A submittal log tracks every submittal on a construction project: what’s been sent, who’s reviewing it, where each item sits in the approval process, and when it’s due back. Without one, things get lost.
The size of your log depends on the job. A small mechanical project might have around 20 submittals. A large commercial build can run into the hundreds across all trades. Either way, if you’re managing submittals as a PM, project engineer, or subcontractor, you need a system.
This post gives you a free template plus walks through how I use one on real projects. The template includes a master log and a printable cover sheet, both ready to use today.
Download the Free Submittal Log Template (Google Sheets)
What Is a Submittal Log?
A submittal log is a single document that tracks every submittal on a project from the day it’s submitted to the day it comes back approved. Each row is one submittal. Each column captures information you’ll need to reference: submittal number, spec section, description, status, dates, who’s responsible, and notes.
It’s just a running record. The point is to have one place to look when you need to know what’s been sent, what’s outstanding, and what’s holding up the order.
The log is built from the project specifications. The specs tell you what materials and equipment require submittals, and you pull from there to populate your initial log before construction starts.
Download the Free Submittal Log Template
Download the Submittal Log Template (Google Sheets)
The template is free, no signup. Open the link and click File → Make a Copy in Google Sheets to get your own editable version. You can also download it as Excel through File → Download → Microsoft Excel if you’d rather work locally.
The file has three tabs:
- How to Use: a quick guide to the template
- Submittal Log: the master tracker with 9 columns, status dropdowns, and automatic overdue highlighting
- Cover Sheet: a printable cover page you can duplicate for each individual submittal package
What’s in the Template
The Master Log
Nine columns, each one earning its place:
- Submittal #: sequential numbering (001, 002, 003)
- Spec Section: CSI MasterFormat reference (e.g., 23 07 19 for HVAC insulation)
- Description: what equipment or material the submittal covers
- Status: Submitted, Approved, Approved as Noted, Revise & Resubmit, Rejected, or No Action
- Date Submitted: when you sent it
- Date Required: when you need it back to maintain schedule
- Date Returned: when the engineer responded (leave blank if pending)
- Ball in Court: who currently owns the next action (Contractor, GC, Engineer, etc.)
- Notes: any context or follow-ups
The Status column has a built-in dropdown and color-codes each row automatically. Rows turn light red when Date Required is past and Date Returned is blank, so overdue items jump out at a glance.
The Cover Sheet
The second tab is a printable cover sheet you duplicate for each individual submittal package. Fill in the company name, project, spec section, dates, and any exceptions taken. Then place it on top of the submittal package when you send it to the GC or engineer.
Why include a cover sheet? It gives the reviewer a clean summary of what they’re looking at before they dig into the documents. Saves time on both sides.
How to Handle Resubmittals
When something comes back as “Revise & Resubmit,” add a new row for the resubmittal. Don’t overwrite the original. Use whatever convention works for you. I use 002R1. Other people use 002-R1 or 002.1. The format doesn’t matter as long as the resubmittal is clearly linked back to the original entry. You want the paper trail intact.
Download the Submittal Log Template (Google Sheets / Excel)
When to Create the Submittal Log
Build the log as soon as the contract is awarded, before construction starts. The whole point of the log is to track everything in one place, so you want it set up before submittals start moving.
The rough sequence:
- Contract awarded. You have the project specifications in hand.
- Check for a submittal register. The specs sometimes include one. It’s a document that lists every submittal expected on the job. If you have one, use it as your starting point.
If there’s no register, build the list from the spec sections yourself. Each spec section identifies what needs to be submitted for that scope of work: cut sheets, shop drawings, samples, certifications, manufacturer data, and so on. Read through every spec section relevant to your trade and pull the submittal requirements into your log. It’s tedious but it’s the only way to make sure you don’t miss anything.
- Populate the log. Add one row per required submittal. Status starts at “No Action” until you actually send something.
- Set target dates. Work backward from the construction schedule to figure out when each submittal needs to be approved.
- Update as you go. Status, dates, and notes get updated every time something moves.
Quick note on submittal registers: I’ve worked jobs where we didn’t submit everything on the register, but the correct practice is to follow it. If something’s listed and you skip it, you’re technically out of compliance with the specs. Treat the register as the source of truth and only deviate when you’ve cleared it with the GC or engineer.
Who Creates and Maintains the Submittal Log
Depends on the size of the company and project.
- Small contractors: the PM typically owns the whole log. Creating it, updating it, chasing approvals.
- Mid-size contractors: a project engineer usually handles the day-to-day updates while the PM reviews status during weekly meetings.
