Track inspections, manage contractors, upload reports, and submit Annual Fire Safety Statements; all from Microsoft Teams and the Merlo AI Dashboard.

Overview #

Managing Annual Fire Safety Statements (AFSS) involves multiple steps, tight deadlines, and coordination across contractors, councils, and Fire & Rescue NSW. Without a structured system, submissions can be missed, documents can be lost, and compliance obligations can lapse.

Merlo AI manages the entire AFSS workflow from start to finish; eliminating the need for manual spreadsheets and reducing the risk of missed submissions. You can confirm inspection dates by dropping a contractor email into Teams, upload inspection reports and signed AFSS documents, send for sign-off, and submit to authorities; all from a single conversation.

The full compliance lifecycle is tracked automatically. You can query any slice of your AFSS data at any time, directly from Teams or the Dashboard, without switching between systems.

What Is an Annual Fire Safety Statement (AFSS)? #

An AFSS is a legal requirement for strata properties in New South Wales. Each building must:

• Conduct fire safety inspections (typically every 6 or 12 months)

• Obtain an inspection report from a qualified contractor

• Prepare and sign the AFSS document

• Submit it to Local Council and Fire & Rescue NSW

Merlo AI manages this entire process end-to-end, from identifying upcoming compliance obligations through to submitting the final signed AFSS and calculating the next due date.

What You Can Do #

Capability	What Merlo Does	When to Use It
Identify due plans	Retrieves all strata plans with AFSS due within a specified date range	Monthly planning or before a compliance review
Create compliance records	Initiates fire compliance records and sets the status to Inform Contractor	When starting the AFSS process for a plan
Notify contractors	Drafts and sends the contractor inspection request email	When engaging a contractor for the inspection
Confirm inspection dates	Drag a .msg contractor reply into Teams; Merlo extracts and logs the agreed date	Once the contractor responds with an inspection date
Upload inspection reports	Uploads the report PDF to SharePoint and links it to the property record	When the contractor submits the inspection report
Handle reinspections	Logs reinspection dates and uploads follow-up reports	When the inspector requires a second visit
Send AFSS for sign-off	Identifies the approver, drafts the sign-off email, and updates the status	Once the inspection report is received and ready for approval
Submit the signed AFSS	Drafts submission emails to Council, Fire & Rescue NSW, Committee, and Building Manager	When the signed AFSS is ready for formal submission
Track compliance status	Returns filtered compliance records by status, plan, contractor, or due date	Any time you need a snapshot of outstanding or upcoming AFSS obligations

The Full AFSS Workflow #

The table below shows the complete journey of an AFSS from identification to completion, including who takes each action and what Merlo does automatically.

Step	What Happens	Who Acts	Where
1; Identify Due Plans	Retrieve all plans with AFSS due within a specified date range (e.g., the next 60 days)	You	Teams chat
2; Create Records	Initiate fire compliance records for identified plans and set status to Inform Contractor	You (Merlo assists)	Teams Assistant
3; Notify Contractor	Merlo drafts and sends the contractor inspection request email	You confirm; Merlo drafts	Teams Assistant
4; Confirm Inspection	Once the contractor responds, log the agreed inspection date in the system	You (via .msg drop or manual entry)	Teams chat
5; Upload Report	Upload the inspection report provided by the contractor	You	Teams chat
6; Reinspection (if needed)	Log reinspection date and upload any follow-up reports	You	Teams chat
7; Upload Signed AFSS	Upload the signed AFSS document once received	You	Teams chat
8; Submit to Authorities	Merlo drafts submission emails to Council, Fire & Rescue NSW, Committee, and Building Manager	You confirm; Merlo drafts	Teams Assistant
9; Close Record	Mark the AFSS record as complete; next due date calculated automatically	Automatic	Dashboard / System

Note: Emails are never sent automatically. Every email; contractor requests, sign-off emails, and submission emails; is presented to you as a draft for review before anything is dispatched.

Confirming an Inspection Date #

Once a contractor replies to your inspection request with a confirmed date, you can log that date in the system in seconds by dragging the contractor’s reply email directly into the Merlo AI Teams chat.

Before You Start #

• Merlo AI is open in Microsoft Teams.

• The contractor’s reply has been saved as a .msg file from Outlook. To save: open the email in Outlook, click File → Save As, and select Outlook Message Format (.msg).

