RFI and Submittal Management in Procore

Why RFIs and Submittals Are the Backbone of Project Communication

Every construction project generates hundreds of decisions. When the drawings conflict, when a specification is unclear, or when a subcontractor needs design-team approval before ordering materials, two formal tools control that communication: the Request for Information (RFI) and the submittal. Managing both poorly is one of the most common causes of project delays, disputes, and cost overruns. Managing both well—with a full audit trail—is a core competency for any construction manager and is directly tested in the CMAA CMIT exam.

Procore centralizes both tools so that every party (owner, architect, general contractor, subcontractors) works from the same record. Nothing lives in someone's email inbox alone.

What Is an RFI?

An RFI is a formal written question sent from the contractor to the design team requesting clarification or direction. Common triggers include drawing conflicts discovered during coordination, specification ambiguities, field conditions that differ from what the drawings show, and substitution requests.

A well-drafted RFI contains:

• A precise subject line describing the conflict or question in a few words
• The location (drawing number, grid line, floor, room number)
• A clear, neutral description of the conflict—no blame, no assumptions
• The specific question you need answered
• The suggested answer, if the field team has a reasonable resolution to propose
• A required-response date tied to your schedule—never leave this blank
• Attached references: the Bluebeam-marked-up drawing cloud, photos, or sketches that help the reviewer understand the issue

In Procore, you create an RFI under the RFI module, assign it to the design manager or architect, set the due date, and save it. Procore timestamps the creation, sends automatic email notifications, and locks the original question so neither party can alter it later. That immutability is its legal value.

When the architect responds, you log the response directly in the RFI record—attaching any revised sketch or written direction—and then formally close the RFI. Closing does not mean deleting: the full thread stays in the system permanently as part of the project record.

What Is a Submittal?

A submittal is a document, sample, or product data package that a subcontractor or supplier sends to the contractor, who reviews it and forwards it to the design team for approval before the corresponding work or material is procured or installed. Common submittal types include shop drawings, product data sheets, mix designs, material samples, and manufacturer's certificates.

The specification divides submittals by CSI section. Your submittal log should mirror the specification index so nothing is missed. For each item you track:

• The specification section and title
• The submittal type (shop drawing, product data, sample, etc.)
• The subcontractor or supplier responsible
• The date the sub must submit to you
• Your internal review period
• The date you forward to the design team
• The design team's review period (often 14 calendar days, but check the contract)
• The required-on-site date, working backward from the schedule

In Procore's Submittals module you build this log once, assign reviewers at each step, and the system routes the package automatically when you advance the workflow. Reviewers receive email prompts; late items appear in dashboards with red flags.

Routing and Review Periods

The review period is not a suggestion—it is usually stated in Division 01 of the specifications. Never shrink a contractual review period without written agreement from the architect; doing so can transfer schedule risk to the contractor. Work backward from the required-on-site date: subtract installation lead time, shipping, fabrication, design-team review, your own review, and the sub's preparation time. If that chain puts the required submission in the past, you have a schedule problem that must be escalated immediately—not quietly ignored.

Status Reporting and Owner Communication

Open RFIs and unapproved submittals are risk. Owners and lenders want to see them quantified and managed. Procore's built-in reports let you filter RFIs by status (open, closed, overdue) and submittals by ball-in-court (contractor, design team, sub). Export the report as a PDF, then distill it into a one-page owner summary that answers three questions: What is open? Who holds the ball? What is the impact if it is not resolved by a specific date?

This proactive communication posture is a tested CMAA CMIT competency. An owner who learns about a problem from your report—before it causes a delay—trusts the project team. An owner who learns about it from a delay notice does not.

Safety Considerations in the RFI and Submittal Workflow

RFIs and submittals are paperwork tools, but their content directly affects field safety. When an RFI describes a coordination conflict in a confined space, an elevated work area, or around energized systems, flag the safety implication in the RFI body so the design team understands urgency. When reviewing submittals for equipment or systems, verify that the product data includes Safety Data Sheets (SDS) where required and that installation instructions match OSHA requirements for the work type (fall protection, lockout/tagout procedures for electrical equipment, etc.). Never approve a submittal that omits required safety documentation just to keep the log moving.