# Fieldwork Ledger, full text > Log supervised fieldwork on your phone, check every month against the 2022 or 2027 rules with the exact shortfall, and print the numbers for your monthly form. Private, in your browser. Fieldwork Ledger is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board or any other certifying body. Everything below is our own summary of the published documents; the documents win if they differ. Site: https://fieldworkledger-web.pages.dev/ # 2027 supervised fieldwork requirements URL: https://fieldworkledger-web.pages.dev/rules/ ## The rules as checked ### 2022 requirements Applies to applications before 2027-01-01. Last reviewed 25 September 2026. - Fieldwork hours to qualify: 2,000 supervised or 1,500 concentrated - Supervisory period: One calendar month - Fieldwork hours per period: 20 to 130 hours - Supervised share of hours per period: 5 percent supervised, 10 percent concentrated - Individual share of supervision per period: At least 50 percent, so group is no more than half - Observation with a client per period: 1 observation - Supervisor contacts per period: 4 supervised, 6 concentrated - Unrestricted activities: At least 60 percent of your total hours, not each month - Time limit: 5 continuous years, counted by calendar month Sources: Board Certified Behavior Analyst Handbook, Updated 06/2026, Supervised Fieldwork Requirements, pages 14 to 23. ### 2027 requirements Applies to applications on or after 2027-01-01. Last reviewed 25 September 2026. - Fieldwork hours to qualify: 2,000 supervised or 1,500 concentrated - Supervisory period: One calendar month - Fieldwork hours per period: 20 to 160 hours - Supervised share of hours per period: 5 percent supervised, 7.5 percent concentrated - Individual share of supervision per period: At least 50 percent, so group is no more than half - Observation with a client per period: 60 minutes supervised, 90 minutes concentrated, cumulative - Supervisor contacts per period: No minimum listed in the 2027 tables - Unrestricted activities: At least 60 percent of your total hours, not each month - Time limit: 5 continuous years, counted by calendar month Sources: 2027 BCBA Requirements, Updated 02/2026, Overview of Fieldwork Requirements, pages 2 and 4; Board Certified Behavior Analyst Handbook, Updated 06/2026, 2027 Eligibility Requirements, page 26, and Supervised Fieldwork Requirements, pages 14 to 23. ## What changes on 1 January 2027 - The monthly maximum rises from 130 to 160 hours. The minimum stays at 20. - Concentrated fieldwork needs 7.5 percent supervision each month instead of 10. Supervised fieldwork stays at 5 percent. - Observation with a client is counted in minutes: 60 a month for supervised fieldwork, 90 for concentrated, added up across the month. Under 2022 it was one observation a month. - The 2027 tables list no minimum number of supervisor contacts. Under 2022 it was 4 a month, or 6 for concentrated. - Unchanged: 2,000 supervised or 1,500 concentrated hours in total, at least 50 percent of supervision individual, and at least 60 percent of your total in unrestricted activities. - New 2027 monthly and final verification forms replace the 2022 versions for applications from 1 January 2027. ## Questions about the 2027 requirements **When do the 2027 fieldwork requirements start?** They apply to applications submitted on or after 1 January 2027, whenever the hours were earned. Applications before that date use the 2022 requirements. **What is the monthly maximum under the 2027 requirements?** 160 hours of fieldwork per calendar month, up from 130 under the 2022 requirements. The minimum stays at 20 hours. **How much observation is needed each month in 2027?** 60 minutes of observation with a client for supervised fieldwork and 90 minutes for concentrated fieldwork, added up across the month. Under 2022 it was one observation a month. **Did the supervision percentage change in 2027?** Only for concentrated fieldwork, which drops from 10 percent to 7.5 percent. Supervised fieldwork stays at 5 percent of the month's total hours. **What if I do not know whether I will apply before or after 1 January 2027?** The transition guidance suggests meeting both sets of requirements and completing both the 2022 and the 2027 monthly forms each month, tracking observations both as a count and in minutes. # How to fill out the monthly fieldwork verification form URL: https://fieldworkledger-web.pages.dev/guides/monthly-fieldwork-verification-form/ Last reviewed: 26 September 2026 Fill in one monthly fieldwork verification form per supervisor per month: your name and ID, the month, where the fieldwork happened, your supervisor's name and number, your independent and supervised hours in hours and minutes, and the minutes of observation. The form adds the total and the percentage supervised. You and your supervisor both sign it by the last day of the following month, and each of you keeps a copy for at least 7 years. You do not send it in unless you are asked. ## Fill out the form in ten steps These steps follow the 2027 individual supervisor version, which applies if you apply on or after 1 January 2027. The 2022 version and the multiple supervisors version ask for the same hours with small differences, noted below. 1. **Pick the right version.** Use the 2027 form if you will apply on or after 1 January 2027 and the 2022 form if you will apply before. Use the individual supervisor form for one supervisor, or the multiple supervisors at one organization form when one responsible supervisor coordinates several. If you do not yet know when you will apply, the transition guidance suggests completing both the 2022 and the 2027 forms each month. 2. **Close the month in your log first.** Add up the month for this supervisor only: independent time, supervised time split into individual and group, and the total minutes a supervisor observed you with a client. Keep the group and individual split in your own records even though the form does not ask for it. 3. **Check every monthly rule before anyone signs.