Step-by-Step #

1. Open the Merlo AI chat in Microsoft Teams.

2. Drag and drop the .msg contractor reply into the chat window or click the attachment icon and upload the file.

3. Merlo reads the email and extracts the inspection date, contractor name, strata plan reference, and any relevant notes.

4. Review the extracted details in the chat. If anything is incorrect or missing, correct it in plain language before confirming.

5. Confirm to proceed. Merlo will update the inspection date, save the email to SharePoint, update the compliance status, and optionally draft notification emails to lot owners and committee members.

What Merlo Does After Confirmation #

Action	Detail
Inspection date updated	The confirmed date is logged against the compliance record.
Email saved to SharePoint	The contractor reply is stored and linked to the property.
Status updated	Compliance status advances to Inspection Date Confirmed.
Notifications drafted	Optional notification emails to lot owners and committee members are prepared for your review.

Example Prompts #

“Set the inspection date for SP 12345 fire compliance to 15 May 2026 and notify the contractor.”

“Confirm the inspection for strata plan 2604; the contractor has agreed to attend on 20 June 2026.”

“Log the reinspection date for plan 98765 as 28 May 2026 and update the notes.”

Tip: The agent can process contractor reply emails (.msg files) to automatically extract and confirm inspection dates. Simply upload the email and ask the agent to confirm the date against the relevant plan’s AFSS record.

Uploading the Inspection Report #

Once the contractor submits the inspection report, upload it directly from the Teams chat. Merlo will store the report in SharePoint, link it to the compliance record, and advance the status automatically.

Step-by-Step #

6. Open the Merlo AI chat in Microsoft Teams.

7. Drag and drop the report PDF into the chat or attach it using the paperclip icon.

8. Tell Merlo which strata plan and compliance record the report belongs to.

9. Merlo uploads the report to SharePoint, links it to the property, and updates the compliance status to Inspection Report Uploaded.

Example Prompts #

“Upload this inspection report for strata plan 2604.”

“Here is the fire compliance report for SP 12345; please upload and update the record.”

Note: If the contractor’s report indicates that repairs are required before the AFSS can be finalised, update the status to Repairs In Progress from the Dashboard. Once repairs are complete, mark the status as Repairs Completed before proceeding to sign-off.

Sending the AFSS for Sign-Off #

Once the inspection report has been received and any repairs completed, you can send the AFSS document for sign-off directly from Teams. Merlo identifies the approver, drafts the sign-off email, and updates the compliance status.

Step-by-Step #

10. Upload the AFSS report to the Teams chat.

11. Ask Merlo to send it for approval.

12. Merlo identifies the designated approver from the compliance settings, uploads the document to SharePoint, and drafts the sign-off email for your review.

13. Review the email draft and confirm to send.

Example Prompts #

“Send the AFSS document for SP 12345 to the approver for sign-off.”

“Upload this AFSS report for strata plan 2604 and ask Merlo to send for approval.”

“The AFSS for plan 55001 is ready; please prepare the sign-off email.”

Submitting the Signed AFSS #

Once the signed AFSS has been received, upload it to Teams and ask Merlo to proceed with submission. Merlo will prepare all required submission emails and mark the compliance record as complete.

Step-by-Step #

14. Upload the signed AFSS document to the Teams chat.

15. Ask Merlo to proceed with submission.

16. Merlo uploads the final document to SharePoint and drafts four submission emails for your review:

• Local Council
• Fire & Rescue NSW
• Committee
• Building Manager

17. Review all email drafts, make any adjustments, and confirm to send.

18. The compliance record is marked as Completed and the next due date is calculated automatically.

Example Prompts #

“Upload this signed AFSS document for strata plan 2604 and proceed with submission to council.”

“The signed AFSS for SP 12345 is attached; please prepare all submission emails.”

“Submit the AFSS for plan 98765 to the local council and Fire & Rescue NSW.”

What Merlo Does After Submission #

Action	Detail
Signed AFSS stored	The final document is uploaded to SharePoint with a clickable link in the Dashboard.
Submission emails drafted	Four emails prepared: Local Council, Fire & Rescue NSW, Committee, Building Manager.
Status updated	Compliance record is marked as Completed.
Next due date calculated	The system automatically calculates the next AFSS due date based on inspection frequency.

