Check Sheet

Check Sheets are a means of tallying data. They are generally kept at the point of data collection, and every time a particular incident happens, a check is placed in the appropriate box.

In many cases, the check sheet will be broken down into a grid. The columns most often contain the different types of occurrences. The rows are broken down into time periods, whether hours, days, or a longer period. This second axis may also be broken down by location of where the problem occurred.

Whenever an event occurs, such as a customer complaint, or a defective part, the person responsible for collecting data places a check or tick mark in the appropriate column at the appropriate time.

The check sheet is a data collection tool. By the time you are using one, you have likely already started the problem-solving process. The check sheet is most often used to help identify the frequency of particular problems to be able to apply the Pareto principle to the solution.

As a variation of the check sheet, record a number instead of a simple check mark. Approximate the time or cost related to the problem and record it in the appropriate box. While it takes a bit more time to record, it provides additional information that can provide better insight into solutions.

Tally Sheet

A similar tool to the check sheet is the tally sheet. In this case, instead of marking down tick marks, you would mark down a number.

Perhaps you were monitoring ridership on a bus. Instead of writing down a slew of tick marks, you might instead just write the number of riders that got off at the stop each time a bus arrived. You’d end up with several numbers in the tally sheet square rather than a bunch of lines to count.

NOTE: Not everyone makes this distinction between the terms “tally sheet” and “check sheet”. I find that the distinction is useful in practice and in preventing confusion.