A useful snagging report identifies each observation clearly and explains what needs to happen next. Give every item a location, a description, supporting evidence and an owner for the next action. Keep the original observation and the follow-up together so the reviewer can understand how the item progressed.
Define the scope of the walk
State the project, the areas visited, the date and the purpose of the inspection. Identify who attended and any areas that could not be accessed. A report should make the limits of the walk visible rather than imply that every part of the project was inspected.
Agree how observations will be grouped, such as by room or work package. Keep the structure consistent so the team can find an item without searching several different lists. Record issues that need specialist assessment as observations for referral, rather than making an unsupported technical conclusion.
Describe one observation per item
Use a unique reference and a precise location. Describe what can be seen or established, with enough detail for another person to find the issue. Avoid vague statements such as "poor finish everywhere", which leave the recipient guessing about the required action.
Where an agreed drawing or specification is relevant, record that reference. Separate the observed condition from a proposed remedy. The person writing the report may be able to identify the observation without being authorised to choose the technical solution.
Attach evidence that explains the issue
Take an overview and a relevant detail when both are needed. Add a brief caption or note so the purpose of the image is clear. Use the same item reference for the photo, the description and the follow-up. Our guide to photo documentation on site covers what makes a photo usable as evidence.
An illustrative record might state that a finish has visible damage in a named room, identify the photo and assign the next review. Do not turn an example into a prescribed acceptance threshold. The actual project criteria determine the assessment.
Agree ownership and the next action
Identify the person or team responsible for responding and the agreed target date. Distinguish the person coordinating the item from the person authorised to assess or accept the work. If responsibility is disputed, record the point for clarification rather than hiding the uncertainty.
Where there is an immediate safety concern, follow the site's agreed safety procedure. A report entry or a routine notification is not a substitute for that process.
Review the response before closing the item
Keep the original observation alongside the response, any record of remedial work and the subsequent review. State who reviewed the outcome and when. If the action does not resolve the observation, record what remains outstanding.
A closed status is an administrative record. Its contractual or legal meaning depends on the arrangements that apply. Do not assume that closing an item in software establishes acceptance or removes a party's rights. Keep the agreed assessment and acceptance process separate.
Issue a report the recipient can use
Before issuing the report, run through a short check:
- No duplicate items, and every item has a location
- Every action has an owner and a target date
- Photos and descriptions carry the same item reference
- The report version and issue date are stated
- Areas that were not inspected are listed
Provide a clear list of outstanding items, with references to the detailed records, rather than only a total number of observations.
How Lite Report can hold a snagging walk
In Lite Report, the project manager sets up the report on the web. The title and the description, up to 1,000 words, carry the scope of the walk: for example "Snagging walk, 2nd floor, flats 2.1–2.4", with the purpose, the areas included and anything left out. Drawings uploaded once to the site can be attached to the report. The items to check become tasks, for example one per room or work package: a simple registration with a title, completion date and description, or a structured checklist task with room, scope, time and the acceptance criteria the project has agreed.
The person on site works through each task in the app. Photos are taken with the in-app camera and stamped with date, time and GPS position, they can be marked up to show the issue, and the spot can be circled on the drawing. Comments describe what was observed, and every action is logged with a timestamp. If an area cannot be reached, the field user can raise a time deviation and set a new completion date, and a task that passes its completion date undone becomes a time deviation automatically. When all tasks are submitted and the report is paid (149 DKK excl. VAT), the registrations are compiled into one PDF. Replies and agreements can go in the report's communication notes, and a re-inspection can be documented as a new report that refers to the first. Reports cannot be deleted, so the original record stays in the web app.
Lite Report records the walk and its evidence. It does not keep a defect register that tracks each item through statuses to closure, and submitting a task is not acceptance of the work. Marking site deviations on a drawing with evidence photos is part of the DS1140 module, launching soon, and the quality assurance module, which is in development.
Frequently asked questions
Is a snagging report the same as a technical inspection?
No. It records observations within a stated scope. Whether a specialist technical inspection is also needed depends on the work and the issue found.
Should completed items be deleted?
No. Keep them with their follow-up history under the project's agreed record procedure. Deleting the original observation can make the later outcome harder to understand.
Does marking an item closed mean formal acceptance?
Do not assume so. The meaning of acceptance must come from the applicable project arrangements and the authorised decision process.
Can Lite Report track each snag until it is fixed?
Not as a defect register with statuses. Lite Report documents the walk: each task holds stamped photos, marks and comments, and the registrations are compiled into one PDF. Follow-up and re-inspection are recorded in later reports and the communication notes, and the acceptance decision stays with the people authorised to make it.