Job site documentation glossary

Plain-language definitions of the terms contractors run into when documenting a job — from change orders and punch lists to rough-in, as-builts, and EXIF data. Written for the field, not the spec book.

Job site record

A single, organized collection of photos, notes, voice memos, and files for one job, kept on a timeline so you can show what happened and when.

Before / during / after

A progress photo sequence: the condition before work, the work in progress, and the finished result. Standard proof for clients and disputes.

Change order (CO)

A documented, priced change to the agreed scope of work, approved before the extra work is done. Protects payment for out-of-scope work.

Punch list

The list of small items to fix or finish before a job is considered complete, usually grouped by room or location for closeout.

Daily log / daily report

A dated entry recording who was on site, weather, work completed, deliveries, and delays for one day on one job.

Closeout / handover

The end-of-job package handed to the client or GC: final photos, completed punch list, warranties, and documents.

Rough-in

The stage where plumbing, electrical, or HVAC is installed before walls are closed. Photographed because it is hidden once covered.

As-built

Documentation showing how something was actually built, versus the original plan — including in-wall photos taken before cover-up.

RFI (request for information)

A formal question to a GC, architect, or owner to clarify plans or conditions, often supported by site photos.

EXIF data

Technical metadata a camera embeds in a photo file (timestamp, device, sometimes GPS). Useful but easily stripped and not human-readable on its own.

Geotag

Location coordinates attached to a photo. Helpful for proving where a shot was taken, when the device records it.

Caption

A short, human-written line describing what a photo shows — the context EXIF cannot give ("cracked tile near window").

Tag / label

A reusable keyword applied to items (Before, Issue, Receipt, Change Order) so a timeline can be filtered to what matters.

Local-first

An app model where your data lives on your device and works offline, syncing to the cloud only if and when you choose.

Zip export

A downloadable archive bundling a job's photos, notes, and files plus an index page, openable by anyone without a special app.

Scope creep

Gradual, undocumented expansion of work beyond the agreed scope — the thing change orders exist to prevent.