How to Close a Submittal in Procore

Closing a submittal in Procore is an essential part of maintaining an organized and efficient project workflow. In this blog post, we'll dive deep into the process of closing a submittal, explaining in detail the different methods available, necessary permissions, and best practices. Whether you're a seasoned Procore user or new to the platform, this guide will help you understand how to change a submittal's status, distribute it, and even create revisions, ensuring everyone on the project stays informed and up-to-date.

Why Closing Submittals Matters

Closing a submittal might seem like a minor administrative task, but it plays a critical role in finalizing project documentation and communication. When a submittal has been approved by all designated approvers within the workflow, an Administrator-level user can mark the submittal as "Closed." This step is not only a reflection of the workflow completion but also serves as an audit trail by logging the date, action, and timestamp.

The submittal closure process signals that all necessary reviews and approvals have been completed, which helps maintain accurate project documentation. Keeping precise records of submittal statuses helps in tracking project progress and simplifies project closeout procedures. Additionally, when a submittal is closed and distributed, relevant stakeholders receive updated documentation via email, enhancing communication across the team.

Procore logs all closure details, creating an important audit trail for both quality control and compliance purposes. This documentation can prove invaluable during project reviews or if questions arise about approval timelines. Finally, closing submittals clears the "to do" list for project teams, ensuring no pending submittals remain open unnecessarily and allowing everyone to focus on current priorities.

Required Permissions for Submittal Closure

Before diving into the closure process, understanding the necessary permissions and preparations is crucial for a smooth workflow. Proper planning helps avoid roadblocks and ensures that submittals are handled correctly from start to finish.

To close a submittal, you must hold "Admin" level permissions for the project's Submittals tool. This restriction ensures that only authorized personnel can finalize these important documents. Similarly, if you need to edit a closed submittal, you will also require Admin access to make any changes after closure.

The submittal must have been approved by all individuals designated in the submittal's approval workflow. Without at least one required approver response, you might not be able to proceed with closing the submittal. This requirement ensures that all necessary reviews have been completed before finalizing the document.

Some organizations customize their submittal log status values in Procore to better match their internal processes. If your company has implemented custom status values, you should refer to your internal documentation or the "Create a Custom Submittal Log Status" guide for specific instructions. These custom statuses might include options like "Approved with Comments" or "Revise and Resubmit" alongside the standard "Closed" status.

Three Methods to Close Submittals

Procore offers multiple approaches to closing submittals, each with different advantages depending on your specific needs. Whether you need a quick status update or want to distribute the document while closing it, there's a method that fits your workflow.

The first method involves closing directly from the Submittals Items page. This approach is ideal when you need to efficiently update statuses without reviewing detailed information. Navigate to your project's Submittals tool to display all project submittals, then find the one you wish to close. Click on the status box for that submittal to reveal a dropdown list of status options and select "Closed" (or your company's equivalent custom status). The system will save this new status automatically, updating the record to indicate no further actions are required.

The second method uses the Edit page, which provides more control when you need to make additional changes before closing. Within the Submittals tool, locate your submittal and click "Edit" to open it in edit mode. Look for the Status dropdown and select "Closed" from the list. While on this page, you can modify other information such as adding notes about the final review or distribution comments. When ready to save, you can either click "Update" to quietly save changes without notifications, or "Update and Send Email(s)" to notify all approvers and distribution list members about the closure.

The third method combines closing with distribution, allowing you to simultaneously mark the submittal as closed and send the derived PDF document to key stakeholders. This comprehensive approach maintains transparency across teams and helps prevent miscommunication regarding the project's status.

Closing and Distributing Submittals

The "Close and Distribute" feature in Procore streamlines communication while finalizing submittals. This powerful functionality ensures everyone stays informed about important project decisions and documentation.

To use this feature, navigate to the project's Submittals tool and click on the "Items" tab. Find the submittal you want to distribute and click "Next" or "View" to open its detailed view. Verify that at least one required member of the submittal workflow has provided their response, as this is necessary for the "Close and Distribute" option to be available. Once confirmed, click the "Close and Distribute" button to proceed.

You'll be prompted to enter information for the distribution email, which may include a general summary, updates, or clarification notes. The system automatically adds key recipients to the distribution list based on your Submittals tool configuration settings. The "To" field typically includes the submitter role while the "CC" field contains selected user roles from your configuration.

