Glossary
The terms field service teams meet in contracts, tenders, and client conversations, in plain English. Each definition is written to stand on its own, so you can lift it straight into a bid or a reply.
Proof of service is verifiable evidence that a field service visit happened as contracted, typically combining a location-verified check-in, timestamped photos, and a completed checklist into a record a client can inspect. In field service it is distinct from the legal sense of 'proof of service' for court documents; here it means proof that work was performed.
A GPS check-in records a worker's device location and a timestamp at the moment they mark themselves on site, tying a specific person to a specific place and time. It is the single hardest piece of attendance evidence to dispute and the foundation of most proof-of-service records.
A geofence is a virtual boundary around a physical site used to verify that a check-in actually happened at the location. When a worker checks in, the app compares their GPS position against the geofence and flags anything outside range, so attendance is verified rather than self-reported.
An audit trail is a chronological, tamper-resistant record of what happened on each visit, who did it, and when, that can be produced on demand for a client, auditor, or insurer. In proof of service it is built automatically from check-ins, photos, and checklist completions rather than reconstructed from memory.
A proof-of-service report is a per-visit document, usually a branded PDF, that packages the GPS check-in, timestamped photos, checklist completion, and notes into one client-ready record. It is the artefact clients open to confirm a visit happened and the highest-leverage attachment in most service tenders.
A checkpoint scan is a GPS-verified or QR/NFC-tagged check at a defined point on a route, used to prove a worker physically reached each location. In security patrols a trail of geo-stamped checkpoint scans replaces a paper guard-tour sheet that could be filled in from anywhere.
A service level agreement (SLA) is the contracted standard a service provider commits to, such as visit frequency, response time, or checkpoint coverage. Proof-of-service records let both provider and client measure SLA compliance against real visit data instead of assertions.
Before-and-after photos are timestamped images of a site captured at the start and end of a visit to evidence the result of the work. Dated against a verified visit, they turn a subjective quality dispute into something the client can see for themselves.
A client portal is a secure web area where a service provider's clients can self-serve visit status, photo galleries, and proof reports without contacting the office. It shifts the relationship from a supplier the client has to monitor to one they can simply check.
Field service management (FSM) is the broad category of software for scheduling, dispatching, quoting, and invoicing mobile work. Proof of service is a narrower, evidence-focused discipline that sits alongside or inside FSM, concerned specifically with proving each visit happened rather than running the whole operation.
Photo evidence is timestamped visual proof captured during a field visit to show the condition of a site, the work completed, or an issue found. In proof of service, photos are strongest when tied to the visit record, GPS check-in, cleaner or technician, and checklist item.
A timestamped photo is an image stored with the date and time it was captured, so the photo can be matched to a specific visit. Timestamping turns a normal image into evidence that can support a client report, dispute response, or audit.
Proof of cleaning is evidence that a cleaning visit happened and the agreed cleaning tasks were completed. It usually combines GPS attendance, before-and-after photos, a completed checklist, notes, and an automatic client report.
Proof of attendance is evidence that a worker physically attended a site at a known time. It proves presence, while proof of completion goes further by showing the work that was performed during that attendance.
Proof of completion is evidence that contracted work was finished, not merely started or attended. It typically includes a completion checklist, final photos, notes, and a check-out timestamp tied to the same visit record.
A site checklist is a reusable task list mapped to the exact scope of work at one location. It helps crews perform consistently and gives managers a record of which contracted items were completed on each visit.
A photo-required task is a checklist item that cannot be marked complete until the worker attaches a photo. It is useful for high-risk or frequently disputed work such as washrooms, bins, entrances, equipment rooms, gates, and checkpoints.
Check-out is the action a worker takes when leaving a site, recording departure time and often triggering the final visit report. Paired with check-in, it establishes visit duration and closes the evidence record.
A visit record is the saved history of one service visit, including who attended, when they arrived and left, where they were, what tasks were completed, and what evidence was captured. It is the source document behind proof reports and dashboards.
A service report is the summary sent to a client after a visit, explaining what happened and attaching supporting evidence. In recurring field service, the best reports are generated automatically from check-ins, checklists, notes, and photos.
Quality assurance (QA) is the process a service business uses to verify that work meets the required standard before the client complains. For cleaning, landscaping, and patrols, QA usually combines site checklists, supervisor reviews, photo evidence, and exception tracking.
Exception reporting is the practice of recording anything unusual found during a visit, such as damage, blocked access, safety hazards, missed areas, or client-caused mess. Exceptions protect the service provider because they explain why a visit may not match the normal scope.
SLA compliance is the measured proof that a service provider met the standards promised in a service level agreement. It can include visit frequency, arrival windows, completion rates, checkpoint coverage, issue response times, and report delivery.
A missed visit is a scheduled service visit that did not happen or was not recorded as completed. Proof-of-service software helps detect missed visits quickly by comparing the schedule against check-ins and completed visit records.
An out-of-range check-in is a check-in attempt recorded outside the approved site geofence. It should be flagged for review instead of silently accepted, because it may indicate the worker was not physically at the client site.
A patrol report is a record of a security patrol showing the route, checkpoint visits, timestamps, notes, and evidence captured by the guard. A GPS-backed patrol report is more defensible than a paper log because each checkpoint is tied to time and location.
A remote-site patrol is a security or inspection visit across a location with limited supervision, long routes, or weak mobile coverage, such as a pipeline, solar farm, depot, or perimeter. These patrols need offline-capable GPS records and photo evidence because nobody is nearby to verify the work.
A cleaning tender response is the written bid a cleaning company submits for a contract or RFP. Strong responses prove methodology, QA, reporting, mobilisation, and compliance with sample evidence rather than generic promises.
A sample report is an example client-facing report attached to a proposal or tender to show what the buyer will receive after each visit. It turns reporting claims into something procurement teams can inspect before awarding the contract.
A client-ready report is a polished report that can be sent directly to a client without manual cleanup. It should include branding, plain-English visit details, photos, checklist results, and any exceptions in a format the client can open and understand.
Mobile forms are digital forms completed by field workers on a phone or tablet during a site visit. In proof-of-service workflows they replace paper sign-off sheets with structured data, timestamps, photos, and syncable visit records.
A recurring service business performs repeat visits for clients on a schedule, such as commercial cleaning, landscaping, security patrols, pool service, pest control, or facility maintenance. Recurring work depends on trust, which makes visit proof and consistent reporting especially valuable.
A service dispute is a disagreement between a client and provider about whether work happened, whether it was done correctly, or whether it met scope. GPS records, timestamped photos, checklists, and notes reduce disputes by replacing memory with evidence.