Submittals serve as essential documents in the construction process. They include shop drawings, product data, material samples, and other information sent by subcontractors for review and approval. When you approve a submittal, you're confirming that the materials, equipment, or work provided align with the project's design intent and contractual requirements.
Approving submittals in Procore helps to maintain quality, minimize errors, and keep the project on schedule. The digital platform streamlines what was once a paper-heavy process, allowing for faster reviews and more organized documentation. This efficiency translates directly to project timelines and budget management.
The submittal process creates accountability across all project stakeholders. Each approval or revision request leaves a digital trail that can be referenced if questions arise later in the project. This transparency helps reduce disputes and creates a collaborative environment where everyone understands their responsibilities.
Approving submittals is more than just checking a box on your to-do list. It represents a critical quality control checkpoint that affects multiple aspects of your construction project. The process ensures that what gets built matches what was designed and specified.
When you properly review and approve submittals, you're actively preventing costly mistakes before materials are ordered or work begins. This proactive approach can save thousands of dollars in potential rework and schedule delays. The digital trail in Procore also provides protection if contractual disputes arise later.
Procore's submittal system enhances communication between all project stakeholders. Architects, engineers, contractors, and suppliers all stay informed through automated notifications and centralized documentation. This improved coordination reduces the risk of miscommunication that often plagues construction projects.
The platform's automated reminders ensure that reviews don't slip through the cracks. When a submittal requires your attention, Procore sends notifications until you take action, preventing bottlenecks in the approval workflow. This persistent follow-up keeps projects moving forward at the intended pace.
Before diving into the approval process, understanding the required permissions and background workflow is crucial. Not everyone on a Procore project can approve submittals – this responsibility is carefully assigned based on expertise and project role.
To approve submittals, you need 'Standard' level permissions or higher in the Submittals tool. Your project administrator typically assigns these permissions based on your role in the project hierarchy. If you're supposed to be approving submittals but can't access them, check with your administrator about your permission settings.
The submittal workflow begins when a submittal manager creates the document and assigns approvers. Once created, the system tracks the submittal through each step of the review process. When it's your turn to review, you'll receive an email notification with the subject "Action Required for Submittal."
Procore's automated reminder system will send daily emails for up to 45 days if your response becomes overdue. This persistent follow-up ensures that submittals don't stall due to oversight or busy schedules. The system only moves a submittal forward when all required approvers at the current step have responded.
Before clicking that approve button, taking time to properly prepare ensures your review adds value to the project. A thoughtful approach to submittal review prevents costly mistakes and maintains quality standards.
Reviewing any PDF attachments before responding gives you the full context needed for an informed decision. Procore makes this easy by allowing you to view and mark up documents directly within the platform. These markups automatically attach to your response, providing clear visual feedback.
Understanding your company's specific submittal response options is important, as many organizations customize these beyond the default choices. Standard responses typically include "Approved," "Approved as Noted," "Revise and Resubmit," and "Rejected," but your company might use variations of these terms.
Familiarizing yourself with the project specifications related to the submittal helps you make accurate assessments. When you know exactly what the design team intended, you can better evaluate whether the submitted materials or methods comply with those requirements. This background knowledge significantly improves the quality of your review.
The process of approving a submittal in Procore follows a logical sequence designed to capture all necessary information while maintaining an efficient workflow. Understanding each step helps you navigate the system confidently.
When you receive an email notification about a submittal requiring your action, you can click "View Online" to open the submittal directly in Procore. Alternatively, clicking "View PDF" opens a PDF version in your browser, which is useful if you need to review offline or print the document. Either option provides a comprehensive view of what needs your attention.
If you prefer to find the submittal manually, log into Procore and navigate to your project's Submittals tool. Look for items where your name appears in the "Action Required By" or "Ball In Court" field. This filtering helps you quickly identify which submittals need your response among potentially hundreds of project documents.
After opening the submittal, take time to review all details including general information, specifications, and attachments. Pay particular attention to any PDF attachments that have been marked up by previous reviewers, as these often contain important notes or questions that need addressing in your response.
Once you've thoroughly reviewed the submittal content, you're ready to provide your response. The process is straightforward but requires attention to detail to ensure nothing important is overlooked.
