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.
Browse the glossary: plain definitions of 34 field terms.
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.
- What Owners Should Require From Their General Contractor: Daily Reports, Photos and UpdatesA checklist and sample contract language owners can use to require daily reports, photos, sub manpower and weekly updates from their general contractor.
- How to Get Jobsite Updates From Your General Contractor (Without Chasing Them)For project owners: what updates to ask your general contractor for, how often, a copy-paste request note, and one free feed for reports and photos.
- 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.
- Procore's Daily Log Agent: What It Drafts and What It Still Needs From the FieldWhat Procore's Daily Log Agent drafts, what it needs from superintendents, foremen and subs, and questions to ask before you count on it.
- 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.