The main workflow, step by step
Below, one submittal goes from a subcontractor to an approved document on site. Choose a step to look at its screen. The project, the companies and the document numbers are invented for the demonstration.
New submittal
SUB-M-014Sent- Project
- Riverside Block C
- Package
- Mechanical, ventilation
- Type
- Shop drawing with product data
- Relates to
- Drawing M-204, revision C
Off the pathA submittal that refers to a superseded drawing is accepted with a warning that a newer revision exists.
First review
SUB-M-014Passed to consultant| Check | Result |
|---|---|
| Complete set of documents | Yes |
| Matches contract package | Yes |
| Coordination clash noted | One, with electrical |
Off the pathAn incomplete submittal is returned at this stage, before it uses up the consultant's review period.
Consultant review
SUB-M-014Approved with comments| Sheet | Status |
|---|---|
| Duct layout, level two | Approved |
| Riser detail | Approved with comments |
| Fan schedule | Revise and resubmit |
Off the pathSheets are decided separately, so one that needs revision does not hold back those already approved.
Resubmission
SUB-M-014, revision BUnder review- Changed
- Fan schedule only
- Comment answered
- Duty point corrected
- Earlier revision
- Kept and marked superseded
Off the pathIf the review period is close to running out, the holder and the project manager are both reminded.
Approved documents
Mechanical, ventilationCurrent| Document | Revision | For construction |
|---|---|---|
| Duct layout, level two | A | Yes |
| Riser detail | A | Yes, see comments |
| Fan schedule | B | Yes |
Off the pathWhen a drawing is revised later, everyone who downloaded the earlier one is told which document replaced it.
Who uses it, and what each role can do
A project brings together companies that must share documents without sharing everything. Permissions follow the project and the package, not the person's employer alone.
| Role | Sees | Can do |
|---|---|---|
| Subcontractor user | Documents and submittals for their packages | Download current documents, submit and resubmit |
| Site engineer | All packages on their project | Check, return or forward submittals and issue documents |
| Consultant reviewer | Submittals routed to their discipline | Approve, comment or ask for revision, per sheet |
| Project manager | Every submittal, its holder and its age | Reassign, escalate and report to the client |
| Document controller | The register of drawings and revisions | Issue revisions, supersede and manage distribution |
When the work leaves the usual path
Disputes on site often trace back to a document question. These situations are handled inside the portal, so the answer is on record when it is needed later.
| Situation | What the system does | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| Submittal against an old revision | Warns the sender and links the current one | Site engineer |
| Incomplete submittal | Returns it before the review period starts | Site engineer |
| Review period about to lapse | Reminds the holder and the project manager | Project manager |
| One sheet rejected, others approved | Decides each sheet separately | Consultant reviewer |
| Drawing revised after download | Notifies everyone who took the old revision | Document controller |
| Subcontractor leaves the project | Ends access and keeps their record | Project manager |
What it connects to
Contractors already hold drawings and programmes in other tools. The portal connects to them where that saves double entry, and stands alone where it does not.
| System | What moves | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Document management or cloud storage | Drawings, models and their revisions | Both ways |
| Project scheduling tool | Activities that depend on an approval | Into the portal |
| Notifications and reminders, with links to the record | Out of the portal | |
| Company directory | Your own staff signing in with their work accounts | Into the portal |
| Accounts or ERP, optional | Subcontract references and package values | Into the portal |
What a first release includes
Projects and packages
Projects divided into work packages, with companies and people given access package by package.
Drawing register
Documents with revisions, status and distribution, and a clear mark on anything superseded.
Submittal workflow
Submission, first check, consultant review per sheet, comments and resubmission, with review periods tracked.
Status at a glance
A view of every open submittal showing its holder and age, for the weekly project meeting.
Notices that matter
Messages when something needs a person's action or when a document they rely on has changed.
Record for handover
The full history of what was submitted, approved and issued, exportable at the end of the project.
Often added after the first release
- Requests for information on the same record
- Site instructions and variations
- Subcontractor insurance and qualification documents
- Mark-up and comments on drawings in the browser
- Progress photos linked to packages
What we need from you
- A current project's submittal log and drawing register, in whatever form they exist
- Your review stages and the review periods in your contracts
- How packages are divided and which companies see what
- The document tool you use now, and access to a test area in it
- A document controller and a site engineer to test with real submittals
Ownership and licensing terms are defined in the project agreement.
What to do next
Send us the submittal log from one live project. It tells us how many documents move, how long they wait and where, and we reply with a suggested scope and a proposal. Start a conversation or book a 30-minute call.
Common questions
How is this different from a construction management suite?
The large suites cover far more ground, from tendering to cost control, and suit contractors who will adopt the whole product. A custom portal makes sense when you need one part done your way, when subcontractors resist a tool that requires licences and training, or when it has to fit systems you already run. We compare the options honestly before recommending a build.
Do subcontractors have to pay or install anything?
No. They receive an invitation, sign in through a browser on a computer or a phone and see only their packages. Nothing is installed and no licence is needed on their side. That matters, because a portal only works if the smallest trade on the project uses it. The interface for them is deliberately limited to a few clear actions.
Can consultants outside our company take part?
Yes. External reviewers are invited to the project with a role that shows them only the submittals routed to their discipline. They can respond in the portal or, if they insist on email, a site engineer can record their response on the submittal. Either way the status, the comments and the dates are kept on one record.
What happens to the records when the project ends?
The documents and their history can be exported in full for the handover file and for your archive. How long they are kept, and where, follows your contracts and policies. Subcontractor access ends with their involvement, while the record of what they submitted remains. Hosting and administration after the project are settled in the project agreement.