Tradie Forms: complete ACMA TCA1 customer cabling advice and TCA2 outstanding matters records on site. Reuse cabling provider details, catch missing fields, preview the official PDF layout, and download a clean copy for the customer, employer or job record.
Cabling paperwork is a handover task, not a back-office puzzle. The customer is on site, the outlet or rack is labelled, the work location is fresh, and any pre-existing cabling issue can still be explained in plain words.
That is the right moment to finish the cabling advice record. Wait until later and the detail gets thinner: room names are guessed, employer details are copied from an old invoice, and outstanding matters are buried in photos.
Use ACMA TCA1 for completed customer cabling advice and ACMA TCA2 when outstanding cabling matters need to be recorded. You can also browse electrician forms as more electrical and telecommunications paperwork comes online.
What ACMA says about cabling advice
ACMA says that if you perform or supervise cabling work, you must prepare a written certification statement every time you complete a job for a customer, as soon as practicable after finishing the work. ACMA says the statement must be given to the customer who engaged you, and to your employer or contractor if you have one, and a copy must be kept for one year after preparing it.
ACMA also says you can use the approved TCA1 and TCA2 forms or your own format, as long as it includes the required details.
For TCA1, ACMA says to complete all sections, describe the type and location of the work, give the customer a copy, give the employer a copy if applicable, and keep a copy for at least 12 months.
For TCA2, ACMA says to use it if you notice any non-compliant cable installations, including pre-existing issues or matters outside the contracted scope. ACMA says TCA2 can be issued before work with a quotation or after completion if something needs attention.
Why digital records help on site
The record is only useful if it says what happened. A good cabling handover captures:
- Registered cabling provider details
- Employer or contractor details where applicable
- Description of the work
- Location of the work, such as room, floor, section, building or department
- Customer details
- Certification statement, signature and date
- Any outstanding matters and priority
- Copy sent to customer
- Copy kept in the job record
Tradie Forms maps your entries onto the official PDF layouts. It does not decide whether work complies with the Wiring Rules or whether a matter needs TCA2. The registered cabler remains responsible for the work, advice and exported PDF.
TCA1 as the closeout record
TCA1 is the form most cablers think about at job finish. It should be completed while the work location is still obvious.
The work description should be specific enough for the customer, employer and future auditor. Instead of "data points installed", describe the area and work in plain terms. For example, note the room, floor, rack, outlet position or other location detail that makes the record useful.
Saved provider details help because the registration and contact block often repeats. Still check the registration number, expiry date, employer details and signature before export.
TCA2 as the outstanding matters record
TCA2 is useful when the job uncovers existing cabling problems or matters outside the scope. It helps separate what you completed from what needs the customer's attention.
The important parts are the issue and the urgency. ACMA's TCA2 guidance says to show which issues you noticed and decide how urgently the customer should address them. Do that while the customer or building manager can still understand the physical location.
If you issue TCA2 before quoting, keep it with the quote. If you issue it after completion, keep it with the TCA1 and job photos.
Common handover gaps
The work location is too vague
ACMA's TCA1 guidance gives examples such as room, floor, section, department and building. Use the level of detail that helps someone find the work later.
The customer copy is sent but not stored
TCA1 needs a kept copy. Store the PDF with the job record, not just in sent email.
TCA2 is skipped because the issue was not in scope
ACMA specifically includes pre-existing issues and matters outside the contracted scope in its TCA2 guidance. If you notice an issue that needs customer attention, check whether TCA2 is the right record.
Provider details are stale
Saved details are a head start, not a substitute for checking. Confirm registration and contact details before signing.
How Tradie Forms helps
Tradie Forms turns TCA1 and TCA2 into guided sections that work on a phone, tablet or laptop. For TCA1, you can fill provider, employer, work description, customer and certification details. For TCA2, you can record pre or post works advice, tick outstanding matters and choose priority levels.
Missing-field checks catch gaps before export. The official PDF preview shows what the customer will receive. The finished PDF can be downloaded and attached to the job, invoice, quote or handover email.
A clean cabling handover rhythm
- Complete the cabling work and checks.
- Fill TCA1 while the work location is fresh.
- Issue TCA2 if outstanding matters need to be recorded.
- Preview the official PDF layout.
- Give the customer the copy.
- Give the employer or contractor a copy if applicable.
- Store the PDF with the job record for at least the required period.
- Attach photos, diagrams or notes where they explain the work.
That habit keeps cabling advice tied to the job, not rebuilt from memory.
Work description examples
The work description should be short, but it should not be lazy. A useful TCA1 description tells the customer what was done and where.
Weak descriptions look like:
- "Data cabling"
- "New outlet"
- "Repairs"
Better descriptions look like:
- "Installed two data outlets in front office, cabled to rack in comms room"
- "Re-terminated customer cabling in tenancy 3 and tested outlet 3A"
- "Replaced damaged lead-in termination at MDF and labelled customer side"
Use the same discipline for TCA2. If there is an outstanding matter, describe the location and issue plainly enough that the customer or building manager can act on it.
Copy keeping for sole traders and crews
For a sole trader, the record may be a PDF attached to the job or invoice. For a crew, the record might need to go to the customer, the employer, the project manager and the office.
Create one rule for the business:
- Customer copy sent
- Employer or contractor copy sent where applicable
- PDF stored with the job
- Photos or diagrams attached
- TCA2 outstanding matters linked to any quote or follow-up
That rule matters because ACMA can ask for copies. The person who performed or supervised the work should not be searching a phone gallery for a signed form from months ago.
Using TCA2 without making the job awkward
TCA2 can be uncomfortable because it often points to work outside the job scope. Keep it practical. The form is there to give clear advice, not to blame the customer or another contractor.
State what you noticed, mark the urgency, give the completed form to the customer or building manager, and keep any related notes with the job. If the issue leads to a quote, link the quote to the TCA2 so the paper trail is clear.
How this supports broader trade paperwork
Cabling advice is one piece of the bigger digital trade paperwork problem. The same crew may also be handling electrical certificates, fire forms, service reports and customer handover notes.
Tradie Forms is built around that wider pattern: fill guided sections, reuse licence or business details, catch missing fields, preview the official PDF layout and download the finished record. The cabling forms show the habit in a simple, high-frequency workflow.
Label records for later search
Use a file name or job title that includes the customer, site and form type. For example, "TCA1 - Smith Office - Level 2 data outlets" is much easier to find than a generic download name.
For TCA2, include "outstanding matters" in the note or file name. That helps the office find the advice if the customer later asks what was raised.
Small naming habits matter because cabling advice records are often needed long after the work is finished.
Next steps
Start ACMA TCA1 for completed customer cabling advice, or use ACMA TCA2 for outstanding cabling matters. Browse electrician forms for the wider trade paperwork library.
Official references
For current requirements, check the ACMA cabling advice forms page, the ACMA cabling provider rules page, the ACMA TCA1 form page, and the Telecommunications (Cabling Provider) Rules 2025.