# PPE issue log: who got which gear, size and date

> For the full documentation index, see https://250highstreet.com/llms.txt

> Build a PPE issue log in SharePoint: one row per item handed out with person, size, date and sign-off, plus a view that shows what to reorder.

Short answer: keep one SharePoint list where each row is one item handed to one person. Use the Title column for the item name, such as "Safety glasses". Add the person, the size, the quantity, the date, who issued it and whether the person signed for it. Then save a view of rows flagged for reorder, so the person who buys gear starts there. This guide is about keeping a record of who received what. It does not tell you what gear your work requires or what records you must keep. Ask your safety lead for that. The exact names of menus and buttons may differ on your screen, because Microsoft changes them from time to time.

## Why a gear log goes wrong

Handouts happen at the supply cage, in the aisle, at the start of a shift. The person with the box says "I will log it after lunch," and the entry never gets made. Five gaps follow:

- Boots go out, and weeks later nobody can name the size or the wearer.
- A worker asks for a second pair of gloves because no record shows the first.
- The signature sits on a paper slip in a drawer, out of reach of any search.
- A bin empties without warning, since no one was counting.
- Rows have no dates, so old and new handouts look alike.

A list closes most of these gaps. One handout becomes one row, stamped with date, size, quantity and issuer, and a saved view pulls up the rows marked for reorder.

## What you are building

- A list named "PPE issue log", with one row per item handed out.
- Columns for item size, quantity, the person who received it, the date, the person who issued it and a sign-off.
- A "Reorder" flag on each row, so low stock is easy to see.
- A "Needs reorder" view for the buyer.
- A "Last 30 days" view for a quick look back.

If you want a wider list of items on the shelf, see "[Inventory tracking for a small team without new software](/guides/inventory-tracking-small-team/)". If you track who has finished a class, see "[How to set up a training record in SharePoint](/guides/setup-training-record-sharepoint/)". This guide does not repeat those.

## Step 1. Create the list

Go to [https://www.microsoft365.com](https://www.microsoft365.com), open SharePoint, and open the site where your team works. Microsoft's help page on creating a list says: "Or, you can create a new list from your SharePoint site home page or the Site contents page, select + New \> List." It describes the blank option as: "Blank list: Choose to start a list from scratch." Then it says: "Select Create." Name the list "PPE issue log". Exact names may differ.

## Step 2. Add the columns

Microsoft's help page says: "A blank list opens with a standard "Title" column on the left." The Title column is required by default. Use it for the item name, such as "Safety glasses" or "Cut-resistant gloves". You can rename it to "Item" in the column settings, or turn off Require. Then use "Add column" for each of these:

1.  Title, now "Item".
2.  Issued to (Person). One person per row. If you hand out gear to a person who does not have a Microsoft 365 account, one way to start is a Single line of text column with the name instead.
3.  Size (Choice). Numbered choices keep your order: 1 XS, 2 S, 3 M, 4 L, 5 XL, 6 2XL, 7 Not sized. Change the list to match your gear.
4.  Quantity (Number). How many were handed out.
5.  Date issued (Date and Time, date only).
6.  Issued by (Person). The person who handed it over.
7.  Signed for (Choice). 1 Yes, 2 No. Set the default to 2 No. This records whether the person signed the paper slip or the form.
8.  Reorder (Choice). 1 Reorder needed, 2 Stock is fine. Set the default to 2 Stock is fine.
9.  Notes (Multiple lines of text). Anything the next issuer should see, such as "replaced, old pair cracked".

Our advice, not a Microsoft rule: put a number in front of each choice. Choices sort by their text, so the number sets the order.

Size, Signed for and Reorder use fixed choices so a filter always finds them. Nobody can type "Larg".

Keep the list to what you need for the gear. Our advice, not a Microsoft rule: do not add columns for personal details your work does not need. A size and a name are enough.

## Step 3. Enter a handout

When someone hands out gear, open the list and select "+ New". Fill in the item, the person, the size, the quantity and the date. Set "Signed for" to 1 Yes only after the person has signed. If the shelf is nearly empty after this handout, set Reorder to 1 Reorder needed in the same minute.

Three habits keep the log honest:

- Write the row when you hand over the gear, not at the end of the week.
- Use the exact item name every time. Our advice, not a Microsoft rule: agree on a short list of names, such as "Safety glasses" and "Hard hat", so the same item is not typed three ways.
- Fix a wrong row. Do not add a second row to cancel it, because that makes two records for one handout.

## Step 4. Build the "Needs reorder" view

The buyer opens this view first. It lists only rows marked for reorder.

1.  Open the view menu and choose "Edit current view" to reach the classic view editor, or create a new view and edit that one. Call it "Needs reorder".
2.  In the "Filters" section, choose "Show items only when the following is true". Microsoft's help page on filtering a view says: "Scroll down to the Filters section, and select Show items only when the following is true."
3.  Set the Reorder column to "is equal to" 1 Reorder needed.
4.  Display Item, Size, Quantity, Date issued and Issued by, sorted by Date issued with the oldest row on top. Save.

