The job starts on Monday. On Thursday afternoon the main contractor emails asking for the pre-start pack: cards, tickets, training records, RAMS, insurance. So begins the chase.
You text three operatives for photos of their cards. One sends a blurry picture taken on a van dashboard. Someone else's SSSTS is in a folder from a job two years ago. You copy card numbers into a spreadsheet, export it to PDF, attach ten files to an email and hit send, hoping it's under the size limit.
Then it comes back. One card has expired. Another is missing. The pack is rejected, and your team might not get through the gate on Monday.
If that sounds familiar, this post is for you.
Why pre-start packs are such a pain
Pre-start packs aren't hard in principle. The trouble is that the information lives in too many places:
- Cards and tickets sit on phones, in email threads and in filing cabinets.
- Training records are in a spreadsheet that's only as current as the last time someone updated it.
- Supporting documents like plant certificates, insurance and RAMS are scattered across shared drives.
- The pack itself is out of date the moment you send it. If a ticket expires next week, the PDF won't tell anyone.
Main contractors are right to be strict. They're responsible for who's on their site. But an incomplete or out-of-date pack costs you time, goodwill and sometimes a start date.
How to send a pre-start pack with QualTrack
QualTrack already holds your operatives' tickets, cards and training, so building a pack is a case of choosing what to share. Here's how it works.
1. Pick the job and the team
Choose the operatives going to the job, then add the client, the site or job, the start date and any references the client has asked for.
2. Choose what to include
Tick whether to include certificate copies, photos and site-gating training. You can also add up to 10 extra files, such as plant certificates, insurance or RAMS.
3. Set how long the link lasts
Pick 7, 14 or 30 days, or choose a specific date up to 90 days away.
4. Send it
Your client gets an email with an Open the pack button. Nothing is attached, so there's no wrestling with file size limits, and each recipient gets their own link.
That's it. No spreadsheet, no PDF, no chasing.
What your client sees
The pack opens as a branded web page showing each operative's:
- role and employer
- status: site-ready, expiring or not cleared
- required tickets, with card numbers and expiry dates
- how each card was checked
- training records
- downloads of the documents you chose to share
The client can see at a glance who's cleared and who isn't, before anyone turns up at the gate.
Why a live link beats a PDF attachment
A PDF is a snapshot. The moment it leaves your outbox, it starts going out of date.
A QualTrack pack is read from your current records every time it's opened. If an operative renews a ticket, the pack shows the new one. If someone leaves, they drop off the pack. The client always sees where things stand today, not where they stood when you hit send.
That also means fewer "can you resend that?" emails. Send it once and it stays up to date for as long as the link is live.
Security and GDPR
A pre-start pack contains personal data, so it should be handled with care. QualTrack is built with that in mind:
- Only what's needed. Packs never show operatives' mobile numbers or email addresses.
- A code for every recipient. To open the pack, the recipient enters a 6-digit code sent to their email, so a forwarded link on its own isn't enough.
- You stay in control. You can stop a pack at any time, and you can see every open and download.
- Stamped downloads. Every downloaded document is stamped with the recipient's email, company and the date, so it's clear where a copy came from.
- Leavers drop off. People who've left your business don't stay on packs.
- Data held in London.
Compare that with a PDF full of card photos sitting in someone's inbox forever, and the difference is obvious.
Who can use pre-start packs?
Pre-start packs are included on Professional plans and above. If you're on a free trial, you can now send 3 packs, which is plenty to try it on a real job.
And if your client likes what they see, they'll find an offer to track their own team free for 30 days when they open the pack.
Try it free
QualTrack starts at £29 a month ex VAT, with a 30-day free trial. You don't need a card, and there's no contract. Your data is held in London.
Set up your team, send your first pre-start pack, and see how much quicker Monday morning gets.
Start your free trial at qualtrack.co.uk (opens in a new tab), or get in touch at support@qualtrack.co.uk.
Josh, QualTrack
