Guides

There are four common ways to keep contractors' insurance, licences and checks current. Each suits a different size of business and a different amount of risk. Here's an honest look at each, including where UpToDocs fits and where it doesn't.

1. Spreadsheets and shared drives

One row per contractor or document, with an expiry date column and the certificates saved in a folder.

• Good for: a handful of contractors, and a person who checks it every week.
• Costs: nothing to buy, but every date is typed by hand, every renewal is an email someone has to send, and the sheet goes stale when that person is busy or leaves.
• Watch for: a spreadsheet shows what's due; it doesn't ask anyone for anything. Our free register template is a good start if this is where you are.

2. Basic trackers

Simple online lists that store each document and its expiry date, and send reminders.

• Good for: getting reminders out of the spreadsheet and into email.
• Costs: usually a monthly fee. In many, you or the contractor still type in each date and policy number.
• Watch for: whether the contractor can upload a renewal themselves, and whether anyone checks the certificate matches the business and the cover you need.

3. Enterprise prequalification and WHS portals

Large systems used by tier one builders, miners, councils and facilities owners. They cover prequalification questionnaires, safety systems, inductions, site sign-in and documents.

• Good for: large sites and high risk work, where a full contractor management system is worth the cost and setup.
• Costs: often quoted per organisation, with a setup project. Some charge contractors a yearly fee to join.
• Watch for: more than a small or medium business needs, and contractors pushing back on another paid portal.

4. Automatic document tracking

Tools that collect the documents from each contractor, read the details off them, and follow up on their own. UpToDocs is one of these.

• Good for: small and medium businesses that want the documents current without running a big system.
• How UpToDocs does it: drop in the documents or spreadsheet you already have to set up. Each person gets a private link by email, or by text when you send one, with no account or app. The issuer, number and expiry date are read off each document for you to confirm. ABNs are checked on the government ABN Lookup, public liability below your minimum is flagged, and reminders go out at 30, 14 and 7 days. It's free for up to 5 people or businesses.
• What it doesn't do: UpToDocs isn't a safety management system. It doesn't run prequalification questionnaires, site inductions or sign-in. If you need those, a bigger system or a separate tool will suit you better.

Questions to ask any tool

1. Who types in the expiry dates: you, the contractor, or the tool?
2. Does the contractor pay anything, or need an account or app?
3. Does it check the ABN, and that the certificate is for the right business?
4. Does it flag cover below the amount you need?
5. What happens when the person who set it up leaves?
6. Can you get all your documents and records out if you stop using it?

This guide is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Rules differ by state and industry; check with your own adviser or the relevant regulator.