Click the "Respond" button next to your name in the workflow table to begin entering your response. This action opens a dialog where you can attach additional files if needed. Adding supplementary documentation or your own marked-up versions of the submittal can provide valuable context for your decision.
After attaching any necessary files, click "Next" to proceed to the response details screen. Here you'll select your response from the dropdown menu and add comments explaining your decision. Your comments should be clear and specific, especially if you're requesting revisions or rejecting the submittal.
Before finalizing your response, use the "Preview" option to review everything one last time. This preview shows exactly what other users will see, including your response selection, comments, and any attached files. Confirm that the "Next in Workflow" field correctly identifies who will receive the submittal after your approval.
The final step in the process is submitting your response, which moves the submittal forward in the workflow. This action creates a permanent record of your decision that becomes part of the project documentation.
When you're satisfied with your response details, click "Respond" to submit your decision. This action triggers email notifications to users configured in the system's notification settings, keeping everyone informed about the submittal's progress. The system automatically updates the submittal status based on your response.
If multiple approvers are required at your workflow step, the submittal won't advance until all required responses are received. This ensures that all necessary perspectives are considered before moving forward. You can see who else needs to respond by checking the workflow table on the submittal detail page.
After submission, your response becomes part of the submittal's permanent record and can't be changed. If you notice an error in your response after submitting, you'll need to contact the submittal manager to discuss options for correction. This permanence underscores the importance of careful review before finalizing your decision.
The submittal process involves several distinct roles, each with specific responsibilities that contribute to the overall workflow. Knowing these roles helps you understand how your actions fit into the bigger picture.
As an approver, your primary responsibility is to review the submittal against project requirements and provide an appropriate response. You need at least 'Standard' permissions on the Submittals tool to fulfill this role. Your careful evaluation ensures that materials and work will meet quality standards and design intent.
The submitter uploads the required documentation and addresses any feedback received during the review process. This person is typically a subcontractor or supplier representative who has detailed knowledge of the products or materials being proposed. They rely on clear feedback from approvers to make necessary adjustments.
A submittal manager oversees the entire process, creating submittals and directing them through the workflow. This person often serves as the point of contact for questions about the submittal process and has the authority to adjust workflows or reassign responsibilities as needed. They monitor overall progress and address any bottlenecks that develop.
Implementing best practices for submittal approval creates consistency and improves outcomes across your projects. These strategies help you avoid common pitfalls while maximizing the value of the review process.
Taking time for thorough review before responding prevents unnecessary resubmissions and project delays. Rushing through approvals might seem efficient in the moment, but it often leads to problems later when issues are discovered during construction. A careful, methodical approach pays dividends throughout the project lifecycle.
When adding comments to your response, be specific about any corrections or clarifications needed. Vague feedback creates confusion and often results in inadequate revisions that require additional review cycles. Clear, detailed comments help the submitter understand exactly what changes are necessary to gain approval.
Supporting your response with additional documentation provides valuable context for your decision. The following attachments can enhance clarity and prevent misunderstandings:
Staying responsive to automated reminders keeps the project moving forward on schedule. When you receive a notification about an overdue response, prioritize addressing it promptly. Your timely action prevents cascading delays that can impact multiple aspects of the project timeline.
Construction projects often present complex submittal situations that require special handling. Understanding how to navigate these scenarios helps maintain workflow efficiency even in challenging circumstances.
When multiple approvers must review a submittal simultaneously, coordination becomes crucial. Check who else needs to provide input and consider reaching out directly if you have questions or concerns about their perspective. This proactive communication often prevents conflicting responses that confuse submitters and delay progress.
For submittals with extensive documentation, focus your review on the most critical elements first. Identify key specifications, performance requirements, and compatibility issues before examining minor details. This prioritized approach ensures that fundamental problems are addressed even if time constraints limit your review depth.
If you discover issues that extend beyond your area of expertise, don't hesitate to consult with specialists before responding. Involving the right subject matter experts improves decision quality and prevents approval of inappropriate materials or methods. Procore allows you to add comments noting that you've sought additional input, creating transparency in the review process.
When a submittal requires revision and resubmission, clearly document what should remain unchanged in the revised version. This guidance helps prevent introducing new problems while fixing the identified issues. Specific instructions about what to keep and what to change streamline the revision process for everyone involved.
