Welcome to Your Solar Construction Monitoring Journey
Imagine it's the start of your project. Maybe you are:
An EPC aiming to keep construction on schedule.
An Owner’s Engineer responsible for technical oversight and compliance.
An Asset Owner needing transparency and evidence at every project milestone.
In this article we’ll walk together through a typical project using the Sitemark platform, from initial data overview, all the way to issue tracking, on-site overview, and streamlined reporting.
You’ll see how Sitemark helps transform daily construction chaos into structured, actionable insights.
But before we dive in, you might be wondering, what is Sitemark SCM?
Sitemark's Solar Construction Monitoring (SCM) is a cloud-based platform designed to transform how you plan, track, and deliver solar projects.
By combining drone captured data, digital design import, progress monitoring, quality ticketing, and deviation reporting (all in a single, intuitive platform) Sitemark helps EPCs, Owner Engineers, and Asset Owners gain real-time project visibility, streamline collaboration, and drive timely, high-quality construction from design to handover.
Now, let’s explore how to begin using the platform and get the most out of it.
1. New Data, New Possibilities: Receiving and Loading the Results
The drone has flown, data is processed, and you get the notification: fresh results are live. You log in, select the latest operation, and your site comes alive on the screen.
You’re greeted by a high-resolution map, overlayed with every pile, structure, table, string, and trench from your design.
To the right, data layers show progress, deviations, annotations, and more. These layers act like transparent sheets, you can toggle them on or off to reveal different types of information.
Tips per Stakeholder:
EPCs
Use the component filter to focus on areas scheduled for this week.
Review the timeline of previous operations to spot sudden progress slowdowns.
Owner Engineers
Check completion progress on the dashboard for milestones in different areas .
Compare the digital design overlay for any immediate gaps.
Asset Owners
Jump straight to portfolio or site dashboards to see if this site stands out in progress or issues.
Look for notifications about critical areas flagged by the system.
1.1. Deep Dive: Analyzing Progress vs Plan
Before talking about reporting, you want to understand what has really happened on-site.
First, the RGB Map data layer. The SCM platform highlights every new pile rammed, structure assembled, module installed since the last operation. You compare “planned” vs “actual”, not as numbers in a table, but visually on the site map. Missed areas, finishing blocks, or possible out-of-sequence work pop out instantly.
You might explore further:
Swipe Compare: Slide between two survey dates, visually tracking changes.
Progress by Region: Drill down into WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) sections or blocks for completion rates. To have access to detailed region reporting, you can create regions on your site.
Tips per Stakeholder
EPCs
Use the Side-by-Side timeline view to communicate true progress in team meetings.
Quickly measure completed work by zone for payment milestone validation.
Owner Engineers
Validate actual completion dates of key areas using operation snapshots.
Use mobile validation to check/adjust as you inspect onsite.
Asset Owners
Utilize S-curves for instant progress benchmarks against portfolio targets.
Take progress snapshots for historical tracking and audit-readiness.
2. Zeroing in on Deviations & Quality Issues
Next, take a look at “deviations” (if any) - letting the platform flag what’s not right. Missing, misplaced, or unexpected components (like misplaced piles or foundation beams) flash up as warnings.
Current deviation types:
missing: there should be one, components around it are detected but none detected
unexpected: there is a component detected but it shouldn’t be there
misplaced: >40cm deviated from it’s planned location.
Learn more about Deviations in the Sitemark platform: How to identify and manage deviations in construction
Here you can filter by type/severity - perhaps focusing only on piles out by >60 cm, or missing components in a specific region. Each deviation links to as-built imagery and design location, making it easy to understand both severity and context.
If something needs extra clarification, you start annotating the map. Draw directly on the digital twin, adding notes or marking up areas for discussion.
Tips per Stakeholder
EPCs
Use the deviation filter to prioritize fixes before work moves on.
Document all resolved deviations with “after” photos - our digital audit trail.
Owner Engineers
Systematically verify all deviations closed by EPCs before signing off in the platform.
Use annotations and tickets to highlight required corrections for subcontractors.
Asset Owners
Benchmark deviations across projects to identify recurring quality issues.
Save filters to quickly identify for deviations rated “critical” as per your standards.
Note: Please make sure you have uploaded the latest design file version of your site (in case of any internal changes with your teams) to avoid any confusions in marked deviations!
3. Acting on Issues: Ticketing & Task Management
You spot a deviation or snag - now it’s time for action. Create a ticket directly on the map, linked to the exact location and component. You add evidence (photos or notes), assign it to the responsible team, and set target completion dates.
Tickets shift the platform from “looking back” to “solving forward.” As teams resolve issues, updates and closure evidence stack up in the digital record, available for handovers, audits, and learning.
