FieldClear

Never Lose Track of IPAF Expiry Dates

Track IPAF licence expiry dates and the categories each operator holds, with reminders before they lapse.

  • Every IPAF expiry date in one view
  • Reminders before certificates lapse
  • Evidence attached to the worker record
  • Import the dates you already have in Excel
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14-day free trial. No card required.

What IPAF tracking involves

IPAF training covers the operation of mobile elevating work platforms, and operators hold specific categories — 3a and 3b being the most common — recorded on a PAL card with an expiry date.

Why the dates get missed

  • Categories matter as much as the date: a worker qualified on 3a is not automatically qualified on 3b
  • Most spreadsheets record 'IPAF' as a single column and lose the category detail entirely
  • Renewal requires retraining rather than a simple administrative refresh, so late discovery is expensive
  • Powered access work is often allocated at short notice, when there is no time to check

See every IPAF record at once

Workers down the side, requirements across the top. IPAF sits alongside everything else your organisation assigns, with the status worked out from the expiry date rather than typed by hand.

Told before it lapses

Reminders go out ahead of the date, to the people who can do something about it. You choose how far ahead and who receives them.

The certificate lives with the date

Attach a photo or PDF to the worker record so the proof and the date cannot drift apart. When a client asks for evidence, it is already assembled.

Tracking IPAF categories, not just dates

The common mistake is a single IPAF column holding one date. It looks tidy and it hides the thing that actually matters — which machines that person is trained to operate.

Record the specific categories held against each operator, with the expiry date and a copy of the PAL card. When work is allocated, you can filter to operators who hold the right category and whose licence is current, rather than relying on someone's memory.

What to record

  • The categories held, individually — 1a, 1b, 3a, 3b and any others relevant to your fleet
  • The expiry date as a real date
  • A copy of the PAL card as evidence
  • Which roles in your organisation require which categories

Why late discovery is costly here

Unlike some renewals, an expired IPAF licence cannot be resolved with paperwork — it requires retraining, which means booking a course and losing the operator for a day. Finding out four weeks ahead and finding out on the morning of the job are very different situations.

You can keep using Excel. But Excel won’t chase expiries for you.

Excel is flexible, familiar and free, which is exactly why almost every contractor starts there. The limitation isn’t the spreadsheet — it’s that a spreadsheet can only tell you what someone last typed into it.

  • Keeping it up to date

    ExcelManual updates
    FieldClearLive matrix

  • Showing status

    ExcelManual colour coding
    FieldClearAutomatic status updates

  • Expiry warnings

    ExcelNo automatic reminders
    FieldClearExpiry reminders before the date

  • Certificates and evidence

    ExcelStored elsewhere
    FieldClearAttached to the worker record

  • Versions

    ExcelEasy to create multiple versions
    FieldClearSingle source of truth

  • Finding what matters

    ExcelHard to see what changed
    FieldClearFilters and actions

  • History

    ExcelNo audit history
    FieldClearActivity history

Plenty of contractors run a perfectly good spreadsheet for years. The question isn’t whether Excel works — it’s whether anyone is checking it the week something quietly expires.

Pricing

Simple pricing based on workforce size.

Every plan includes the whole product. The only thing that changes is how many workers you’re tracking.

  • Starter

    £29/month

    Up to 25 active workers

    For smaller contractors moving off a single spreadsheet.

    Start 14-day free trial
  • Most common

    Growth

    £59/month

    Up to 75 active workers

    For growing teams with several roles and requirement sets.

    Start 14-day free trial

  • Pro

    £99/month

    Up to 200 active workers

    For established contractors managing multiple teams and sites.

    Start 14-day free trial

Every plan includes

  • Live training matrix
  • Certificate and evidence storage
  • Expiry reminders
  • Spreadsheet import (Excel or CSV)
  • Roles and assigned requirements
  • Users and permissions
  • Activity history
  • Filters, search and saved views
  • Data export
  • Email support

14-day free trial. No card required.

View pricing in full

Questions people ask before signing up

Can I get reminders before certificates expire?

Yes. The system monitors expiry dates and sends reminders in advance. You choose how far ahead reminders are sent and who receives them.

Can I store certificates?

Yes. Attach supporting evidence such as PDFs and images to worker records, so the certificate sits alongside the expiry date rather than in a separate folder.

Can I import my existing Excel training matrix?

Yes. Upload an Excel or CSV file, map the columns to workers, roles, qualifications and expiry dates, then preview the result. Nothing is created until you confirm the import.

Does the software tell me which qualifications are legally required?

No. The system helps you track the requirements your organisation assigns. You remain responsible for determining what applies to your workers and activities. We do not provide legal or health and safety advice.

Can I track subcontractors?

Yes. Workers can be recorded as employees, subcontractors, agency workers or other worker types, and you can filter the matrix by type.

Related

Your training matrix already exists. Make it useful.

Upload your spreadsheet and turn it into a live view of who’s current, what’s expiring and what needs attention.

Upload my matrixStart from scratch

14-day free trial. No card required.