Tracking and Retrieving Compliance Records #

You can retrieve and review AFSS compliance data at any time directly from the Merlo AI Teams chat, without opening the Dashboard. Ask for any slice of your compliance portfolio; by status, plan, due date, or contractor; and Merlo will return a filtered summary.

Retrieve by Status #

“Show me all fire compliance records with inspection requested.”

“Which AFSS are due in the next 90 days?”

“Which inspections are overdue?”

“Show me all AFSS records currently in Inform Contractor status.”

Retrieve by Plan #

“Show me all fire compliance records for strata plan 12345.”

“What is the current AFSS status for SP 2604?”

Retrieve by Date Range #

“Which strata plans have AFSS due in the next 60 days?”

“Show me all AFSS records due between 1 July and 30 September 2026.”

Compliance Status Reference #

Every AFSS record moves through a defined set of statuses. The table below shows what each status means and how it is updated.

Status	What It Means	How It Updates
Inspection Identified	Upcoming AFSS detected by the system	Automatic (daily web service)
Strata Manager Informed	Summary email sent to the strata manager	Automatic
Contractor Selected	Contractor assigned to the compliance record	Dashboard action
Inspection Requested	Contractor notified with inspection request email	Automatic when status set to Inform Contractor
Inspection Date Confirmed	Contractor has replied with an agreed inspection date	Teams Assistant (via .msg upload)
Inspection Scheduled and Informed	Lot owners and committee notified of inspection date	Teams Assistant
Reinspection Scheduled	A second inspection has been arranged	Teams Assistant
Inspection Completed	Inspection has taken place	Manual (Dashboard)
Fire Compliance Report Reminder	Day 5 reminder sent to contractor for outstanding report	Automatic
Fire Compliance Report Escalation	Day 10 escalation to strata manager and contractor	Automatic
Inspection Report Uploaded	Contractor report received and stored in SharePoint	Teams Assistant
Repairs Completed	Required rectification works are finished	Manual (Dashboard)
Sent for Sign Off	AFSS document sent to approver for signature	Teams Assistant
Uploaded the Signed AFSS	Signed AFSS document received and uploaded	Teams Assistant
AFSS Submitted	Submission emails sent to Council and Fire & Rescue NSW	Teams Assistant
Completed	Full cycle complete; next due date calculated	Automatic

Note: Status updates for Teams-handled steps (confirming dates, uploading reports, submitting the AFSS) happen automatically when you confirm each action. Manual status updates in the Dashboard are only required for steps outside the Teams Assistant workflow; for example, marking a job as Repairs In Progress or Repairs Completed.

The Fire Compliance Dashboard #

In addition to managing AFSS through Teams, a dedicated Fire Compliance module is available in the Merlo AI Admin Dashboard. This is where initial setup is configured and where bulk management tasks are performed.

Accessing the Dashboard #

19. Log in to the Merlo AI Dashboard.

20. Navigate to the AFSS Compliance menu.

21. Click to access the Fire Compliance module.

Note: If you do not see the AFSS Compliance menu, contact support at support@merlo.ai to request access.

Dashboard KPIs #

At the top of the Fire Compliance page, a set of KPI tiles provides a quick overview of your compliance status across all strata plans. Each tile represents a bottleneck stage requiring attention:

KPI Tile	What It Represents
Awaiting Contractor Notification	Inspection identified; strata manager informed but contractor not yet contacted
Report Overdue	Inspection completed but report not yet received within the expected timeframe
Awaiting Owner Communication	Inspection scheduled but lot owners have not been notified
Pending Inspection Reports	Inspections completed; waiting for contractor reports
Waiting Work Approval	Reports received; pending committee or internal approval for repairs
Pending AFSS Submission	Signed AFSS has been uploaded but not yet submitted to authorities

Upcoming Fire Compliances; Filters and Data Table #

The main listing view shows all upcoming and active compliance records. Use the filters to narrow results:

• Strata Plan (text search)

• Due Date (date picker)

• Status (dropdown)

• Contractor (dropdown)

• Frequency (Monthly, Quarterly, Bi-annual, Annual)

The data table displays: Strata Plan, Due Date, Last Inspection Date, Frequency, Status, Contractor, and an Actions column for viewing and editing individual records.

Note: No records are shown by default; filters must be applied to return results. Records are sorted by Due Date in ascending order.

