A construction submittal is a document that contractors submit to architects or project managers for approval before work begins. These documents ensure that the project aligns with design specifications and contractual obligations, helping to avoid errors and discrepancies during construction.

A contractor often prepares submittals to provide the general contractor with information on a project’s design, equipment and materials. The design team reviews the information for approval before fabricating and delivering what’s needed to the jobsite. Submittals can take many forms, including shop drawings, cut sheets on equipment and material samples. Architects and engineers must ensure that a finished project conforms to the design and contract documents; for example, ensuring that the right products and quantities are installed.

Submittals should be used by any contractor who wants to get the job done right the first time and avoid mistakes that can sink a project deadline or blow a budget. A submittal review ensures the owners’ expectations are met and the design and materials requested at the project outset are accurately delivered. Submittals add another layer of verification to the build process, ensuring their design interpretation matches the owner’s vision. They also provide the opportunity to make changes if something doesn’t match. Submittals help ensure that the architects, engineers, contractors and owners remain on the same page throughout the project.

Submittals serve as a system of checks and balances throughout a project. Failing to submit and review mock-ups, materials lists, project data and samples could even subject a designer to liability if a project goes off course because of an error or miscommunication. Using submittals allows stakeholders to ensure the project complies with the original contracted design specifications. Any changes are then reviewed and approved or rejected before action is taken.

Procore’s built-in Submittal Builder scans through every detail in a project’s spec book and automatically generates a submittal register. You can further organize submittals by division, add any needed shop drawings and mark up and stamp submittals from the Procore app. At a glance, Procore lets you know the current status of any submittals and identify who needs to take action.

A platform like Procore streamlines the submittal process by keeping everything in the same place. Users can easily find any submittal they’re looking for, with the ability to organize them by status (open/closed), type (shop drawing, specs, plans, etc.), approver or response status (pending, approved, approved as noted). Procore keeps a detailed track of every submittal, logging who created it, when it was sent and the date it was received, even letting companies use a personalized stamp within the app to denote their response. Using a platform improves communication and supercharges workflow by ensuring every project team member works from the same up-to-date documents.