Managing All Deliverables - Beyond the Basic Submittal Log

We see a high correlation between consistent project outcomes and detailed Submittal Logs that are rigorously managed throughout the project.

It is one of the most tangible Project Management documents to review, along with the RFI and Change Order logs. It's not that the logs themselves are important - many Project Management Systems automatically create the log as a byproduct of doing the work. The log is a representation of all those details similar to well-maintained as-builts and schedules.

A comprehensive submittal log identifying and tracking every deliverable required on a project improves all seven basic project team objectives, including: 

1. Maximizes cash flow - tip #10 of 18 (see series).
2. Maximizes field productivity by ensuring information is available before starting the task to minimize rework and project exit is smooth - don't let the last 10% cost you 20% (see training).
3. Minimizes rework through earlier identification of problems.
4. Deepens customer satisfaction - even if there is some shorter-term discomfort leading to recurring work negotiated with customers who are great to work with. 
5. Improving your level of standards for the submittal process and defining responsibility levels clearly. 
6. *** Provides a structured way to evaluate, train, and coach new team members. It can even be used as part of your hiring selection process.***
7. Integrating your technology systems to enhance all of the above - which doesn't always mean task level efficiency.

*** Developing People ***

Of the "Big Five" personality traits, conscientiousness is the one most highly correlated to job performance. 

Conscientiousness is the trait that drives people to set goals, plan the work, and flow-through with disciplined, rule-consistent action. It bundles together self-control, diligence, and attention to detail. 

Building the submittal log at a granular level to the point where each line item relates to a single specific deliverable required on the project will allow you to evaluate and build both conscientiousness and technical expertise. 

It also lets you evaluate and develop the manager of the more junior person assigned to build the log. Their ability to do quality control (QC) on the log without rubber stamping it, and without double-doing it is a crucial capability for a manager to have. 

For someone who is at a complete entry-level position, they can be setup to learn specifications, codes, materials, and their field application while managing some of the line items on a submittal log. You can evaluate and develop their social skills through this process while they work with vendors, subcontractors, and customers to move items on the log from identified through delivered and approved. 

Think about each line item or group of related items on a submittal log as a "task" that you can develop people on up through being Subject Matter Exerts (SMEs) on certain products or assemblies. Building the log itself is another task. Reviewing the log and providing feedback from initial creation through project close-out is another level of task.

1. How strong is your project team (0-3 competency + 4-5 multipliers) when you look at the submittal log at this level of detail? 
2. How clear is your responsibility matrix about which roles should do what part(s) of the process?
3. Is your responsibility matrix designed for efficiency of getting submittals approved by the customer, or for effectiveness in (A) quality control of what you are purchasing and building, (B) information provided for install, and (C) development of people?

The submittal log and related processes are very tangible lending themselves to a high level of standards being developed all the way through Level 6: Management with QA/QC Feedback. Just the development of standards to this level is a great way to develop people. 

You could build something like this into your selection process for certain roles like an Estimator or Project Manager with a "Paid Work Sample" having them work through a complex project specification and develop a detailed submittal log to your company standards. You can see if they know all the parts of a system which will be addressed generally in the specifications but require technical knowledge to break it down to a 1:1 relationship of line item to product. A bunch of misses, a lack of detail, or a bunch of extras will likely show up in other areas of their work. Contact us to discuss how we've seen different "Paid Work Samples" applied - successfully and unsuccessfully in the hiring process. 

Large Language Models (LLMs) can materially enhance the speed with which someone can learn. Used incorrectly, they can negatively impact both project performance and organizational development. 

Integration

To maximize effectiveness, the submittal log must be integrated some several other key project processes:

1. Project schedule - what is required on-site, and by when?
   • Look forward to when it needs to be operational to maintain the schedule including timeframes for site logistics, installation, and testing.
   • Plan backwards from there including timeframes for shipping, manufacturing, approvals, and submissions.
   • Remember that Murphy (Murphy's Law) shows up to work every day - and when timing is the tightest or supply chain is the most complex, Murphy will be working overtime. Plan contingency buffers in the schedule where possible. Plan contingencies if things go wrong. Always look for opportunities to accelerate the schedule. Know the costs of those alternatives ahead of time.
   •  Define critical submittal points on the schedule so that if they are missed, you can see the impact clearly.
2. Schedule of Values (SOV) - build submittal approvals into billing schedules upstream and downstream with subcontractors and key vendors to maximize cash flow. 
3. Procurement Tracking - Purchase orders can be written conditioned on submittal approval with the level of detail and terms required for the project. For example, you may have one piece of equipment that will be shipped and installed in several phases. Ensure that this level of detail is broken out in whatever tool you use to track and expedite deliveries. This is where you start to get a more integrated supply chain. and is the third tier of project productivity improvement pyramid.
4. Supplied by Others - if you are not supplying all the equipment or materials that your team will be interfacing with, you still need to manage many of the same details including product data, installation information, and deliveries. Keep this integrated and keep the installation team from having to look in multiple places. It shouldn't matter to the field team where it came from, their procedures for site logistics and installation should be aligned. 

Integrating these at the workflow level is the first step just like SIPs, and integration at the technology level will follow. 

Details Matter

Some are details for the purpose of teaching and learning while other details help close out a project effectively. Different project management systems (ACC Build, Procore, ProjectSight, etc.) will all have their own abilities to tailor. Some things you want include:

• Grouping of detailed line items into submittal packages. Even if the vendor provides it to you as a complete submittal package, there are often needs in the field to look up the individual details. For example, a lighting package may have 50+ individual lights. In the field, scrolling through hundreds of pages won't be as efficient as going to the specific fixture type and pulling the installation detail. 
• Specific specification section down to the sub-sections as shown in the image above helps quickly check things while building the habit of always referencing specific codes, details, or other documents. This is exceptionally valuable for project teams communicating with each other. 
• Tracking of revisions, dates, and current status codes. 
• Categories of the submittal - for example Product Data, Qualifications, Installation Information, Testing, O&M, Training, Warranty, Spare Parts, etc. This allows you to quickly see what you want.
• Notes that add context are always helpful.