Direct Answer
A submittal log is a running record of every formal submittal made on a project — shop drawings, material certifications, RFIs, product data sheets — tracking: submittal number, description, date submitted, recipient, date responded, response type (Approved, A/N, R&R), and current status. It is the fabricator's primary document for proving contractual performance on submittals.
Full Explanation
Submittal log structure: (1) Sequential submittal number. (2) Drawing or document identification (drawing number, revision). (3) Date submitted. (4) Who submitted to (GC/engineer). (5) Review period expiration (submission date + contract review period). (6) Date response received. (7) Response action code (Approved = A, Approved as Noted = AN, Revise and Resubmit = R&R, Rejected). (8) Resubmittal tracking — if R&R, a new row for the resubmittal. (9) IFC date — when approved drawings were released to fabrication. The submittal log makes schedule delay analysis possible: if the GC took 28 days to respond to a submittal on a 14-day review cycle, the 14-day excess is a documented delay.
What This Means for Your Shop
The submittal log is your primary defense against accusations of late drawing delivery. When a GC claims 'you submitted drawings late,' your log shows when each drawing was submitted, when you received a response, and how long the review took. Without a log, this dispute is unwinnable.
Common Mistakes
Maintaining the submittal log as a static document that's only updated at project close-out. A log that isn't updated in real time is a historical record, not a management tool. Update it immediately upon submission and upon receipt of each response.
Recommended Process
Assign a single person to own and update the submittal log in real time. Review it at every weekly project meeting. Use it proactively: if a review period expires with no response, follow up with the GC within 24 hours and document the follow-up in the log.