How to Create a Submittal in Procore

What are Construction Submittals?

In the construction industry, submittals represent critical documentation during project execution. These documents include shop drawings, material samples, equipment cut sheets, product data sheets, manuals, and engineering calculations. Submittals serve as verification tools for design teams to confirm that contractors plan to install the correct products in the right quantities according to specifications.

Submittals form an integral part of quality control processes on construction projects. They help prevent costly mistakes by ensuring materials and equipment align with design intent before ordering or fabrication begins. When properly managed, the submittal process creates a paper trail that documents decisions and approvals throughout the construction timeline.

The submittal review cycle typically involves multiple stakeholders including subcontractors, general contractors, architects, and engineers. Each participant plays a specific role in verifying that proposed materials meet project requirements. This collaborative approach ensures all parties remain aligned on expectations and deliverables.

Why Submittals Matter in Construction

Quality assurance represents one of the primary benefits of the submittal process. When architects and engineers review submittals, they verify that proposed products match specifications and will perform as intended in the finished project. This verification step helps maintain design integrity throughout construction.

The submittal process also ensures regulatory compliance across all aspects of a project. By reviewing materials before production or installation, teams can confirm that products meet building codes, environmental regulations, and contractual requirements. This proactive approach prevents costly rework and potential legal issues down the line.

Clear communication flows naturally through well-managed submittal processes. The formal review structure creates touchpoints for all stakeholders to discuss project details, clarify expectations, and address potential issues. These communication channels help keep everyone informed about changes and approvals as the project progresses.

Documentation represents another crucial benefit of submittals. Each submittal becomes part of the permanent project record, providing valuable reference material during construction and after completion. This documentation proves invaluable during project closeout and can help resolve disputes if questions arise about installed materials or equipment.

Procore's Submittal Tool Overview

Procore's dedicated Submittals tool streamlines the entire submittal management process from creation through approval. The platform offers a centralized system where users can add details, attach files, and assign workflow tasks for review and approval. This digital approach eliminates paper-based inefficiencies while maintaining comprehensive documentation.

The role of Submittal Manager holds significant importance within the Procore system. When creating a submittal, users with Standard or Admin permissions automatically become the Submittal Manager for that item. This role carries responsibility for overseeing the submittal throughout its lifecycle, from initial creation through final approval and implementation.

Permission settings in Procore determine who can create and manage submittals. Users need either Standard or Admin level permissions on the Submittals tool to create new items. In some cases, users with Read Only permissions may create submittals if they have the granular Create Submittal feature enabled by an administrator.

Setting Up Your Procore Submittal System

Before creating individual submittals, project administrators should configure several key settings to ensure consistency. These configurations include establishing cost codes through the Work Breakdown Structure, designating default submittal managers, creating distribution groups, and setting up numbering schemes for easy reference.

Workflow templates save significant time by predefining review processes for different submittal types. Administrators can create templates that specify which team members need to review submittals, in what order reviews should occur, and how long each review step should take. These templates can be applied to new submittals with a single click.

Integration capabilities allow Procore's Submittal tool to connect with other project management functions. Links to drawings, documents, schedules, and other project elements create a comprehensive information ecosystem. These connections help maintain consistency across all project documentation and reduce duplicate data entry.

Step-by-Step Submittal Creation Process

Accessing the Submittals tool represents your first step in creating a new submittal. Log into your Procore account, navigate to your project, and select the Submittals tool from the project tools menu. This brings you to the main Submittals dashboard where you can view existing submittals and create new ones.

Initiating a new submittal requires clicking the "+ Create" button and selecting "Submittal" from the dropdown menu. This action opens the New Submittal page where you'll enter all necessary information. The form contains several sections that guide you through the submittal creation process.

The General Information section requires several key details about your submittal. You'll need to provide a descriptive title, select the appropriate specification section, assign a submittal number and revision, choose the submittal type, identify the responsible contractor, and specify various dates related to submission and review timelines.

Essential Submittal Information Fields

The Title field needs special attention as it should clearly describe the submittal's purpose. A well-crafted title helps team members quickly understand what the submittal contains without opening the full document. Consider including both the material type and its application in the title for maximum clarity.

Specification sections link submittals to specific parts of the project specifications. Selecting the correct spec section ensures the submittal gets routed to appropriate reviewers and helps maintain organization within the project documentation system. This connection also helps verify that materials meet the requirements outlined in that specification section.

