Four search phrases, one idea: can someone look at the job before I submit it? Yes. Traders call it pre-validation, pre-check, pre-approval or a compliance review. The mechanics are similar.
What gets checked
A reviewer compares your submission against the rules for the certificate type. For solar that means photos that show the install, legible serial numbers matching the form, the right installation type, consistent addresses and dates, and a complete assignment form. For batteries there are additional evidence rules, covered in the battery submission guide. The photo requirements guide shows what a good set looks like.
Pre-validation, pre-check and pre-approval
- Pre-validation or pre-check of photos: a person or tool reviews the evidence before lodgement and flags anything missing or unclear.
- Pre-approval: an early view that the job is eligible, often before installation, to help you quote. For batteries see how pre-approval works.
- Before submission: some portals check fields automatically but not photo content, which is where many rejections start.
What it cannot do
Nobody except the CER can approve a claim. A trader’s review reduces risk, but it cannot promise acceptance, and any trader saying a claim “can’t be rejected” is overreaching. What it does is turn a rejection that takes days to surface into a text asking for a better serial photo while your crew is still in the street.
Why it matters financially
A rejected claim means waiting, resubmitting and sometimes losing the rate you expected. Fewer bounces means steadier cash flow, which for a small crew can matter more than a few cents on the rate. See why claims are rejected.
What this means for installers
Ask each trader what they actually check, how fast they come back and whether the review is done by people who know the rules. Energy Merchants’ compliance desk reviews photos, forms and serials before lodgement, and your named account manager tells you what to fix. Details are on how it works, rates are on pricing, and the switch page covers moving your book across.