Security Guard Daily Activity Report: Free Template

By Nicole Hullihen, former SaaS Chief Operating Officer and Microsoft MVP · Updated October 25, 2026

Security work is mostly quiet hours with occasional moments that matter a lot. A daily activity report captures both: proof that patrols happened and doors were checked, and a clear record when something goes wrong. For security companies, DARs show clients the value of the service. For businesses with in-house security, they're an essential record of what happens after hours.

This guide includes a free security guard daily activity report template, explains what to record, how to write clear entries and how to use DARs for shift handoffs and client reporting.

What Is a Daily Activity Report?

A daily activity report (DAR) is a log a security officer completes during each shift. It records times, patrols, observations, activities and anything unusual. A DAR is different from an incident report: the DAR covers the whole shift, while an incident report documents a specific event in detail.

For significant events, see the employee incident report form.

Free Security Guard Daily Activity Report

Shift Start

Activity Log

Patrol Summary

Shift End

What to Record

Writing Clear DAR Entries

• Use exact times for every entry.
• Write what you saw and did, not opinions.
• Be specific about locations.
• Describe people and vehicles objectively: clothing, plate number, direction of travel.
• Write as it happens, not at the end of the shift.
• Don't erase or delete; cross out mistakes with a single line and initial.

Visitor and Delivery Entries

Record after-hours visitors and deliveries in the DAR and, if used, the visitor log: name, company, purpose, arrival and departure times and who authorized them. See the visitor log.

Keys and Equipment

Record which keys, radios, access cards and other equipment were received at the start of the shift and handed off at the end. Missing keys should be reported to a supervisor immediately. See the key control log.

Shift Handoff

A good handoff prevents issues from falling through the cracks between shifts.

1. Review open issues and unusual events with the incoming officer.
2. Hand off keys, radio and equipment and record it.
3. Point out anything in progress, such as a pending maintenance call.
4. Both officers sign the handoff section.

For general shift handoffs, see the end of shift report.

When to Write an Incident Report

• Injuries or medical emergencies.
• Theft, vandalism or property damage.
• Trespassing or confrontations.
• Police, fire or EMS response.
• Alarm activations with signs of entry.
• Anything your post orders or client requires.

Note the incident and the report number in the DAR, and complete the incident report before the end of the shift.

Reviewing DARs

Supervisors should review DARs every day for:

• Missing or late patrols.
• Incidents and open issues needing follow-up.
• Maintenance problems to pass to the client or facilities team.
• Patterns, such as repeated alarms or trespassing in one area.
• Report quality and training needs.

DARs for Clients

Security companies often share DARs or summaries with clients. Clean, consistent reports show what the client is paying for and build trust. Many companies send a daily or weekly summary with highlights, incidents and maintenance items, and attach full DARs on request.

Officer Time and Pay

DAR start and end times should match the officer's time records. Hourly officers must be paid for all time worked, including shift handoffs and any time spent finishing reports. Updoot's mobile time clock lets officers clock in at their post. See time clock software for security companies.

Paper vs. Digital DARs

If digital tools track officers' locations, give officers notice and follow your state's rules. See GPS tracking laws by state.

Example: An Office Building

A property manager's overnight officer wrote "All quiet" on most nights. After a break-in, there was no record of which doors had been checked or when. The manager introduced a DAR with timed patrol entries and required photos of open or damaged doors. Months later, a DAR entry about a broken latch on a back door led to a repair before anyone used it to get in.

Common DAR Mistakes

• "All quiet" entries with no detail.
• Writing the report at the end of the shift from memory.
• Opinions instead of facts.
• Missing times and locations.
• No incident report for significant events.
• No supervisor review.

Daily Activity Report Checklist

Sample Completed DAR Entries

This sample uses made-up names. Each entry has a time, what happened, where and what the officer did about it.

Patrol Checkpoints

List the checkpoints for each site in the post orders, and have officers record each one during patrols. Common checkpoints include:

• Exterior doors and gates.
• Loading docks.
• Parking lots and lighting.
• Mechanical and electrical rooms.
• Stairwells and roof access.
• High-value storage areas.

Varying patrol times, while still covering every checkpoint, makes patrols less predictable.

