Step-Based Submittals (Procore Connected)

In this article, we'll take a closer look at step-based submittals—where the Prime Consultant can assign tasks in a structured, step-by-step workflow to streamline and simplify the submittal review process. 💫

We’ll walk you through getting started, adding assignees, responding to submittals, and returning them to the General Contractor.

Why would you use this feature? 💡

If your GC only assigns the Prime Consultant to submittals, this feature is a great opportunity to either:

1. Structure the response workflow.  (Ex: Electrical 1st,  Mechanical 2nd, and Architectural 3rd)
2. Allow everyone to work at the same time with their own response areas and review status.
3. Includes a cover page once the submittal is returned to Procore!

To Get Started

Step 1: Ensure that step-based submittals are enabled.

To do this, navigate to Project Settings > Document Settings > Submittals, and toggle on “Use Step-Based Submittals.”

Step 2: When you open a submittal, check who is currently listed as the Ball-in-Court (BIC).

Step 3: If you’re the Ball-in-Court (BIC), your step will be highlighted with a blue outline—this means it’s your turn to review.

Adding steps to your review

If you are a prime consultant listed as BIC, you have the ability to add review steps and assign reviewers to a submittal.

• Add disciplines - use the search to bar to find and select disciplines.
• Adjust the review period to fit your project timeline.
• + Add step and repeat to build a sequential review.
  • You can add multiple disciplines in the same step.
  • Once all disciplines in Step 1 have reviewed, the assignees in Step 2 will be notified, and so on.

When finished, click Save.

• An email notification will be sent to the assigned users, and a new task will be created for them in Part3.

Reviewing a Submittal

Step 1: In your blue-outlined section, click “+ Add Files” to attach the submittal to your workflow so you can begin your review. You have a few options

• Option 1: Click “Select from this workflow” to bring in the latest version of the drawing — this could be from the General Contractor or another reviewer earlier in the workflow.
• Option 2: Upload your own attachment(s).
• Option 3: Do both!

Step 2: Click the green “Review” button to open the submittal using the annotation tools. When you’re done, click the “<” button in the top left to return to the main submittal view.

Step 3: Click “+ Add Comment” to include any optional review notes, then click “Save.”

Step 4: Choose your review status by selecting “… Under Review” in the top right corner, then pick the appropriate status from the dropdown menu.

Step 5: Click the blue “Return to [Name]” button to complete your review and send it to the next person in the workflow. A blue date/timestamp will appear (bottom right hand corner, which means your step has been successfully returned to the next step! 🙌

How to Return a Reviewed Submittal:

Step 1: Make sure all assignees have submitted their reviews. You can confirm this by checking under each assignee’s step—if it says “returned on [Date & Time]” in blue, their review is complete. If you see “Not Returned” in grey, that means their review hasn’t been submitted yet and won’t be included in the return.

Step 2: Click the orange “Return to Procore” button, then click the blue “Return to Procore” button to confirm.

Step 3: Wait briefly while the system processes your return. You’ll see status updates in the bottom-right corner. Once finished, the status will update to “Returned on [Date & Time]”. You’ll also be able to download the submittal from the top-right as usual. 🙌

Returning a submittal with multiple reviewers

When multiple reviewers are assigned to the same step, the 'Return to Procore' button will only become available after every 'required' reviewer has submitted their response. You can identify reviewers who are designated as 'required' in the Procore workflow by the red asterisk (*) next to their name.

If you have finished your review but do not see the option to return to Procore, check if other required reviewers in the same step still need to respond.

Multiple Reviewers on Procore-Connected Projects

On a Procore-connected project, a submittal may be configured by the General Contractor to require a response from multiple users. When this happens, only one person will have the 'Ball in Court' at a time. If you are unable to return a submittal, check if the 'Ball in Court' is with another required reviewer.

If this sequential review is blocking your team, ask your General Contractor to edit the submittal's settings in Procore so that only one user or team is marked as required.

How Cover Page Content is Determined

The submittal cover page automatically includes the logo and disclaimer for each organization that participates in the review.

For your organization's disclaimer to appear on the cover page, you must be assigned as a reviewer to at least one step in the workflow.

Notifications for sequential reviewers

If you need a team member, like a project lead, to be notified after another reviewer has responded, you must use a step-based workflow to add them to a subsequent step. Notifications are sent as a submittal moves from one step to the next.

Without a defined next step, the workflow is considered complete and no further notification is sent.