You know you should document what’s happening at work.

The harder question is: what do you actually write down?

This free starter guide shows you how to create a clear incident note without turning it into a diary, a rant, or three pages of details nobody can follow.

You’ll learn the six pieces worth capturing, what kinds of workplace events are worth recording, and how to separate what you know from what you think may be happening.

You’ll also get a quick introduction to the three records that make up a stronger documentation system: your evidence file, CYA file, and wins file.

This guide focuses on the first step: creating a clean, useful record of an incident.