Frequently asked questions
Quick answers, pulled from the help centre guides. Each one links to the full step-by-step guide.
Getting started
Why won't my document generate?
The most common reason: company details aren't complete. Company name, company address (address line and postcode) and company email are required before any document generates — they appear on your PDFs. Fill them in Settings and retry; the message tells you exactly which field is missing.
Full guide: Set up your company details (required before generating)
Can I add my logo?
Yes — on Pro and above, upload your company logo in Settings and it appears on your documents.
Full guide: Set up your company details (required before generating)
How do I use a saved site on a project?
On the project's Details tab (and when creating a project), the Site section shows a "Use a saved site" dropdown — picking one fills the address and nearest hospital. The People section has matching "Use saved contact" dropdowns.
What contact types can I save?
Client, Principal Contractor, Principal Designer, Architect, Structural Engineer and Emergency contacts.
What should I store here?
Company-level paperwork you get asked for on every job: public liability, employers' liability and professional indemnity insurance, your health & safety and environmental policies, and certifications. Store it once — it's available across all your projects.
Full guide: Store company documents: insurance, policies, certifications
Does it track expiry?
Yes — give a document an expiry date and its status turns amber as renewal approaches and red once expired, so a lapsed insurance certificate can't sit unnoticed.
Full guide: Store company documents: insurance, policies, certifications
What file types can I upload?
PDF, DOC, DOCX, or an image (JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC).
Full guide: Store company documents: insurance, policies, certifications
Projects
How many projects do I get on the free plan?
Starter includes one project with unlimited documents on it. Pro (£39/mo, or £360/yr billed annually) unlocks unlimited projects.
What does the role question change?
Your CDM role (Principal Contractor, Only Contractor, or Subcontractor) decides which documents and steps apply — subcontractors get a shorter flow and don't see the pre-construction plan upload. You can change the role later from the project overview.
What can the AI pull out of a pre-construction plan?
Upload the PCPP PDF your client sent and the AI reads every page — site address, client details, hazards and team members — and sets the project up for you. You review everything before it's final.
Why doesn't the RAMS wizard ask for my assembly point?
Because you set it once on the project's Details tab, under Emergency Information. Your CPP, RAMS, Site Induction and Emergency Plan all draw from there — you're never asked twice. Change it in one place and regenerate the documents that use it.
Full guide: Edit project details — and set emergency info once
Can I change my CDM role after creating the project?
Yes — the top of the Details tab has the role selector (Principal Contractor, Only Contractor, Subcontractor). Changing it adjusts which documents and tabs apply.
Full guide: Edit project details — and set emergency info once
How do I find the nearest A&E?
In the Emergency Information section, click "Look up nearest A&E from the site address" — it finds the closest hospital from your site postcode. You can also type it manually.
Full guide: Edit project details — and set emergency info once
What's the difference between filling fields and uploading a PCPP?
Same result, less typing. Upload your client's Pre-Construction Information Pack as a PDF (up to 25MB) and the AI extracts the details — you choose "Fill empty fields only" (the default) or "Overwrite all fields with AI". Word files (DOC/DOCX) can be uploaded too, but only as the stored source document: AI extraction works on PDFs, so export the pack to PDF first if you want the fields filled.
Full guide: Site Info: upload a PCPP and manage site background
Why can't I see the Site Info tab?
It shows when you're running the job (Principal Contractor or Only Contractor). Subcontractor-role projects don't have it — your PC holds the pre-construction information.
Full guide: Site Info: upload a PCPP and manage site background
Who can edit site information?
Owners and admins. Other team members can view it read-only.
Full guide: Site Info: upload a PCPP and manage site background
Why does my RAMS refuse to generate without a task?
A RAMS must include a method statement, and method statements are built from your trade tasks. Add at least one task on the Methods tab (or in the RAMS wizard's "What you're doing" step) and it unlocks.
My trade or task isn't in the library — what do I do?
Add it under "Custom work types": set the trade, task name and method statement, and tick "Save to my library for reuse" so it's there for the next job.
If I edit a method statement here, does the issued RAMS change?
No — generated documents are frozen snapshots. Edit the task, then regenerate the RAMS so the PDF picks up your wording, and workers re-sign the new version.
