Patent ID: 8847980

Claim:
A method for generating a searchable electronic record of a locate operation performed by a locate technician, the method comprising: A) displaying, on a display device, a grid; B) adding to the displayed grid, by the locate technician electronically drawing on the displayed grid via a user input device associated with the display device, at least one digital representation of at least one physical locate mark so as to generate a marked-up grid including the grid and the at least one digital representation of the at least one physical locate mark, wherein: the at least one physical locate mark includes at least one of non-white paint and a non-white flag; and the at least one physical locate mark is applied by the locate technician on ground, pavement or other surface during the locate operation, the locate operation being performed after generation of and pursuant to a locate request ticket relating to a dig area that is planned to be excavated or disturbed during prospective excavation activities, the locate operation comprising, in response to the locate request ticket, providing at least one visible warning to an excavator performing the prospective excavation activities, using the at least one physical locate mark, of a presence or an affirmative absence of at least one underground facility at the dig area specified in the locate request ticket; and C) electronically transmitting and/or electronically storing information relating to the marked-up grid so as to generate the searchable electronic record of the locate operation.