From contract strength to daily posting
A security contract states the strength: for example 4 guards and 1 supervisor per shift, two 12-hour shifts, 24x7. Deployment converts that into named people on a duty roster. Because each guard needs one weekly off in seven and will take leave, the roster needs more people than the posts. A 12-hour two-shift site with N posts usually needs about 2.33 N guards plus a reliever margin, which is where relievers, floating guards and the branch reserve come in.
The deployment plan also fixes post-wise requirements: armed or unarmed, gunman licence, fire-safety training, language, gender for a ladies' hostel, night-duty fitness. Placing the wrong category at a post is a contractual breach even if the count is right.
The deployment letter and strength reporting
Most clients require a deployment letter or deployment sheet at the start of the contract and whenever strength changes. It lists the site, posts, shift timings, the guards' names, ID numbers, verification status and the supervisor's contact. Clients sign it, and it becomes the reference for monthly billing. Our deployment letter and plan format shows the fields clients typically ask for.
Daily strength reporting then closes the loop: for each shift, how many were required, how many were present, who filled the gaps and whether any post was left unmanned. The client's bill is built from these numbers, which is why disputes almost always start with a shortfall the agency did not record or the client did not notice until invoice time.
- Required strength per post per shift, from the contract.
- Named guards per post with category (armed, unarmed, supervisor, lady guard).
- Reliever assignment for each weekly off and approved leave.
- Shortfall log with reason and replacement time for every unfilled post.
- Man-hours per site per month for billing and PSARA records.
Common deployment failures
Over-deployment on paper and under-deployment on site is the classic failure: the roster shows 8 guards, 6 turn up, and the supervisor reports full strength because nobody checks. Double posting, where the same guard is shown at two sites for the same shift, follows from Excel rosters maintained per site. Back-to-back 12-hour shifts to cover a no-show are a third, and they quietly breach the 48-hour week and spread-over limits.
The fix is one central deployment record per guard, attendance captured at the post with GPS and selfie rather than by the supervisor's word, and a daily comparison of present strength against required strength. See how to handle security guard no-shows for the reliever workflow.
A campus needs 5 posts per shift (main gate 2, basement 1, reception 1, roving 1) on 08:00–20:00 and 20:00–08:00 shifts, so 10 duty slots a day and 70 a week. Each guard covers 6 slots a week after a weekly off, so the base need is 12 guards. Adding one reliever for leave and one supervisor gives a deployment of 14. The deployment letter lists all 14 with post, shift and category, and the monthly bill is 5 posts x 2 shifts x 12 hours x 30 days = 3,600 man-hours less any recorded shortfall.
Attend Mitra's security-guard module supports site-wise guard deployment with post assignment per shift, guard attendance with GPS and selfie at the post, shift verification, and duty reports. Supervisors see present versus required strength per site live, and site-wise man-hour exports feed client billing so the invoice reflects what was actually deployed.