Incident reporting software: how officers file reports in Guardix

An incident report is often the only record a client, an insurer or a court will see of what happened on a shift. Incident reporting in Guardix lets officers file reports from their phone while they are clocked in, on forms the company builds, with photos stamped with the date, time and GPS position. Managers can then approve or reject reports and export them as a PDF.

Key points#

• Companies build their own report forms and choose which sites use each one.
• Every new site starts with ready-made incident forms, such as Trespassing, Vandalism and Police Onsite, which can be edited.
• Officers file reports in the mobile app while clocked in, with photos stamped with the date, time and GPS position.
• Reports with no signal wait on the phone and are sent when the signal comes back.
• Managers approve or reject reports and export them as a PDF.

The problem it solves#

Paper reports get lost, arrive days late and are hard to read. A report written at the end of a long shift often misses the time, the place or the name of the person involved, which are the facts a client asks about first.

Incident reporting software fixes the timing and the format. The officer writes the report on the spot, on a form that asks for the right details, and the manager sees it the same day instead of the next week.

Building the report forms#

Every company reports differently, and so does every client. In Guardix, companies build their own report forms from these parts:

• Headings to split a form into sections
• Text boxes for the officer's account
• Checkboxes for quick yes or no answers
• Dates and times
• Signatures
• File uploads

Managers choose which sites use each form. A parking garage can use a vehicle damage form, and an office lobby a visitor incident form, each built for the job.

Ready-made incident forms#

Nobody has to start from a blank page. Every new site starts with ready-made incident forms, such as Trespassing, Vandalism and Police Onsite. Each one can be edited to fit the site and the client's own reporting rules.

How the officer files a report#

1. Clock in. Officers file reports in the mobile app while they are clocked in to their shift, so each report belongs to a real shift at a real site.
2. Pick the form. The officer chooses the report form that fits what happened, from the forms set up for that site.
3. Fill it in. The officer answers the questions, adds the account in the text boxes and collects any signatures the form asks for.
4. Take the photos. Photos are taken with the app's camera and stamped with the date, time and GPS position, so a picture of a broken window shows when and where it was taken.
5. Send it. If there is no signal, in a basement or a stairwell, the app keeps the report on the phone and sends it when the signal comes back.

Help me write: clear reports from quick notes#

Not every good officer is a confident writer. The Help me write button turns an officer's quick notes into clear, first-person sentences. It does not add anything that is not in the notes or the photos.

If the notes leave out the basics, it asks a few short questions first, so a report does not go out without the facts it needs. Then the officer decides: Use this, to take the new wording, or Keep mine, to keep the original. The officer stays the author of the report.

Reports that should not be missed#

Some reports are routine rather than urgent, like an hourly report. Report templates, such as hourly reports, remind officers to file and alert officers and managers when a report is missed, so a gap is flagged instead of found later.

What the manager does#

Managers can approve or reject each report. That review gives a supervisor a set point to check the facts, the wording and the photos of every report.

Managers can also export reports as a PDF, ready to send to a client, attach to an insurance claim or keep with the site's records. See reports for more on reporting in Guardix.

What the client sees#

Clients see their own reports, including incidents, in the client portal, along with checklists, clock-ins and tours. What each client sees is controlled by client roles, and clients can export portal reports as a PDF, CSV or Excel file.

Managers can also set up a client report email that goes out daily, weekly or monthly with a PDF attached. It covers hours worked, reports submitted, incidents by category and completed patrol tours for the selected sites and period.

Frequently asked questions#

Can officers file an incident report without a signal?#

Yes. If a report cannot be sent because there is no signal, the app keeps it on the phone and sends it when the signal comes back. Officers file reports while they are clocked in to their shift.

Does the Help me write button add details to a report?#

No. It turns an officer's quick notes into clear, first-person sentences without adding anything that is not in the notes or photos. If the basics are missing, it asks a few short questions first, and the officer chooses to use the new wording or keep their own.

Can we use our own incident report forms?#

Yes. Companies build their own report forms from headings, text boxes, checkboxes, dates, times, signatures and file uploads, and choose which sites use each form. Every new site also starts with ready-made incident forms that can be edited.

How do clients get incident reports?#

Clients see their reports, including incidents, in the client portal, and can export them as a PDF, CSV or Excel file. Managers can also send a daily, weekly or monthly report email with a PDF that includes incidents by category.