- Large GCs: you might have a dedicated document control specialist or coordinator managing the log across multiple subs.
If you’re a subcontractor (like I am for HVAC), keep your own log of your submittals. The GC also keeps a master log that includes all trades, but yours is for your work, your equipment, your responsibilities. Don’t rely on the GC’s tracking. Getting your submittals to the GC on time and following up regularly is on you. Getting them reviewed and back is on the GC and the engineer.
How to Use the Submittal Log Day-to-Day
Once the log is set up, the daily habit is simple but easy to skip.
When you send a submittal:
- Add it to the log (or update an existing “No Action” row)
- Set status to Submitted
- Fill in Date Submitted and Date Required
- Update Ball in Court to whoever you sent it to
When a submittal comes back:
- Fill in Date Returned
- Update status to whichever response you got
- Update Ball in Court (often back to Contractor if you need to order)
- Add notes if there’s anything worth remembering
The honest part: update it as things happen
Don’t batch-update at the end of the week. If you wait, you’ll be digging through emails trying to remember when you actually sent something, which is exactly the problem the log is supposed to solve. Reduce the friction however you can. I tried creating a desktop shortcut to open my log quickly, and it helped for a little while, but I didn’t maintain the habit. Whatever your version of that is, the goal is the same: make it easier to update than to skip.
Review it regularly
Build a rhythm of scanning the log. Weekly at minimum, more often if you can. You’re looking for:
- Overdue rows (the template highlights these in red automatically)
- Items where the response is taking too long
- Anything you can send a status update to the GC or engineer about
If a submittal has been sitting in review for weeks, flag it. Document the delay in your notes column. Let the GC know if it’s going to affect the schedule. The log isn’t just for your own tracking, it’s documentation you’ll reference later if you need to push back on a delay claim.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Not updating the log in real time. You forget when you sent things, and the log becomes useless as a reference. Build the habit of logging each submittal as it happens.
Skipping items from the submittal register. If the register lists it, submit it. Skipping might fly on a small job, but it puts you out of compliance with the formal submittal process. On federal projects especially, the register will often mark certain items with a “G” indicator. That means the submittal requires government review. Those are not optional.
Not setting Date Required. Without a target date, you have no way to flag overdue items. Even a rough estimate is better than nothing.
Overwriting rows on resubmittals. When something comes back as “Revise & Resubmit,” add a new row (002R1, 002R2, etc.). Don’t overwrite the original. You lose the history of what happened, and that history matters if there’s ever a dispute about timing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who creates the submittal log?
Depends on the company and project size. At small contractors, the PM owns the whole submittal log: creating it, updating it, chasing approvals. At mid-size contractors, a project engineer usually handles the day-to-day updates while the PM reviews status. At large GCs, you might have a dedicated document control specialist managing the log across all subs. If you’re a subcontractor, you maintain your own log for your scope of work even if the GC keeps a master log covering all trades.
What should a submittal log include?
At minimum: a submittal number, the spec section it ties to, a description of what’s being submitted, the current status, dates (submitted, required, returned), who currently owns the next action, and a notes field. The free template included with this article uses these 9 columns and adds color-coded status and automatic overdue highlighting. Some larger projects add columns for priority level, lead time, related RFIs, or change order references. For most jobs, the core 9 are enough.
When should the submittal log be created?
As soon as the contract is awarded, before construction starts. The log is built from the project specifications or a submittal register if the specs include one. Starting early gives you time to identify long-lead items and start the submittal process before they become schedule risks.
What is a submittal register?
A submittal register is a document, sometimes included with the project specifications, that lists every submittal expected on the job. It’s basically a pre-built starting point for your log. If the specs include one, use it. Don’t try to build the list from scratch. On federal projects, the register often marks certain items with a “G” indicator, meaning those submittals require government review and are not optional. Treat the register as the source of truth. Only deviate from it when you’ve cleared it with the GC or engineer.
Conclusion
A submittal log isn’t complicated, but it’s one of those documents that quietly determines whether your project stays on schedule. The job is to track every submittal in one place so nothing gets lost and you have the documentation to back yourself up if delays come into question.
Download the template, customize it for your project, and build the habit of updating it as things happen. The log only works if you actually use it.
For more on submittal-related topics, check out Cut Sheet vs Submittal for the difference between the two documents, or An Example Construction RFI for how RFIs and submittals connect during the review process. And since each submittal package goes out with a cover sheet, see Transmittals in Construction for how that document fits the workflow.
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