** Under 2027 the month needs 20 to 160 hours, at least 5 percent supervised (7.5 for concentrated), no more than half of supervision in groups, and 60 minutes of observation (90 for concentrated). If a rule is not met, agree with your supervisor how the handbook's adjustment table reduces the hours before the form is completed. 4. **Open the form in Adobe Acrobat Reader on a computer.** The form says it may be completed in Adobe Acrobat Reader on a desktop but not in a web browser, because its drop-down menus and dates do not save correctly there. You can also print it and write over the drop-downs. 5. **Fill in the identity fields.** Your name, your ID from your account on the certifying board's portal, the month and year, the state and country where the fieldwork happened, and your supervisor's name with their certification number or ID. 6. **Enter independent and supervised time.** Line A is independent hours, with the supervisor not present. Line B is supervised hours, with the supervisor present, individual and group together. Each takes hours and minutes. Record actual time, never time multiplied by the 1.33 concentrated factor. 7. **Enter the observation time.** The 2027 form asks how many hours and minutes of the fieldwork were observation of you with a client. This is included in your hours, not added on top. 8. **Check the total and the percentage.** The form adds A and B and divides supervised by total. Check both against your own figures. A percentage of 4.96 is not 5, so a month that shows just under the threshold does not meet it. 9. **Save, reopen and check.** Save the file, close it and open the saved copy to confirm every field kept its value. Forms with missing information are denied, and an incomplete form can mean the month's hours are lost. 10. **Sign by the deadline and keep your copy.** The supervisor and the trainee sign and date the form by the last day of the calendar month after the month of supervision, using a signature the Acceptable Signatures Policy allows. Each of you keeps a copy for at least 7 years. Do not submit it unless the board asks. ## What the monthly form is for The monthly form is the record that a month of fieldwork met the requirements. It is signed monthly but kept, not submitted. When a supervision relationship ends, your supervisor signs a final fieldwork verification form built from the signed monthly forms, and the final form is what goes with your certification application. The monthly forms are what you produce if your fieldwork is audited. A missing month cannot be rebuilt later: if a monthly form is lost, the documenting fieldwork FAQ says those hours should not be counted. ### How the 2022 and 2027 versions differ - The 2027 form has a line for the hours and minutes of observation. The 2022 form confirms an observation happened instead, because the 2022 rule is one observation a month rather than 60 or 90 minutes. - The 2022 form asks you to tick supervised or concentrated fieldwork. On the 2027 form, the percentage supervised and the observation minutes show which type the month meets. - The 2022 attestation mentions the required number of supervisor contacts. The 2027 tables list no minimum number of contacts. Whichever version you use, one form covers one supervisor, or one organization's responsible supervisor, for one calendar month. Two supervisors at different places in the same month means two forms, and each month must meet every rule on its own. The full rule set is on the [2027 requirements page](https://fieldworkledger-web.pages.dev/rules/). ## Worked example: March 2027, one supervisor A trainee applying in 2028 logs supervised fieldwork in March 2027 with one individual supervisor. Across the month the log shows 112 h 30 m of independent time and 7 h 0 m of supervised time, of which 4 h 15 m was individual and 2 h 45 m was group. The supervisor observed the trainee with clients for 75 minutes in total. Table: The March 2027 figures as they go on the form | Form line | Value | Check | | --- | --- | --- | | A. Independent hours | 112 h 30 m | Supervisor not present | | B. Supervised hours | 7 h 0 m | Individual 4 h 15 m is 61 percent, so group is under half | | Observation included | 1 h 15 m | At least 60 minutes for supervised fieldwork | | Total fieldwork hours | 119 h 30 m | Between 20 and 160 | | Percentage supervised | 5.86% | 420 of 7,170 minutes, at least 5 percent | Every rule is met, so the supervisor and trainee sign on or before 30 April 2027. If the same trainee might apply before 2027 instead, the 2022 form for March would also need four supervisor contacts and a total of no more than 130 hours, which this month also meets. You can test your own month the same way in the [free monthly checker](https://fieldworkledger-web.pages.dev/checker/). ## Common mistakes - Filling the form in a web browser's PDF viewer. Dates and drop-downs may not save, and a form with missing information is denied. - Signing late. A monthly form signed after the last day of the following month makes the whole month ineligible, and no adjustment brings it back. - Writing concentrated hours multiplied by 1.33. Forms always record actual hours; the multiplier is only for estimating your progress. - Putting two supervisors on one individual form. Each supervisor signs their own form for their own hours. - Rounding the percentage up. 4.96 percent is below 5, and the month does not meet the rule until supervised time is added or independent time is adjusted. - Counting a recorded session the supervisor watched later, without real time feedback, as supervised time. It can count toward observation, but not toward supervised hours or contacts. - Keeping only the form. Your own records still need every session, the individual and group split, and whether each activity was restricted or unrestricted. ## Frequently asked questions **Do I submit the monthly fieldwork verification form?