Which image types work?
JPG, PNG, WebP and HEIC (iPhone photos upload as-is and are converted automatically), up to 25MB each. You can select several at once.
How do photos get into my CPP?
Tick "Include in CPP" on each image you want — the CPP wizard's Site Photos step picks them up.
How does the RIDDOR flagging work?
Automatically. A fatal or major-severity incident, a dangerous occurrence, or a description mentioning things like fractures, hospitalisation or seven-day absences gets flagged "RIDDOR may apply" with the reporting deadline, plus a direct link to the HSE RIDDOR portal. Reporting to the HSE is still your action — once you've done it, click "Mark as reported to HSE" so the record shows it.
Full guide: Log incidents and near misses (with RIDDOR flagging)
Should I log near misses too?
Yes — Near Miss is the default type for a reason. A logged near-miss trail shows an inspector you spot and act on hazards before they become injuries.
Full guide: Log incidents and near misses (with RIDDOR flagging)
Which plan includes the incident log?
Pro and above (project-scoped).
Full guide: Log incidents and near misses (with RIDDOR flagging)
What permit types are there?
Six: Hot Works, Working at Height, Confined Space, Electrical Isolation, Excavation, and General for anything else.
When does a permit expire?
At the end time you set when issuing it. Active permits are listed separately from expired and revoked ones, so the live picture is always at the top.
Can I cancel a permit early?
Yes — click Revoke Permit on the active permit. Revoking can't be undone; issue a fresh permit if the work resumes.
What does a diary entry record?
Date, workers on site, weather and temperature, what work was done (the only required field), issues or safety concerns, delays, visitors, and photos.
Why bother with a daily diary?
Because six months later, "what happened on the 14th?" decides disputes, delay claims and insurance arguments. HSE inspectors regularly ask for site diaries too. A two-minute entry with a photo is cheap insurance.
When does a project need an F10?
Under CDM 2015: construction work lasting more than 30 working days with more than 20 workers on site at once, or exceeding 500 person-days. The page checks your project's duration and workforce automatically and tells you either way.
Full guide: F10 notification: check if you need one, and prepare it
Does The Site Book submit the F10 to the HSE for me?
No — the HSE only accepts F10s through its own online form. We pre-fill the data for you to copy across, link you to the HSE portal, and record the date once you mark it submitted.
Full guide: F10 notification: check if you need one, and prepare it
The check says my project isn't notifiable — is that recorded?
Yes, the page states the project doesn't exceed the thresholds, based on the details you've entered. If the job grows (longer duration, more workers), update the project details and check again — notifiability can change.
Full guide: F10 notification: check if you need one, and prepare it
Documents
Do I need a CPP for a small domestic job?
CDM 2015 requires a construction phase plan for every construction project, sized to the job. For straightforward domestic jobs where you're the only contractor, we offer a lightweight CPP — the same document type, proportionate content.
What's the difference between the lightweight and full CPP?
The lightweight wizard is a shorter path for domestic only-contractor jobs. You can switch to the full wizard at any point if the job warrants it — both produce a proper CPP.
Is the CPP free?
Yes — CPP generation is included on every plan, including Starter's free project.
Why is it sending me to the CPP first?
When you're running the job, your Construction Phase Plan needs to exist before RAMS — the RAMS draws on it. Generate the CPP from the Documents tab first, then come back.
What's the score on my finished RAMS?
Every document gets a site-specificity score out of 100. Above 70 shows as "Tailored to your site"; lower scores list concrete suggestions — vague phrases like "appropriate PPE", missing site details, weak controls — with a Re-check button once you've tightened them.
Can workers sign the RAMS digitally?
Yes, on Business and above — turn on RAMS sign-off from the project's Access tab (the "RAMS sign-off" setting, tick "Required") and every worker gets it in their crew-link portal alongside inductions and toolbox talks.
Is RAMS generation on the free plan?
Yes. RAMS, CPPs and site inductions are all included on Starter's free project.
I can't find a substance in the catalogue — what now?
