A write up form is one page in five parts, and the fifth part is the reason the first four hold: the incident with dates, the handbook policy it breached, the expectation from now on, the consequence if it recurs, and the signatures. Every write-up stands on a policy the employee acknowledged at hire, which is why the employee handbook template on this site is the free tool behind this page. The paid product keeps the write-up against the employee's record with the handbook version it refers to.
The incident
Specific, dated, witnessed where possible. The form asks for what happened and when, and refuses generalities by design. A write-up is evidence; evidence is specific. One incident per write-up; a form that bundles three months of grievances is read as a grudge rather than a record.
The policy
Named by handbook section. The attendance policy, the code of conduct, the expense policy, the safety rule. If there is no policy, there is no write-up, and the gap goes to the handbook's next revision.
Expectation and consequence
What changes from today and what follows if it does not, in one sentence each. The consequence is stated up to termination where the policy allows it, so nobody is surprised later. Both in the employee's reading level, not the lawyer's, because the employee has to be able to say later that they understood.
Signatures
Manager and employee, the employee's as acknowledgment, with a comments line and the date. Kept against the record. HeadcountDesk Pro keeps the write-ups with the handbook version they cite. From the vendors' own pricing pages, cited below: Homebase lists its Essentials plan at $30 per location per month billed monthly or $24 billed annually, with unlimited employees, and a Basic plan at $0 for one location with up to 10 employees; BambooHR starts at $10 per employee per month for Core and $17 for Pro; Deputy's Core plan is $6.50 per user per month. HeadcountDesk Pro is $24 per month per location.
Questions people ask about write up form
Is a verbal warning a write-up?
A verbal warning is recorded as a note with a date; the write-up is the written stage the handbook's process describes.
Should HR be present?
A witness helps; in a small business it is often the owner.
Is the handbook template free?
Yes, without an account.