Platform Glossary - Complete Dayworkbook Terminology Guide

Platform: Both (Web Application and Mobile App)
User Type: All Users
Difficulty: Beginner
Estimated Time: 10 minutes
Last Updated: September 2025

Quick Summary

Comprehensive glossary of all Dayworkbook platform terms, construction industry terminology, and workflow concepts. Use this reference guide to understand platform features, user roles, sheet statuses, and industry-specific language used throughout the application.

What You'll Learn

Master all platform-specific terminology and feature names
Understand construction industry terms relevant to daywork processes
Navigate user roles and permission levels confidently
Recognise sheet and job status workflows
Interpret billing and approval terminology

Before You Start

Prerequisites:

Basic familiarity with Dayworkbook platform
Understanding of general construction industry concepts

You'll Need:

Access to Dayworkbook platform for reference
This glossary bookmarked for quick reference during platform use

Fundamental Concepts

Daywork

Work performed and charged based on actual time spent, materials used, and equipment employed, rather than a fixed price agreed beforehand. Daywork is used for variations, unforeseen conditions, emergency repairs, and other work that cannot be accurately priced in advance. According to RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors), daywork is "the method of valuing work on the basis of the time spent by the contractor's team, the materials used, and the plant employed."

Daywork Book

Traditional paper-based system for recording and documenting daywork activities. Physical books contain pre-printed forms for recording labour, equipment, materials, and getting client signatures. Dayworkbook digitises this entire process, providing a similar cost structure with significant efficiency improvements.

Organisation

A company, business, or entity that has a Dayworkbook account. Each organisation has its own data, settings, users, and directory of clients and resources. Organisations are managed by an Org Admin who controls user access, billing settings, and account configuration. All users, jobs, and daywork sheets belong to a specific organisation.

User

An individual person with access to the Dayworkbook platform. Users have accounts with specific permission levels (Org Admin, Admin+Billing, Admin, Standard, Read Only, or Inactive) that determine what functions they can access. Users create daywork sheets, manage jobs, and interact with the platform on behalf of their organisation.

Client

Any organisation or individual that engages a contractor for construction work. Clients can include main contractors, builders, developers, property managers, facility managers, government agencies, or private property owners. In Dayworkbook, clients are managed through the Directory and have designated Client Reps who approve daywork sheets.

Platform Core Terminology

Job

A Job is a project. Every daywork sheet is assigned to a Job. Jobs contain all related sheets, Client information, and project documentation.

Sheet

Sheets refers to Daywork Sheets. One sheet relates to one day of work for one Job and one purchased sheet credit. The primary documentation unit within Dayworkbook.

Resource

Individual Labour personnel or positions, Plant & Equipment items, Materials items, and Rate Items tracked within Dayworkbook which record actual work completed. Labour personnel resources do not hold platform accounts.

Resource Types

The types of Resources on our platform being Labour, Plant & Equipment, Materials, and Rate Items. Resource items are listed under each of these types.

Sheet Credits

Sheet credits are prepaid sheets where one is used for every daywork sheet created. Credits enable platform usage and are consumed when sheets are submitted for approval.

Signature

Either a handwritten or digital signature used by Users and Client Reps to attest to the correctness of content within a daywork sheet.

Trade Category

The discipline/industry of an organisation (e.g., electrical, plumbing, carpentry, civil construction).

Resource Types Detailed

Labour

This is where you list all worker/staff positions. You also have the option to add the names of workers against these positions. Labour resources represent the human workforce component of daywork documentation.

Plant & Equipment

This is where you list all your machinery and gear you need to charge out. Includes construction equipment, tools, vehicles, and any mechanical resources used on projects.

Materials

This is where you list any materials you need to record on a daywork sheet. Physical supplies, consumables, and raw materials used in construction work.

Rate Items

This type is for composite work completed on a sqm/m³/Lm/tonne/etc. rate, and can be easily grouped into categories (e.g. concrete cutting, concrete drilling, etc.). Used for unit-based work that combines labour, equipment, and materials.

Sheet Types and Reports

Simple Daywork Sheet

A daywork sheet where Labour is recorded using positions only (e.g. 3 no. Tradesman @ 8 hours each). Streamlined format for straightforward labour tracking.

Advanced Daywork Sheet

A daywork sheet where Labour is recorded by names of workers. Each worker is assigned to a position. Start time, finish time, and break duration can also be set for each to calculate total duration.

Summary Report

A report generated using the 'Compile' button in-app that summarises the quantities of multiple daywork sheets. Used for project analysis and client presentation.

Billing Report

A report generated using the 'Bill' button in-app that summarises the quantities and total costs of multiple daywork sheets using rates input in the directory of the web app.

Sheet Logs

A record of all changes in status to a daywork sheet, with names and dates/times. Provides complete audit trail for sheet lifecycle.

Sheet Status Workflow

Draft

A daywork sheet that has been partially created, saved, but not yet finalised ready for signing by the Client Rep.

