Time-and-material work is easiest to support when labor, materials, equipment, location, scope, and daily acknowledgment are recorded together. Rebuilding that detail at the end of the week invites missing tickets, disputed hours, and uncertainty about what the crew was directed to perform.
Define the work
Identify the instruction, changed condition, ticket, location, and scope. Reference the related notice or request.
Record labor and materials
List employee or crew, classification, regular and overtime hours, material quantities, unit costs, and equipment time as required by the contract.
When the ticket becomes part of a formal request, carry the same detail into the Change order template.
Add field evidence
Use work descriptions and captioned photos to show what the resources accomplished and why the work was outside the original scope.
Obtain timely review
Submit tickets and supporting records on the required schedule. Capture acknowledgment or signature without implying broader authorization than the signer can provide.
Daily ticket fields
A time-and-material ticket commonly includes project, date, change reference, location, detailed work description, employee or crew, classification, regular and overtime hours, equipment, materials, subcontractors, and attachments. It should also identify the person reviewing the work and the meaning of any signature.
Separate acknowledgment from agreement
A field signature may confirm that people and hours were present without agreeing that the work is extra, that rates are correct, or that the amount is approved. State what the signature means and follow the contract for final pricing and authorization.
Reconcile tickets before billing
Compare daily tickets with payroll, material invoices, equipment logs, subcontractor records, and approved rates. Resolve duplicate hours, missing receipts, unclear classifications, and unapproved markup before submitting the change request. Keep the original field evidence with the reconciled price.
Example time-and-material entry
Example: PC-014, Level 2 Rooms 216 through 218. One foreman worked 2.0 regular hours and three electricians worked 6.0 regular hours each to remove installed conduit and reroute above the revised equipment locations. Materials used: 180 feet of 1-inch EMT, 24 couplings, 18 supports, and associated fittings. Lift E-03 operated for 3.5 hours. Photos 8 through 13 show the original conflict, removed work, and completed route.
The entry identifies the change reference, location, labor by classification, hours, materials, equipment, work performed, and supporting evidence. Rates, markups, and final entitlement still require contract review.
Control approvals and daily cutoffs
Define who can direct T&M work, who may sign a daily ticket, when tickets are due, and who reconciles them against payroll and invoices. Late tickets are harder to verify and more likely to be disputed. If the reviewer refuses to sign, record the attempted submission and follow the contract’s notice process rather than silently carrying the cost until month end.
Complete the record around T&M work
Pair the daily ticket with scope, change, pricing, and field-report guidance so the office can trace the amount back to the work:
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What belongs on a time-and-material ticket?
Record project, date, location, scope, labor classifications and hours, materials, equipment, supporting photos, and review or acknowledgment.
Does a field signature approve the final price?
Not automatically. State what the signature acknowledges and follow the contract for pricing and authorization.
When should T&M records be submitted?
Submit them on the schedule required by the contract, ideally daily while the work can still be verified.
Match crew hours, classifications, materials, equipment, photos, and the work description before the ticket leaves the field. Document acknowledgment separately from agreement on price or contract entitlement.