Resources
Resources
Practical guides for superintendents and foremen: how to write daily reports, get them from every sub, and keep the records that hold up later.
Start here
- What is a construction daily report?What belongs in a complete daily report and who fills it out.
- Free daily report templateA printable PDF and an Excel version, free to use on every job.
Daily reports
- How to Write a Construction Daily Report: A Step-by-Step Guide for the FieldA field-tested way to write a construction daily report: what to record, in what order, how specific to be, and sample entries you can copy tomorrow.
- Construction Daily Report Examples: Good vs. Weak Entries You Can CopyReal-world construction daily report examples: weak vs. strong entries for manpower, work performed, delays, safety and visitors, plus two full sample reports.
- Daily Report Examples by Trade: Concrete, Electrical, Plumbing, Framing, Drywall and MoreTrade-specific daily report examples for concrete, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, framing, drywall, roofing and sitework, with the details each trade should log.
- 12 Construction Daily Report Mistakes That Cost General Contractors Later (and How to Fix Them)The most common construction daily report mistakes, from vague entries and copy-paste logs to missing sub reports, with a fix and a better example for each.
- The Superintendent Daily Log: What to Record and How to Keep It Up on a Busy JobWhat a superintendent daily log should capture, how it differs from sub reports, a daily routine that keeps it current, and a sample log entry.
- Foreman Daily Report: A Simple Format Foremen Will Actually Fill OutWhat a foreman daily report should include, a five-minute format crews will use, sample entries, and how foreman reports roll up to the general contractor.
- End-of-Day Update Email to the Owner: A Template for Construction TeamsHow to write a short end-of-day construction update email to the owner from the daily report: what to include, what to leave out, and a template.
- How to Review Subcontractor Daily Reports: A Routine for General Contractor Superintendents and PMsA daily and weekly routine for general contractors to review subcontractor daily reports: what to check, red flags, how to give feedback, and what to escalate.
Subcontractors and manpower
- Subcontractor Daily Report Requirements: What General Contractors Should Require (With Sample Contract Language)What general contractors require in subcontractor daily reports: deadlines, sample subcontract language, and how to enforce it without hurting the relationship.
- How to Get Subcontractors to Submit Daily Reports (Without Chasing Them Every Day)Why subs skip daily reports and eight fixes general contractors use to get on-time reports: contract terms, easier methods, reminders and closing the loop.
- Construction Manpower Tracking: How to Track Headcount and Hours by SubHow general contractors track daily manpower and hours by subcontractor, what to compare against, a simple manpower log format, and how to use the data.
- T&M Tag Documentation: How to Record Time and Material Work So It Gets PaidHow to document time and material work on construction projects: what a T&M tag needs, same-day signatures, matching daily reports, and a sample tag.
- Certified Payroll and Daily Reports: How General Contractors Reconcile Sub Headcount for Payroll AuditsHow general contractors use daily manpower records to check subs' certified payrolls on prevailing wage jobs: what to compare, red flags, and a weekly routine.
Safety documentation
- JHA vs. Pre-Task Plan (PTP): What Each One Is and When You Need BothJHA, JSA, AHA and pre-task plan explained: who writes each, how often, what goes in them, and a side-by-side example for the same concrete task.
- JHA Examples by Trade: Sample Job Hazard Analyses for Common Construction TasksSample job hazard analysis tables for framing, electrical, excavation, roofing, drywall, steel erection and hot work, with step, hazard and control examples.
- Construction Incident Reporting: What to Do in the First Hour, Day and WeekHow to report a construction safety incident: immediate steps, what to record, OSHA's 8-hour and 24-hour reporting deadlines, and a sample incident report.
- Corrective Actions in Construction Safety: How to Assign, Track and Close ThemHow to write construction safety corrective actions that actually get closed: owners, due dates, verification, a tracking log format and examples.
- Near-Miss Reporting in Construction: How to Get Crews to Report ThemWhat counts as a near miss on a jobsite, what to record, how to get crews to report without fear of blame, and a simple near-miss report format with examples.
Field logs
- Construction Inspection Log: What to Record for Every Jobsite InspectionHow to keep a construction inspection log: building and special inspections, results, re-inspections, who attended, and how it ties to the daily report.