Numbering and revision tracking play crucial roles in submittal management. Procore automatically assigns sequential numbers to new submittals based on your project's configuration settings. The revision field starts at 0 for new submittals and increments each time a submittal requires revision after review. This numbering system creates a clear audit trail throughout the submittal lifecycle.

Several date fields help track submittal timing and establish accountability. These include the Submit By Date (when the contractor must provide documentation), Issue Date (when the contractor submitted materials), Received Date (when your team received the submittal), and Final Due Date (when all approvals must be complete). Procore uses these dates to calculate timelines and send notifications about approaching or missed deadlines.

Scheduling and Delivery Information

Lead time calculations help project teams plan material deliveries effectively. Enter the number of calendar days needed for material delivery after approval, and Procore can automatically calculate when orders must be placed to meet construction schedules. This feature helps prevent delays caused by late material deliveries.

Required On-Site dates indicate when materials must arrive at the jobsite. Procore can work backward from this date, factoring in lead times and review periods, to determine when submittals must be approved to maintain the project schedule. This calculation helps teams prioritize submittal reviews based on construction sequencing.

Delivery tracking fields allow teams to record anticipated, confirmed, and actual delivery dates. These fields create accountability throughout the supply chain and provide documentation if delivery issues arise. Tracking these dates also helps project managers adjust schedules if materials arrive earlier or later than expected.

Creating Effective Submittal Workflows

Workflow templates streamline the submittal review process by applying predefined approval sequences. When creating a submittal, users with Admin permissions can select an appropriate template from the dropdown menu. The system automatically populates the workflow with assigned reviewers, roles, and due dates based on the template settings.

Adding users to the submittal workflow involves selecting project team members who need to review the submittal. For each reviewer, you'll specify whether they're an Approver (who can accept or reject the submittal) or a Submitter (who provides information but doesn't make approval decisions). You'll also indicate whether their response is required and set a due date for their review.

The review sequence determines how the submittal moves through the approval process. Procore allows you to arrange workflow steps in the necessary order by dragging and dropping them using the vertical grip icon. This flexibility accommodates both sequential reviews (where approvals happen one after another) and parallel reviews (where multiple people review simultaneously).

Finalizing and Submitting for Review

Document attachments provide the actual content for review in most submittals. Procore offers multiple ways to attach files, including drag-and-drop functionality and integration with project document libraries. You can attach shop drawings, product data sheets, samples, calculations, or any other documentation needed for thorough review.

The distribution list ensures all relevant stakeholders receive notifications about the submittal. Select individuals or groups who need visibility into the submittal process but aren't part of the formal review workflow. These team members receive notifications about submittal status changes but aren't required to take action on the submittal.

When completing the submittal creation process, you have two options for saving your work:

1. Click "Create" to save the submittal without sending notifications.
2. Select "Create & Send Emails" to save the submittal and automatically notify all workflow participants and distribution list members.

After submission, Procore tracks the submittal through each workflow step, showing whose "court the ball is in" at any given time. The system automatically updates status and moves to the next step as each reviewer responds.

Advanced Submittal Management Features

Bulk uploading capabilities significantly reduce data entry time for projects with numerous submittals. Procore's Submittals Import Template allows you to prepare submittal information in a spreadsheet and upload multiple items simultaneously. This feature proves especially valuable during project startup when teams often create dozens or hundreds of submittal items.

The Submittal Builder represents one of Procore's most powerful time-saving tools. This automated feature scans your project specifications and creates a submittal register based on requirements identified in the spec book. The tool can extract submittal requirements, assign spec sections, and even identify required submittal types, potentially saving days of manual data entry.

Customization options allow teams to tailor the submittal process to their specific needs. Admin users can create custom submittal types that reflect their organization's terminology and workflows. They can also configure distribution groups in the Project Directory to ensure consistent communication across similar submittal types.

Optimizing Submittal Review Efficiency

Establishing clear review expectations helps prevent bottlenecks in the submittal process. Before project execution begins, discuss standard review timeframes with all stakeholders and document these expectations in project communication plans. Setting realistic deadlines based on submittal complexity and project needs helps maintain schedule momentum.