Upload the manufacturer's Safety Data Sheet: click Upload SDS, drop the PDF, and the AI extracts hazard statements, PPE, first aid, exposure limits and disposal information. Review each field (they're confidence-badged), then click Add to my COSHH library.
Do COSHH records carry across projects?
Yes — your COSHH library is account-wide. Assess a substance once and reuse it on every project. Substances also appear in the RAMS wizard's COSHH step.
Which plan includes COSHH?
COSHH is included on Pro (£39/mo) and above. Starter can see the surface but needs an upgrade to use it.
Do workers sign COSHH assessments?
No — workers can read COSHH assessments in their portal, view-only. Sign-off is collected on inductions, toolbox talks, emergency plans and (optionally) RAMS.
How do workers sign the induction?
Send the project's crew sign-off link. Each worker picks their name, reads the induction on their phone and signs — every induction automatically requires sign-off from every active worker on the project.
Full guide: Site inductions: generate, deliver and collect signatures
What happens when I add a worker after the induction is generated?
New active workers are enrolled for sign-off too — the Worker Sign-Off panel shows them as pending until they've read and signed.
Full guide: Site inductions: generate, deliver and collect signatures
Which languages are available for multilingual crews?
On Business and above, key site H&S details can be shown to workers in Polish, Romanian, Lithuanian, Bulgarian, Russian, Ukrainian, Portuguese and Spanish. English is always the authoritative record, and you can review every translation before workers see it.
Full guide: Site inductions: generate, deliver and collect signatures
How do attendees sign?
Two ways. In person: click Collect Signatures on the talk's document page — the deliverer signs first, then the phone is passed round and each attendee signs in turn. Remotely: workers sign through the crew link like any other sign-off document, or use the "Share link for remote attendees" after the deliverer has signed.
Can I create several talks at once?
Yes — select more than one topic in the wizard and it switches to batch mode, creating them all in one go (batch skips the per-talk AI review step).
Which plan includes toolbox talks?
Pro (£39/mo) and above.
Why doesn't the wizard ask about my fire strategy or assembly point?
Those are set once in your project's Details tab under Emergency Information — fire strategy, assembly point, nearest A&E, first aid, emergency procedures, scenarios and utility isolation points all flow into the plan automatically. Incident (RIDDOR) reporting is included for you.
Do workers sign the Emergency Plan?
Yes — emergency plans always collect worker sign-off, same as site inductions and toolbox talks. Send the crew link and track it on the Worker Sign-Off panel.
What can the person I share with actually do?
Your choice when creating the link: "View & Sign" lets them read and add a signature (name, role, company, consent); "View only" is read-only. Links can expire after 7, 30 or 90 days, or never — and you can revoke a link at any time.
What happens when I regenerate a document?
A new version is created. Anyone holding a share link to the old version sees a "this document may be out of date" warning, worker sign-offs reset to pending for the new version (old signatures are kept as evidence), and manager acknowledgements are marked superseded. Regenerate whenever project details change — the PDF is a frozen snapshot.
Why does my PDF have a footer on the free plan?
Starter PDFs carry a footer; Pro and above download clean, unbranded PDFs — better for sending to clients.
What do the score bands mean?
Above 70: "Tailored to your site" — good, with optional tips. 40–70: suggestions to strengthen the document. Below 40: things to review — usually missing site details or vague phrases an inspector would query.
Full guide: The site-specificity score: prove your documents aren't templates
What kind of things get flagged?
Vague phrases like "appropriate PPE" (which PPE?), a missing site address or access details, no nearest-hospital information, weak or generic controls. Each suggestion says what to change in plain English.
Full guide: The site-specificity score: prove your documents aren't templates
How do I act on a suggestion?
Edit the wording it points at — in the document editor or the underlying project detail it names — then click "Re-check →" on the score panel to re-score. The suggestions are guidance to apply yourself, not automatic rewrites.
Full guide: The site-specificity score: prove your documents aren't templates
Workers & sign-off
What's the difference between the Workers directory and a project's Workers tab?
The Workers directory (sidebar → Workers) is your account-wide team list — add someone once with their certs. A project's Workers tab is who's on that specific job: add them there to include them in the project's inductions and sign-off records.
How do expiry alerts work?