Procore offers several advanced features that can enhance your submittal approval process. Taking advantage of these tools improves efficiency and provides better documentation for your project.
The markup tools allow you to annotate PDFs directly within Procore, eliminating the need to download, mark up, and re-upload documents. These digital markups automatically attach to your response, creating a clear visual record of your feedback. The tools include options for text notes, highlighting, and drawing simple shapes to identify specific areas.
Custom submittal responses tailored to your company's terminology and workflow create consistency across projects. Your organization might use specialized language or additional response options beyond the standard choices. Familiarize yourself with these custom options to ensure your responses align with company protocols.
Workflow templates save time and reduce errors by automatically populating the approval sequence for common submittal types. These templates ensure that the right reviewers are included in the proper order, eliminating the need to recreate workflows for each new submittal. Ask your submittal manager about available templates for your project.
Integration with other Procore tools enhances the value of properly approved submittals. Approved shop drawings can be uploaded to the Drawings tool, specifications can link to related submittals, and the Schedule tool can track submittal-dependent activities. These connections create a comprehensive project management environment.
Even with a robust system like Procore, challenges in the submittal process can arise. Knowing how to address these issues helps maintain workflow efficiency and project momentum.
When approvers fail to respond on time, the entire project can experience delays. If you're waiting on another approver's input before a submittal can move forward, consider a friendly reminder via email or phone. Sometimes a personal touch is more effective than automated system reminders.
Incomplete documentation often leads to unnecessary revision cycles. When you encounter a submittal missing critical information, clearly identify what's lacking in your response. Providing a comprehensive list of missing items helps the submitter address everything in one revision rather than through multiple iterations.
Miscommunication between stakeholders frequently causes submittal problems. If you notice conflicting information or requirements, initiate direct communication to resolve the discrepancies. A quick video call or meeting can often clarify issues more effectively than extended email exchanges or comment threads.
When facing an overwhelming volume of submittals, prioritize based on construction sequence and lead times. Items needed for early construction phases or those with long procurement times should receive priority attention. This strategic approach ensures that critical path activities aren't delayed by submittal bottlenecks.
Standardizing your approach to submittal reviews creates consistency and improves quality across projects. Well-defined processes reduce confusion and help team members understand expectations.
Developing company-wide guidelines for submittal responses ensures that everyone uses the same criteria when evaluating submissions. These standards should define when to use each response type and what level of deviation from specifications warrants rejection versus approval with notes. Consistent application of these standards builds trust with subcontractors and suppliers.
Regular training keeps team members updated on best practices and system features. Procore frequently updates its platform with new capabilities that can improve the submittal process. Scheduling quarterly refresher sessions ensures that everyone takes advantage of these enhancements and maintains proficiency with the system.
Documenting lessons learned after each project creates valuable institutional knowledge. Take time during project closeout to review the submittal process, identifying what worked well and what could be improved. This reflection helps refine your approach for future projects and prevents repeating past mistakes.
Leveraging technology integrations maximizes the value of your submittal process. Procore connects with many other construction management tools, creating opportunities for automation and data sharing. Work with your IT team to explore integration possibilities that could streamline your workflow and reduce duplicate data entry.
The submittal approval process in Procore represents a critical quality control checkpoint that impacts project success. By mastering this process, you contribute directly to on-time, on-budget project delivery with fewer errors and conflicts.
Remember that each approval decision you make has ripple effects throughout the construction process. Taking the time to review thoroughly, provide clear feedback, and respond promptly keeps projects moving forward smoothly. Your careful attention during submittal review prevents costly mistakes and rework during construction.
The digital tools provided by Procore make submittal management more efficient than ever before, but they still require thoughtful human judgment. Balance the convenience of digital workflows with the critical thinking needed for proper evaluation. Use the platform's features to enhance your review process while maintaining focus on the fundamental goal: ensuring that what gets built matches what was designed and specified.
As construction technology continues to evolve, stay curious and open to new approaches. Regularly refresh your knowledge of Procore's features and best practices for submittal management. Your commitment to continuous improvement will benefit not only your current project but all future construction efforts you support.