** No. You and your supervisor each keep a copy for at least 7 years. Only the final fieldwork verification form goes with your application. The monthly forms may be requested if your fieldwork is audited. **What is the deadline for signing the monthly form?** The last day of the calendar month after the month of supervision. A March form must be signed by 30 April. A form signed after that makes the month's hours ineligible. **Can I correct a monthly form after it is signed?** Yes. Within one calendar month of the supervisory period you can make a new version and sign it again. After that, you and your supervisor can make the changes and both initial them, as long as your documentation supports the corrected figures. **Can this app fill the form for me?** It can fill the text fields of your own downloaded copy of the 2027 form from a month in your log, inside your browser, and leaves signatures and dates blank. Open the filled file in Adobe Acrobat Reader to check it and sign it. The official form is never stored on this site. ## Sources - [2027 Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form: Individual Supervisor](https://www.bacb.com/bcba-2027-requirements/), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, form version 06/2026, read 25 September 2026. Used for: The fields on the 2027 monthly form and its instructions. The form is downloaded from the publisher, never from this site. - [Board Certified Behavior Analyst Handbook](https://www.bacb.com/bcba-handbook/), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated 06/2026, read 25 September 2026. Used for: Supervised Fieldwork Requirements, pages 14 to 25: hours, activities, supervision, documentation, verification forms, adjustments and audits. - [2027 BCBA Requirements](https://www.bacb.com/bcba-2027-requirements/), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated 02/2026, read 25 September 2026. Used for: The 2027 overview of fieldwork requirements and the list of 2027 monthly and final forms. - [Guidance for Meeting the BCBA Requirements During the 2027 Transition](https://www.bacb.com/BCBA-2027-transition-resource), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated 01/2026, read 26 September 2026. Used for: Meeting both rule sets at once, which forms to keep, and how concentrated hours and the monthly maximum carry across. - [Documenting Fieldwork: Helpful Answers to Your FAQs](https://www.bacb.com/documenting-fieldwork-helpful-answers-to-your-faqs/), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated April 2026 for the 2027 requirements, read 25 September 2026. Used for: Correcting a signed monthly form, lost forms, the 1.33 multiplier and which supervisor signs. # How to calculate your fieldwork supervision percentage, with worked examples URL: https://fieldworkledger-web.pages.dev/guides/supervision-percentage/ Last reviewed: 26 September 2026 Your supervision percentage is supervised hours divided by total fieldwork hours for the month, where the total is independent plus supervised time. It must be at least 5 percent for supervised fieldwork, and for concentrated fieldwork at least 7.5 percent under the 2027 requirements or 10 percent under the 2022 requirements. Because supervised time is part of the total, the quick rule is: at 5 percent you need one minute of supervision for every 19 minutes of independent work. ## The formula For one supervisor and one calendar month: - Total = independent time + supervised time - Supervision percentage = supervised time / total x 100 Supervised time means time with your supervisor present, individual and group together. Work in minutes, not decimal hours, so nothing is lost to rounding. Observation time is not a separate addition: it is part of whichever time it happened in. To find the least supervision a month needs, solve for supervised time: supervised must be at least the percentage times independent, divided by one minus the percentage. At 5 percent that is independent divided by 19. At 7.5 percent it is independent times 3 divided by 37. At 10 percent it is independent divided by 9. Round up to the next whole minute. ### Minimum supervised time for a given amount of independent time Table: Least supervised time for each threshold, rounded up to the minute | Independent hours | 5 percent | 7.5 percent (2027 concentrated) | 10 percent (2022 concentrated) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 40 h | 2 h 7 m | 3 h 15 m | 4 h 27 m | | 60 h | 3 h 10 m | 4 h 52 m | 6 h 40 m | | 80 h | 4 h 13 m | 6 h 30 m | 8 h 54 m | | 100 h | 5 h 16 m | 8 h 7 m | 11 h 7 m | | 120 h | 6 h 19 m | 9 h 44 m | Total passes the 2022 maximum of 130 h | | 140 h | 7 h 23 m, over 130 h in total so 2027 only | 11 h 22 m | Total passes the 2022 maximum of 130 h | The percentage is one of several monthly rules. A month can pass 5 percent and still fail because more than half of the supervision was in groups, because observation was short, or because the total is outside 20 to 160 hours (20 to 130 under 2022). The [2027 requirements page](https://fieldworkledger-web.pages.dev/rules/) lists them all. ## When the percentage comes up short Before the month ends, the fix is more supervised time. After it ends, the handbook's adjustment table says to decrease the month's independent hours until the percentage meets the minimum, and to record the adjusted hours on the monthly form while your own records keep every hour you worked. Concentrated fieldwork may not be adjusted, so a concentrated month that falls short cannot be rescued this way. The adjustment table is written against the 2022 figures. Agree with your supervisor how you apply it to a 2027 month before anyone signs. ## Worked examples ### Example 1: a supervised fieldwork month just under 5 percent 95 h of independent time and 4 h 45 m supervised. The total is 99 h 45 m, or 5,985 minutes. 