Each certification records an expiry date. As it approaches, the worker's compliance status turns amber, then red when expired — with a dashboard banner telling you how many certs need attention, and email reminders so nothing lapses quietly.
Is cert tracking on the free plan?
The account-wide Workers directory with cert tracking is Pro (£39/mo) and above. Adding workers to a project — for inductions and sign-offs — works on every plan.
Do workers need an account or an app to sign?
No. The crew link opens in their phone browser. They pick their name from your project worker list, read each document and sign — nothing to install, no login to create.
Full guide: Get your crew to sign off documents from their phones
Which documents do workers sign off?
Site inductions, toolbox talks and emergency plans always collect sign-off on every plan. On Business and above you can additionally require RAMS sign-off per project (Access tab). Construction Phase Plans don't collect worker sign-off, and COSHH assessments are shown to workers view-only.
Full guide: Get your crew to sign off documents from their phones
What if the link gets shared outside my crew?
Workers can only pick names already on your project worker list — nobody can add themselves. If a link leaks, press New link on the Workers tab: the old link stops working immediately.
Full guide: Get your crew to sign off documents from their phones
Is the crew sign-off link on the free plan?
Yes — worker sign-off works on every plan, including Starter.
Full guide: Get your crew to sign off documents from their phones
Can a worker sign for someone else?
Each worker claims their own name and gets their own personal portal link. Signatures are recorded against the claimed name with a timestamp. Like any signature process, tell your crew to sign for themselves — the audit record shows exactly which name signed, from which claimed identity, and when.
Full guide: What your workers see when they open the crew link
Can workers skim straight to the signature?
No — the portal walks each document step by step, and workers have to page through the content before the sign step unlocks. Each sign-off records how the read was proven.
Full guide: What your workers see when they open the crew link
What about COSHH assessments?
Workers can read COSHH assessments in the portal, but COSHH is view-only — it doesn't collect signatures.
Full guide: What your workers see when they open the crew link
Why did everyone go back to pending after I regenerated a document?
That's deliberate. Sign-offs are tied to the exact document version a worker read. When you regenerate, the old signatures are kept as evidence of what each worker actually saw, and everyone gets a fresh pending sign-off for the new version — so your records always show who has signed the current document.
Why doesn't my CPP have a sign-off panel?
Construction Phase Plans don't collect worker sign-off — they're your plan of how the site is run, not a document workers attest to. Site inductions, toolbox talks and emergency plans always collect sign-off; RAMS sign-off can be required per project on Business and above (Access tab).
Do I need to refresh the page to see new signatures?
No — the panel updates itself every 30 seconds while the page is open, and there's a refresh icon on the panel if you want to check right now.
What's in the Audit-Ready Pack?
A cover summary, your project documents merged into one PDF, worker document sign-offs grouped by document and version, worker certification status, and incident records — the full audit trail for the project in one file.
Full guide: Export your audit trail with the Audit-Ready Pack
Which plans include the Audit-Ready Pack?
Pro and above. It's available when you're running the job (not on subcontractor-role projects).
Full guide: Export your audit trail with the Audit-Ready Pack
The pack says some documents are missing — what does that mean?
If a document's PDF couldn't be retrieved, the pack names it rather than silently shipping incomplete. Regenerate the named documents, then build the pack again.
Full guide: Export your audit trail with the Audit-Ready Pack
What's the difference between the sidebar Subcontractors page and a project's Subcontractors tab?
The sidebar page is your account-wide directory — a firm's insurance, RAMS and liability documents carry across every project. A project's Subcontractors tab is which firms are on that job, with per-project scope, supervision and RAMS reference.
Full guide: Track subcontractors: insurance, RAMS and expiry alerts
How do the expiry alerts work?
Each document records an expiry date. Firms show as Compliant, Attention or Blocked, and a banner flags anyone with expired or missing documents so you know who to chase before it bites.
Full guide: Track subcontractors: insurance, RAMS and expiry alerts
What does "working under your direction" change?
It classifies the firm's people as workers under your control — confirming it adds them to your worker register, so they're included in inductions and sign-off records. Firms "managing their own work" stay separate.
Full guide: Track subcontractors: insurance, RAMS and expiry alerts
Which plan includes subcontractor tracking?
