Construction document management software for every submittal package
On a commercial job the documents that cause trouble are rarely the drawings. They are the product data, shop drawings, certificates and warranties that pass between subcontractors, the general contractor and the design team, revision after revision, until somebody has to hand the owner a complete closeout binder. Submittal manages those documents from the first package to turnover, with one current version and a full record of how it got there.
Packages that keep files with the requirement
A package groups the items a sub submits together, for example the door hardware product data, the hardware schedule and the keying schedule for 08 71 00. Each item in the package points back to its row in the register and the spec paragraph that asked for it, and every file is attached to the item it answers, not dropped into a shared folder.
- Product data sheets, shop drawings, calculations and sample photos attach to the item they answer.
- Numbering follows the project format, section, sequence and revision, for example 087100-002-R1.
- Reviewers see the requirement next to the document, so they check the submittal against the spec, not against memory.
- Subcontractors upload against their own rows on Team plans and higher, through subcontractor portal links, and subs join at no cost.
One current version, every earlier one kept
When a package comes back Revise and resubmit, the sub uploads the next revision and it becomes the current one. The earlier revision does not disappear: its files, the stamp, the reviewer's comments and the page markups stay in the version history, read only. Anyone opening the package sees the current revision first and can step back through the earlier ones in order.
That ends the two questions every project engineer hears in the field. Which set is approved, answered by the current revision and its stamp. Why was it returned, answered by the comments on the revision before it.
Transmittals generated from the record
Every time a package moves, Submittal records a transmittal: what was sent, which revision, from whom, to whom, the date and the action requested. Transmittals export as PDF for the project record and for contracts that still require a signed cover sheet. Because the transmittal comes from the package itself, the list of enclosed documents matches what was actually sent.
- Sent by the GC to the architect for review, with the review due date.
- Returned by the architect with the stamp and comments.
- Forwarded to the sub with the action required.
- Issued for record for informational items that need no review.
Closeout binders assembled from approved items
Closeout submittals are rows in the register from buyout: O&M manuals, warranties, extra stock receipts, certificates, test reports and record documents. On Business and Enterprise plans Submittal assembles the closeout binder from the approved items as one PDF with a table of contents, ordered by spec section. Missing items show up on the closeout list long before substantial completion, while the subs who owe them are still on site.
Typical binder contents follow Division 01, usually 01 78 00 Closeout Submittals: the TPO roofing warranty for 07 54 23, the final TAB report for 23 05 93, door hardware O&M data for 08 71 00 and the paint schedule with product data for 09 91 23.
Who sees what, and how the record is kept
Roles decide what each person can do: admin, project engineer, subcontractor, reviewer and viewer. A sub sees its own packages, a reviewer sees what is routed to them, and the project team sees everything. Data is encrypted in transit and at rest, Business and Enterprise add SSO and an audit log, and Enterprise adds US data residency and custom retention. Spec text sent to AI is not used to train models. The details are on the security page.
The full log, transmittals and files export at any time, so the record stays yours whether the job runs two years or ten. The workflow from upload to closeout is shown on how it works.
Built for submittal documents, priced per project
Submittal is focused on the documents that pass through submittal review, from shop drawings to warranties, and on the register that says which of them the contract requires. Every plan includes the register builder, packages, the review workflow, reminders, version history and exports. Starter covers one active project for 49 USD a month, or 24 USD a month billed yearly. Team covers five for 149 USD, or 74 USD billed yearly. Business, at 499 USD or 249 USD billed yearly, covers 25 active projects and adds closeout binders, SSO, the audit log and API access. Enterprise, at 1,499 USD or 749 USD billed yearly, covers 100. More on shop drawing review on the shop drawings page, the complete feature list on features and all plans on pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Does Submittal replace our drawing management system?
No. It manages the documents that go through submittal review and closeout: product data, shop drawings, samples, certificates, warranties and O&M data. Contract drawings stay where you manage them now.
What happens to old revisions?
They stay in the version history with their files, stamps and comments, read only. Only the newest revision is current, and every earlier one can be opened in order.
Can we export everything at the end of the job?
Yes. Export the log to Excel, CSV and PDF, transmittals to PDF, and on Business and Enterprise the closeout binder as one PDF with a table of contents. Archived projects stay readable and exportable and do not count as active.
Do subcontractors need their own subscription to upload documents?
No. Subcontractors and external reviewers join at no cost on every plan. Only internal members of your company count against the plan.