Documents & records
Submittal register
The submittal register is the index of all submittals a project needs, built from the specifications and tracked from first submission to final approval. Each line shows the spec section, what's owed, who owns it, where it is in review, and whether it's clearing in time to protect procurement and the schedule. It's the tool that keeps a hundred separate approvals from falling through the cracks.
Run it with the Photo Gate
Every checklist in the library runs with the submit button locked until its photos exist.
Why it matters
Long-lead materials can't be ordered until their submittal is approved, so a stalled line on the register is a schedule risk before it's a paperwork problem. The register is also how a team confirms nothing required by the specs was simply skipped. A gap here shows up later as missing product data in the turnover package.
How it shows up on site
The register is reviewed in coordination meetings to chase overdue reviews and flag what's blocking work. When it's kept current, it doubles as the checklist for closeout: every approved submittal should have a matching installed product and, where required, its data folded into the O&M manual.
Guides that use it
- How to track submittals on a projectBuild and run a submittal register that tracks every shop drawing and product data item from log to approval so no feature starts without the right paper.
- How to review a submittalReview a shop drawing or product data submittal against the specification, mark a defensible action, and route it so the right, approved revision reaches the field.
Related terms
- SubmittalThe product data, shop drawings or samples a contractor sends for review to confirm what will be installed matches the spec before it's ordered.
- Operation and maintenance (O&M) manualThe compiled package that tells the owner how to run and maintain the installed systems: equipment data, warranties, parts and service intervals.
- Quality control planThe project-specific document that defines how a contractor will control quality: who inspects what, to which standards, and how it's recorded.
- Inspection and test plan (ITP)A document that lays out, activity by activity, what gets inspected or tested, who does it, against which standard, and what record it produces.
- Shop drawingA fabricator's or installer's detailed drawing showing exactly how a component will be made and installed, submitted for review before fabrication.
- Product data submittalManufacturer catalog data, cut sheets and specifications submitted to prove a proposed product meets what the specification requires.
Knowing the term is step one. Proving it is the job.
RTI holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and the photos are attached, then chains the record so it can be proven untouched later.
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