Compliance tracking — Know what expires next, before an inspector or client asks
Compliance tracking keeps one list of the licenses, insurance certificates, inspections and staff certifications a business must keep current. It reminds the responsible person ahead of each expiry date and collects the renewed documents. It suits businesses that track these in a spreadsheet, a calendar and someone's memory.
By Julia Ja, Owner
Sub certificates · kitchen remodel
1 expiring- Electrician · liability certificateExpires Fri · upload link sent Mon, reminder WedExpiring
- Electrician · state licenseCurrent until next JuneCurrent
- Plumber · liability certificateCurrent until MarchCurrent
- Tile installer · workers' compCurrent until JanuaryCurrent
Why it matters
The problem it solves
Licenses, insurance certificates, inspections and staff certifications all expire on different dates. Most small businesses track them in a spreadsheet, a calendar reminder and someone's memory.
A lapse usually surfaces at a bad moment: a client asks for a current certificate, an inspector visits, or a sub's insurance ran out mid-job. Then the office drops everything to chase emails and documents.
Example · illustrative
A general contractor before a remodel starts
- On Monday the office lists three subcontractors for a kitchen remodel starting next week.
- The register shows the electrician's liability certificate expires Friday.
- An email goes to the electrician with an upload link, and a reminder follows on Wednesday.
- New certificate arrives ThursdayAnd the office manager checks the dates and the named insured before marking it current.
How it works
How compliance tracking works
- Starts whenA document is added, or an expiry date is coming up
- 1Step 1Build the registerExisting certificates and licenses are read for type, holder and expiry date and put in one list.
- 2Step 2Remind aheadThe person responsible gets reminders before each expiry, with a link to upload the renewal.
- 3Step 3Collect from othersSubcontractors, vendors or staff are asked for updated certificates and reminded until they send them.
- A person decidesCheck the renewalA person confirms the new document is the right one, with the right dates and coverage.
- 5Step 5Report gapsA short list shows what's expired, missing or due soon.
Before · by hand
- Expiry dates live in a spreadsheet nobody opens.
- A lapsed certificate is found when a client or inspector asks.
- Office staff chase subcontractors for insurance by email.
- Staff certifications are tracked person by person, if at all.
With compliance tracking
- Every item and its expiry date sits in one list.
- Reminders reach the right person ahead of time.
- Vendors upload renewals through a link instead of long email threads.
- The owner sees gaps before they turn into a problem.
What we build
The parts of compliance tracking
Your systems
- Google Drive
- Microsoft 365
- Airtable
- Gusto
- Procore
- Slack
What we build
1Compliance register
One list of every tracked item, with holder, type, expiry date, responsible person and a link to the file.
2Document reading
Reads expiry dates, coverage and names from PDFs and photos, and sends unclear fields to a person to confirm.
3Reminder schedule
Reminders to the right person at the lead times you set, moving to a manager as the date gets close.
4Upload links for others
A link for subcontractors, vendors or staff to send renewals, with follow-ups until they do.
5Requirement checks and gap report
Compares certificates with your rules, such as coverage limits or named insureds, and lists what's expired, missing or due.
Your team decides
- A person checks each renewed document before it's marked current.
- The owner decides what happens when a vendor or staff member lets something lapse.
Industries it fits
What compliance tracking looks like in each industry
Roofing & general contractors
Certificates of insurance and licenses from every subcontractor are collected and checked before they start on a job. A sub with an expired certificate shows up on that job's gap list before the start date.
Everything for roofing & general contractorsYour industry isn’t listed, or works differently? Describe it and get an answer in a minute.
Getting started
What you need first
We go through these with you in the audit, before anything is built.
Before we start
5 things to have ready- A list of what must be tracked, such as licenses, policies, inspections and certifications, and who holds each.
- The current documents, wherever they are now: shared folders, email or paper.
- Who is responsible for each item, and who gets told if it lapses.
- Your requirements for others, such as minimum coverage or named insureds on subcontractor certificates.
- A place to store documents, such as Google Drive, Microsoft 365 or your document system.
How a rollout runs
- 1Gather what you haveWe collect current certificates and licenses from folders, email and paper, and list what's tracked today.
- 2Build the registerDocuments are read for dates and details, and a person confirms each entry before it's marked current.
- 3Set owners and remindersWe agree the lead times, who gets each reminder, and when it moves to a manager.
