Best for a controlled manual process
A familiar starting point when the team has time to read, enter, and verify the requirements.
Free Excel resource
A free construction submittal register template built for specification review.
Start with the fields that make a register useful: a specific action, CSI section, source page and paragraph, responsible party, dates, and review status.
What is included
- Blank register with filters and practical fields
- Example entries showing useful action titles
- Source page and paragraph columns
- Responsibility, review, status, and schedule fields
- Instructions for adapting the workbook to your project
Free to use on your projects. No email required.
Blank RegisterExample Register
SectionAction titleTypeSource
08 71 00Door hardware scheduleShop Drawing§1.5.B · p.412
23 09 23Control wiring diagramsShop Drawing§1.5.B.3 · p.742
Template or software?
Best for document-heavy projects
Processes the manual, prepares the draft, and keeps source evidence connected during review.
A practical handoff
Use SubmittalsHQ to build and review the register, then export for the project’s working process.
Using the workbook
Start with the document set—not the rows.
Record the project-manual issue, included addenda, reviewer, review date, and scope before entering requirements. That small step establishes what the register represents and makes later updates easier to explain.
Use the blank register for project work and the example register to see how specific action titles, types, source references, parties, and statuses fit together.
The workbook contains four sheets
- Instructions for a consistent review process
- A formatted blank register with filters
- An example register with realistic entries
- Editable lists supporting dropdown fields
How to complete the important columns
ColumnWhat to enter
Register #A stable internal identifier. Do not depend on this being the eventual package or transmittal number.
CSI SectionThe six-digit section associated with the requirement, kept as text so leading zeros and spacing remain intact.
Action TitleA concise description of the required deliverable, such as “Door hardware schedule.”
TypeThe form of the deliverable: product data, shop drawing, sample, certificate, test report, design data, qualification data, schedule, closeout, or another defined type.
CategoryA broader project grouping such as administrative, product, quality, field record, or closeout.
Source Page / ParagraphThe location needed to return to the requirement and validate the row.
Responsible PartyThe party expected to prepare or obtain the deliverable after scope confirmation.
Review StatusWhether the extracted requirement is unreviewed, needs review, verified, or intentionally excluded.
Schedule DatesRequired-submit, approval, and required-on-site dates based on project logic.
StatusThe current progress of the actual requirement or package in the project workflow.
Capture the requirements
Review Division 01 and the applicable technical sections. Enter specific deliverables and retain their source references. Do not create rows from general procedural language, product descriptions, or every occurrence of “submit.”
Review titles and grouping
Replace generic labels with useful subjects. Compare related rows for duplicates and decide whether child requirements form one package or separate actions. Use the review-status field to keep unresolved questions visible.
Confirm responsibility
Use the technical scope as a starting point, then check subcontracts, purchase orders, delegated-design responsibilities, testing arrangements, and project-specific procurement strategy.
Work backward from the work
Enter the required-on-site or installation milestone, then account for fabrication, procurement, final approval, design review, potential resubmission, contractor coordination, and preparation. Update dates when the project schedule or procurement plan changes.
What this template does not replace
The workbook provides a practical structure; it does not review the contract documents, determine scope, calculate dates automatically, or guarantee completeness. The project team remains responsible for interpreting requirements and maintaining the working record.
Submittal register template FAQs
Is the Excel template really free?
Yes. You can download it without providing an email address and use it for your organization’s construction projects.
Can I add or remove columns?
Yes. Adapt it to your project and downstream platform. We recommend retaining source references and a requirement-review status even if other fields change.
Is this also a submittal log template?
Yes. The workbook can serve as an initial register and a basic tracking log. Teams with established routing platforms may use it only during requirement discovery and planning.
Why include a separate review status?
It distinguishes confidence in the requirement itself from the later lifecycle status of the submitted package. An item can be verified as a requirement while its package remains not started.
Use one row to communicate one understandable requirement.
08 71 00 · Door HardwareVerified requirement
Door hardware scheduleShop Drawing · Source page 412 · ¶ 1.5.B · Door Hardware Supplier
Prepare schedule organized into hardware sets indicating complete designations of every item required for each door or opening.
Required submit date: based on door and hardware releaseStatus: Not started
The action title states the deliverable. The type supports filtering. The source allows verification. Responsibility identifies the likely preparer but remains subject to project scope. The note or schedule fields can capture coordination with door, frame, access-control, and electrical requirements.
A weak alternative would be “Submit Shop Drawings.” It does not tell the team what the drawing covers, who is likely to prepare it, or which requirement supports the row.
Maintaining the workbook
Use filters to review one trade, section, type, status, or responsible party at a time. Protect dropdown-source cells if multiple people edit the file. Keep dates as actual Excel dates so they can be sorted and used in formulas or downstream imports.
Moving into another platform
Before import, confirm required columns, accepted status values, date formats, and identifier rules. Preserve the source page and paragraph in dedicated fields or notes even if the destination system does not include them by default.