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Concepts

Chat-first, structure on the right

The Wave estimating screen has two halves: a chat on the left where you describe the loss, and a structured estimate on the right that updates as you talk. Edits work in both directions.

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Every Wave estimate is built through a conversation. The screen is split in half so you can see both sides of that conversation at the same time.

The two halves

Left pane — the chat. Where you describe the loss to Wave. Wave asks per-room interview questions, you answer in plain English, and you can issue edit commands here too ("Delete the cover register from the hall bathroom," "Bump the dehu count to 2"). The mic button gives you voice-to-text dictation, which is the fastest input on a phone.

Right pane — the structured estimate. Updates live as the chat progresses. It contains every part of the estimate you'd hand to a carrier or insured:

  • Company Information
  • FNOL Information (Name, Address, Phone, Email, Insurance, Claim #, Adjuster Name, Adjuster Email, Category)
  • Loss Description
  • Estimate Notes
  • Documentation Photos
  • Estimate Details (sections, line items, totals)

For a per-block walkthrough, see Estimate anatomy.

Edits go both directions

You can change the estimate from either side. Both paths produce the same result — pick whichever is faster for the edit you're making:

  • From the chat — natural-language commands. Good for rename / qty change / delete / add when you can describe what you want in a sentence. Especially good for adding rooms (the only way to add a room is through chat).
  • From the right pane — direct manipulation. Click a room name to rename. Double-click a line item to edit fields inline. Drag the handle to reorder. Use the kebab for modify, notes, and delete.

If a how-to in these docs gives you a chat command, there's almost always a right-pane equivalent for the same action. Use what feels faster.

The one-way exception: adding rooms

Adding a room mid-estimate only works through chat. The supported pattern: type something like "I want to add the laundry room" or "I missed an area — can we add a second bathroom?" Wave starts a fresh per-room interview for the new room and the right pane updates when the interview is done. See Add a room mid-estimate.

Why this layout

The chat is what makes Wave fast on a phone. The structured pane is what makes the result auditable and exportable. Splitting them means you never lose either property — you talk fast, you see the structure forming, and you can fix anything in either half without leaving the screen.

For the deeper "why we picked a chat at all," see Why we use structured chat.

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