End of Day Report & Checklist: Track Daily Activities

What Is an End of Day Report?

An end of day report is a form of record-keeping for projects in the organizations that details the events and activities in the workplace. It is usually prepared by an employee and submitted to their supervisors.

Often referred to as an EOD report, it functions as a comprehensive work diary where workers write down not only their daily activities but also the achievements and challenges they have at work. At times, it also includes their plans for the following day.

A typical EOD report consists of two sections — the activity and the objective sections.

• Activity Section - the activity section makes up most of the report. It includes insightful descriptions of all the activities done within the day. Some of this information includes details about the task, resources used, other chores, and challenges encountered.
• Objective Section - it occupies only a small portion of the report. Yet, it is extremely vital because it highlights the employee’s goals and the methods he/she will use to accomplish them.

This article covers the following topics:

1. What should be in an EOD Report

2. Why an end of day checklist is important

3. Benefits of using a powerful tool for EOD Report

What Should Be Included in an EOD Report?

Daily end of day reports allow project managers to monitor each of their team member’s efforts and group dynamics. It also serves as a metric of what has been accomplished, challenges faced, and improvements that are needed.

It focuses on three main points:

1. Achievements - the daily report should include positive milestones the team has accomplished each day. Since the main purpose of an end of day report is to provide updates, it should also include the progress that has been made for that particular day. Aside from monitoring daily activities and project completion, it can also become a source of motivation for the team.
2. Plans for the next day - Since it is a monitoring tool, the team must be able to show what tasks need to be accomplished the next day. It will give the project manager time to prepare the resources needed and manpower available to finish the task. It will also show each team member if they are still on track or not.
3. Challenges faced - problems and challenges the team faces when executing the task must also be included. It should also include the solution to that problem, so other team members are aware of what to do when facing a similar problem.

Other best practices to use to have an insightful end of day report are:

• Make it simple Use easy-to-understand language so everyone can understand and no confusion can arise. Make sure that all activities are listed in a natural flow.
• Be descriptive Maintain the whole report in a descriptive tone and try to answer each WH (what, who, when, where, and when) question.
• Include dates By including date stamps, it will be easier to track everything and map your productivity.
• Incorporate images Photographic evidence is the best way to show how procedures are done and the progress being made.

Why Is an End of Day Checklist Important?

Providing the details of each task and activity that happened during the day serves as evidence of missed or delivered work. These detailed records are essential to successful project management.

Other benefits of having an EOD report include:

• Protection in disputes
• Client appreciation
• Keeps track of activities
• Provides project insight

1. Protection in Dispute

Having a trail of documents you can refer to when disputes arise protects you, your team, and your company. The end of day checklist provides factual details and insights around a particular project or situation.

The paper trail objectively shows who is responsible and accountable. That is why it is important to keep digital end-of-day reports even after the project completion, as issues might surface months or years later.

2. Benefits Your Clients

Clients want to see if their investments are paying off. A lot of times, they do not understand the process and why it is necessary. Communication is valuable, so clients are in the loop of how the project is progressing. Daily EOD reports are the best way to demonstrate what the processes are, how they are accomplished, and how long each step takes.

3. Keeps Track of Activities

People tend to forget and overlook a lot of things, especially when they deal with complex projects. EOD reports serve as management tools that keep information about what happens every day.

4. Provides Project Insight

Detailed reports draw a clear picture of what works and what doesn't. Having a clear picture of the progress of each phase of the project helps you identify challenges and improvements. It allows you to restructure your team and create adjustments to improve efficiency and productivity.

Benefits of Using an End of the Day Report

An end of day report forms an impressive human resource management tool that captures and clearly outlines each employee’s tasks and advancement. This greatly reduces the necessity for regular time-consuming meetings.

With a digital tool like Lumiform, companies can avoid a time-consuming paper process. The mobile app allows to capture, analyze and exchange information immediately. There is no need for post-processing. Employees can use the dashboard to easily plan and track their reintegration into the company.

The advantages of the mobile app for employees and employers at a glance:

• The back to work form can be easily filled out by supervisors and employees via a tablet or smartphone - online or offline.
• All information is automatically bundled in a report and can be sent to other responsible persons in the company.
• Continuous increase in quality: Back to work forms can be continuously adapted through the flexible form builder. Since Lumiform guides the employee through the check, no training is required.
• The app is straightforward to use and offers no room for errors. The app offers less complexity in documenting or filling out forms than complicated paper or excel lists.
• Depending on the application, the filling out of forms is carried out about 30%-50% faster than with paper forms.

To make it easier to get back to work, we have put together some templates that can be used immediately with the Lumiform App. All templates can be easily adapted to internal company requirements. No programming skills are required.