Once a delivery lands, the buyer sets Reorder back to 2 Stock is fine on those rows, and they leave the view.

Each row stands for one handout, not for the shelf. Three people receiving the same gloves can leave three rows flagged for the same item. An actual count of what is on the shelf needs a second list of stock on hand, which the inventory guide linked above covers.

## Step 5. Build the "Last 30 days" view

1.  In the classic view editor, add a view called "Last 30 days".
2.  Set the filter on Date issued to "is greater than or equal to" \[Today\]-30.
3.  Sort Date issued with the newest row first.

Microsoft's page says: "There are two keywords that you can use to filter based on the current day \[Today\], or the current user \[Me\]." It also says: "It is not possible to use the \[Today\] or \[Me\] filters when filtering using a column header." And: "You must use the classic view editor to filter columns using these keywords." So the \[Today\] filter has to be set in the classic view editor.

Our advice, not a Microsoft rule: build any blank or "is not equal to" filter there as well.

You cannot put a "days since issued" number in a calculated column, because Microsoft says: "The TODAY and ME functions are not supported in calculated columns but are supported in the default value setting of a column." The date test therefore sits in the view filter.

## Step 6. Find who is missing a sign-off

Make a third view named "Not signed". Filter Signed for to "is equal to" 2 No. Show Item, Issued to, Date issued and Issued by. Sort by Date issued, oldest first. A person who issues gear can open it on a set day and chase the missing signatures. Rows move out of the view when "Signed for" is changed to 1 Yes.

## Who can see the list

Switching views does not lock anyone out. A view narrows the display, and a reader with access to the list can pick any other view and read all rows. Because the log holds names and sizes, settle who gets access before you share it. Permissions do that job, and your admin can tell you which groups suit your site. See "[Keep one column private (like pay or notes) in a shared list](/guides/hide-a-column-from-some-people-sharepoint-list/)".

## What to avoid

- Skip free text in the Size and Reorder columns. Numbered Choice values hold your order and block typos.
- Leave the Title column in place. Make it the item name, or turn off Require.
- Keep today's date out of calculated columns. Microsoft says the TODAY function is not supported there.
- Treat views as a display tool only. They do not hide rows from a reader who has access.
- Keep old rows. Each is the record of one handout, so push old ones out of sight with a view filter and never delete them to shorten the list.
- Leave out medical or other private facts about a worker. The log needs none of them.
- Never log a row that reads only "gear issued." Name the item, the size and the quantity.
- Do not describe the list as a safety program. It records handouts and sets no requirements.

## Honest limits

The list holds only what someone types. It cannot confirm that gear fits, is undamaged or is used correctly, and a handout nobody entered stays invisible. Every row depends on a person.

Which gear your work needs, when to replace it and how long to keep records are questions for your safety lead. This guide does not answer them.

A list also sends nothing on its own. An email when a row gets flagged for reorder is a separate Power Automate flow, so ask a builder or your admin to set it up.

## When to get help

You can build all of this yourself in Microsoft 365. If you would rather have it built and tested for your team, I do that. A tracker like this is a fixed price: \$5,000 for one, built in 2 weeks. See "[What a SharePoint tracker costs to build](/guides/what-a-sharepoint-tracker-costs/)". Bring one example of the problem to a free call.

I am Al Davies. I run 250 High Street LLC and build SharePoint trackers and Power Automate flows for operations teams. I work remotely. The first call is free, and I will not try to sell you anything.

See trackers I built: [Tools I built](/portfolio/)

## FAQ

### Why is the item name in the Title column?

Every list has a Title column and it is required by default. Using it for the item name means no column goes unused. You can rename it to "Item", or turn off Require.

### Why does my \[Today\] filter not work from the column header?

Microsoft says it is not possible to use the \[Today\] or \[Me\] filters from a column header. Use the classic view editor: Edit current view, then Filters.

### Can I show a "days since issued" number in a column?

Not with a calculated column. Microsoft says the TODAY and ME functions are not supported in calculated columns. Use a view filter on Date issued instead.

### Can the view hide the log from some people?

No. A view only changes what is shown. Anyone who can open the list can switch views. Use permissions to control who sees the list.

### Does this log meet my site's record rules?

This guide cannot say. Ask your safety lead what records you must keep and for how long. This list only records who received which item and when.

## Sources

- [Microsoft Support, Create a list](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/lists/data-and-lists/create-a-list)
- [Microsoft Support, Use filtering to modify a SharePoint view](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/use-filtering-to-modify-a-sharepoint-view-3d8efc52-0808-4731-8f9b-3dfaeacea3d4)
- [Microsoft Support, Introduction to SharePoint formulas and functions](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/libraries/introduction-to-sharepoint-formulas-and-functions)

## Related guides

- [Uniform inventory tracker in SharePoint](/guides/uniform-inventory-tracker-sharepoint/)
- [A visitor sign-in log in SharePoint](/guides/visitor-log-sign-in-sharepoint/)
- [A key checkout log in SharePoint](/guides/key-checkout-log-sharepoint/)

Source: https://250highstreet.com/guides/ppe-issue-log-sharepoint/