Give each next action one owner
A daily handover answers four questions: what is agreed, what is missing, who does the next action and when they will do it. Put those answers on the job record so the person on site and the person in the office can work from the same facts.
This routine suits an owner and partner, two colleagues or a small office team. Download the free handover worksheet (CSV). This is a daily working sheet; the delegation guide covers handing over broader responsibilities.
The morning handover: what can actually go ahead?
Review today’s work first, then outstanding enquiries and decisions. Use the job reference rather than just a surname: one customer may have several properties or jobs.
| Check | What the office confirms | What the site person needs |
|---|---|---|
| Scope and price | Accepted quote revision and any agreed additions | Included work and work still pending |
| Place and people | Full address and confirmed roles | Access contact and instructions |
| Visits | Confirmed date/time and assigned person | Other visits, delivery or access constraints |
| Materials | Who supplies which items; collection/delivery status | What is available and what is missing |
| Next customer reply | Latest message and owner of response | What has already been promised |
A pending quote, missing access confirmation or undelivered part is a specific blocker. Name the fact and the person resolving it. Do not label the whole job “ready” because it appears in a diary.
A fictional morning with three live decisions
Fictional worked example. At 8:00, the office colleague and on-site trader check three records:
- J-031, hallway decorating: quote revision 2 accepted; first visit today; occupier will provide access at the agreed time. Site trader owns progress photos and the paint receipt. Office owns any customer update once the actual progress is known.
- E-032, radiator enquiry: customer has asked about a smaller scope. Office owns asking which radiator is excluded; trader owns assessing whether the remaining work changes the price. No visit is booked.
- I-033, completed repair: invoice went to the instructed recipient, who has promised payment on Friday. Office owns checking the payment record on Friday. The invoice remains unpaid until receipt is verified.
Each row has a different next action. Combining them into “chase customers” would lose the decision, date and responsibility.
During the day: change the record before changing the promise
If access fails, record what happened and contact the confirmed access person. Check a new visit time before promising it. If the customer requests extra work, record the request and the separate quote/approval; do not silently add it to the accepted scope.
For a safety issue, the competent person handles the actual site response and records the outcome. An office handover sheet does not replace inspection procedures or a required notice.
Send a short handover tied to the record: “J-031: ceiling finished; walls need another visit. Finished photos saved. Please check availability before offering a date.” That gives the office the facts needed to act.
The end-of-day handover: ready to invoice or still missing something?
- Work: completed items, remaining items and next visit. Keep original scope separate from additions.
- Evidence: photos, readings or report reference where relevant, receipts and any customer sign-off. Name the missing item and owner.
- Customer: latest question, who needs an update, and what is agreed. Do not assume the occupier is also the payer.
- Money: current quote/addition references, invoice recipient, invoice status and verified payment status.
- Tomorrow: the next action, one owner and an agreed time.
In J-031, the finished photos are saved but the paint receipt is still missing. The trader owns uploading it that evening; the office owns checking the agreed additions and invoice recipient the next morning. “Receipt missing” does not mean “customer has not paid”, and “work finished” does not mean “invoice sent”.