Pro and above. The Business evidence review workflow is Business and above.
Full guide: Track subcontractors: insurance, RAMS and expiry alerts
Site access & team site tools
How many portal users do I get?
Business includes 25 active site portal users across your account (Site Control is unlimited). The Portal users section shows both counts — this project and account-wide. Deactivating someone frees their slot.
How does a portal user log in?
They don't need an account — each portal user gets a personal magic link (Copy it from their row and send it). It opens their site portal with the project's details, documents, COSHH information and files.
Can I let a team member run site access without making them an admin?
Yes — under Site access managers, assign an account member to this project. They get attendance and access-request visibility for this project only; full portal-user management stays with owners and admins.
Is Site Access on Pro?
No — the Site Access surface (portal, attendance, files) is Business and above. Worker document sign-off via the crew link works on every plan and doesn't need Site Access.
How do workers check in?
From their side — through their portal link, or on Site Control through the site entrance QR. You see the live list on the Access tab and can check anyone out manually.
Full guide: Site attendance: who's on site, history and reports
Someone forgot to check out — can I fix the record?
Yes. In Attendance history, click Correct on the row, set the right times, add a correction note and save. Corrections are recorded, not silent edits.
Full guide: Site attendance: who's on site, history and reports
Where's the monthly H&S report?
In the H&S attendance section header: "Download monthly H&S CSV" and "Download monthly H&S PDF" cover the current month, alongside full exports and the audit log.
Full guide: Site attendance: who's on site, history and reports
What file categories are there?
Drawings, plans, H&S documents, procedures, RAMS, CPPs, emergency information and other — the category shows in the portal so people find the right file fast.
What does "Requires acknowledgement before work starts" do?
It marks the file as must-read: you can then request acknowledgements and see who has confirmed reading it — the evidence trail that the drawing revision or procedure actually reached the crew.
What happens when I replace a file?
You choose: re-request acknowledgements for the new version, or replace quietly without new requests. Re-requesting is the right call when the content change matters on site.
How is this different from worker sign-off?
Worker sign-off is the crew attesting they've read and signed a document. Manager acknowledgements are the management layer — the people running the job confirming the current version before work starts. Both are version-aware.
What do I get on Business vs Site Control?
Business includes read acknowledgements on site files ("Requires acknowledgement before work starts") and the internal Business review history on documents. Requesting manager acknowledgements against a generated document version is Site Control.
What happens to acknowledgements when I regenerate the document?
They're marked Superseded — the record of who confirmed the old version stays, and you can request acknowledgements again for the new one.
Does the Business review history send emails?
No — it's an internal evidence log. The buttons record review states (in review, reviewed, approved, changes needed, superseded) against the document without triggering any external workflow.
Does this email the subcontractor or give them an upload portal?
No — it's deliberately your internal record of what you checked and what you concluded. It doesn't send evidence request emails or open a self-upload portal for the firm.
What evidence types can I record?
RAMS, insurance, liability, H&S policy, training, certificates, and other — each with an optional file link, expiry date and your review note.
Who can record and approve evidence?
Owners and admins, on Business and above.
Which plan includes inspections?
Business and above. The tab is visible on every plan so you can see what it does; below Business it shows the upgrade path instead of records.
Can I assign an action to someone on site?
Yes — each corrective action takes a responsible person and a due date, and actions can be assigned to portal users. Track them Open → In progress → Done.
What does "Summarise with AI" do?
It turns your rough walkaround notes into a tidy inspection summary — you review it before saving, like everything AI-drafted.
Site Control
Can someone check in without doing the induction?
No — induction acknowledgement is a hard gate in every mode. The check-in button stays disabled until they've confirmed the induction.
Full guide: Site Control: entrance QR, contractor self-join and gate policy
Do I have to approve every contractor manually?
Your choice — the Gate sign-in policy sets it: Balanced (sign in now, verify CSCS after — recommended), Controlled (everyone waits for approval), Trusted firms (known companies go straight in), or Open (lightest checks).
Full guide: Site Control: entrance QR, contractor self-join and gate policy
What happens if the QR poster leaks off site?