285 supervised minutes divided by 5,985 is 4.76 percent, which is short. The least supervised time for 95 independent hours is 5,700 / 19 = 300 minutes, so 15 more minutes of supervision before the month closes would pass. If the month has already closed, reducing independent time to 90 h 15 m (19 x 285 minutes) makes 285 minutes exactly 5 percent, and the month counts 95 h instead of 99 h 45 m. ### Example 2: a concentrated month under the 2027 and 2022 thresholds 100 h independent and 8 h supervised. 480 of 6,480 minutes is 7.41 percent, just under 7.5. It needs 8 h 7 m under 2027, so 7 more minutes. Under the 2022 requirements the same month would need 11 h 7 m to reach 10 percent. At 7.41 percent it still clears 5 percent, so it can meet the supervised fieldwork percentage instead, if every other rule for that type is met. ### Example 3: enough supervision, too much of it in groups 110 h independent and 6 h supervised, of which 3 h 30 m was group. 360 of 6,960 minutes is 5.17 percent, which passes. But group time is 58 percent of supervision, over half, so the month fails the individual share rule. One more individual hour before month end fixes it, and raises the percentage too. To run your own numbers, type them into the [free monthly checker](https://fieldworkledger-web.pages.dev/checker/). It applies every rule for the 2022 or 2027 requirements and states the exact time to add, allowing for the fact that added supervision also adds to the total. ## Common mistakes - Dividing supervised time by independent time instead of by the total. It makes the percentage look higher than it is. - Computing 5 percent of independent hours and stopping there. Supervision adds to the total, so the minimum is a little more: independent divided by 19, not by 20. - Rounding 4.96 percent up to 5. The threshold is met only at 5.00 or above. - Using decimal hours with two places. 7.33 hours is not 7 h 20 m exactly, and small errors decide close months. Use minutes. - Adding up two supervisors' hours in one percentage. Each supervisor's month is its own period unless they are coordinated at one organization under a responsible supervisor. - Assuming a 7.5 percent concentrated month also counts as concentrated under 2022. It does not; 2022 concentrated fieldwork needs 10 percent. ## Frequently asked questions **Is the supervision percentage checked each month or over all my hours?** Each month, per supervisory period. The supervisory period is one calendar month, and each monthly form has to meet the percentage on its own. The 60 percent unrestricted rule is the one that is checked over your total hours. **Does group supervision count toward the percentage?** Yes. Supervised time is individual plus group. Group may not be more than half of the month's supervised time, so it counts toward the percentage only up to that point. **Does observation time count as supervised time?** Only when the supervisor is present in real time and gives feedback. A recorded session your supervisor watches later without real time feedback can meet the observation requirement but does not add to supervised hours. **How many supervised hours do I need in a 130 hour month?** At 5 percent of a 130 hour total, 6 h 30 m, leaving 123 h 30 m independent. Under 2027 a concentrated month of the same total needs 9 h 45 m, and under 2022 concentrated fieldwork needs 13 h. ## Sources - [Board Certified Behavior Analyst Handbook](https://www.bacb.com/bcba-handbook/), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated 06/2026, read 25 September 2026. Used for: Supervised Fieldwork Requirements, pages 14 to 25: hours, activities, supervision, documentation, verification forms, adjustments and audits. - [2027 BCBA Requirements](https://www.bacb.com/bcba-2027-requirements/), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated 02/2026, read 25 September 2026. Used for: The 2027 overview of fieldwork requirements and the list of 2027 monthly and final forms. - [Guidance for Meeting the BCBA Requirements During the 2027 Transition](https://www.bacb.com/BCBA-2027-transition-resource), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated 01/2026, read 26 September 2026. Used for: Meeting both rule sets at once, which forms to keep, and how concentrated hours and the monthly maximum carry across. - [Commonly Asked Questions About BACB Supervised Fieldwork Requirements](https://www.bacb.com/faqs-supervised-fieldwork-requirements/), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, last updated 17 April 2025, read 25 September 2026. Used for: Restricted and unrestricted activities, observation by video, and who decides whether an activity counts. # Concentrated vs supervised fieldwork: which to choose, and the 1.33 factor URL: https://fieldworkledger-web.pages.dev/guides/concentrated-vs-supervised-fieldwork/ Last reviewed: 26 September 2026 Supervised fieldwork needs 2,000 hours with at least 5 percent of each month supervised. Concentrated supervised fieldwork needs only 1,500 hours, but each month must be at least 7.5 percent supervised with 90 minutes of observation under the 2027 requirements (10 percent and one observation under 2022). Concentrated finishes sooner if you can get the extra supervision. If you mix the two, multiply your concentrated hours by 1.33 and add your supervised hours to see how close you are to 2,000. ## Side by side Table: Supervised and concentrated fieldwork under the 2027 and 2022 requirements | Rule | Supervised | Concentrated, 2027 | Concentrated, 2022 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Hours to qualify | 2,000 | 1,500 | 1,500 | | Supervision each month | 5 percent | 7.5 percent | 10 percent | | Observation each month | 60 minutes (2027), one observation (2022) | 90 minutes | One observation | | Hours each month | 20 to 160 (2027), 20 to 130 (2022) | 20 to 160 | 20 to 130 | | Contacts each month | None listed (2027), 4 (2022) | None listed | 6 | | Individual share of supervision | At least half | At least half | At least half | | Unrestricted activities | At least 60 percent of all hours | At least 60 percent of all hours | At least 60 percent of all hours | Everything else is the same: the five year window, the supervisor qualifications, the monthly and final forms, and the 60 percent unrestricted share across your total. The full comparison is on the [2027 requirements page](https://fieldworkledger-web.pages.dev/rules/). ## The 1.33 factor, explained 1.33 is 2,000 divided by 1,500, rounded. It converts concentrated hours into their supervised fieldwork equivalent so that a mix of both can be compared with 2,000. The handbook's method is: add up your concentrated hours, multiply by 1.33, add your supervised hours, and check the result is at least 2,000 before you apply. - Use it only on concentrated hours, and only to check a mixed total. - Never write multiplied hours on a monthly form, a final form or the application. They always record actual hours; the final form has separate columns for supervised and concentrated hours. - If you are audited, the audit log asks you to show which hours were adjusted to meet the requirement, so keep the concentrated months clearly marked in your records. Each month counts as one type per supervision arrangement. A month with one supervisor is either supervised or concentrated, never split. The documenting fieldwork FAQ explains that the month's percentage supervised and observation minutes show which type it meets. ## Which to choose Think in supervision hours, because that is usually what costs time or money. At a steady 120 hours a month: - Supervised fieldwork: 6 hours of supervision a month, about 16.7 months to 2,000 hours, about 100 supervision hours in all. - Concentrated under 2027: 9 hours a month, 12.5 months to 1,500 hours, about 112.5 supervision hours in all. - Concentrated under 2022: 12 hours a month, 12.5 months, about 150 supervision hours in all. Under the 2027 requirements, concentrated fieldwork finishes about four months sooner for around an eighth more supervision in total. It is a harder monthly target, though: a concentrated month that falls short cannot be adjusted or prorated, while a supervised month often can. If your supervisor's availability is uneven, supervised fieldwork is the safer default, and you can still log concentrated months when the extra supervision is there. During the transition, note the one way street in the board's transition guidance: concentrated months at 7.5 percent cannot count as concentrated under the 2022 requirements, but 2022 concentrated months at 10 percent do meet the 2027 threshold. ## Worked example: mixed hours A trainee has 600 concentrated hours from a university clinic and 1,150 supervised hours from a part time job. The estimate is 600 x 1.33 = 798, plus 1,150, which is 1,948. That is 52 short of 2,000. The trainee can close the gap with 52 more supervised hours, or with about 39.1 more concentrated hours, since 52 divided by 1.33 is 39.1. On the final forms the trainee still records 600 concentrated hours and 1,150 supervised hours, the actual figures. The log here keeps both types, applies the 1.33 estimate to the running total and projects a finish date at your current pace. Test a single month in the [free monthly checker](https://fieldworkledger-web.pages.dev/checker/). ## Common mistakes - Writing multiplied hours on a form. Forms and the application take actual hours only. - Calling a 2027 month concentrated with only 60 minutes of observation. Concentrated needs 90 minutes; with 60 it can meet supervised fieldwork if the other rules are met. - Assuming a 7.5 percent month counts as concentrated if you end up applying before 2027. The 2022 threshold is 10 percent. - Planning to adjust a short concentrated month afterwards. The handbook does not allow concentrated hours to be prorated or adjusted. - Splitting one supervisor's month into part concentrated and part supervised. Hours accrue under one type per month per supervision arrangement. - Forgetting the 60 percent unrestricted share. It applies to your whole total, whichever types you mix. ## Frequently asked questions **Is concentrated fieldwork worth it?** Usually, if you can get the supervision. Under the 2027 requirements it needs 1,500 hours instead of 2,000 for only a little more supervision in total, so it finishes months sooner. The risk is that a short concentrated month cannot be adjusted. **Can I switch between concentrated and supervised fieldwork?** Yes, from month to month. Each month with each supervisor counts as one type, and you combine them at the end using the 1.33 estimate. Keep the type of each month clear in your records. **Where does the 1.33 number come from?** It is 2,000 divided by 1,500, rounded to two places. It gives concentrated hours their supervised fieldwork equivalent so a mixed total can be compared with 2,000. **Do I use 1.33 on my forms?** No. Monthly forms, final forms and the application record actual hours. The multiplier is only for estimating how close you are to the requirement. ## Sources - [Board Certified Behavior Analyst Handbook](https://www.bacb.com/bcba-handbook/), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated 06/2026, read 25 September 2026. Used for: Supervised Fieldwork Requirements, pages 14 to 25: hours, activities, supervision, documentation, verification forms, adjustments and audits. - [2027 BCBA Requirements](https://www.bacb.com/bcba-2027-requirements/), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated 02/2026, read 25 September 2026. Used for: The 2027 overview of fieldwork requirements and the list of 2027 monthly and final forms. - [Guidance for Meeting the BCBA Requirements During the 2027 Transition](https://www.bacb.com/BCBA-2027-transition-resource), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated 01/2026, read 26 September 2026. Used for: Meeting both rule sets at once, which forms to keep, and how concentrated hours and the monthly maximum carry across. - [Documenting Fieldwork: Helpful Answers to Your FAQs](https://www.bacb.com/documenting-fieldwork-helpful-answers-to-your-faqs/), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated April 2026 for the 2027 requirements, read 25 September 2026. Used for: Correcting a signed monthly form, lost forms, the 1.33 multiplier and which supervisor signs. # Common reasons fieldwork hours get rejected, and how to prevent each one URL: https://fieldworkledger-web.pages.dev/guides/fieldwork-hours-rejected/ Last reviewed: 26 September 2026 Fieldwork hours are usually lost for paperwork and timing reasons, not because the work was poor: a monthly form signed after the deadline, a month with no observation, fewer than 20 hours, too little supervision, more group than individual supervision, a supervisor who was not qualified or had no signed contract, hours that were not behavior analytic, or forms that were lost or incomplete. Almost all of them can be caught before the month closes, when there is still time to fix them. ## Monthly reasons, and what happens to the month The handbook's adjustment table says what happens when a monthly requirement is missed. Some misses lose the whole month; others reduce it. Table: What happens when a monthly requirement is not met | Problem | What happens to the month | How to prevent it | | --- | --- | --- | | Monthly form signed after the last day of the following month | No hours count | Put the signing date in both calendars when the month starts | | No observation with a client | No hours count | Book the observation early in the month, not in the last week | | Fewer than 20 hours | No hours count | Check the running total two weeks before month end | | More than the monthly maximum | Independent hours are removed down to the maximum | Stop logging independent time once you reach it | | Supervision percentage too low | Independent hours are reduced until the percentage is met | Add supervision before the month closes | | More group than individual supervision | Group hours are reduced to match individual | Keep at least half of supervision one to one | | Too few contacts (2022 only) | Hours are prorated by the share of contacts held | Log each meeting as its own entry | The table is written against the 2022 figures, and concentrated fieldwork cannot be prorated or adjusted at all. For a 2027 month, agree with your supervisor how each adjustment applies before signing. ## Reasons that can void more than a month - Starting too early. Hours only count once you have a qualified supervisor, a signed supervision contract with each supervisor, and, on the coursework pathways, have started a qualifying behavior analytic course that you go on to pass. - An unqualified supervisor. Supervisors must hold active certification with no current sanctions, meet the supervision continuing education rule, and have completed the 8 hour supervision training before signing your contract. A supervisor certified less than a year also needs monthly consultation from a qualified consulting supervisor. - A conflict of interest. A supervisor may not be related to you, be your subordinate, be employed by you, or be in another personal or business relationship with you. You may not be related to the client or be their primary caregiver. - Activities that do not count. Conferences, courses, homework, podcasts, crisis or CPR training, non behavior analytic assessments, billing and role plays that are not client related are all excluded. - The five year window. Every hour must fall within five continuous years, counted by calendar month. - Lost, outdated or incomplete forms. A lost monthly form means those hours should not be counted, forms that are not the board's current versions are not accepted, and forms with missing information are denied. - Missing an audit deadline. If your fieldwork is audited, documents are usually due within 14 days, and a missed deadline makes the fieldwork noncompliant. - Too little unrestricted work overall. At least 60 percent of your total must be unrestricted activities, checked across all your hours. The certifying board does not rule on whether a particular activity counts. Your supervisor decides, using the handbook, so ask before you log anything unusual. ## Worked example: one month, two adjustments An October month of supervised fieldwork shows 143 h independent and 7 h supervised, 4 h of it group and 3 h individual, with 80 minutes of observation. The total of 150 h is inside 20 to 160 and observation passes. But group time is more than individual time, and the percentage is 4.67. 1. Reduce group to equal individual: supervised becomes 3 h individual plus 3 h group, 6 h. 2. Recheck the percentage: 360 of 8,940 minutes is 4.03 percent, still short. 3. Reduce independent time until 6 h is 5 percent: 19 x 360 minutes is 114 h. 4. The month counts 114 h independent plus 6 h supervised, 120 h, instead of the 150 h worked. Thirty hours lost that one extra individual hour mid month would have saved. The [free monthly checker](https://fieldworkledger-web.pages.dev/checker/) shows these gaps while the month is still open, and the [supervision percentage guide](https://fieldworkledger-web.pages.dev/guides/supervision-percentage/) explains the arithmetic. ## Common mistakes - Logging supervised time without noting individual or group, so the monthly split cannot be shown. - Writing down that an observation happened but not how many minutes. The 2027 rule is minutes; the transition guidance suggests tracking both the count and the duration. - Leaving the whole review to the final form. The supervisor should review every month's hours before signing its monthly form. - Keeping forms in one place only. Both you and your supervisor keep copies for at least 7 years. - Not marking each activity restricted or unrestricted, which leaves the 60 percent share unprovable. - Assuming a new setting or supervisor starts a new clock. Every counted hour, across every setting, has to fit inside one five year span. ## Frequently asked questions **Can I get hours back from a monthly form signed late?