What it’s for
Before a subcontractor goes to site, you need to know their insurance and accreditations are in date. When one has lapsed and something goes wrong, you’re the one explaining it to the client. The tracker keeps every document for every subcontractor on one sheet, with its expiry date and how many days are left.
What’s in it
- Start here: how to use it, in four lines.
- The tracker: one row per document, per subcontractor. Trade, contact, the document, its reference or policy number, cover amount, issued and expiry dates, days left, status, who checked it, and notes.
- Status fills itself in: Valid, Due soon within 30 days, or Expired, in amber and red.
- The top row and the first column stay put as you scroll, and every column has a filter.
Documents worth tracking
These turn up for most UK FM and maintenance subcontractors. Ask your clients and your insurer what they need from yours.
- Public liability insurance. Check the cover amount against what your client contracts ask for.
- Employer’s liability insurance. Required by law for most companies that employ people, with at least £5 million of cover.
- Professional indemnity, if they design or advise.
- Gas Safe registration, for any work on gas appliances.
- NICEIC or NAPIT, for electrical work.
- F-gas company certificate, for air conditioning and refrigeration.
- CHAS, SafeContractor or Constructionline, where your clients ask for them.
- RAMS for the job, plus training such as asbestos awareness, CSCS cards, and DBS checks for work in schools.
How to use it
- One row per document, per subcontractor. Overwrite the example row, then copy it down.
- Fill in the green cells. Days left and status work themselves out.
- Before you send anyone to site, filter Status for Expired and Due soon.
- Check it every week, and every time a new subcontractor starts.
When the spreadsheet stops working
A sheet only knows what someone typed into it. In docket, subcontractors upload their own insurance and accreditations from docket Trade, free, and docket tracks every expiry date. It stops you sending work to a subcontractor whose required documents have run out, unless an admin records a reason. One press emails them to upload the new one.