For enhanced tracking, you can check the option to "Automatically Create a Revision Upon Close and Distribution." This creates a new revision of the submittal, helping to track changes over time. Before finalizing, you can select specific general information or workflow responses to include in the distribution email. When you click either "Distribute" or "Distribute and Create Revision," Procore generates a PDF of the submittal, includes the distributor's name and company, and logs all actions in the submittal's Change History tab.

Best Practices for Submittal Management

Effective submittal management requires attention to detail and consistent processes. Following these best practices ensures your team maintains high standards throughout the project lifecycle.

Always verify that all required approvals are completed before closing a submittal. This verification prevents accidentally finalizing a document that still needs input from key stakeholders. Take a moment to check that every designated approver has provided their response, ensuring the submittal truly represents a completed workflow.

Document change history serves as a crucial audit trail for your project. Every time a submittal status changes, Procore logs important details including date, time, and the user who made the change. This historical record proves invaluable when auditing project changes or verifying proper process adherence. Make it a habit to check the Change History tab to ensure all actions are correctly recorded.

When distributing closed submittals, take time to review the auto-populated recipient list to ensure it's current and complete. The following distribution tips can enhance your workflow effectiveness:

• Clear instructions: Include specific guidance or next steps for recipients when needed

• Accountability tracking: Verify that the generated PDF shows who distributed the submittal and when

• Revision planning: Consider whether the document might need future revisions before archiving

Managing revisions requires a consistent approach across your team. Some organizations prefer to keep the original revision (Rev 0) closed while creating a new revision (Rev 1) for updates. Others might add reviewers or new information to the existing submittal. Whatever process you choose, document it clearly and communicate it to all stakeholders to prevent confusion.

Handling Special Submittal Situations

Construction projects rarely follow a perfectly linear path, and submittal management is no exception. Understanding how to handle special situations ensures you can adapt to changing project needs while maintaining documentation integrity.

Occasionally, you may need to reopen a closed submittal due to errors or omissions. While not generally recommended, this action reactivates editing capabilities and review tools. Be aware that reopening submittals allows design team members to potentially modify their original comments, which could cause issues if work based on those comments has already begun. In many cases, creating a new revision provides a better alternative than reopening the original submittal, as it preserves the historical record while allowing for necessary updates.

For submittals requiring revisions, a clear process helps maintain version control. When a submittal receives a "Revise and Resubmit" status, decide whether to keep the previous revision closed while creating a new one, or to update the existing submittal. Most teams prefer creating a new revision (advancing from Rev 0 to Rev 1) to maintain a clear audit trail of changes. This approach helps everyone understand what changed between versions and why those changes were necessary.

Training team members on proper submittal handling prevents inconsistencies and errors. Regular training sessions covering submittal creation, closure, distribution, and revision management ensure everyone follows the same procedures. Procore offers extensive training videos and support articles that address every aspect of the submittal workflow. System administrators should verify that all users have appropriate permissions and understand what each status represents within your organization's workflow.

Integration with Project Workflow

Closing submittals represents just one component of a comprehensive project management approach. Understanding how this process connects with other Procore tools and project activities enhances overall efficiency and effectiveness.

The Submittals tool works seamlessly with other Procore features to create an integrated project management ecosystem. Submittal documents can be uploaded and linked to project folders in the Documents tool, making related files easily accessible. When submittals are used for closeout documentation, Procore's Transmittal tool helps distribute final documents to owners and other key stakeholders, ensuring a smooth project completion process.

Procore's revision control system ensures all previous changes are retained while keeping the current version clearly marked when submittals are revised. This streamlined approach to version management significantly reduces confusion and improves tracking capabilities. The system maintains a complete history of each submittal, including who made changes, when they occurred, and what specific modifications were implemented.

The efficiency gains from Procore's submittal management features translate into significant time savings for project teams. By allowing users to close, distribute, and revise submittals with just a few clicks, the platform reduces administrative overhead and minimizes error risk. Many users report that advanced features like "Close and Distribute" save days of manual paperwork and follow-up communications—particularly valuable when managing large projects with numerous submittals.

Common Challenges and Solutions

Even with a well-designed system, users may encounter challenges when closing submittals in Procore. Recognizing these common issues and knowing how to address them helps maintain workflow momentum.

Missing approver responses often prevent submittal closure, as the system requires at least one required response from designated approvers. When facing this issue, proactively follow up with approvers who haven't provided input. Procore's tracking tools help identify which approvals remain outstanding, allowing targeted reminders to specific team members. Setting clear expectations about response timeframes at the project outset can also help prevent these delays.