** No. The handbook lists a monthly form not signed by the last day of the following calendar month as making the month's hours ineligible, with no adjustment. **What if I lost a monthly form?** Those hours should not be counted. If your fieldwork is audited and the form is missing, the hours will not be accepted, and you may need to complete more fieldwork. **Who decides whether an activity counts?** Your supervisor, using the acceptable and unacceptable activities in the handbook. The certifying board does not give rulings on individual activities. **How long do I have to answer a fieldwork audit?** The handbook describes a time frame given in the audit email, typically 14 days. Documents sent after the deadline are not reviewed, and no response means the fieldwork is treated as noncompliant. ## Sources - [Board Certified Behavior Analyst Handbook](https://www.bacb.com/bcba-handbook/), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated 06/2026, read 25 September 2026. Used for: Supervised Fieldwork Requirements, pages 14 to 25: hours, activities, supervision, documentation, verification forms, adjustments and audits. - [2027 BCBA Requirements](https://www.bacb.com/bcba-2027-requirements/), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated 02/2026, read 25 September 2026. Used for: The 2027 overview of fieldwork requirements and the list of 2027 monthly and final forms. - [Guidance for Meeting the BCBA Requirements During the 2027 Transition](https://www.bacb.com/BCBA-2027-transition-resource), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated 01/2026, read 26 September 2026. Used for: Meeting both rule sets at once, which forms to keep, and how concentrated hours and the monthly maximum carry across. - [Documenting Fieldwork: Helpful Answers to Your FAQs](https://www.bacb.com/documenting-fieldwork-helpful-answers-to-your-faqs/), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated April 2026 for the 2027 requirements, read 25 September 2026. Used for: Correcting a signed monthly form, lost forms, the 1.33 multiplier and which supervisor signs. - [Commonly Asked Questions About BACB Supervised Fieldwork Requirements](https://www.bacb.com/faqs-supervised-fieldwork-requirements/), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, last updated 17 April 2025, read 25 September 2026. Used for: Restricted and unrestricted activities, observation by video, and who decides whether an activity counts. # Fieldwork hours tracker vs spreadsheet: what each has to do URL: https://fieldworkledger-web.pages.dev/guides/fieldwork-tracker-vs-spreadsheet/ Last reviewed: 26 September 2026 A spreadsheet is a perfectly acceptable fieldwork tracker, because the handbook lets you design your own documentation system, but only if you build the checks yourself: totals per supervisor per month, the supervision percentage against total hours, the individual share, observation minutes, the monthly hour range and the 60 percent unrestricted share across everything. A dedicated tracker runs those checks as you log. Choose by how confident you are that your formulas are right every month. ## What any system has to record The handbook lists what your ongoing documentation should hold, whatever tool you use: Table: Documentation the handbook lists for each kind of time | Kind of time | Record for each one | | --- | --- | | Independent session | Date, start time, end time, fieldwork type, supervisor name, restricted or unrestricted | | Supervision contact | The same, plus individual or group, and a summary of what was covered | | Observation | Date, start time, end time, fieldwork type, setting name, supervisor name, restricted or unrestricted | On top of that, your system should show each month meeting its requirements and your total accruing enough unrestricted hours. During the 2027 transition the board also suggests tracking observations both as a count and in minutes, so either rule set can be proven. ## Spreadsheet, tracker, or both Table: How a spreadsheet and a dedicated tracker compare | Need | Spreadsheet | Dedicated tracker | | --- | --- | --- | | Cost | Free | Varies; this one is free today | | Monthly rule checks | You write and maintain the formulas | Built in, for the 2022 and 2027 rules | | Exact shortfall before month end | Possible with careful formulas | Shown as time to add | | Separate periods per supervisor | One tab or filter per supervisor | Automatic | | Start and end times | Any column you like | Varies; this log records durations and notes | | Phone entry | Awkward in most spreadsheet apps | Designed for it | | Control of your data | Your file | This log keeps data in your browser, with JSON export | Spreadsheets fail quietly. A formula that divides by independent time instead of the total, a range that misses the last row, or a percentage formatted to show 5.0 when it is 4.96 all look fine until a month is lost. If you use one, test it against a month you have worked out by hand. Many trainees use both: a tracker for daily entry and checks, and an exported file kept with the signed forms. Whatever you use is your documentation system, so it has to be kept for 7 years and produced in an audit. ## Worked example: the formulas a spreadsheet needs Say each row is one session with columns for date, supervisor, type, independent minutes, supervised minutes, group or individual, observation minutes and restricted or unrestricted. For each supervisor and month you then need: 1. Total minutes: the sum of independent plus supervised, which must fall between 1,200 and 9,600 minutes (20 to 160 hours) under 2027. 