Record Dates and Locations for Site Photos
A site photo can have several relevant dates: when it was captured, when it was received, when it was added to the app and when the report was issued. Keep those events distinct so the document does not imply an inspection happened at the wrong time.
By Blu Mint Digital. 3 minute read. Last reviewed .
Record the visit context explicitly
For your own images, enter the project location and relevant observation date in the record or caption. Check the device date before a planned visit if timing matters to the reporting process. Use a stable room and component reference rather than relying on camera-roll order.
File metadata may help investigate timing, but it can be missing or changed during copying, editing or messaging. Treat it as information to assess, not an automatic guarantee of when the observed condition existed.
Keep four dates separate
- Capture: when the photograph was taken, if known.
- Receipt: when someone supplied it to you.
- Import: when it entered the working inspection record.
- Issue: when the PDF containing it was distributed.
The report's inspection date should reflect the actual visit or clearly described scope. A PDF generated today can legitimately contain last week's observations, provided the document explains that sequence.
Example of an uncertain image date
Suppose a contractor sends a photo on 7 October and says it was taken after a repair. If the exact capture date is unknown, a caption can say “Received from contractor on 7 October; stated to show the repaired item. Capture date unconfirmed.”
Do not label it “Inspected 7 October” unless that is what happened. If the image is later checked during a return visit, add a new note with the date and scope of your own observation rather than rewriting the supplied image's history.
Do not promise automatic location proof
Site Audit provides location fields and captions. This workflow does not rely on automatic GPS verification, tamper-proof timestamps or a certified evidence chain. Write the location in a form the recipient can use and include a context image when it helps establish the component.
Before issue, compare photo captions with the report date and scope comments for contradictions. Retain the exact file issued and the working-data backup. Use the version-control guide for later corrections and the pre-start condition workflow when the timing of the baseline is central to understanding the photos.