- 4Invite outside partiesSubcontractors, vendors or staff get their upload links, starting with the items due soonest.
- 5Turn on checks and reportsRequirement checks and the gap report go live, and we review the first reports with you.
What to measure
How to know it's working
Weekly report · compliance tracking
IllustrationItems expired
The core number. Every item on it needs action now.
Items due soon with no renewal
Shows what's at risk before it lapses.
Outside parties not responding
Vendors or subs who ignore reminders may need a phone call or a hold on work.
Entries missing a document or date
Gaps in the register mean reminders can't cover those items.
Renewals flagged by checks
Certificates that fail coverage or name checks show which vendors need clearer requirements.
We measure the baseline before building, so the change can be compared afterwards.
When it’s not a fit
- It tracks what you tell it to. It doesn't decide which licenses or permits you need, so check with your licensing board or insurer.
- Reading certificates isn't perfect. Poor scans, handwritten forms and unusual layouts need a person to confirm the fields.
- If you track a handful of items for one location, a shared calendar may be enough.
- Reminders don't make vendors respond. You still need a rule for what happens when someone doesn't send a renewal.
Tool or custom build
Do you need a custom build?
Option A · a ready-made tool
An off-the-shelf tool may be enough
Tools such as myCOI or Jones handle subcontractor insurance tracking, and HR systems like Gusto can track some staff certifications. They fit when you mainly track one kind of document.
Option B · built around your systems
When a custom build is worth it
A custom build makes sense when you track many document types across staff, vendors, vehicles and locations. It also fits when the register must connect to dispatch, scheduling or payroll.
Not sure which fits?
What it typically costs
Typical ranges as of October 2026. Not a quote.
Ready-made tool, set up by us
An existing platform on your own account, configured for your business.
- Setup, one timepaid to Lorryn
- $750–$1,500
- Tool subscriptionpaid to the provider
- $15–$75 / month
Fits when your process matches what the platform already does.
Custom build
Built around how you work, with no platform subscription. You own it.
- Build, one timebasic version to full version
- $2,000–$5,000
- Running costshosting and usage, on your accounts
- ~$5–$25 / month
Fits when your systems, rules or exceptions don't match a ready tool.
Optional Automation Care: $125 · $250 · $375 / month
1, 2 or 3 hours of support a month, with monitoring and alerts included. Without it, you run it yourself after handover.
Typically works with Google Drive, Microsoft 365, Airtable, Gusto.
Booking into or writing to your field-service, practice or shop software adds up to $500 to the ready-made tool (often a built-in feature) and $500–$1,500 to a custom build.
Your price depends on volume, the systems involved and how many exceptions need a person. Our team confirms a fixed price before any work starts.
Proof and who stays in charge
Who does what
The automation does the routine steps. A person makes the call.
- 1Build the registerAutomated
- 2Remind aheadAutomated
- 3Collect from othersAutomated
- 4Check the renewalA person
- 5Report gapsAutomated
Consent and privacy
Staff records such as background checks, driver medical cards and licenses contain personal information. Access is limited by role, and documents stay in your own storage. Clinic and childcare records may also fall under privacy or licensing rules you already follow.
FAQ
Questions about compliance tracking
Usually, yes. It reads expiry dates and coverage from PDFs and photos, and a person confirms anything unclear.
No. You decide what must be tracked. The system makes sure each item stays current and no date is missed.
Yes. It emails or texts them a link to upload the new certificate and reminds them until they do.
In your own Google Drive, Microsoft 365 or document system, with the register linking to each file.
It can compare limits and named insureds with your requirements and flag a mismatch for a person to review.
Access is set by role. A manager can see their own team's records, and sensitive staff documents can be limited to the owner or HR.
It flags them on the job's gap list and alerts the project manager. Whether to hold the work stays a person's decision.
New items and types are added to the register, each with its own reminders and responsible person.
Related use cases
Often built together
- Intake & documentsDocument collectionSends clients a checklist of documents to upload, reminds them, and tracks what's still missing.
- Inventory & operationsRecurring task coordinationCreates repeating tasks on schedule, assigns them with a checklist, and follows up until they're done.
- Intake & documentsDocument classificationWorks out what each incoming document is and who it belongs to, then files and routes it.
Want compliance tracking for your business?
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