Digitisation of the Daily Occurrence Register

Operational Digitisation

Digitising the Daily Occurrence Register with Microsoft Forms and SharePoint

I replaced a central paper register—prone to delays, storage costs, and inconsistent access—with a digital workflow built on Microsoft Forms and SharePoint. Duty clerks can log incidents in seconds while leadership gains real-time awareness and searchable history.

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Diagram showing legacy paper workflow replaced with digital flow

Executive Summary

A paper register became a searchable, auditable workflow using only existing M365 licences.

Each legacy field was replicated in Microsoft Forms, routed into a SharePoint list, and secured through role-based access. Leaders see the same layout they trusted, clerks log entries on any device, and the archive is instantly searchable.

Microsoft Form mirrors the paper register so no training is required to submit. SharePoint permissions align with duty roles, locking down sensitive incidents. 100% adoption from day one eliminated physical storage and courier costs.

Diagram showing paper workflow flowing into Microsoft Forms and SharePoint

Bar comparison of manual versus digital admin time

Card showing security groups and audit trail

List of benefits unlocked by the digital register

Adoption rate

100% duty clerks migrated from paper

Submission latency

< 1 min to capture any incident

Paper storage

0 boxes physical archiving eliminated

Audit coverage

100% entries timestamped + attributed

Artifacts show how the digitised register improved speed, governance, and awareness.

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Diagram showing paper workflow replaced with Microsoft Forms and SharePoint — The Microsoft Forms front end mirrors the paper register, routing submissions directly into SharePoint with zero re-keying.

Chart comparing manual and digital admin time — Administrative effort fell from roughly 420 minutes per week to 80 as data entry, search, and reporting moved online.

Card showing security groups and audit events — Role-based permissions, version history, and alerting protect sensitive incidents while keeping leadership informed.

Card listing digital register benefits — Searchable history, automatic attribution, and zero physical storage create a resilient, modern operating picture.

Context and Challenge

The Daily Occurrence Register existed as a paper ledger in a controlled office. Duty clerks had to locate the book, write incidents by hand, and later archive the volume. When events happened away from the desk, notes were captured on scraps of paper and re-entered later, adding latency, inconsistency, and storage overhead.

Solution Development

I rebuilt the register as a Microsoft Form with fields mapped one-to-one with the legacy book. Submissions flowed into a SharePoint list where permissions, validation, and views preserved the familiar structure. The solution leveraged existing Defence Microsoft 365 infrastructure—no new licences, just thoughtful configuration.

Initial Challenges and Stakeholder Engagement

Early adoption hinged on involving clerks and leadership before the form went live. I facilitated working sessions with the Command Team, provost staff, and administrators to confirm taxonomy, permissions, and retention policy. Because everyone contributed to the design, the unit dropped the paper book on day one.

Efficiency Gains and Impact

The digital register reduced data entry time, removed courier costs, eliminated storage cupboards, and improved leadership awareness. Incidents are logged as they happen, instantly searchable, and exportable for reporting. Archiving became a metadata filter instead of a physical task.

Technical and Professional Philosophy

This effort demonstrates a philosophy of using existing tools to drive tangible change. By focusing on user experience, governance, and incremental delivery, the team received a modern workflow without additional spend while gaining stronger compliance controls.

Narrative Framing for Stakeholders

“Reduction in paper handling and physical storage costs.”
“Improves data accuracy and timeliness.”
“Enhances audit trails and accountability.”
“Real-time data access and reporting.”
“Effective use of existing infrastructure for digital transformation.”