12 AI Prompts for Leads, Foremen, Supers, and PMs
Copy a prompt, paste it into ChatGPT, Copilot, or whatever AI tool your company allows, then fill in the brackets. Every prompt tells the AI not to make things up. You still check every line before it goes out.
Never paste client names, addresses, drawings, or pricing. Use "the GC," "Building A," or "Tech 1" instead.
1. Daily report
Use it: at the end of every shift, with the notes you jotted down during the day.
Turn my notes into a daily report for my PM with these sections: Heads Up (anything hitting schedule, cost, or safety, or "Nothing new to flag"), Crew, Work Completed (who did what, where, how much), Problems & Actions, Safety, Tomorrow & Needs.
Bullet points, under 200 words, plain jobsite language.
Don't add any numbers, names, or times I didn't give you. Put [CHECK] next to anything unclear and [ACTION?] where I didn't say what I did about a problem.
Notes: [paste]
2. Delay notice (the 5 Ws)
Use it: the same day something holds up the work.
Write a short delay notice to my PM using the 5 Ws:
Who is held up and who caused it, What work stopped, When it started and how long, Where on site, Why it happened and what I did about it.
End with what I need from the PM and by when. Facts only, no blame, under 150 words.
Don't add anything I didn't give you. Mark gaps with [CHECK].
Details: [paste]
3. Toolbox talk
Use it: the night before or the morning of your tailgate.
Write a 5-minute toolbox talk on [topic] for a [trade] crew.
Give me: a one-line opener, 3 key points with a quick jobsite example each, one question to get the crew talking, and a one-line close.
Sound like a foreman talking, not a manual. Mark any stats or rules with [VERIFY] so I can check them against our safety program.
4. RFI draft
Use it: when the drawings or specs don't match the field or leave you guessing.
Help me write a clear RFI.
Include: the question in one sentence, where it is (area, gridline, sheet number I give you), what the documents show, what we see in the field, a suggested answer if I have one, and the date we need an answer to avoid a delay.
Short and neutral. Don't add details I didn't give you.
Details: [paste]
5. Look-ahead check
Use it: when you get the 2 or 3 week look-ahead and want to spot trouble early.
Here is our look-ahead schedule. Act as an experienced superintendent.
List: tasks that depend on something not yet confirmed (material, inspections, other trades, equipment), tasks that look too tight, and 5 questions I should ask at the next coordination meeting.
Only use what's in the schedule. Don't guess dates.
Look-ahead: [paste, no client or project names]
6. Crew assignment plan
Use it: first thing in the morning when you're splitting up the work.
Help me plan today's crew assignments.
Crew: [Tech 1: journeyman, good at X; Tech 2: apprentice, year 2; ...]
Tasks: [list with location and rough hours]
Give me a simple who-does-what table, pair newer guys with experienced ones, flag anything I don't have enough people for, and list the main safety focus for each task.
7. Material order
Use it: before you call or email the supplier or the office.
Turn my list into a clean material order.
Format a table: item, size/spec, quantity, unit, where it's going on site, needed-by date.
Flag anything that looks incomplete (missing size, quantity, or spec) with [CHECK]. Don't change any quantities.
List: [paste]
8. Safety observation
Use it: after you see something on site, good or bad, that should be written down.
Write a short safety observation from my notes.
Sections: What I saw, Where and when, Risk, What was done on the spot, Follow-up needed.
Facts only, no names, no blame. Don't add details I didn't give you.
This is not an incident report. If it sounds like an injury or incident, remind me to follow our company's reporting process.
Notes: [paste]
9. Punch list
Use it: during walk-downs, when your notes are scattered across your phone and notebook.
Turn my walk-down notes into a punch list.
Table columns: #, location, item, trade responsible, priority (high/medium/low).
Group by area. Don't invent items or locations. Put [CHECK] next to anything unclear.
Notes: [paste]
10. Shift handoff
Use it: before you leave, so the next shift doesn't have to call you.
Turn my notes into a shift handoff.
Sections: Status (done / in progress), Open Hazards or Lockouts (copy exactly as I wrote them, word for word), Watch Out For, Next Tasks in Order, Who to Call.
Under 150 words. Never reword or soften anything about hazards or lockouts.
Notes: [paste]
11. Friday update to the PM
Use it: end of the week, using your five daily reports.
Here are my daily reports from this week. Write a short Friday update for my PM:
progress in 3 bullets, problems and what we did, top 3 risks for next week, and anything I asked for that's still open.
Under 175 words. Only use what's in the reports.
Reports: [paste]
12. Prep for a hard conversation
Use it: before you talk to someone about being late, skipping a step, or bad attitude.
I need to talk to a crew member about [behavior].
Write a short, respectful script: what I saw, the impact, an open question, the clear expectation going forward.
Then role-play as the crew member and push back like a real person would. Stop after 4 exchanges and tell me how I did.