Treat a leaked QR as live: in Balanced and Open modes a newcomer who acknowledges the induction can sign in immediately (CSCS is verified after). Hit Regenerate or Disable on the Access tab straight away — the old QR stops working immediately — or switch the gate policy to Controlled so everyone waits for approval.
Full guide: Site Control: entrance QR, contractor self-join and gate policy
What counts as a plot signed off?
Every trade on the plot showing Signed. A trade signs off one of two ways, depending on your project's mode: you mark it signed manually, or the contractor signs a document via a sign-off link — which records it automatically and emails a certified PDF to you and the contractor.
Can I create fifty plots at once?
Yes — "Add a range" generates numbered plots in one go (Plot 1 … Plot N).
Can the API create or update data?
No — the v1 API is read-only by design. Scopes cover projects, documents, workers, certifications and attendance, rate-limited at 120 requests a minute. Full reference at thesitebook.co.uk/docs/api.
Full guide: Enterprise integrations: SSO, API keys and webhooks
How do I set up SSO?
SSO set-up is done with our team — Okta, Microsoft Entra ID or any SAML 2.0 provider. Email [email protected] to get started; it typically takes one working day. Once active you can flip "Require SSO" to enforce it for your whole team (the owner keeps break-glass access).
Full guide: Enterprise integrations: SSO, API keys and webhooks
What events do webhooks send?
Documents generated and signed, certificates expiring, workers checking in, and inductions acknowledged — signed with HMAC-SHA256 so your systems can verify each delivery.
Full guide: Enterprise integrations: SSO, API keys and webhooks
Team & billing
How much does it cost?
Starter is £0 — one real project, free, no card needed. Pro is £39/mo, or £360/yr billed annually (£30/mo). Business is £199/mo. Site Control, the per-site tier for principal contractors, is £675/site/mo plus a £5,000 setup, sales-led.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes — Settings → Billing, no minimum term, no cancellation fees. You keep access until the end of your billing period, your documents are never deleted, and you keep read-only access to your history afterwards.
Is there a free trial or a refund policy?
You don't need a trial — Starter gives you one real project completely free, no card required, and it stays yours. On paid plans there's no minimum term: cancel anytime and you keep access until the end of the billing period, so there's nothing to claw back.
How do I invite team members?
Business and above includes up to 5 internal team logins — owners invite admins or members from Team settings; admins can invite members. Pro is one internal login, with read-only document sharing for clients and principal contractors.
Can I export my data?
Yes — Settings → Export downloads everything as a ZIP: all documents, all projects, all metadata. Available anytime, including after cancelling.
What payment methods are accepted?
All major credit and debit cards via Stripe — Visa, Mastercard, American Express. Payments are secure and PCI compliant.
What can each role do?
Members can work in the account. Admins can also manage projects and site access, and invite members. Owners can additionally manage the team itself — change roles, remove members and invite admins.
Do site portal users count against my team seats?
No. Team seats are internal logins. Site portal users (workers, subcontractors, visitors using the portal) are managed per project and counted separately.
How many logins do I get?
Business includes up to 5 internal team logins as standard (£199/mo). The Team page shows how many seats are reserved, including pending invitations.
When do I get the free month?
When someone who signed up through your link upgrades to Pro — not just on signup. The month is added to your subscription automatically.
How do I track my referrals?
The Invite & Earn page shows two counters: people who signed up with your link, and how many of them upgraded to Pro.
Integrations
What does the Google Drive integration do?
Exports your RAMS, CPP and COSHH assessments as PDFs to your own Google Drive, automatically organised by project — your filing system stays yours.
What can Zapier trigger on?
Three events: New Project Created, Worker Added to Project, and Document Generated. Generate a personal API key on the Integrations page and use it in your Zapier dashboard to connect 5,000+ apps.
What is Slack Site Ready?
On Business and above: ask "Site Ready" from Slack and it combines the project's compliance state with recent site-channel context into a red/amber/green digest — with the blockers and one-click actions like sending sign-off links. It's on-demand, not a notification feed.
Which plans include integrations?
Google Drive, Xero and Zapier come with Pro and above. Slack Site Ready is Business and above. SSO, the read-only REST API and webhooks are Site Control.