ParsReport / Guide
How to write a construction daily report
What to record on site every day, and how to write it so it still holds up months later in a claim or dispute.
A construction daily report is the written record of one day on a job site: who was there, what was built, what got in the way and what changed. On a dispute, a delay claim or a change order, the daily report is often the only evidence written on the day it happened, so it has to be complete, factual and dated.
What to include
| Section | What to write |
|---|---|
| Header | Project name and number, date, report number, author, superintendent or PM. |
| Weather | Conditions and temperature in the morning and afternoon, and any hours lost to weather. |
| Manpower | Each trade or subcontractor, head count and hours. |
| Equipment | Equipment on site, hours used and idle. |
| Work completed | What was done, where (grid, floor, room) and how much, in measurable terms. |
| Deliveries | Materials received, supplier, quantity, and anything damaged or short. |
| Inspections and visitors | Inspector, owner, architect or engineer visits, and the result. |
| Delays and issues | What stopped work, the cause, who was affected and for how long. |
| Changes and instructions | Verbal directions from the owner or design team, RFIs raised, extra work performed. |
| Safety | Toolbox talks, incidents, near misses, corrective actions. |
| Photos | Dated photos of progress, issues and anything that will be covered up. |
Write it so it holds up later
- Same day. A report written the next week is a memory, not a record.
- Facts, not opinions. "Electrician did not show; 4 framers idle 10:00 to 12:00" is better than "the electrician is unreliable".
- Numbers. Quantities, hours, head counts and locations make progress measurable.
- Who said what. Verbal instructions that change scope should name the person and the time, and be followed up in writing.
- Photos with the issue. A delay or damage note with a dated photo is much harder to dispute.
- Same format every day. Owners and lawyers read a stack of them; a consistent template makes gaps obvious.
Example entry
Work completed: Level 2 framing, grid C to F, 85% complete. Hung 40 sheets of drywall in units 201 to 204.
Delays: Concrete pump arrived 2 h late (supplier); 6 laborers idle 7:00 to 9:00. Notified the owner's rep at 9:15.
Instructions: Architect asked on site to move the kitchen outlet in unit 203 by 18 in. RFI #14 sent at 2:30 pm.
Photos: 12 attached (progress, pump arrival time, outlet location).
Delays: Concrete pump arrived 2 h late (supplier); 6 laborers idle 7:00 to 9:00. Notified the owner's rep at 9:15.
Instructions: Architect asked on site to move the kitchen outlet in unit 203 by 18 in. RFI #14 sent at 2:30 pm.
Photos: 12 attached (progress, pump arrival time, outlet location).
Write the daily report in two minutesParsReport covers crew, subs, materials, equipment, delays, safety and photos, with on-device AI to write it up, and sends a clean PDF with your marked-up plan sheets before you leave the site.
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