Instructions Page; Bulk Actions #

The Instructions Page allows you to perform bulk actions across multiple compliance records at once, rather than handling them one by one. It is organised into four sections:

Section	Actions Available
Fire Inspections Identified	Assign or change contractor; send inspection request emails in bulk
Inspections Awaiting Completion	Send reminders to contractors; mark inspections as completed
AFSS Awaiting Completion	Mark AFSS process as complete; update system records for annual inspections nearing finalisation
Overdue Inspection Reports	Send reminders to contractors; mark reports as received

Note: Merlo AI automatically drafts emails in your Outlook using pre-configured templates. Emails are not sent until you review and confirm.

Editing a Compliance Record #

You can edit individual compliance records from the Dashboard. The following fields are available:

Field	Editable?	Notes
Strata Plan	Read-only	Cannot be changed after record creation
Due Date	Editable (if empty)	Can be set if not already populated
Last Inspection Date	Editable (if empty)	Can be set if not already populated
Frequency	Read-only	Set in compliance settings
Status	Editable (dropdown)	Full status list available
Contractor	Editable (dropdown)	Select from registered contractors
Inspection Date	Editable	Can be updated at any time
Reinspection Date	Optional	Set only if a reinspection is required
Reinspection Remarks	Optional	Free-text notes field

Fire Compliance Settings #

The Settings page is where all AFSS configurations are managed for each strata plan. Initial setup must be completed here before Merlo AI can automatically generate inspections and send reminders.

Adding a New Strata Plan

22. Navigate to Settings in the Fire Compliance module.

23. Click Add.

24. Enter the required details:

• Strata Plan Number
• Compliance Due In (days); e.g., 90 days before the due date triggers the process
• Local Council Email (optional)
• Fire & Rescue NSW Email (optional)
• Building Manager Email (optional)
• Approver Email; the person who signs off the AFSS

25. Select applicable inspection frequencies: Monthly, Quarterly, Bi-annual, Annual.

26. Configure automation settings: Inspection Request Timing, Reminder Intervals, AFSS Due Date, Last Inspection Date.

27. Save the configuration.

Once saved, Merlo AI will use this configuration to automatically generate inspection records, send reminders, track compliance timelines, and maintain records.

CSV Bulk Upload #

Compliance records can be added in bulk via CSV upload (upsert operation). The CSV must include the following fields: Strata Plan, Contractor ID, Frequency, Due Date.

Deleting a Strata Plan Configuration #

Selecting Delete on a configuration removes it from the system. Confirmation is required before the record is permanently removed.

Automated Background Processes #

Several web services run automatically in the background to keep compliance records up to date and ensure contractors and managers are notified at the right time. No manual action is required for these processes.

Process	Schedule / Trigger	What It Does
WS-1: Identify Upcoming Compliance	Daily	Scans all configurations, identifies upcoming AFSS obligations, creates compliance records, and sends a summary email to the strata manager. Status advances from Inspection Identified to Strata Manager Informed.
WS-2: Day 4 FYI	4 days after inspection date	Sends an informational email to the strata manager. No action required. Status: Inspection Report Reminder.
WS-2b: Day 5 Reminder	5 days after inspection date	Sends a reminder email to the contractor prompting submission of the inspection report.
WS-2c: Day 10 Escalation	10 days after inspection date	Escalates to the strata manager and sends an urgent reminder to the contractor. Status advances to Inspection Report Escalation.
Dashboard Trigger; Contractor Email	When status set to Inform Contractor	Drafts and sends the inspection request email to the assigned contractor. Status advances to Inspection Requested.

Real-World Usage Scenarios #

Scenario	What to Do
You need to find all plans with AFSS due in the next 60 days	Ask Merlo: “Which strata plans have AFSS due in the next 60 days?” Merlo returns a filtered list with plan number, due date, status, and contractor.
A contractor has replied with an inspection date	Save the email as a .msg file, drag it into the Merlo Teams chat. Merlo extracts the date, confirms the details with you, updates the record, and optionally drafts owner notifications.
The inspection report has arrived	Upload the PDF to the Teams chat and tell Merlo which plan it belongs to. Merlo stores it in SharePoint and advances the compliance status.
A reinspection is required before the AFSS can proceed	Upload the reinspection confirmation email or state the new date in Teams. Merlo logs the reinspection date, updates the status to Reinspection Scheduled, and drafts any required notifications.
The signed AFSS has been received and is ready to submit	Upload the signed document to Teams and ask Merlo to proceed. Merlo prepares the four submission emails for your review and marks the record as Completed once confirmed.
You need to check which AFSS records are overdue	Ask Merlo: “Which inspections are overdue?” or use the Overdue Inspection Reports section in the Dashboard Instructions page.
You want to add a new strata plan to the system	Go to Settings in the Fire Compliance Dashboard, click Add, and enter the plan details, frequencies, and automation timing.

