What Is a Chronology?

In construction, delays are inevitable—but claims succeed or fail based on how well you document the chronology.

Chronology is a series of activities supported by documentary evidence that explains why work started later than the baseline plan.

Without written proof—letters, RFIs, approvals—your claim loses credibility. Verbal instructions or undocumented meetings simply don’t stand.

A strong chronology:

Justifies why an activity began on the impacted date, not the baseline date.
Closes gaps in the timeline by recording every step—design changes, RFIs, resubmissions, deliveries.
Shows proactive action, proving the contractor wasn’t idle but constrained by client delays or incomplete information.
Protects entitlement by demonstrating compliance and transparency.
As a Contractor, if your chronology has gaps, your claim has cracks.

How do you ensure your project team captures every detail with documentary evidence?