Submittal Register
The master list of every item the specs require contractors to submit for review.
Quick Answer
A submittal register is the master log of every submittal a project's specifications require: shop drawings, product data, samples, test reports, and closeout documents. Each line ties to a spec section and records the responsible subcontractor, due date, reviewer, and status. It keeps approvals ahead of procurement, so materials aren't ordered or installed without sign-off.
The Full Picture
The submittal register exists because specifications scatter submittal requirements across hundreds of sections. Each section's Part 1 typically lists what the contractor must submit: product data, shop drawings, samples, qualifications, test reports, warranties. Miss one, and a material can be fabricated or installed without the design team's review, which is a common source of rejected work and disputes.
Mechanically, the register is built by reading every spec section, usually organized by CSI MasterFormat, and extracting each required submittal into a line item. Section 01 33 00, Submittal Procedures, sets the project's rules for format, review time, and routing. Each line gets a submittal type, the responsible subcontractor, a required-by date backed off from procurement and installation, the reviewer, and a status field that tracks it through review and resubmission.
In practice, the register becomes a working schedule. The GC's project engineer builds it before or right after buyout, sends each subcontractor their list, and tracks submissions against dates driven by long-lead items. Under AIA A201, the contractor reviews and approves submittals before passing them to the architect, so the register also documents that review chain.
In preconstruction, building the register early does two things. It exposes long-lead and critical-path submittals, such as switchgear, elevators, and curtain wall, that need to start immediately after award. And it surfaces spec requirements subcontractors may not have priced, like special testing or mockups. A register built late, or built from a template instead of the actual specs, is where missed submittals start.
Real Examples
Common Misconceptions
People assume: A submittal register can be reused from the last similar project.
Actually: Every project's specs differ in what they require, even for the same product types. A template register misses project-specific requirements, which is exactly how submittals get skipped. It has to be built from the current specifications.
People assume: The submittal register and the submittal schedule are the same thing.
Actually: The register is the complete list of what must be submitted. The submittal schedule adds timing, backing each submittal off procurement lead times and installation dates. Many teams combine them, but the list has to be complete before the dates mean anything.
Does MeltPlan Solve This?
Yes — direct fitYes — Submittal register generation is part of what MeltPlan's Design Review does. It reads your project specifications and pulls out the submittal requirements section by section, so the team starts from a register built from the actual documents rather than a template. Experts then review what it surfaces before it goes to subcontractors.
Build a submittal register from your specs →Frequently Asked Questions
What is a submittal register in construction?
It's the project's master log of every submittal required by the specifications, including shop drawings, product data, samples, test reports, and closeout documents. Each line ties to a spec section and tracks the responsible party, due date, reviewer, and approval status.
How do you create a submittal register?
Read every specification section, extract each required submittal (usually listed in Part 1 of each section), and enter it as a line item with its type, spec reference, responsible subcontractor, and required-by date. Section 01 33 00 sets the project's submittal procedures.
What's the difference between a submittal register and a submittal schedule?
The register is the complete list of required submittals. The schedule assigns dates, working back from procurement lead times and installation. Most teams maintain both in one log, but completeness of the list comes first.
Who is responsible for the submittal register?
The general contractor, usually a project engineer, builds and maintains it. Subcontractors prepare the submittals for their scopes, the GC reviews them, and the architect and engineers review and respond.
Why build the submittal register during preconstruction?
It surfaces long-lead items that need immediate action after award and spec requirements that bidders may not have priced, such as mockups or special testing. Catching those in precon avoids schedule slips and change orders later.