Tips per Stakeholder
EPCs
Use bulk ticket creation for repeat issues (e.g., serial inspections on tables/strings).
This article will guide you: Bulk Actions
Track tickets to spot blockers in subcontractor workflows.
Owner Engineers
Request documentation on every resolved ticket, from photos, forms, sign-offs.
Filter unresolved tickets by assignee for QA site handovers.
Asset Owners
Review open vs. closed tickets by area to assess quality before payments.
Require evidence chains for critical issues to support audits or future resale.
4. Forms: Take your ticketing system one step forward
As your solar construction project progresses, maintaining consistent quality standards and documenting inspections becomes crucial. Let's explore how Forms in the SCM platform transform traditional paper-based processes into efficient digital workflows.
Picture this: Your quality control team is on-site, ready to inspect newly installed solar modules. Instead of shuffling through paper checklists and taking notes that might get lost, they open their mobile devices and access digital forms tailored exactly to their needs.
What Makes Digital Forms Different?
The platform's forms feature brings several advantages to your daily operations:
Create custom templates that match your exact inspection requirements
Automatically generate tickets when inspections fail, ensuring immediate follow-up
Capture photos and evidence right where you stand
Works on mobile devices, perfect for field operations
Sync data in real-time, keeping office and field teams aligned, or push data to the platform once you have internet connection
Forms in Action
Here's where you'll find forms making a difference:
Quality inspections of newly installed components
Checking and documenting material deliveries
Verifying proper installation procedures
Recording compliance checks
Managing project handover documentation
Tips per Stakeholder
For EPCs:
Build standardized forms for regular checks like module installation or cable routing
Set up smart workflows where failed inspections automatically create assigned tickets
Maintain consistent quality standards across your entire site
For Owner Engineers:
Create specific forms to validate construction quality at critical stages
Ensure forms capture all warranty-required documentation
Generate comprehensive quality reports from form data
For Asset Owners:
Design forms that secure documentation for future warranty claims
Implement consistent quality measurement across your portfolio
Getting the Most from Your Forms
To ensure your forms serve you well:
Structure complex inspections into clear, logical sections
Include requirements for photo evidence where needed
Define clear pass/fail criteria for objective assessment
Connect forms to specific components in your digital twin
Think of forms not just as checklists, but as your digital paper trail. Each completed form builds your project's quality documentation, making future audits or warranty claims much smoother.
Check out our guide on Tickets & Forms to take your first steps.
5. Collaborating and Communicating with the Team
With a clear understanding of site status and quality, you hold your coordination call or site walk. Zoom in on trouble spots right from the platform and share links or screenshots, ensuring that everyone - site crew, subcontractors, engineers, or project managers - knows where attention is needed.
Onsite teams can access the same insights via Field Link mobile app (add-on) or via exported data from the platform, closing gaps between what’s planned and what’s actually built.
Collaboration is instant: digital notes, evidence from photos, and alignment with the digital twin mean no more lost lists or ambiguous instructions.
Tips per Stakeholder
EPCs
Invite subcontractors as restricted users so they see only assigned areas and tasks.
Highlight time-critical issues during daily stand-ups using map exports.
Owner Engineers
Comment on specific deviations or issues right in the platform for full traceability.
Use “forms” (Digital Twin functionality) to ensure consistent data capture during on-site checks.
Asset Owners
Share read-only dashboards with stakeholders for total project transparency.
Use comments to document every major project decision for future disputes.
6. Wrapping Up: Reporting, Exporting, and Sharing Insights
Once the project step or milestone is reached, you generate clean, visual reports, either from templates or by customizing the content and format. Export S-curves, progress maps, ticket logs, and full digital handover packs as PDF or Excel for investors, lenders, or your own records.
All actions, annotations, and issue resolutions are fully tracked, giving your site an always-available digital “paper trail.”
To master this functionality, this article will guide you about the exporting capabilities of the Sitemark platform.
Tips per Stakeholder
EPCs
Export progress reports for payment validation.
Attach export logs to regulatory documentation for easy compliance.
Owner Engineers
Prepare export packs with all deviation and ticket histories.
Filter reports to focus on critical paths or delayed activities.
Asset Owners
Use portfolio reports to benchmark contractor and site performance.
Archive digital records for risk reduction and asset resale evidence.
With every site operation, Sitemark’s SCM product turns raw drone and design data into clear tasks, quality controls, and detailed reporting, empowering your team to move from “what happened?” to “what should we do next?”
Ready to start? Find here again the full onboarding guide for SCM.
If you need anything else along the way, contact our support team, we’re here to help you at every stage!