Submittals
Build the submittal log, group submittals into packages, generate them from spec sections, and route each one through ordered approvers with ball in court.
On this page
The Submittals tool holds the project’s submittal log: shop drawings, product data, samples and the rest, each routed through the people who have to review it. Open it from the project’s Project Tools menu. It has three tabs: Submittals, Packages and Recycle Bin.
The submittal log
The log shows #, Rev., Title, Spec Section, Type, Status, Ball In Court and Due Date. A submittal’s status is one of:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Draft | Being prepared, not sent yet |
| Open | In the approval workflow |
| Approved | Closed as approved |
| Revise and Resubmit | Closed, needs a new revision |
| Rejected | Closed as rejected |
| Closed | Closed for another reason |
Create a submittal
Click Create and fill in Title, Number, Revision, Submittal Manager and Status. The rest is optional:
- Specification Section, Submittal Type and Submittal Package.
- Responsible Contractor and Received From.
- Dates: Received Date, Issue Date, Submit By, Due Date.
- Cost Code, Location, Distribution List, Description and Attachments.
- Delivery tracking: Lead Time, Required On-Site Date, Confirmed Delivery Date, Actual Delivery Date and Delivery Confirmed.
- Private, to limit who can see it.
From spec sections
On the Packages tab, Create from Spec Sections generates one draft submittal for each specification section you pick, with the section’s number and title filled in. Set a default Submittal Type, Responsible Contractor and Submittal Manager for the batch, then click Generate Submittals. Spec sections come from the Specifications tool; see Documents and drawings.
Packages
A package groups related submittals, for example everything for one spec division or one sub. Create one with New Package on the Packages tab, and add a submittal to it from the submittal’s Assign to Package card. Packages are Draft, Open or Closed.
The approval workflow
Each submittal can carry an ordered Submittal Workflow. When you create one, either pick a saved Workflow Template or set the steps yourself: for each step choose a Person, a Role (Approver or Submitter) and a Due Date. Steps you set by hand override the template.
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Steps run in order
The first step is sent and holds the ball in court. Later steps wait as Pending.
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Each step responds
On the submittal, the person in the active step picks a response, adds a comment and attachments, and saves. The responses are Approved, Approved as Noted, Revise and Resubmit, Rejected, Forwarded for Review and For Record Only. Forwarded for Review sends the step to someone else, with a due date.
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The ball moves on
When every person in the active step has responded, the next step is sent and the ball moves to it. A rejecting response sends it back to the submitter instead.
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Close and distribute
When the review is done, Close & Distribute sets the closed status, picks recipients and the attachments to send, adds an optional message, and records the distribution.
The workflow table on the submittal shows each Step, Name, Role, Status, Due Date, Returned date and Response, so anyone can see where it stands. The same ordered-step workflow is used by change orders; see Change orders.
Revisions
When a submittal comes back Revise and Resubmit, click Create Revision in the Revisions card. The new revision gets its own workflow, and the card lists every revision with its status and which one is current.
Links and history
Linked Drawings connects a submittal to sheets in the Drawings tool, and a submittal can be tied to a Scheduled Task in the Schedule tool. RFIs can link to submittals from their Related Items. Deleted submittals go to the Recycle Bin tab and can be restored.
Keep exploring
Related across os.construction
- ExplainerSubmittals without the chaseFollow a storefront glazing submittal through its workflow in os.construction: ball in court, Revise and Resubmit, a new revision, approval and distribution.
- GlossarySubmittalShop drawings, product data, samples or other documents a contractor sends to the design team for review before buying or installing materials.
- PlatformSubmittal management (use case)How os.construction handles submittal management on one record.
- GlossarySubmittal RegisterThe master list of every submittal a project requires, with spec section, responsible sub, required dates and review status.
- ExplainerA day as a project managerOne PM's day on a sample project: the desktop, an RFI answer, submittals, the daily log, an OAC meeting, tasks and a change event, all on one record.
- DocsRFIsCreate, route, answer and close RFIs in the app. Ball in court, distribution, official responses, related items, private RFIs and PDF export.
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