Submittal management software built for GCs and subs
Shop drawings and product data through review without the stall — every submittal tracked by spec section, with status and ball-in-court visible, so approvals land before fabrication needs them.
Submittals don’t get rejected — they get lost
Most submittal pain isn’t a bad review. It’s the review nobody knows is stuck.
The silent stall
The package went to the architect three weeks ago. Nobody’s chasing it because nobody can see it sitting there — until the fabricator calls asking where the approval is.
The spec-section scavenger hunt
What’s been submitted, what’s outstanding, what’s overdue — scattered across inboxes and a log someone updates monthly. The answer to “where are we on submittals?” takes an afternoon.
Revision roulette
Rev 1 came back revise-and-resubmit, Rev 2 went out by email, someone’s still working off Rev 1’s comments. Which version is the architect actually holding?
The lead-time death spiral
A late approval isn’t a paperwork problem — it’s a late release to fabrication, which is a late delivery, which is your schedule. Submittal aging is schedule risk wearing a disguise.
Every submittal visible, from draft to approved
Register by spec section
Every submittal organized by spec section with status at a glance — submitted, in review, approved, approved as noted, revise-and-resubmit. The whole picture in one screen.
Ball-in-court tracking
Every package shows exactly whose desk it’s on and for how long. Stalls become visible the day they start, not the week fabrication needed the answer.
Revision history
Rev 1’s comments, Rev 2’s response, the returned stamp — one thread per submittal, so nobody works off superseded review comments.
Due dates & aging
Required-by dates tied to fabrication lead times, with aging counted automatically. Sort by overdue and you have tomorrow’s phone list.
Full audit trail
Who submitted, who reviewed, what was returned, when — time-stamped end to end. When a delay claim points at review time, the record answers.
Connected to the record
The approved submittal sits alongside the current drawing set; a review comment that changes scope routes to an RFI or a change order — one platform, one thread.
Built by a contractor, not a software company. Keaton Bandhoesingh, Founder — preconstruction manager across three construction firms with $100M+ directly awarded. As a concrete sub, his mix designs and rebar shop drawings gated every pour; as GC-side precon, he chased subs’ submittals from the other end. Both sides of the review, baked into the product. Read the story →
One submittal, start to released
SUB-014, rebar shop drawings for grid D — and what the register shows at every step:
| Step | Status | Ball in court |
|---|---|---|
| Sub uploads package under spec 03 30 00 | Submitted · Jun 12 | GC |
| GC reviews, forwards to architect | In review · Jun 14 | Architect |
| Aging hits 6 days with fabrication due Jul 8 | Flagged — visible to everyone | Architect |
| Returned “approved as noted” | Approved as noted · Jun 21 | Sub |
| Sub confirms notes, releases to fabricator | Closed — on the record | — |
No status meeting, no “just checking in” emails — the register answered every question before anyone asked it.
Planroom vs. the alternatives
| Planroom | Email + spreadsheet log | Enterprise platforms | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Register with live status | ✓ Automatic | ✗ Stale by Friday | ✓ Yes |
| Ball-in-court & aging | ✓ Visible to all | ✗ Lives in someone’s memory | ✓ Yes |
| Connected drawings, RFIs & COs | ✓ One platform | Scattered | ✓ Yes |
| Self-serve signup | ✓ Start today | ✓ | ✗ Sales-led |
| Implementation cost | None — minutes | — | Commonly $10,000+ |
| Price | $149/mo, published | $0 (paid in stalls) | Custom quote |
Both ends of the review
General contractors
Run the whole register — every sub, every spec section, every reviewer — with stalls visible before they become schedule slips. Answer the owner’s “where are we?” in one screen.
Subcontractors
Get your packages in clean, see exactly where they’re stuck, and keep the record that protects your lead times when review drags.
One price. Everything included.
Submittals plus the whole platform — change orders, document management, daily reports, and RFIs. One published price.
- ✓Unlimited submittals & revisions
- ✓Ball-in-court & aging tracking
- ✓Full audit trail, exportable
- ✓Change orders, docs, daily reports & RFIs included
- ✓No setup fee, no per-seat pricing
Still on spreadsheets? Grab the submittal log template, or start with what is a submittal and the submittal process.
Good to know
What is submittal management software?
Software that runs the submittal lifecycle — organizing shop drawings, product data, and samples by spec section, routing them through review, tracking status and ball-in-court, and keeping the register and audit trail current automatically. One system instead of email chains and a spreadsheet log someone updates monthly.
What exactly is a submittal?
Documentation a contractor submits for approval before work proceeds — shop drawings, product data, samples, mix designs — proving that what’s about to be built or ordered matches the design intent. Full explainer: what is a submittal in construction.
How long should submittal review take?
Contracts commonly allow 7–14 days per review cycle, but check yours — the review period, and what happens when it’s exceeded, is contractual. What software adds is proof: aging tracked from day one, so a blown review window is documented, not debated.
What does “approved as noted” mean?
Approved, with corrections marked — proceed incorporating the reviewer’s notes without a full resubmittal. It differs from “revise and resubmit,” which requires a corrected package before work proceeds. Planroom keeps the returned stamp and notes on the submittal’s thread either way.
Do GCs and subs both use it?
Yes — GCs run the whole register across every trade; subs track their own packages and protect their lead times. Same record, both perspectives.
How much does it cost?
$149 a month for the entire platform — submittals plus change orders, document management, daily reports, and RFIs. No setup fee, no per-seat pricing, no contract.
Stop chasing submittals. Start seeing them.
Get started in minutes. $149/month when you’re ready. No contract, no sales call.
Get started →