The modern construction site documentation with a construction diary

One of the main causes of defects and damages in construction is the high level of supervisors stress.

The reasons for this are, among other things, that the tools for efficient documentation on the construction site processes and for communication between those involved are not used, or at least not used properly.

The construction process is becoming more complex, there are more parties involved and more regulations to comply with, which has caused a drastic increase in the need for documentation and communication. Also at the level of architecture and engineering offices, a dense network of regulatory and contractual requirements requires an increasingly higher level of administration.

Many of these tasks are related to construction site documentation, such as daily supervisor reports, delay reports, hindrances reports, construction plan updates and progress reports. They often cause a lot of paperwork, the organization of which requires a high degree of discipline and quickly becomes unmanageable.

In addition, the effort involved in processing these tasks now takes so long that the original tasks, such as coordination and quality control, can no longer be carried out correctly. The result is an increase in defects in construction works, which entails economic damage for all those involved.

But documentation of the construction process is routine work that is predestined for work supported by , digital programs because many recurring processes can be automated. However, the most popular method of keeping a construction diary is handwritten entry on pre-printed forms, which involves time-consuming repetition.

Because much of the content of a daily report has to be rewritten every day, because it is often identical to the previous day or differs only slightly. The use of modern software solucions can simplify and speed up construction site documentation and reduce supervisor overhead and stress through increased efficiency.

In addition, a further increase in efficiency can be achieved by using smartphone apps, with which daily construction reports can be entered directly during the site inspection.

The construction supervising architect is required to keep a construction diary.

Writing the construction diary is one of the duties of the construction manager towards the client, so the client has the right to reduce the fee if he does not do it (in Europe).

The construction diary serves the interests of the client and aims to reliably record the work, deliveries and activities of the various contractors, the deployment of personnel and the working conditions on the site. In addition, the construction diary is an important proof in case of disputes.

Fill out a physical diary on paper?

The importance of the construction diary takes a backseat in view of the acute problems on the construction site that constantly require immediate solutions. In addition, writing the construction diary is also a rather stupid activity in which recurring processes have to be noted down again and again.

However, most construction supervisors still use templated writing boards for their construction diary, in which recurring data (for example, company name, number of workers on the construction site, names of construction companies) must be re-entered during each construction site inspection, even if they are identical to the previous day or differ only slightly. With this way of working, it is not surprising that this task is often neglected due to lack of time. This type of documentation usually leads to a chaos of paperwork that nobody knows about anymore.

How fill out a digital construction diary?

The amount of writing can be significantly reduced by using software, for example by storing company data centrally and copying recurring process descriptions. The use of software can simplify and speed up construction site documentation and significantly reduce site management stress.

For this purpose there is the "Site Journal for Windows and Mac", which, in addition to all the necessary basic functions, has shown particular strengths in photographic documentation and applications for mobile devices, Android and iOS. The Site Journal app for Android and iOS offers the possibility to enter daily construction reports directly on the construction site.

Initially, this may be limited to entries that require little typing, for example, notes of a few words, or recording the number of workers on the construction site, i.e. the companies present, which can simply be selected from the list of companies. Later in the office you can complete the report with the construction diary comfortable for Windows and Mac.

It is also possible to use the dictation function of the app or voice recognition software such as Google to further reduce the need to type.

Software Requirements

The most important requirements for a construction diary software are:

- Easy to use, so that any "normal user" can use the program.
- Significant reduction of paperwork through master data and copy functions.
- Minimum expenditure required for learning (no need for software training or qualifications).
- Help to the entry of the documentation offering all the required content like a checklist.
- Registration of employees on site, daily work and hours of work, equipment and machines.
- Registration of defects and creation of individual lists of defects.
- Spell check.
- Search function for quick and specific access to textual content.
- Integration of photos of the construction site, including comments and assignment of the company.
- Possibility of platform-independent digital storage, eg as PDF file or web page.
- Recognition compared to the old documentation (template / paper forms).
- Ability to add plans and documents to construction reports.
- Making sketches and drawings to illustrate the written information.
- Editing and commenting on construction site photos and output to an online photo album.
- Input software for mobile devices (App for Android and iOS) for direct documentation of the work in progress.

Responsibility for improperly made construction diaries

The importance of a regularly written construction diary can already be seen in the large number of legal proceedings associated with it.

The supervising architects and engineers of the construction site are often also partially responsible for the errors made by the construction companies if, for example, they cannot prove on the basis of the construction diary that they issued an instruction that would have prevented the faulty execution and the resulting damage. Responsibility problems may also arise for site managers in the event of accidents, since they must check and, where appropriate, demand compliance with the corresponding accident prevention regulations. The construction diary is the instrument of choice to prove that the violations of these regulations and the resulting sources of danger were reported in a timely manner.

Construction site documentation is not only useful for the above reasons, it is also one of the site manager's duties to the client. Due to the great time pressure that construction supervisors are often exposed to, this essential task is often neglected. This can be avoided with the help of software that automates recurring processes to such an extent that the time required is significantly reduced.

The "Site Journal for Windows and MacOS" is a classic and easy-to-learn software solution. The program has been developing by Bauskript Software since 1999 and constantly develops it in close contact with customers. The software is available as free and limited software.

In addition to this, the Site Journal application offers the possibility of using mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets to enter daily construction reports directly during the site visit.