Free construction operations resource

The field-to-office handoff checklist.

Use this checklist with one active job to see where a record is created, where it stalls, and where the office has to reconstruct what happened.

This checklist is for operational handoffs. It does not replace contract review, lien guidance, safety procedures, payroll controls, or compliance requirements.

  1. 01

    Pick one live handoff

    Choose a single recurring path, such as a field report, time card, change request, delivery record, or vendor invoice. Do not start with the whole company.

  2. 02

    Name the trigger

    Write down the event that starts the handoff. A completed shift, a site condition, a vendor delivery, or a customer request all create different records.

  3. 03

    Name the first owner

    Who creates the first usable record? Be precise about the role, not the department.

  4. 04

    Find the system of record

    Where should the information live after it is created? If the answer is text message, email, photo roll, or someone’s memory, mark the gap.

  5. 05

    List the required evidence

    What must travel with the handoff: photo, time entry, cost, location, approval, signature, document, or note?

  6. 06

    Name the next owner and deadline

    Who needs the record next, and how soon must it arrive to remain useful?

  7. 07

    Write the exception route

    What happens when information is missing, unclear, late, or disputed? A good process names the person who resolves that exception.

What to do with what you find

Fix the simplest missing handoff first. If one record needs repeated entry, lacks an owner, or arrives after the next team needs it, map that path before you add another workflow, application, or automation.

See the Construction Workflow Review