Daily Occurrence Book Template (Free Download)

A daily occurrence book (DOB) is the written record of what happens on a security post during a shift. It is the first place a client, an insurer, the police or a solicitor looks when something goes wrong. A good one protects the officer, the security company and the client. A bad one, with gaps, guesses and tipp-ex, does the opposite.

You can download a free daily occurrence book template as a spreadsheet you can print or fill in on a screen. Below is how to use it well.

What goes in a daily occurrence book

• Handovers: who you took over from, and what was passed on, including keys, radios and equipment checked.
• Patrols: the time each patrol started and ended, and anything found.
• Access: visitors, contractors and deliveries, with the time in and out and who they came to see.
• Incidents and alarms: what happened, what you did and who you told.
• Keys: every key issued or returned, with the time and the person.
• Hazards and faults: anything unsafe or broken, and who was informed.
• Welfare checks: for lone workers, the time of each check and the outcome.

The rules that make it reliable

1. Time order, no gaps. Number each entry. A missing number invites questions.
2. Facts, not opinions. Write what you saw, heard and did. "Male in grey jacket at the rear gate at 02:10" is a fact. "Suspicious man" is an opinion.
3. Never erase. If you make a mistake, put one line through it, write the correction as a new entry and initial it. The original must stay readable.
4. Write as you go. Entries made at the time are far more credible than ones written up at the end of the shift.
5. Record who was told. Name or role, and the time, and any reference number given.
6. Keep personal data to what is needed. If names and descriptions of people go in the book, treat it as personal data under UK GDPR and store it securely.

Example entries

How long to keep it

Keep completed books for as long as your client contract and your insurer require, and agree this at the start of each contract. Records connected to an incident should be kept until the matter is closed.

Paper, spreadsheet or digital

Paper books are simple but get lost, are hard to search and are easy to alter without anyone noticing. A spreadsheet is searchable but can be edited freely. A digital occurrence book that timestamps entries and prevents edits gives the strongest record. GuardFlow's Daily Occurrence Book is written from the day's clock-ins, patrols and incident reports, and written entries cannot be edited or deleted after they are made. See all features or book a demo.

Frequently asked questions

What is a daily occurrence book?

It is the continuous written log of everything that happens on a security post during a shift: handovers, patrols, visitors, incidents, alarms and keys. It is also called an occurrence book or a DOB.

Is a daily occurrence book a legal requirement?

There is no single rule that every site must keep one, but many client contracts and insurers expect it, and it is the normal way to show what happened and when. Check the contract for each site.

What is the difference between an occurrence book and an incident report?

The occurrence book is the running log of the whole shift. An incident report is a detailed account of one event. Write a short entry in the book and note the incident report reference beside it.

Can a daily occurrence book be kept digitally?

Yes, if every entry is time stamped, linked to the officer who wrote it, and cannot be altered or deleted afterwards. Those three things are what make a digital book as credible as a bound paper one.

Related guides

• Martyn's Law for security companies
• Geofenced clock-in vs paper sign-in sheets
• Lone worker apps for security guards