Response standardization improves clarity throughout the review process. Make sure all reviewers understand what different response types mean:

• "Approved" indicates the submittal meets requirements with no changes needed.
• "Approved as Noted" means the submittal is acceptable with minor corrections.
• "Revise and Resubmit" requires changes and another review cycle.
• "Rejected" indicates the submittal doesn't meet requirements and needs complete revision.

Consistent application of these response types prevents confusion and ensures appropriate follow-up actions.

Comment clarity plays a crucial role in effective submittal reviews. When reviewers add comments, they should be specific about what changes are needed and why. Clear, detailed comments help contractors understand exactly what must be addressed in revisions, reducing the need for multiple review cycles and preventing schedule delays.

Troubleshooting Common Submittal Issues

Workflow bottlenecks often occur when reviewers miss deadlines or don't understand their responsibilities. The following strategies can help prevent these issues:

• Set up automated reminders for approaching deadlines
• Provide clear instructions for each reviewer's role
• Establish escalation procedures for overdue reviews
• Conduct regular status meetings to address pending submittals

These proactive approaches help keep the submittal process moving smoothly even when challenges arise.

Revision management becomes critical when submittals require changes after initial review. Procore maintains a clear revision history, showing what changed between versions and why. When creating a revision, make sure to clearly document what changes were made in response to previous comments. This documentation helps reviewers focus on specific modifications rather than re-reviewing the entire submittal.

Technical difficulties sometimes arise when working with large files or complex submittals. If users encounter upload problems or workflow issues, Procore's support resources can help resolve these challenges. The platform offers extensive documentation, training videos, and customer support to address technical questions. Many common issues can be resolved by ensuring all users have up-to-date browsers and sufficient internet bandwidth.

Best Practices for Submittal Success

Consistent naming conventions significantly improve searchability and organization within your submittal register. Develop standard formats for submittal titles that include material type, specification section, and application. For example, "03 30 00 - Cast-in-Place Concrete Mix Design" provides more clarity than simply "Concrete Submittal." This consistency makes it easier to locate specific submittals months or years after creation.

Regular submittal status meetings help keep the review process on track. These brief, focused meetings allow team members to discuss pending submittals, address any issues, and prioritize reviews based on construction scheduling needs. Weekly or bi-weekly meetings provide sufficient frequency to maintain momentum without becoming burdensome.

Training team members on proper submittal procedures pays dividends throughout the project lifecycle. Even experienced construction professionals benefit from orientation to your organization's specific submittal processes and Procore's functionality. Consider developing quick-reference guides for common submittal tasks and offering refresher training for new team members.

Leverage Procore for Submittal Excellence

The construction submittal process represents a critical quality control mechanism that ensures materials and equipment meet design requirements. Procore's Submittal tool transforms this traditionally paper-heavy process into a streamlined digital workflow that improves efficiency, transparency, and documentation.

By following the detailed steps outlined in this guide, project teams can create comprehensive submittals that move smoothly through review cycles. The structured approach ensures all necessary information is captured, appropriate reviewers are included, and clear documentation is maintained throughout the process.

Remember that successful submittal management requires both technical knowledge of the Procore platform and thoughtful coordination among project stakeholders. Taking time to properly configure the system, train team members, and establish clear expectations will yield significant benefits throughout the project lifecycle. With proper implementation, Procore's Submittal tool can help your team deliver higher-quality projects with fewer delays and documentation challenges.

Transform Your Construction Documentation Today

The submittal process represents just one component of comprehensive construction documentation, but its impact on project quality and efficiency cannot be overstated. By implementing the strategies and techniques described in this guide, your team can transform submittal management from a necessary administrative burden into a valuable quality assurance tool.

Procore's digital platform eliminates many traditional submittal challenges while creating new opportunities for collaboration and documentation. The ability to track submittal status in real-time, maintain comprehensive revision histories, and integrate submittal information with other project documentation creates unprecedented visibility into this critical process. These capabilities help teams identify potential issues earlier, make more informed decisions, and maintain better records throughout the project lifecycle.

Whether you're new to Procore or looking to optimize your existing submittal processes, the investment in proper setup and training will pay dividends through reduced rework, fewer schedule delays, and more complete project documentation. Start implementing these best practices today, and watch your team's submittal management transform from a potential bottleneck into a competitive advantage that delivers better projects for your clients.