Tips and troubleshooting

Wave does a lot on its own so you can stay on the job. These quick answers explain what Wave is doing in each case and the fastest next step.

Quick wins

• Tell Wave what you need. Typed or spoken, in your own words. See What you can ask Wave.
• Edit by hand any time Wave isn't mid-update. Click any cell on the Estimates tab.
• Record in short clips. Each voice recording can run up to 90 seconds.
• Move a job's status by dragging its card on the Jobs board.
• Lock an estimate when it is final, and unlock it when you need changes.

Editing an estimate

The job's Estimates tab shows which of two things is happening.

Wave is updating the estimate. While Wave works, hand edits pause and a short caption on the estimate says so. Pausing keeps your edits and Wave's from overwriting each other. Editing comes back as soon as Wave is done. To stop a response sooner, use the send arrow in the job chat, which becomes a stop button while Wave is working.

The estimate is locked. A locked estimate shows a banner that it is in view-only mode. To unlock it, open Job actions (⋮) in the job header and choose Unlock estimate. If you want to keep the locked version as it is, choose Duplicate from the same menu instead (Duplicate comes with a paid plan). The copy stays on the same job and uses no credit. See Lock and unlock an estimate.

How jobs change status automatically

Jobs carry the status, and the job's first estimate moves it forward for you. When that estimate starts, a job in New or Pending moves to Estimating. When it's finished, the job moves to Completed. A job someone already moved by hand, for example to In Progress, stays where it is.

What to do: To set a different status, use the status control in the job header, or drag the card on the Jobs board. See The Jobs board.

Voice recordings and the 90-second limit

Each voice recording can run up to 90 seconds. The bars turn red as you get close, and at the limit the recording stops and your words are transcribed.

What to do: Record in short clips. Each transcript drops into the message box for you to check before sending, so you can record, check, add more, and send when it is complete. See Use voice input.

Why Wave asks before starting an estimate

Each estimate uses one credit, so Wave starts one on its own when you ask for it. When Wave infers you may want one, for example from a file you dropped in or scope details typed on a job that has no estimate yet, it shows a card and asks first. A credit is used when you confirm.

What to do: Confirm to start it. If you decline after typing scope details on a job, Wave keeps your words as a job note. See How estimate credits work.

Starting a new estimate or job

Jobs don't use estimate credits. A few things can pause new work, and each has a quick fix:

• You've used the estimates your plan includes: this month's allowance on a paid plan, or the 3 estimates of the free trial. Admins land in the plan picker with a note, so you can upgrade right there. Members see a "Limit reached" message asking you to contact your company's Admin.
• The free trial's 3 jobs are in use. Choose a plan to create more.
• Your plan shows as inactive. An Admin can update billing to continue, and existing jobs and estimates stay available to view.

You can open and edit the estimates you already have. Notes, files and scheduling are available too. Your remaining estimates show in the account menu, and on a paid plan the allowance refills each month. See How estimate credits work.

Chat on a finished estimate (free trial)

On the free trial, once Wave finishes an estimate, you can keep refining it in chat for a set number of follow-up messages. After that, make changes by hand on the job's Estimates tab, where editing is available any time, or choose a paid plan to remove the cap. See Free trial.

Wave started a fresh conversation

Wave's conversation follows where you are: a job (all its tabs) or Home and the Chat page. Moving to Home or another job starts a fresh conversation, and the earlier messages move to the history row at the top, where you can still read them.

What to do: Open the history row to read earlier messages. If Wave was waiting on an answer, choose Pick up to continue where you left off. Choose New chat whenever you want a clean start.

Finding and starting your drying log

Drying logs come with Basic and above and with the free trial. On those plans, Wave creates the job's drying log when a water estimate with drying days finishes.

Wave generates sample dry logs based on what real drying science would be, to help anyone on your team who is new to drying understand the drying goals for the job. If you already have a drying log, attach photos or a PDF of it in the job's chat, and Wave reads it, answers questions about it and records any readings you tell it.

Start a log on Starter. The Drying tab is there too. Your company has 5 free drying logs. To start one, press Generate now on the Drying tab of a water job, or ask Wave for a drying log in the job chat, then confirm with Start drying log. Choose Not now and no drying log is used.

Your free logs. When all 5 are used, the tab lets you know that drying logs come with Basic. The drying logs you already started keep working. See Plans and limits.

A drying log is built for water estimates with 3 or more drying days. If the water estimate is scoped for 1 or 2 days, the tab explains that there are no drying days to track yet. Ask Wave in the job chat to add drying days and it builds the plan.

Wave drafts the drying log from the estimate and local weather. Spot-check readings on site. See About drying logs.

Still need help?

Contact support. Message the Wave team from the app and we will get you an answer. Your questions also shape what we add to these docs.

Related

• Lock and unlock an estimate: lock an estimate when it is final, and unlock it when you need changes
• The Jobs board: job statuses and how to change them
• How estimate credits work: what uses a credit and what doesn't
• About drying logs: when a job gets a drying log
• Contact support: reach the Wave team