Digital Incident Reporting with TeamMap Forms: Complete Guide

Paper incident reports are illegible, incomplete, and frequently lost. TeamMap's digital forms capture incidents with photos, timestamps, GPS locations, and digital signatures—creating professional documentation that stands up to legal scrutiny.

Benefits of Digital Incident Reports

Paper vs. Digital

Form Templates in TeamMap

Standard Incident Report Template

Essential fields for any incident report:

Creating Custom Form Templates

1. Open TeamMap admin dashboard
2. Navigate to Forms section
3. Click "Create Form Template"
4. Drag and drop field types onto form
5. Configure field properties (required, validation)
6. Set form permissions
7. Preview and test
8. Publish template

Available Field Types

• Text (single line, multi-line)
• Number
• Date/Time picker
• Dropdown selection
• Checkbox/radio buttons
• Photo capture
• Digital signature
• GPS location
• Barcode/QR scanner
• File attachment

Field Procedures for Incident Reporting

When to Create an Incident Report

Document any of the following:

• Criminal activity (theft, vandalism, assault)
• Suspicious persons or vehicles
• Trespassing
• Medical emergencies
• Property damage
• Fire alarms or evacuations
• Safety hazards
• Accidents or injuries
• Policy violations
• Unusual occurrences
• Any event a client might ask about later

On-Scene Documentation Steps

1. Ensure safety first—don't document until scene is secure
2. Open TeamMap Forms—select appropriate template
3. Capture photos immediately—before scene changes
4. Interview witnesses—record names and statements
5. Complete all fields—don't skip "optional" info
6. Review for accuracy—check facts before submitting
7. Obtain signatures—if required
8. Submit report—immediate submission is best

Writing Effective Incident Narratives

The 5 W's + H Framework

• Who was involved? (Names, descriptions)
• What happened? (Actions, sequence of events)
• When did it happen? (Specific times)
• Where did it occur? (Specific location)
• Why did it happen? (If known—don't speculate)
• How did it happen? (Method, means)

Writing Best Practices

• Use objective language (facts, not opinions)
• Be specific with times and locations
• Describe what you observed, not what you assumed
• Include direct quotes when possible
• Avoid jargon and abbreviations
• Write in chronological order

Example: Poor vs. Good Narrative

Photo Documentation

What to Photograph

• Overall scene (wide shot)
• Specific damage or evidence (close-ups)
• Persons involved (if consenting or public area)
• Vehicles (including license plates)
• Environmental conditions
• Signage relevant to incident
• Serial numbers on items

Photo Best Practices

• Take multiple angles
• Include reference objects for scale
• Ensure good lighting
• Don't use filters or editing
• Include date/time stamps (TeamMap adds automatically)

PDF Report Generation

Automatic PDF Creation

TeamMap automatically generates professional PDF reports from submitted forms. PDFs include:

• Company header and branding
• All form data in formatted layout
• Embedded photos
• Digital signatures
• GPS coordinates and map snippet
• Automatic timestamp
• Report ID number

Sharing Reports

• Email PDF directly from TeamMap
• Share link to secure online version
• Download for offline storage
• Attach to incident records

Report Review and Quality Control

Supervisor Review Checklist

• All required fields completed?
• Narrative follows 5 W's + H?
• Photos support narrative?
• Times and locations specific?
• Proper notifications made?
• Grammar and spelling acceptable?
• Follow-up actions documented?

Common Errors to Catch

• Time inconsistencies
• Missing witness information
• Vague descriptions
• Opinions stated as facts
• Missing photos of key evidence