SFBB diary or digital food diary? An honest comparison
By the Daybook teamPublished 20 October 2026Last checked 20 October 2026
Covers: England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with notes for Scotland
The short answer
Both are acceptable: GOV.UK says the SFBB diary can be kept on paper or electronically. Paper is free and familiar; a digital diary records who signed each check and when, flags problems, and is easier to hand to an inspector. The right choice depends on your team.
Side by side
| Paper SFBB diary | Digital food diary | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Usually a subscription or set-up fee |
| Who signed | Initials, if someone writes them | Recorded with each entry |
| When | Whatever time is written | Recorded automatically |
| Missed checks | Spotted when someone reads the page | Shown in a week view |
| Corrections | Crossings-out | Dated corrections kept beside the original (in Daybook) |
| Inspection day | Find the folder | Make a PDF for the dates asked for |
| Without signal | Always works | Depends on the app; Daybook saves on the phone first |
Where paper wins
- It costs nothing
- Everyone understands it
- No phones, no logins, no updates
Where paper struggles
- Entries filled in at the end of the week
- No way to tell who actually did a check
- Missing days only noticed later
- Pages lost, wet or torn
Questions to ask before you switch
- Does every person sign as themselves, or one shared login?
- Can signed records be changed later? (They shouldn’t be quietly.)
- Does it work with a weak signal in the walk-in or cellar?
- Can you get all your records out, any time?
- Does it make claims it can’t back up, such as “HACCP certified”?
Either way
A digital diary doesn’t replace your food safety management system. Your safe methods still say how you work; the diary is the record that you did.
Free template
Cafe opening 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.