Submittal tracking software that shows who holds every package
A log tells you what was submitted. Tracking tells you what is late, who is sitting on it and which delivery it is about to push. Submittal tracks every package from the moment the sub owes it until the stamp comes back, works the dates backward from the day the material has to be on site, and reminds whoever holds the ball before the item turns into a schedule problem.
One status per package, set by what actually happened
Status in Submittal is not a cell someone types. It changes when the package moves: Not submitted until the sub uploads it, In review once the GC forwards it, then the stamp the reviewer returns. Approved, Approved as noted, Revise and resubmit, Rejected and For record only are the stamps, and each one carries the reviewer's comments and markups on the pages they apply to.
- Not submitted rows are split into not yet due and overdue, so a quiet row is never mistaken for a safe one.
- Revise and resubmit opens the next revision automatically, for example 233713-001-R1 after 233713-001, with the history kept.
- Approved as noted shows the notes on the row, so the sub orders with the corrections in front of it.
- For record only closes informational items without a review cycle.
Ball in court that is always current
Every package has exactly one holder at a time: the subcontractor preparing it, the GC reviewer, the architect, a consultant such as the mechanical engineer, or the sub again after a return. The holder changes the moment the package is forwarded or stamped, and the number of days it has sat with that holder is on the row. In the weekly meeting you filter by company and read the list out loud, without anyone checking their inbox first.
External reviewers and subcontractors join the project at no cost, so the architect's CA team and every sub act inside the same record instead of replying to forwarded emails.
Required-on-site dates back-calculated from lead time
The date that matters is not when the package is due to the architect, it is when the material has to be on site. Submittal starts there and works backward through lead time, a resubmittal allowance and each review on the route. Here is how one door hardware row in 08 71 00 works out with a ten week lead time and a 14 day architect review.
| Step | Days | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware required on site | March 22, 2027 | |
| Fabrication and delivery lead time | 70 | Approval needed by January 11, 2027 |
| Allowance for one resubmittal cycle | 14 | First stamp needed by December 28, 2026 |
| Architect review | 14 | To the architect by December 14, 2026 |
| GC review | 5 | Sub submits to the GC by December 9, 2026 |
Move the on-site date when the schedule changes, or update the lead time when the supplier quotes a new one, and every date on the row moves with it. Lead-time tracking is part of the Team, Business and Enterprise plans.
Reminders and the overdue list
- Email reminders go to the current holder ahead of the submit-by date and the review due date.
- Overdue items land on one list per project, sorted by submit-by date, so the item that threatens the schedule first sits at the top.
- Long lead items such as switchgear, elevators, curtain wall and door hardware are visible at buyout, when there is still time to act.
- Each reminder names the package, the spec section and the date, so the person receiving it knows exactly what is owed.
Nobody has to remember to send the chase email on Monday morning. The record does it, and the reply comes back to the same row.
Reports for the OAC meeting and the owner
Filter the log by status, company, spec division, holder or overdue, then export it to Excel, CSV or PDF. A typical weekly report is the open items list grouped by holder, with days in court and submit-by dates. Transmittals export as PDF for the project record. Every revision, stamp, comment and file stays in the version history, so the report can always be traced back to what was actually sent.
The register behind the tracking comes from your spec book, see the submittal register page, and the steps from submission to stamp are in the construction submittal process guide.
Tracking on every plan, priced per project
Every plan includes the register builder, packages, the review workflow, reminders, version history and exports. Team adds lead-time tracking, subcontractor portal links and custom numbering for 149 USD a month, or 74 USD a month billed yearly, across five active projects. Starter covers one active project for 49 USD a month, or 24 USD a month billed yearly. Business and Enterprise add closeout binders, SSO and the audit log. If you are still on a spreadsheet, the submittal log template page shows which columns carry over, and the full plan list is on pricing.
Frequently asked questions
What does ball in court mean in submittal tracking?
It is the party currently responsible for the next action on a package: preparing it, reviewing it or resubmitting it. Submittal sets it from the package's movement, so it is never older than the last action.
How are required-on-site dates calculated?
From the date the material has to be on site, minus the lead time, minus an allowance for a resubmittal and minus each review on the route. When the on-site date or the lead time changes, the submit-by date moves with it.
Do subcontractors and architects need a paid seat to use tracking?
No. External reviewers and subcontractors join at no cost on every plan. Internal members count against the plan, 5 on Starter, 25 on Team and unlimited on Business and Enterprise.
Can I track submittals from a log that already exists?
Yes. Import your current log from Excel or CSV, keep the numbers and stamps you already have, and tracking starts from the current status of each row.