Lost and found log template
Use this lost and found log template to track items, storage and returns. Download the Excel workbook and checklist, or print a blank log.
Nothing you type leaves your browser, and there is no sign-up.
Lost and found log
20 rows a page. Columns:
- Item number
- Date and time found
- Where found
- Description
- Found by
- Stored in
- Claimed by
- ID checked
- Returned on
- Signature
| Item number | Date and time found | Where found | Description | Found by | Stored in | Claimed by | ID checked | Returned on | Signature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Describe each item in general terms. Keep any private identifying detail in a separate staff-only record, never on a public list.
What to check at shift handover
- Match each physical item to one reference and a labelled storage place.
- Keep ownership evidence in a restricted record, separate from any public description.
- Assign one staff member to unresolved claims and pickup arrangements.
- Check review dates against your venue policy; a review date is not permission to dispose of an item.
- Record the return or other authorised outcome before closing the entry.
Reply when someone reports a lost item
Copy and adapt this starting point. Replace every bracketed placeholder before sending.
Edits stay in this page and disappear when you leave. This tool does not send messages.
What to record for every found item
A lost and found log lets anyone on the desk answer three questions: what was found, where it is now and who collected it. Give each item a number, then record when and where it was found, a short description, who found it and where it is stored. When the owner collects it, record their name, the initials of whoever checked their ID, the date and their signature.
Keeping details private
Describe each item in general terms, such as a black leather wallet or a blue umbrella. Keep any private identifying detail, like the name on a card, what is inside a bag or a phone’s lock screen, in a separate staff-only record, never on a public list. The owner can then prove the item is theirs by describing what only they would know.
Keep completed sheets where only your team can see them, and only as long as you need them.
When paper stops working
A sheet cannot show guests what has been found or flag the items whose holding period is ending, and it gets harder to search every week. When the pile grows, lost and found software keeps the same record with a photo of every item, and guests ask for their things back with a private claim that your team checks.
Would software be worth it for your desk?
Time a found-item entry, a search and a completed return. Include follow-up calls when measuring your current process. Enter your own figures below; there are no assumed savings. The calculation stays in your browser.
Calculate staff time and compare the annual price
vFound Lost & Found: USD 900 per venue, billed annually. Changing currency changes the price and units; it does not convert your inputs.
Fill in all four figures to see the estimate.
Hours = annual records × (current minutes − expected minutes) ÷ 60. Capacity value = hours × hourly staff cost. Time freed is not cash saved unless your actual costs fall. Setup, training and other costs are excluded. A negative result means the assumptions do not cover the subscription.
Measure the same tasks during your 14-day trial before deciding. A valid card is required; the selected products are charged annually after the trial unless you cancel before it ends. See prices and trial terms.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use this in Excel or Google Sheets?+
Download the Excel workbook for six tabs, a blank 200-row log, synthetic examples, status dropdowns and a summary. For Google Sheets, import the blank CSV; it contains headings only, without formatting or formulas. Keep your working file restricted to authorised staff.
Is this lost and found log free?+
Yes. Print as many sheets as you like. Nothing you type is sent to vFound.
How long should we keep found items?+
There is no single rule: it depends on local law, the kind of item and your own policy. Many venues keep everyday items for a shorter time than valuables, and pass identity documents and bank cards to the issuing authority, the bank or the police. Our free policy generator helps you set your holding periods. Open the policy generator
Should the owner sign when they collect an item?+
Yes. Their signature and the date, with the initials of the staff member who checked their ID, show who took the item and who released it, which helps if a dispute comes up later.
What does vFound Lost & Found add?+
A photo of every found item, your own lost and found website where guests search and send a private claim, a claim check by vFound AI that your team decides, and a record of who released each item.
Put your found items online.
vFound Lost & Found publishes found items on your own website, takes private claims and records every return. Start your 14-day free trial. A valid card is required; cancel before day 14 to avoid the yearly charge.