Planned Site Visit Checklist
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About this planned site visit checklist
A planned site visit checklist keeps operational standards consistent across locations — without relying on memory, local habits, or whoever happens to be on shift. Use it to prepare properly, check what matters while you’re on site, and close out with clear actions and owners.
This checklist is for operations teams running routine planned visits, standards checks, and performance support visits. It includes preparation checks, in-process checks, escalation criteria, and close-out actions — so you stop guessing and start knowing what’s happening on the ground.
What this planned site visit checklist covers
- Visit basics: scope, objectives, and who needs to be involved
- Preparation: what to review before you arrive (actions, performance, risks, and evidence needs)
- On-site checks: standards, safety, process adherence, and proof
- Escalation: clear criteria and immediate containment actions
- Close-out: actions, owners, due dates, and follow-up
When to use it
Use this planned site visit checklist whenever you need a structured, repeatable way to assess performance and standards across sites. It’s especially useful when you’re visiting multiple locations, onboarding new managers, or trying to reduce repeat findings by tightening follow-up.
How to run a better site visit (without turning it into a tick-box exercise)
Start by agreeing the goal of the visit. If the site thinks you’re there for support but you’re actually auditing, you’ll get friction and half the truth. Then focus on evidence: what you can see, what you can verify, and what can be fixed quickly.
Finally, close out properly. A site visit only improves performance when findings become actions with owners and deadlines — and when you follow up before the next visit.
Make planned site visits measurable in Ocasta
Ocasta turns planned site visits into consistent data you can act on. Capture evidence, log actions with owners and due dates, and spot patterns across sites — so you can target support where it will make the biggest difference.
Disclaimer: This checklist is for general guidance only and does not constitute legal, regulatory, health and safety, or professional advice. You are responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable laws, standards, and internal policies.
Included questions
Here's what's included in this planned site visit checklist:
Visit basics and scope (7)
Confirm why you’re visiting, what ‘good’ looks like, and who needs to be involved — before you arrive on site.
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Text
What is the site name?
Use the official site name as shown in your location list.
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Text
What is the site ID or code?
Optional if your operation uses site codes.
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Text
What is the planned visit date and time?
Include the expected start and end time.
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Person
Who is leading this visit?
The person accountable for outcomes and follow-up.
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Person
Who is the site contact for the visit?
Usually the site manager or duty lead.
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Dropdown
What type of planned visit is this?
Pick the closest match so reporting stays consistent.
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Text
What are the top three objectives for this visit?
Write them as outcomes (for example: ‘close the top two audit gaps’).
Preparation checks (8)
Make sure you arrive with the right context, evidence needs, and a realistic plan — so you don’t rely on guesswork on the day.
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Yes/No
Have you reviewed actions from the last site visit?
Check what was due, what was completed, and what’s overdue.
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Yes/No
Have you reviewed recent performance data for this site?
Use the last 7–28 days (sales, waste, labour, service, safety, quality — whatever applies).
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Text
What risks or constraints should you plan around?
For example: staffing gaps, maintenance issues, peak trading, delivery windows, local events.
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Yes/No
Do you have the required documents and standards to hand?
For example: brand standards, safety requirements, last audit report, playbooks, policy updates.
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Yes/No
Has the visit agenda been shared with the site contact?
Include timing, focus areas, and who should attend.
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Yes/No
Have you planned around peak operating times?
If you must visit during peak, define what you will and won’t do during that window.
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Yes/No
Are evidence requirements clear for this visit?
What needs photos, signatures, measurements, or system screenshots?
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Yes/No
Are your tools and access ready?
Device charged, app access working, PPE available if needed, travel and site access confirmed.
Arrival and opening conversation (4)
Set expectations early. A planned site visit should feel structured, fair, and useful — not like a surprise test.
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Yes/No
Have you signed in and confirmed site rules (including safety requirements)?
Follow local sign-in, visitor, and PPE processes.
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Yes/No
Have you completed an opening check-in with the site lead?
Cover today’s priorities, constraints, and any immediate risks.
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Yes/No
Have you confirmed the visit scope, timing, and evidence expectations?
Make it clear what you will inspect, what you will sample, and what ‘pass’ looks like.
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Yes/No
Are there any immediate issues that require escalation before you start?
For example: safety hazards, critical system outages, serious staffing shortfalls.
In-process checks on site (9)
Verify standards in the real world: what customers see, what teams do, and what the site can prove with evidence.
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Vibe
How does overall site presentation look today?
Consider cleanliness, organisation, signage, and first impressions.
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Yes/No
Are any critical safety risks present right now?
If yes, stop and escalate immediately. Record what you saw and what was done to make safe.
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Vibe
Are key equipment and assets fit for use?
Look for damage, missing parts, overdue checks, or workarounds becoming normal.
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Vibe
Are stock or materials available to deliver today’s plan?
Check availability, storage, rotation, and any known shortages.
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Vibe
Are teams following the agreed processes while you observe?
Spot-check the steps that prevent errors, waste, and rework.
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Yes/No
Are critical records up to date and easy to evidence?
For example: checks, maintenance logs, training records, incident logs, compliance documentation.
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Text
What could break the customer or user experience today?
Write what you saw, where, and the likely impact if not fixed.
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Text
What are your top three findings so far?
Keep them specific and evidence-led (what, where, and why it matters).
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Yes/No
Have you captured evidence for key findings (photos, notes, or screenshots)?
Aim for enough evidence to remove debate later.
Escalation criteria and immediate actions (5)
Make escalation predictable. If something is unsafe, illegal, or likely to cause major disruption, it should not wait for the close-out.
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Yes/No
Does anything meet escalation criteria?
Escalate if there is an immediate safety risk, suspected non-compliance, a serious incident, or a risk of site closure/service failure.
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Dropdown
If escalation is required, what is the category?
Choose the closest match to speed up routing.
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Person
Who have you escalated to?
Name the accountable person (and role if helpful).
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Text
What immediate containment actions were taken?
What was done, by who, and when. Include any ‘stop work’ decisions.
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Yes/No
Have you set a follow-up deadline and next check-in?
Make the next step explicit so it doesn’t drift.
Close-out and actions (7)
Turn findings into clear actions with owners and deadlines. This is where a site visit becomes performance improvement, not paperwork.
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Yes/No
Have you completed a close-out conversation with the site lead?
Summarise what you saw, what matters most, and what happens next.
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Yes/No
Have all actions been logged with a clear owner and due date?
Avoid ‘the team’ as an owner. Name a person.
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Dropdown
Have actions been prioritised correctly?
Prioritise based on risk and customer impact, not convenience.
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Text
What good practice should be recognised or shared?
Call out specific behaviours or routines worth repeating elsewhere.
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Yes/No
Have you scheduled the next visit or check-in?
Even a short follow-up reduces repeat findings.
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Yes/No
Has a visit summary been sent to the right people?
Share outcomes, key risks, and top actions with relevant stakeholders.
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Signature
Sign-off
Confirms the visit was completed and the close-out was reviewed.