Tips for Getting the Best Results #

Tip	Detail
Always include the strata plan number	The plan number is essential for every AFSS action. Include it in every Teams request so Merlo creates or updates the correct record without needing to ask.
Save contractor emails as .msg before uploading	To confirm an inspection date from a contractor reply, the email must be saved in .msg format from Outlook. Right-click the email, select Save As, and choose Outlook Message Format (.msg).
Use drag-and-drop for faster processing	Dragging a .msg file directly into the Teams chat is faster than using the attachment icon and produces the same result.
Review all drafts before sending	Always check the contractor email, sign-off email, and submission email drafts before confirming. Verify recipients, document attachments, and any deadlines.
Complete initial setup in the Dashboard	Teams handles day-to-day execution; the Dashboard is where you configure plan settings, set approver emails, and adjust automation timing. Setup must be completed before Merlo can automate the process.
Use status filters when querying	Add a status filter to get focused results. For example: ‘Show all AFSS records in Sent for Sign Off status’ rather than ‘Show all fire compliance records’.
Set the approver email in Settings	Merlo uses the approver email from the compliance configuration to draft sign-off emails. Ensure this is up to date for each strata plan.

Frequently Asked Questions #

Do I need the Dashboard, or can I do everything from Teams? #

Initial setup; including adding strata plans, setting approver emails, and configuring automation timing; must be completed in the Dashboard. Once configured, Teams handles all day-to-day execution: confirming dates, uploading documents, and submitting the AFSS.

Do I need to manually update the status at each step? #

For steps handled by the Teams Assistant; confirming inspection dates, uploading the report, and submitting the AFSS; the status updates automatically when you confirm each action. Manual status updates are only required in the Dashboard for steps outside the Teams workflow, such as marking a job as Repairs In Progress or Repairs Completed.

What file format does the contractor email need to be in? #

It must be a .msg file, which is the standard format when saving an email from Microsoft Outlook. To save: open the email in Outlook, click File → Save As, and select Outlook Message Format (.msg). This preserves the email body, subject, sender details, and any attachments.

What if the same strata plan has multiple active fire compliance records? #

The Teams Assistant will identify the most relevant record based on the current status and due date. If there is any ambiguity, it will ask you to confirm which record you intend to update.

Can I see a history of all changes made to a record? #

Yes. Every status change, document upload, and date update is logged in the record’s timeline, accessible from the Dashboard. Each entry shows the date, time, and the action performed.

What happens if I accidentally upload the wrong document? #

Contact your administrator to correct the document link on the record via the Dashboard. The record can be edited to update the document reference, and the correct file re-uploaded through the Teams Assistant.

Can both the Dashboard and Teams Assistant be used by different team members at the same time? #

Yes. Both tools read from and write to the same underlying records in real time. If two team members update the same record simultaneously, the most recent save will take effect. Every change is logged in the audit timeline with the name of the person who made it.

What if I need to submit the AFSS to additional recipients beyond the Local Council and Fire & Rescue NSW? #

Currently, submission emails are sent to the two recipients configured in the Fire Compliance Settings. If you need to copy additional people, forward the submission confirmation from your email client after the Teams Assistant completes the submission.

What if Merlo extracts incorrect details from the contractor email? #

You can correct any extracted detail before confirming the action. Simply describe the correction in plain language in the chat; for example, ‘The inspection date should be 22 May, not 25 May’; and Merlo will update accordingly. You do not need to restart the process.

Where are all uploaded documents stored? #

All documents; contractor emails, inspection reports, and signed AFSS documents; are stored in SharePoint and linked to the relevant strata plan record. A clickable document link is available in the Dashboard once a document has been uploaded.

Support #

If you need assistance with Fire Compliance or AFSS Management:

Email: support@merlo.ai

Help Centre: https://merlo.ai/help/

Note: This page covers both the Teams Assistant workflow and the Dashboard module. If a feature described here is not visible in your account, contact support to confirm your access level.