A daily activity record summarizes routine service activity, while an incident report focuses on a specific occurrence that requires more detail. The exact formats are set by the provider or client.
At a glance
- Ontario requires guards to be trained on different types and purposes of reports.
- Routine activity and exceptional incidents may need different levels of detail.
- Whatever the form, reports should remain factual, clear and appropriate to the audience.
What changes between the options?
Security choices are easier to compare when the client separates presence, verification, response and reporting. Different approaches can use the same licensed security workforce while creating a different level of continuous presence, timing and client visibility.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| When is security physically present? | Clarifies whether the assignment is continuous, scheduled or event-based. |
| What is security expected to verify? | Turns a broad service label into observable duties. |
| What happens when an exception is found? | Defines who is contacted and what response is actually available. |
| What record does the client receive? | Prevents a service from being described more broadly than the documentation supports. |
Questions to confirm
- What information does the client need every shift?
- What events trigger a separate incident report?
- How are related records linked together?
Picture this at your property
A patrol shift has six normal checks and one broken window. The activity log can show the checks, while a separate incident report can capture the broken window, notifications and follow-up.
The value of the example is the decision process: identify what is known, what remains uncertain, who has authority, and what information should be preserved for follow-up.
Practical takeaway
The useful decision is not which option sounds stronger in isolation. Compare the property’s actual operating conditions, the level of presence or verification required, the response process and what the client needs to see in the service record.
Official sources & verification
1. Section 4: Report writing — Government of Ontario
2. Section 3: Basic security procedures — Government of Ontario
3. Section 9: Effective communications — Government of Ontario
Last reviewed: 2026-08-08. This resource is general information for security planning and service discussions. It is not a guarantee that crime, loss, injury or other incidents will be prevented, and it does not replace a site-specific assessment, client instructions, emergency plans, regulator requirements, insurer requirements or legal advice.