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Daily van walkaround checks with Google Forms

Van check automation gives drivers a short form to complete before setting off and logs every result against the vehicle. Defects go straight to the fleet manager, and missing checks are chased the same morning.

An example of how the studio would build it. No live services are connected.

From a phone check in the yard to defects dealt with the same day.

  1. Step 01

    Check submitted

    The driver answers a short Google Form for their vehicle, with photos of any damage or faults.

  2. Step 02

    Check logged

    Add the result to the vehicle’s log in Google Sheets, with the time, driver and mileage.

  3. Step 03

    Defects sorted

    Separate defects from passes, using the categories the fleet manager has set.

  4. Step 04

    Manager alerted

    Message the fleet manager on WhatsApp with the van, the defect and a link to the photos.

  5. Step 05

    Gaps chased

    By mid-morning, list vans in use that day with no check recorded and remind their drivers.

The result

Defects reach the right person before the van leaves the yard.

The workflow never decides whether a vehicle is safe to drive: a person reviews every defect and records the decision. Each submission is logged once, and the same defect isn’t alerted again unless it changes.

Before we connect it.

Where this is useful

Useful for trades, field service and delivery businesses running a few vans, where checks happen on paper or not at all. A sensible first version logs checks and alerts defects, then adds MOT, service and insurance reminders from the same sheet.

What we need to connect

  1. 01A list of vehicles and drivers, the check questions you want answered and the defect categories that matter.
  2. 02Google Workspace accounts for drivers, because Google Forms only accepts photo uploads from people signed in to Google.
  3. 03A WhatsApp Business Platform number with approved message templates, the fleet manager’s contact and who covers when they are away.

What needs careful handling

Drivers fill in forms in yards with weak signal, so the form is kept short and a late submission is logged with the time it arrived. A defect report can be mistaken or already fixed, so the vehicle’s status changes only when a person records a decision. Photos may show people or other vehicles’ number plates, so they are kept in a restricted folder and deleted when no longer needed.

Questions people ask.

Are daily checks a legal requirement for vans?

DVSA expects daily walkaround checks from operators of larger goods vehicles, and they are good practice for vans. Either way the driver is responsible for the vehicle being roadworthy, so a clear record helps everyone. Check what applies to your fleet with DVSA guidance or your insurer.

Can it remind us about MOTs and services?

Yes. Due dates can sit in the same sheet, and MOT dates can be checked against DVSA’s MOT history service where you have access. Reminders go to the fleet manager a few weeks ahead.

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