What to include in a Daily Field Report

What makes a report useful later

1. 1Who was on site — your crew, subcontractors, inspectors, or the client.
2. 2What changed — any deviation from the plan, even small ones.
3. 3Delays — anything that stopped or slowed work, and how long it lasted.
4. 4Inspections — who inspected, what passed or failed, and any notes given.
5. 5Weather — conditions that affected work, especially for weather-related delay claims.
6. 6Owner or client decisions — anything verbally approved or requested on site, since verbal approvals are easy to dispute later without a written record.

Why detail matters

A report that just says "normal day, no issues" provides no evidence if a dispute comes up later. A report that names who was on site, what was discussed, and what was decided gives you something to point to months later.