# How to write an incident log: template and example Source: https://lognoteapp.com/en/blog/incident-log-template-example Language: en Updated: 2026-09-28T16:13:31.453+00:00 Published: 2026-09-28T16:13:19.395+00:00 Write a clear incident log with a copyable template and a damaged-delivery example. Separate observations, event times, actions and open questions. A delivery arrives damaged. You take a quick photo, speak to someone and get on with your day. By the afternoon, the order of events is harder to recall. A short incident log helps you preserve what you observed and what happened next. You do not need formal language to make a useful record. You need a clear sequence, concrete details and an honest distinction between what you know and what you are unsure about. This guide includes a copyable template and a fictional example. ## What is an incident log? An incident log records a particular event and its follow-up. Unlike a daily work log, which covers a whole day or shift, it keeps one situation together: a damaged delivery, an equipment problem or an unexpected interruption. The useful questions are simple: What happened? When and where? What did you observe yourself? What action followed? What still needs checking? The same structure works on paper or in a notes app. ## Write the essentials while they are fresh Start as soon as it is practical. A short note now can hold more reliable detail than a polished account written much later. If you are writing from memory, say so. Mark an approximate time as approximate instead of choosing a precise minute you do not remember. Separate the time of the event from the time you wrote the note. A note created at 11:20 about a delivery around 10:40 should state both. The app’s timestamp records the entry; it does not by itself establish when the event occurred. ## A copyable incident log template Copy these fields into a note and fill in only what is relevant. Use “unknown” or “not checked” rather than guessing. - Event or reference: - Event date and time, including whether approximate: - Recorded on: - Location: - People involved or roles: - What I directly observed: - What someone else reported, and who: - Actions taken and their times: - Related photos or documents: - Open questions and next step: If you need to record an exact phrase, use quotation marks only when you remember or have recorded the wording accurately. Otherwise identify it as a summary. Keep observations separate from explanations you have not confirmed. ## Filled example: a damaged delivery The following example is fictional. It illustrates an everyday record, not a claim about an actual delivery. - Event: Damaged carton, delivery A17. - Event time: 28 September 2026, approximately 10:40. - Recorded on: 28 September 2026, 11:20, from memory and photos. - Location: Receiving area, rear entrance. - Observation: One corner of the outer carton was crushed. A tear was visible along the same edge. Contents had not been checked. - Reported information: The driver said the carton had already been damaged before arrival. This is a summary of the conversation, not an exact quote. - Action: Photographed the outer carton around 10:45. Set it aside for inspection. Contacted the supplier at 11:05. - Open question: Are the contents affected? - Next step: Inspect the contents and add the supplier’s reply. Notice what the example does not do: it does not turn an observation of damaged packaging into a conclusion about who caused it or whether the contents are broken. ## Keep later updates distinct Add a dated follow-up when you learn more: “14:15, contents checked; one item cracked. Supplier contacted again.” This is clearer than silently rewriting the original entry as though you already knew the outcome that morning. If you discover a mistake, identify the correction and when you made it. A useful record lets you understand how your knowledge developed. It does not require pretending the first note was complete. ![Illustrative Lognote app view with English demo notes. The delivery example in this article is fictional.](https://api.lognoteapp.com/v1/storage/buckets/website-assets/files/ws-20260921-detail-work/view?project=69af267e003c0ae63567) ## Use Lognote for capture and follow-up Choose an appropriate group, write the initial note and keep related updates there. Add a recognizable reference such as #deliveryA17 so you can find the relevant entries again. The [hashtag guide](https://lognoteapp.com/en/blog/organize-notes-with-hashtags) explains how to browse a topic across groups in the active workspace. If you add photos, explain what they show and how they relate to the event. A photo without context can leave the same questions as a vague sentence. Keep the event time in the text whenever it differs from the entry timestamp. For broader separation between work and personal notes, see [Workspaces in Lognote](https://lognoteapp.com/en/blog/workspaces-for-work-and-personal-notes). Before sharing or exporting, review the selected entries, check attachments and remove information the recipient does not need. ## Common mistakes to avoid - Mixing direct observations with assumptions about the cause. - Writing “earlier” or “later” without a date or approximate time. - Treating someone else’s explanation as something you witnessed. - Adding an outcome without identifying it as a later update. - Assuming a timestamp guarantees the accuracy or legal status of a record. This template is for organizing personal notes. It does not replace a required workplace reporting process, and a timestamped note is not automatically tamper-proof or legally conclusive. Start with the template, write the facts you actually know and leave a clear next step. A readable account of one event is more useful than a long document full of uncertain detail.