2. Percentage: supervised divided by total, at least 0.05, or 0.075 for concentrated. 3. Individual share: individual supervised divided by all supervised, at least 0.5. 4. Observation: the sum of observation minutes, at least 60, or 90 for concentrated. 5. Across all months that pass: unrestricted minutes divided by counted minutes, at least 0.6. Test it with a month of 112 h 30 m independent and 7 h supervised: the total is 7,170 minutes and the percentage 0.0586. If your sheet disagrees, find out why before you trust it. Or type the same month into the [free monthly checker](https://fieldworkledger-web.pages.dev/checker/), which does all five checks at once. ## Common mistakes - Tracking hours per month but not per supervisor. Each supervisor's month is a separate period with its own form. - Rounding displayed percentages up, so a failing month shows the threshold. - Using decimal hours instead of minutes, which drifts over a long month. - Forgetting the observation minutes column after moving to the 2027 rules. - Keeping the only copy on one laptop. Export or back up somewhere you control. - Adding the 1.33 concentrated factor inside the hours columns, which then flow into your forms. ## Frequently asked questions **Is a spreadsheet acceptable for documenting fieldwork?** Yes. The handbook lets trainees and supervisors design their own documentation system, as long as it records what the handbook lists and shows the requirements are met. Keep it for 7 years. **Does the board provide an official tracker?** No official tracking app is described in the handbook. It provides the monthly and final verification forms and leaves the ongoing documentation system to you and your supervisor. **Does this tracker replace the official forms?** No. Only the official monthly and final verification forms are accepted. This tracker checks your months and prints the numbers to copy across, and can fill your own downloaded form for you to check and sign. **Where is my data kept in this tracker?** Only in your browser. Nothing is uploaded and there is no account. Export a backup, optionally locked with a passphrase, and keep it with your signed forms. ## Sources - [Board Certified Behavior Analyst Handbook](https://www.bacb.com/bcba-handbook/), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated 06/2026, read 25 September 2026. Used for: Supervised Fieldwork Requirements, pages 14 to 25: hours, activities, supervision, documentation, verification forms, adjustments and audits. - [2027 BCBA Requirements](https://www.bacb.com/bcba-2027-requirements/), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated 02/2026, read 25 September 2026. Used for: The 2027 overview of fieldwork requirements and the list of 2027 monthly and final forms. - [Guidance for Meeting the BCBA Requirements During the 2027 Transition](https://www.bacb.com/BCBA-2027-transition-resource), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated 01/2026, read 26 September 2026. Used for: Meeting both rule sets at once, which forms to keep, and how concentrated hours and the monthly maximum carry across. - [Documenting Fieldwork: Helpful Answers to Your FAQs](https://www.bacb.com/documenting-fieldwork-helpful-answers-to-your-faqs/), Behavior Analyst Certification Board, updated April 2026 for the 2027 requirements, read 25 September 2026. Used for: Correcting a signed monthly form, lost forms, the 1.33 multiplier and which supervisor signs. # Questions about Fieldwork Ledger URL: https://fieldworkledger-web.pages.dev/faq/ ## Answers **Is Fieldwork Ledger affiliated with the certifying board?** No. Fieldwork Ledger is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board or any other certifying body. It is an independent helper for keeping your own records. **Will the board accept a printout from this app?** No. Only the official monthly and final verification forms are accepted. The printed summary is a plain table of your numbers to copy across, and the form fill puts them into your own downloaded copy of the official form, which you then check and sign in a PDF reader. **Which rules are my months checked against?** The rules in force on your intended application date: the 2022 requirements for applications before 1 January 2027, the 2027 requirements from then on. Set the date in your log. With no date, months are checked against the 2027 requirements. **What is a supervisory period here?** One calendar month with one supervisor. Each supervisor signs their own monthly form, so two supervisors in the same month are two periods, each checked separately. **Why is the 60 percent unrestricted rule not checked each month?** Because the handbook applies it to your total fieldwork hours, not to each month. The app checks it across the hours that count, and shows how much unrestricted time you would need to add. **Does the 2027 checker count supervisor contacts?** No. The 2027 requirement tables list no minimum number of contacts, so none is enforced. The 2022 checker does count them, as 4 a month or 6 for concentrated fieldwork, and treats each entry with supervised time as one contact. **Does the app adjust a month that falls short?** No. It shows exactly what the month is short by. Whether and how to adjust the hours on the form is for you and your supervisor, following the handbook. **Where is my data?** Only in this browser, in local storage. Nothing is uploaded and there is no account. Export a backup from the log page, optionally locked with a passphrase, and keep it with your signed forms. **Can it tell me whether an activity counts or whether I am eligible?** No. Your supervisor decides whether an activity counts, and eligibility is decided by the certifying board. The app only does the arithmetic on the numbers you enter. **Is the form fill safe for my personal details?** Yes. The PDF you drop is opened and filled inside the page and handed straight back as a download. It never leaves your device.