Sent

A daywork sheet that has been finalised and is awaiting signing by the nominated Client Rep. A sheet credit is taken once Sent.

Approved

A daywork sheet that has been signed by the nominated Client Rep and accepted for billing.

Billed

A sheet status indicating that the approved daywork sheet has been included in a Billing Report and sent to the client for payment.

Rejected

A daywork sheet that has been reviewed but rejected by the Client Rep, likely requiring revision and resubmission or cancellation.

Cancelled

A daywork sheet that has been withdrawn and voided by the organisation.

Job Status Workflow

In Progress

Jobs that are In Progress are Active Jobs with ongoing or future daywork anticipated.

Completed

Completed Jobs are not likely to have any further daywork associated with the Job and become Inactive.

User Permission Roles (RBAC)

Org Admin (Organisation Administrator)

The individual within an organisation who manages the Dayworkbook account, settings, and user permissions. Primary point of contact for account administration; has highest level permissions within their organisation's account.

Admin + Billing (Administrator + Billing)

All the permissions of Admin, but with authority to view financials, administer rates for resources, and generate Billing Reports.

Admin (Administrator)

Full authority to manage the platform, excluding organisation details and visibility of rates and financials.

Standard

A regular user who can create and submit daywork sheets, and compile summary reports.

Read Only

A user who can only view information.

Inactive

A user who has been disabled from the platform.

Client Management

Client Rep (Client Representative)

A designated person from the Client organisation who has authority to review and approve daywork sheets on behalf of the client. Individuals signing off the work on behalf of the Client.

Platform Features and Processes

Compile

The function to combine multiple approved daywork sheets into a summary report for client presentation or internal analysis.

Bill

The function to generate billing reports that combine multiple approved daywork sheets but also include cost calculations using Directory rates, ready for client invoicing.

Email Approval

The workflow where daywork sheets are sent digitally to Client Reps for remote review and approval via secure links.

In-Person Approval

The workflow where Client Reps sign daywork sheets directly on the user's device using digital or handwritten signatures.

Audit Trail

Complete digital record of all actions, approvals, and changes made to daywork sheets, automatically maintained by the platform.

Auto Top-up

Feature that automatically purchases additional sheet credits when balance falls below a set threshold to prevent workflow interruptions.

Photo Evidence

Digital photographs attached to daywork sheets to provide visual documentation of work completed and site conditions.

Schedule of Rates

Standardised rate sheet for labour, equipment, and materials used in billing calculations.

Construction Industry Roles

Main Contractor

The primary contractor responsible for overall project delivery, typically contracted directly by the client or developer. Main contractors manage the construction process, coordinate subcontractors, and are responsible for project completion.

Builder

A construction professional or company that constructs buildings and structures. Builders can operate as main contractors on smaller projects or as specialised subcontractors.

Subcontractor

A specialist contractor engaged by a main contractor, builder, or client to perform specific aspects of construction work. Subcontractors are the primary users of Dayworkbook for documenting work performed for their clients.

Superintendent

Also known as a Project Manager, Superintendents can be individuals or companies that manage site activities, coordinate trades, ensure quality and safety compliance, and often have authority to approve additional work or variations. On new construction projects, they may act as an intermediary between the Main Contractor and Developer.

Developer

An individual or company that purchases land, finances construction projects, and oversees the development process. Developers may directly engage contractors for construction work or work through main contractors.

Property Manager

A professional who manages real estate properties on behalf of owners, including maintenance, repairs, and tenant relations. Property managers frequently engage contractors for building maintenance, emergency repairs, and improvement projects that require daywork documentation.

Facility Manager

A professional responsible for managing and maintaining commercial, industrial, or institutional facilities. Facility managers coordinate ongoing maintenance, repairs, upgrades, and compliance work, often engaging contractors for specialised services that require detailed time and materials documentation.

Construction Industry Terminology

Time and Materials (T&M)

Work charged based on actual time spent, materials used, and equipment employed. Commonly used in North America for the same type of work that Dayworkbook documents.

Cost Plus (aka Construction Management)

A contract arrangement where the client pays all direct costs (labour, materials, equipment) plus an agreed percentage or fixed fee for overhead and profit.

Do-and-Charge

Colloquial term for work performed with billing based on actual hours, materials, and equipment used with appropriate markups applied.

Variation Claims

Requests for payment for work that differs from the original contract scope, often documented through daywork processes.

Unquotable Work

Construction work that cannot be priced upfront due to unknown scope, variations, emergencies, or time and materials arrangements.

Billing Substantiation

The process of providing detailed documentation and evidence to support billing claims, which Dayworkbook facilitates through comprehensive records.

Getting Started with Dayworkbook Platform
Creating Your First Daywork Sheet
Understanding User Roles and Permissions
Managing the Directory and Resources
Client Approval Workflows and Processes

Still Need Help?

If you need clarification on any terminology:

Reference this glossary during platform navigation
Contact support via website or in-app chat
Contact us via https://dayworkbook.com/contact/