Get your records ready for an inspection in ten minutes
By the Daybook teamPublished 20 October 2026Last checked 20 October 2026
Covers: All four UK nations, with differences noted
The short answer
Keep your food safety management system, daily diary, temperature, cleaning, pest and training records in one place, filled in as you go. When an officer arrives, you should be able to hand them over in minutes rather than hunt for them.
The records that matter
GOV.UK says you must keep records of your food safety systems, checks, and how you’ve put things right. In practice that means:
- Your food safety management system (SFBB pack, CookSafe, Safe Catering, or HACCP plan)
- Daily diary or opening and closing checks
- Temperature records: fridges, freezers, hot holding, cooking, cooling
- Cleaning schedule and records
- Pest control checks and contractor reports
- Training records for every food handler
- Allergen information for every dish
- Supplier and delivery records
The ten-minute routine
- Minute 1–2: open the food safety pack at the current diary page.
- Minute 3–4: pull this month’s temperature and cleaning records.
- Minute 5–6: find the pest control file and the latest contractor report.
- Minute 7–8: get the training records and allergen information.
- Minute 9–10: check yesterday’s and today’s checks are signed. If anything is missing, note why.
What an officer looks for in records
- Entries made at the time, not in a batch
- Different people signing for their own checks
- Problems written down, with what was done
- No unexplained gaps
- Records that match what they see in the kitchen
Making it quicker with Daybook
In Daybook a manager picks the dates and makes an inspection record PDF: a cover page, a record sheet for each day, exceptions and notes, the training register and certificate images. Every entry shows who signed it and when.
Free template
Inspection day checklist (PDF)
Sources
Rules can change and differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Check with your local authority food safety team if you’re unsure. Daybook helps you keep records. It does not give legal advice or certify training.
Keep this record on your phone
Inspection record, signed and dated.
Daybook is the food safety diary for UK kitchens. Staff sign each check on their own iPhone; the office reads the week and makes an inspection record for any dates.