What is a daily site report for?
It is the contractor's own record of what happened on site each day. No law fixes its format, but its content is what you reach for months later when a payment, a delay penalty or an extension of time is disputed. It backs up quantities in the hakediş (progress payment), shows which subcontractor was on site and for how long, and records safety near misses and instructions with names and times.
How does it differ from the statutory site diary?
Since 1 January 2026, under the Şantiye Şefleri Hakkında Yönetmelik (Regulation on Site Managers, amended in the Official Gazette of 16 September 2025), the şantiye şefi (licensed site manager) must record site activities in an electronic site diary through the ministry's Şantiye-M mobile app, previously called e-Şantiye. The site manager is responsible for the accuracy of those entries, and the regulation says they do not replace notices that must be served on authorities or other parties.
| Record | Basis | Kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic site diary (Şantiye-M) | Regulation on Site Managers, Art. 7(11) | Site manager, in the ministry app |
| Site diary, survey and measurement books on public works | General Specification for Works (YİGŞ), Art. 28 | Public site supervisor with the contractor, who signs |
| Building inspection records | Building Inspection Law 4708 | The building inspection firm |
| Internal daily report | No statutory form; the contract may require one | Site manager or field engineer |
An internal report does not replace the Şantiye-M entry or the public-works site diary. Keep both on the same day and make sure they do not contradict each other.
What should a daily report contain?
- Date, working hours and overtime.
- Weather in the morning and afternoon, and its effect on work.
- Headcount by subcontractor and trade.
- Plant on site with working and breakdown hours.
- Work done: block, floor, grid line or room code, item and quantity.
- Deliveries with quantity, supplier and delivery note number.
- Tests and samples, such as concrete cubes or pressure tests.
- Visitors and inspections, and what they asked for.
- Safety: accidents, near misses, warnings, missing protective equipment.
- Instructions received, written or verbal, and the drawing revision in use.
- Delays: cause, start and end time, who was affected, who was told.
- Photos with location, and the names of the author and approver.
What does a useful entry look like?
A useful entry answers who, what, where, how much and why.
| Weak | Useful |
|---|---|
| Tiling continued. | Block B ground floor, room Z-03 bathroom: all 11.47 m² of floor tiling laid, grouting tomorrow. Tiling crew of 3. |
| Rain stopped work. | Rain 11:00–14:30. Roof membrane stopped; insulation subcontractor's 4 workers stood idle 3.5 hours. Employer notified by email at 15:10. |
| Met the architect. | Architect changed the kitchen (Z-02) worktop height verbally. Written revision requested; work continues to the current drawing until it arrives. |
Three writing habits help. Record facts and keep opinions apart: "crew arrived on site at 09:40", not "the subcontractor was late". Always state units: m², m³, pieces, hours. Record consequences rather than blame: what stopped, for how long, and who was told. Fault is argued later, from those facts. Headcount should be kept per subcontractor, not as one total: it shows whether a subcontractor worked with the crew it promised, and because main contractors are jointly liable for subcontractor workers, large gaps between your headcount and the subcontractor's monthly social security premium statement are worth raising before you pay the next hakediş.
The site manager should read and approve each report. Keep reports until the final account is closed and the defects liability period has ended, since defect and delay disputes often start months after handover.
How do you keep it, step by step?
- Morning: weather and headcount by subcontractor.
- On delivery: photograph the delivery note, record quantity and drop location.
- During work: take located photos; photograph anything that will be covered before it is covered.
- When something happens: record the safety event, stoppage or verbal instruction with the time, right away.
- End of day: complete the headings in about 10 minutes.
- The site manager makes the Şantiye-M entry the same day.
- Weekly: summarise for the project manager or employer.
Why do delay and weather records matter so much?
On Turkish public works, YİGŞ Article 29 requires the contractor to notify the employer in writing within 20 days of an event that justifies an extension of time; late notices are ignored. The same article says delay penalties also run on days when weather made work technically impossible during the penalty period. Daily records are what make that written notice credible. Photos count as evidence only when it is clear what, where and when they show, so record the location, include a scale, and keep the original file: messaging apps may compress images and strip capture data. The schedule impact is covered in our schedule and critical path guide, and the link to payment quantities in our hakediş guide.
How Santix handles it
Santix does not produce the statutory site diary and does not send data to Şantiye-M. It helps you collect the day's evidence: drop a pin on the drawing, attach a photo, voice note or video, choose a type (observation, safety, defect, task, information request, revision request), an assignee and a due date. Every record carries the drawing, room, date and author, works offline and syncs later, and subcontractors see only pins assigned to them. See drawing markup and pins.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Is a daily report the same as the site diary?
No. The electronic site diary is the statutory record the site manager keeps in the ministry's Şantiye-M app. The daily report is the contractor's internal record; it can be more detailed but should not contradict the diary.
What is Şantiye-M?
Şantiye-M is the Turkish ministry system for contractor licences, site managers and certified tradespeople, formerly called e-Şantiye. Site managers use its mobile app to keep the electronic site diary.
Does Santix replace the statutory diary?
No. Santix records located photos, notes and tasks on the drawing that support your daily report, but the statutory entry is made in Şantiye-M by the site manager.