AI-generated illustrative design concept; not a completed CBD Projects project, approved drawing or technical compliance detail.
A list of drawings is not a useful submittal register unless it shows what is needed, who prepares it, who reviews it and when the decision must be made. Late samples and shop drawings can delay procurement even when site labour appears busy. The register should connect design decisions to the programme.
Build the register from the scope, procurement schedule and authority process. Give each submission a unique identity, planned dates, responsible parties, review status and link to the latest accepted document.
Start from scope and procurement
Break the project into submittal packages that reflect how work is designed, bought and installed: partitions, ceilings, joinery, finishes, lighting, MEP equipment and specialist systems. Include samples, calculations or mock-ups where the responsible team requires them.
Do not copy another project’s register without reconciling the actual contract and authority pathway. Missing packages often surface only when a supplier asks to manufacture.
Set dates backwards from need
For each item, identify the required-on-site date, lead time, fabrication period, review cycles and time for resubmission. This creates a latest useful submission date. Link critical items to the procurement and construction programme.
An overdue drawing may have little effect, while a late approved material can stop several trades. Prioritise by consequence rather than document count.
Clarify review roles and status
Name the preparer, coordinator, reviewer and final decision authority for each package. Use clear status definitions such as submitted, comments issued, resubmission required or accepted for the stated purpose. Avoid the vague label “approved” when conditions remain.
Keep client aesthetic acceptance separate from technical or authority review where appropriate. One sign-off should not be misrepresented as every required approval.
Control revisions and comments
Assign unique numbers and revisions, retain comment history and supersede obsolete files in the shared system. Contractors should respond to each comment rather than silently uploading a changed drawing.
Coordinate related submissions through the fit-out RFI process. An RFI resolves missing information; a submittal demonstrates how a defined requirement will be delivered.
Use the register in weekly decisions
Review near-term and overdue items with procurement, design and construction leads. Record blockers, owners and recovery dates. Escalate decisions before they affect manufacture or site sequence.
At handover, connect accepted submittals to as-built drawings, manuals and warranties. The register then provides traceability rather than becoming an abandoned spreadsheet.
Frequently asked questions
Is a submittal register required on small fit-outs?
The level of detail can be scaled, but a controlled list of required drawings, materials and decisions is useful on almost every project.
Does consultant review remove contractor responsibility?
No. Review status should be interpreted under the contract; contractors remain responsible for their scope, coordination and compliance obligations.
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