental items before you begin documenting. This prevents missed items and builds trust early in the process.
Step 1: Walk the Home First
Before you start recording anything, do a full walkthrough of the property.
As you move through each space, add the room names in Adjusto. This gives you a complete picture of scope before capture begins and ensures your footage is organized correctly when you upload.
Step 2: Mark the Start of Each Room
At the beginning of each room, create a clear visual marker so the footage is easy to navigate during review.
Two ways to do this:
- Write the room name on a notepad and photograph it before recording, or
- Use the in-app screenshot feature to log the room name directly
This small step makes a big difference when you're reviewing 10+ videos after the fact.
Step 3: Document One Elevation at a Time
Pick a wall or elevation and work through it completely before moving to the next. Within each elevation, move top to bottom and left to right.
This systematic approach prevents you from skipping areas or doubling back.
A few things to handle separately:
- Document floors as their own pass — don't fold them into a wall elevation
- Document closets separately from the main room
Step 4: Handle Drawers, Boxes, and Cabinets
For any container that's full of items — a kitchen drawer, a storage box, a cabinet — take the items out before documenting them.
- Remove the contents
- Document each item individually in the app
- Put everything back once you're done
This prevents bulk undercounting, which is one of the most common sources of incomplete loss sheets.
Step 5: Documenting Clothing
Clothing requires a slightly different approach depending on the type.
Everyday clothing on racks or in drawers:
Separate items into similar categories (t-shirts, pants, socks, jackets, etc.) and count each group out loud as you record. Speaking the count while panning keeps the documentation accurate and gives the AI a clear signal.
Expensive or designer clothing:
Do not group high-value garments with everyday items. Pull them out and document them individually. Capture any visible brand labels, tags, or identifying details.
If the policyholder mentioned expensive clothing during your initial walkthrough, make sure those specific items get their own documentation segment.
Step 6: Large Furniture
Manufacturers often place brand labels in hard-to-find locations on furniture. Before you start documenting a large piece, check the non-obvious spots:
- Under couch cushions
- On the underside of the frame
- On the back panel or inside a drawer
- Along the bottom rail
Finding the brand before you start recording leads to a more accurate valuation match in Adjusto.
Step 7: Appliances and Large Electronics
For appliances and major electronics, the make and model number are critical for accurate valuation. Make sure this information is captured clearly.
Two ways to do it:
- Zoom in on the label while recording, or
- Read the make and model aloud while the camera is pointed at the item
Model numbers are often on a sticker inside a door or on the back or bottom of the unit — check there if it's not visible from the front.
Field Tips
Keep each video under 3 minutes
Break your documentation into short clips. Videos over 3 minutes are harder to review and more prone to upload issues.
When you finish a room or move to a new elevation, start a new recording. You can upload as many videos as you need.
Bring a spare battery pack and charging cable
Extended inventories will drain your phone. A dead battery mid-inventory means interrupting your workflow and potentially having to re-document a room.
Make a spare battery pack and cable part of your standard field kit.
Talk while you record
If you don't narrate, Adjusto's AI will try to log every item visible in the frame — because it doesn't know where your attention is directed.
If you do talk, it will focus on the items you're calling out. Say the item name, quantity, material, and brand when you know it. This produces a much cleaner item list with less review time on the back end.
See Recording a Video in the Field Adjuster Workflow article for the full guidance on what to say.
Got Questions?
We're always available at support@adjusto.ai — let us know how we can help.