- Jobsite Visitor Log: What to Record and Why It MattersWhat a construction jobsite visitor log should capture, from sign-in and orientation to escort and sign-out, and how it ties into the daily report.
- Concrete Pour Log: What to Record on Pour DayWhat a concrete pour log should capture: mix, truck tickets, batch and discharge times, water added, field tests, cylinders, weather, curing and delays.
- Construction Equipment Log: Tracking Hours, Idle Time and InspectionsWhat a daily construction equipment log should record: units on site, operating and idle hours, rentals, inspections, breakdowns and use on changed work.
Records, claims and special projects
- Daily Reports for Delay Claims: How to Document So Your Records Hold UpHow to write daily reports that support delay claims and disputes: what to record, logging delays daily, notice references, and mistakes to avoid.
- Weather Delay Documentation in Construction: What to Record Every DayHow to document weather delays on construction projects: daily site conditions, hours lost by crew, normal-weather baselines, NOAA records and sample entries.
- Construction Photo Documentation: A Simple Routine for Progress and Problem PhotosWhat to photograph on a construction site, when, and how to label it: a daily photo routine, before-cover-up checklist, and tips for photos that hold up later.
- Daily Reports for Public, School and Hospital Projects: Extra Requirements to Plan ForWhat changes in daily reporting on public works, K-12 school and hospital projects: spec sections, prevailing wage cross-checks and infection control.
- How Daily Reports Win (or Lose) Back-Charge DisputesHow general contractors and subs use daily reports, photos and manpower records to support or fight a back charge, plus a back-charge documentation checklist.
- Daily Reports for Change Orders: How to Document Changed Work So It Gets PaidHow to use daily reports as change order backup: record direction, separate changed work, track labor and equipment, and meet notice deadlines.
- How Long to Keep Construction Daily Reports: A Record Retention GuideHow long general contractors and subs should keep daily reports and project records: statutes of repose, federal rules, payroll and OSHA records, and holds.
- Daily Reports for Multifamily Construction: Tracking Units, Floors and TradesHow to write daily reports on multifamily jobs: progress by unit and floor, trade stacking, sub manpower, inspections, and prevailing wage on HUD projects.
- Data Center Construction Daily Reports: What General Contractors Need to CaptureHow to run daily reports on data center construction: large sub workforces, multiple shifts, MEP-heavy work, energization, commissioning and security.
Field reporting tools
- Construction Field Reporting Without an App: Options That Work for CrewsPaper, email, shared forms, voice notes and text messages: how to collect daily field reports from crews who will not use an app, with pros and cons of each.
- Texting in Construction: Can Text Messages Count as Project Records?How jobsite text messages get used as project records, the risks of relying on phones, and practical rules for texting subs, owners and crews.
- AI Tools for Construction in 2026: What Is Useful for General Contractors and Subs TodayA practical look at AI tools for construction in 2026: field reporting, document search, scheduling, safety and estimating, plus what to ask before buying.
- Best Construction Daily Report Software in 2026: An Honest RoundupAn honest 2026 roundup of daily report software: Cascade, Raken, Procore, Forma Build, Fieldwire, SafetyCulture and Buildertrend, and who each fits.
- How Much Does Construction Daily Report Software Cost? Pricing Models ExplainedHow construction daily report software is priced: per user, per project, by volume or flat tiers, plus hidden costs like sub seats and setup fees.
- Daily Report Software for General Contractors: A Buyer's GuideHow general contractors evaluate daily report software: field adoption, sub participation, manpower by sub, search, total cost and a live-job trial.
- Raken vs Procore Daily Log: Which Fits Your Daily Reports?Raken vs Procore for construction daily reports: how each handles field capture and sub compliance, when each fits, and a third option built on text.
- Texting Field Crews: SMS Consent and Opt-Out Basics for ContractorsFor general contractors and subs texting field crews: consent for operational texts, opt-out keywords, 10DLC registration, and keeping work texts as records.
Planning
- How to Build a Three-Week Lookahead Schedule Superintendents Actually UseHow superintendents build and run a three-week lookahead: what to include, constraint tracking, a sample format, and how daily reports keep it honest.