Guided Installations

Summary

Guided Installations is the next step after installation manifests. A manifest tells an installer what needs to happen; a guided installation tells them how to do it, in order, right on the device they’re working from. It is a live, interactive companion for installation-day that automates as much of the process as it safely can and, for everything that remains manual, walks the installer through each step so they never have to figure out where to start or what comes next.

The goal is simple: an installer arrives at the site, opens the guided session for the job, and is told, step by step, exactly what to do and in what order — with the repetitive, error-prone parts already done for them.

The Problem

Installation day today is the most knowledge-dependent, least repeatable part of a Selora project. Even with a complete installation manifest, the installer still has to:

• Reconstruct the sequence — knowing which hardware to mount first, which integration to pair before the next, which credentials to enter when
• Reach for tribal knowledge — the “gotchas” that live in senior installers’ heads or in chat history, not in a checklist
• Switch context constantly — between the physical hardware, a laptop terminal, the Selora dashboard, and the project notes
• Handle the boring but error-prone steps by hand — credential entry, integration pairing, verification, and progress logging, all done the same way on every job

None of that is uniquely hard, but together it is where installation-day time and mistakes go to die. The answer is not another document to read; it is a live process that runs the installer through the job.

What Guided Installations Is

A guided installation is a live session, tied to a specific project and its installation manifest, that runs in real time on the installer’s device. It is the difference between a checklist and a navigator: it does not just list steps, it tracks where the installer is, does what it can on their behalf, and always shows the single next action.

Core Capabilities

1. Automated pre-work — Selora prepares what can be prepared before the installer ever arrives: integrations that require sensitive credentials, base configuration, and pre-validated device profiles, so on-site time is spent on hardware, not setup
2. Sequenced step-by-step guidance — A clear, ordered run of every remaining task, each with the exact instructions needed. The installer is never deciding what to do next — the session is telling them
3. Live progress tracking — Steps complete automatically where possible and are marked as the installer moves, so the state of the job is always accurate and visible to the team
4. Context-aware next step — The interface surfaces only the current task and what’s needed for it, removing the decision overhead of scanning a long list
5. Automated verification — After each step, the system checks that the device or integration is actually up and connected before moving on, catching issues on the spot rather than at handover
6. Support visibility — The support team sees the same live state, so when a question comes in they know exactly where the installer is and what they’ve already done

How It Builds on Installation Manifests

Installation manifests are the input; guided installations are the execution layer. The manifest defines the perimeter — the home, the devices, the upgrades, the integrations, and the owner preferences. Guided Installations turn that perimeter into a running, ordered, partially-automated workflow for installation-day. Where a manifest is a map, a guided installation is the drive navigation.

Benefits

• For installers: No more reconstructing the sequence or digging for tribal knowledge — a single, live, ordered guide that does the routine work and always knows the next step
• For homeowners: A faster, cleaner install with fewer interruptions, and a verified system handed over on the first visit
• For support: Full real-time context for every job, so help is informed and faster
• For Selora: Standardized, repeatable installations across every installer — better first-time-right rates, fewer repeat visits, and installation-day time that scales with the job, not with the installer’s experience