The daily report is the most boring document on a project until something goes wrong. Then it is the most important one. Here is what I would put in it.
Why does the daily report matter?
- Delay claims. Weather days, late deliveries and waiting on answers are only provable if they were written down that day.
- Pay applications. Work completed backs the percent complete you bill.
- Safety. Construction is still one of the most dangerous industries. The Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 5,070 fatal work injuries in the US in 2024, and construction and extraction occupations accounted for 1,032 of them. Toolbox talks, hazards and incidents belong in the record.
- Disputes. A clear daily log is often the best evidence a contractor has.
What should a daily report include?
| Section | What to record |
|---|---|
| Project and date | Project name, number, date, report number, author |
| Weather | Conditions, temperature, rain or wind, and whether it stopped work |
| Manpower | Workers and hours by company and trade |
| Equipment | What was on site, working or idle |
| Work completed | Activity, location and quantity, tied to the schedule |
| Deliveries | Material received, supplier, ticket number, any damage |
| Inspections and tests | Inspector, result, follow-up |
| Visitors | Owner, architect, inspectors, with times |
| Delays and issues | What held up work, who it affects, RFI or notice numbers |
| Safety | Toolbox talk topic, observations, incidents, near misses |
| Photos | Tagged to location and activity |
| Signature | Superintendent, the same day |
How do you write a daily report that holds up?
- Write it the same day. Reconstructed logs carry far less weight.
- Use facts, times and numbers, not opinions. "Concrete truck arrived 10:40, ordered for 7:00" beats "supplier late again".
- Link delays to notices. If the contract requires written notice of a delay, the daily report should name the notice.
- Attach photos with location and time.
- Keep one format across every project, so the office can read them quickly.
Daily report template
Copy these rows into your own form:
| Field | Fill in |
|---|---|
| Project, number, date, report # | |
| Weather | AM, PM, temperature; work stopped? hours lost |
| Manpower | Company, trade, workers, hours |
| Equipment | Item, hours used, idle |
| Work completed | Activity, location, quantity |
| Deliveries | Supplier, material, ticket #, condition |
| Inspections | Inspector, type, result |
| Visitors | Name, company, time in and out |
| Delays and issues | Description, impact, RFI or notice # |
| Safety | Toolbox talk, observations, incidents |
| Photos | Number attached |
| Signature | Superintendent, time |
How does Lex help?
Lex, BAU AI's field reporting agent, drafts the daily report from crew check-ins, voice notes, delivery tickets and photos, pulls the weather, and flags anything that looks like a delay that may need notice. The superintendent reviews and signs it. Lex is offered to the founding cohort and is not part of the published plans.
If your superintendents spend their evenings on paperwork, join our US founding cohort and test Lex on one of your jobs.
Tushar Adsul, Founder and CEO, BAU AI
Frequently asked questions
Who writes the daily report? Usually the superintendent or the foreman for each trade, reviewed by the superintendent.
How long should you keep daily reports? At least as long as your contract, warranty and claim periods, and your company's record policy; ask counsel for your state.
Is a daily report the same as a daily log? The terms are used interchangeably. Some companies keep a short log and a fuller report.
Sources
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2024 (released February 19, 2026).