Organizations using custom status values sometimes experience confusion about which status to select when closing submittals. The solution involves clearly documenting your company's custom statuses and providing team training on when to use each option. Creating a quick reference guide that defines when to use standard versus custom statuses (such as "Revise and Resubmit" or "Approved as Noted") helps maintain consistency across projects and teams.

Distribution errors occur when email notifications fail to reach all intended recipients, often due to outdated distribution lists. To prevent this problem, regularly review and update the distribution lists configured in your Submittals tool settings. Before sending any distribution emails, verify that both "To" and "CC" fields contain the correct recipients. Establishing a quarterly review process for distribution lists ensures they remain current as project teams evolve.

Practical Examples of Submittal Closure

Real-world examples help illustrate how the submittal closure process works in practice. These scenarios demonstrate how different projects might handle submittal management based on their specific requirements.

In a commercial construction project, the contractor submits shop drawings that require review by both the architect and structural engineer. Once both approve the drawing through the submittal workflow, the project Admin logs into the Submittals tool and navigates to the Items page. The Admin locates the shop drawing submittal, clicks the status box, and selects "Closed" from the dropdown. To ensure everyone receives the final approved version, the Admin then uses "Close and Distribute" to send the submittal PDF to the contractor and key team members. This immediate closure and distribution ensures everyone knows the drawing is approved and ready for implementation.

When submittals require revision, the process becomes more complex. Consider a scenario where the design team marks a submittal as "Revise and Resubmit" due to specification concerns. The project Admin follows these numbered steps to manage the revision process:

1. Close the initial revision (Rev 0) with a "Revise and Resubmit" status and clear notes about required changes.

2. Create a new revision (Rev 1) that incorporates the requested modifications to meet specifications.

3. Route the revised submittal through the approval workflow again for verification of the changes.

4. After approval, close and distribute the new revision with a message clearly explaining the updates from the previous version.

This structured approach maintains a clear audit trail while ensuring all parties understand what changed between revisions and why those changes were necessary.

Enhancing Team Communication

Effective communication forms the backbone of successful submittal management. When properly executed, the submittal closure process keeps everyone informed and aligned throughout the project.

When you close a submittal and distribute it immediately, all team members receive consistent information about project decisions and documentation. This transparency reduces misunderstandings and ensures everyone works from the same approved documents. Procore's built-in email notification system helps prevent miscommunication by automatically alerting relevant parties about submittal status changes.

Clear documentation of submittal decisions provides valuable context for future reference. Each closed submittal creates a record of what was approved, who approved it, and when the approval occurred. This information proves invaluable when questions arise later in the project or during closeout procedures. The system's ability to generate comprehensive PDFs that include approval comments and timestamps further enhances this documentation value.

Regular team meetings to review submittal status help identify potential bottlenecks before they impact the schedule. These check-ins provide opportunities to discuss upcoming submittals, review those in process, and confirm that closed submittals have been properly distributed. Establishing a routine cadence for these reviews—whether weekly or biweekly—creates accountability and keeps submittal management a priority throughout the project lifecycle.

Streamline Your Submittal Process Today

Mastering the submittal closure process in Procore transforms what could be a tedious administrative task into a powerful project management tool. The platform's intuitive interface and robust features allow you to close, distribute, and revise submittals efficiently while maintaining complete documentation.

By following the detailed procedures outlined in this guide, you'll ensure every submittal is managed with the accuracy and precision your projects demand. Remember to verify all required approvals before closing, choose the appropriate closure method based on your needs, and maintain consistent practices for revisions and distributions. These habits create a reliable system that reduces errors and enhances team communication.

The benefits extend beyond simple documentation—proper submittal management builds trust among project stakeholders by demonstrating professionalism and attention to detail. When everyone receives timely, accurate information about approved submittals, they can proceed with confidence, knowing their work aligns with project requirements. This confidence translates into fewer rework issues, reduced delays, and ultimately more successful project outcomes.

Start implementing these best practices on your next project to experience the difference effective submittal management makes. Your team will appreciate the clear communication, stakeholders will value the organized documentation, and you'll enjoy the efficiency gains that come from a well-structured process. With Procore's powerful tools and your newfound expertise, you're well-equipped to handle submittals with confidence and precision throughout the project lifecycle.