Post Orders

Post orders are the site-specific instructions officers follow: patrol frequency, checkpoints, access rules, emergency contacts and what to report. The DAR should reflect the post orders, and supervisors can use DARs to check that post orders are being followed. Keep post orders up to date and available at every post.

Emergency Contacts

Keep the list with the DAR so officers always have it.

Report Writing Tips for Officers

• Use 24-hour time if your company does.
• Write in the first person: "I observed..." or "Officer observed..." as your policy requires.
• Avoid slang and abbreviations not everyone knows.
• Describe, don't assume: "appeared to be" instead of guessing intent.
• Read entries back before signing.

Training New Officers on DARs

1. Review sample DARs and post orders.
2. Shadow an experienced officer for a shift.
3. Write a practice DAR and review it with a supervisor.
4. Review the difference between DAR entries and incident reports.
5. Get feedback on the first week of reports.

Weekly Client Summary

Mobile Patrol DARs

Mobile patrol officers visit several sites in one shift. Their DAR should list each site visit with arrival and departure times, what was checked and any issues found. A short summary per site makes it easy to send each client their own report.

Drive time between sites is part of the officer's workday. Make sure time records reflect the whole shift.

Retention and Confidentiality

DARs can contain sensitive information about clients, employees and visitors. Store them securely, share them only with people who need them and follow your contracts and any legal requirements for retention. If a DAR may be needed for an insurance claim or legal matter, keep it, along with any related incident reports and photos.

Common Questions About DARs

• How often should officers write entries? At least at every patrol and whenever something happens. Many companies set a minimum, such as every hour.
• Can officers include photos? Yes, where allowed by the site's rules; photos help document conditions.
• What if nothing happens? Record patrols and checks anyway. A quiet shift should still show what was done.

DAR Quick Tips

• Time-stamp every entry.
• Stick to facts.
• Record patrols even on quiet nights.
• Hand off keys and open issues in writing.
• Write incident reports for big events.

Supervisor DAR Review Checklist

In-House Security for Small Businesses

Businesses that employ their own security staff, such as hotels, warehouses, apartment communities and event venues, benefit from DARs just as much as security companies. Assign a manager to review DARs daily, keep post orders current and make sure security staff are scheduled, trained and paid for all time worked. Even a part-time overnight watch should keep a written record of every shift.

Getting Started This Week

1. Write or update post orders for each site.
2. Print the DAR template and incident report forms.
3. Train officers on writing clear entries.
4. Set a minimum entry frequency.
5. Start daily supervisor reviews.

Using Technology With DARs

• Checkpoint tags: officers scan tags at patrol points to record time and location.
• Mobile apps: entries with automatic time stamps and photos.
• Cameras: DAR entries can reference camera footage times.
• Time clocks: officer hours recorded at the post.

Technology helps, but officers still need to write clear observations. A scan proves the officer was there; the written entry explains what they saw.

What Clients Look for in DARs

Clients want to know their property was watched, problems were caught early and issues were reported to the right people. Consistent patrol records, clear maintenance notes and prompt incident reports show that. A short, professional summary each week often matters more to clients than pages of raw logs.

Building a Strong Reporting Culture

Officers write better reports when they know someone reads them. Supervisors should give regular feedback, point out excellent entries and follow up on issues officers report. When an officer's note about a broken light leads to a repair, tell them. Recognition and follow-through make officers more observant and more careful in their reports, which is exactly what clients are paying for.

Keep a few anonymized examples of excellent DARs to use in training new officers.

DARs and Liability

If something happens on a property, such as an injury, a theft or a dispute, DARs are often among the first records reviewed. Complete, timely and factual reports show what officers did and when. Reports written after the fact, missing entries or opinions in place of facts make that harder. Ask your insurance provider or attorney what records they recommend keeping.

Good reports protect the client, the security company and the officer.

Review the DAR template itself once a year, and update it when post orders, sites or client requirements change.

Manage Security Teams With Updoot

Updoot's scheduling covers every post, the mobile time clock records officer hours on site and SOP management keeps post orders and reporting procedures where every officer can find them.

Frequently Asked Questions