Work a Section
Each audit section in Lens follows the same pattern: you provide input — documents, notes, or answers to follow-up questions — and Lens produces a synthesized summary with specific findings. This guide walks through each part of that process.
Who can do this: Consultants and Account Owners.
Navigate to a section
In the Canvas, click any section in the Section Rail on the left to open it in the workspace. The section opens with its phase label, section title, and number at the top.
Sections that have been reviewed show a ✓ next to their number. Sections with high-impact areas missing data show a warning badge.
Upload documents (optional but recommended)
Each section shows a drop zone at the top of the workspace. Drop any relevant file directly onto it, or click the zone to browse. Supported file types: PDF, XLSX, CSV, PNG, JPG.
The drop zone shows suggested documents for the current section. For Booking & Scheduling, for example, the suggestions are: call logs (volume, hold, abandon), online booking analytics, and appointment schedule exports.
For Inspection & Estimate, suggestions include: MPI completion reports, estimate conversion logs, and declined-service tracking exports.
After uploading, each file appears in a small file list below the drop zone. The status shows whether the file has been processed (you will see ”✓ extracted” when the content is ready).
Files up to 15 MB are supported. If you have larger files — for example, a full year of DMS RO exports — export a 3-month subset for the section. The findings are based on patterns, not the full data volume.
Add your notes
Below the upload area, the Add notes section contains a free-form text area. Click to expand it if it is collapsed.
Type your observations, interview notes, and any context that is not captured in the uploaded files:
- What you saw on the floor
- What the service manager or advisor told you
- What was notably absent
- Your initial interpretation of the situation
For example, in the Repair Execution & Productivity section at Müller Werkstatt in Berlin:
“Four technicians idle between 11am and noon. Daily DRO not reviewed by service manager — they rely on end-of-day reporting only. Clocking practices inconsistent; 3 of 12 techs do not clock individual jobs. Workshop manager new in role (6 weeks). Productive hours target exists but is not visible on the floor.”
Notes and documents work together. You do not need both — notes alone are sufficient to produce a finding.
Review the summary
Once you have provided input (uploaded a file or saved notes), Lens produces a structured summary for the section. It appears below your notes automatically.
The summary has two parts:
- A narrative paragraph — a plain-language synthesis of the section
- A list of findings — specific issues identified, each marked as (stated) or (derived)
“Stated” means the finding comes directly from something you described. “Derived” means Lens inferred it from the pattern of data — for example, deriving a productivity gap from a combination of RO volume, available hours, and the note about idle technicians.
Read the summary carefully. If anything is inaccurate, use the feedback loop to correct it (see Use Feedback & Comments).
Answer follow-up questions (if any)
After the first input, Lens may ask one targeted follow-up question. This appears in a Digging Deeper panel below the summary.
The question targets the single highest-impact area in this section that still has the most uncertainty. For example, in Productivity:
“What is the total available technician hours per month at this location (total technicians × working days × daily hours)?”
Type your answer and click Answer. Lens incorporates it and may ask a second question if there is still a material gap. The thread closes when there is enough data to proceed — typically after 1 to 3 questions per section.
Prior questions and your answers collapse above the active question, so you can review the thread at any time.
You do not have to answer every follow-up question. If you do not know the answer, leave the question unanswered and move on. The finding will carry a lower confidence level, which is accurate — it means the finding is real but based on incomplete data.
Mark the section as reviewed
When a section has notes, a summary, or both, it shows a ✓ next to its number in the Section Rail. This is automatic — you do not need to mark it manually.
If you added notes but the summary has not appeared yet, it is still processing. Come back to the section after working on another stage.
Remove a section from the report
If a section is not relevant to this engagement — for example, EV Readiness at a dealership with no EVs in the market — you can remove it from the report.
Click the × next to the section name in the Section Rail. The section moves to the Removed group at the bottom of the rail and disappears from the report. The remaining sections renumber automatically.
To restore a removed section, click the ↺ button next to it in the Removed group. It returns to its original position and the report renumbers.
Removing a section removes its findings from the Total Opportunity calculation. If a section has high-impact findings and you remove it, the Total Opportunity will decrease. This is intentional — the total reflects only what is in the report.
Common questions
In what order should I work through the sections? There is no required order. Navigate freely. Start with the sections where you have the most data — uploaded files or clear interview notes. The Section Rail shows a warning badge on sections with high-impact areas that are missing data, which can guide your priority.
Can I update a section after I have reviewed it? Yes. You can add more notes or upload additional files at any time. Each update creates a new document version. The summary updates to reflect the new input.
What if I upload a file but the summary does not appear? The document may still be processing. Processing typically takes less than a minute. If the status still shows “processing” after a few minutes, try adding a note to trigger the synthesis manually.
What happens to uploaded files if I remove a section? The files remain in the engagement record. If you restore the section, the files and the notes are still there.