Shop Drawing & Approval Tracking

Q: How does the system know who should approve each drawing?

The automation reads the project type, drawing category, and client details from your project records and applies your approval rules to route the drawing to the correct people automatically.

Q: Can approvers sign drawings digitally, or do they still need to print and scan?

Approvers can sign drawings digitally using the signature tool, which captures their signature and timestamp automatically. No printing or scanning is required.

Q: What if we need to add a new approver or change the approval sequence for a project?

You can update the approval rules in the system at any time. The automation will apply the new rules to future drawings and can be adjusted for specific projects if needed.

Q: Where are signed drawings and approval records stored after approval is complete?

All signed drawings, approval records, and audit trails are automatically archived in a centralized location where they can be retrieved for compliance, audits, or future reference.

Keep every drawing revision, reviewer comment, and approval status visible without chasing emails or rebuilding spreadsheets.

288 hrs

Manual time identified

Companies have mapped

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About This Automation

Shop drawing approval tracking involves creating, routing, and collecting sign-offs from multiple stakeholders on technical drawings before fabrication begins. Manual routing and chasing approvals creates delays, missed deadlines, and lost audit trails.

Automation routes drawings to the correct approvers based on project type, monitors approval status in real time, sends reminders automatically, and maintains a complete digital record of all sign-offs and comments.

Key features:

Route drawings automatically to the correct approvers based on project type and drawing category

Track approval status in real time and alert the team to overdue drawings

Send reminders to approvers who miss deadlines without manual follow-up

Collect digital signatures and maintain a complete audit trail of all approvals

Update project status automatically when all approvals are received

Archive signed drawings and approval records in a centralized location

Data insights How it works Apps used What you get FAQ

Top friction points when done manually

The issues teams report most often with this process

#	Friction point	Companies Report This
1	Approvers miss email requests Approvers do not respond to email requests, requiring manual reminders and phone follow-up.	80%
2	Manual approver identification Operations manager must manually determine who needs to sign off based on project notes and past approvals.	67%
3	Signature collection delays Collecting formal signatures by printing, scanning, or requesting PDF sign-offs adds days to the cycle.	53%
4	Lost approval records Approval emails and sign-offs are scattered across email threads and spreadsheets, creating audit and compliance risk.	40%
5	No real-time visibility Operations manager has no way to see approval status without manually checking email and spreadsheets.	26%

Disclaimer

Automation readiness

How well-suited this process is for automation

Process Pain Score™

7.8/ 10

AI Fit Rating™

8.6/ 10

Automation Lift Index™

8.4/ 10

Hidden Overhead™

7.3/ 10

How The Automation Works

The full workflow, from trigger to completion.

1. Drawing uploaded or marked readytrigger

A new drawing file is uploaded or a revision is flagged as ready for approval in the tracking system.

2. Identify approvers by project type

The automation reads the project metadata and drawing category to determine the correct approvers from a rules table.

3. Create approval request

The automation creates a envelope with the drawing attached and routes it to each approver with a deadline.

4. Send notification to approvers

Messages are sent to each approver with a link request and a deadline reminder.

5. Log approval

When an approver signs, the automation records the approval status, timestamp, and approver name.

6. Send reminder for overdue approvals

If an approval is not received by the deadline, the automation sends a reminder message and email to the approver.

7. Notify fabricator when approved

Once all approvals are collected, the automation sends a message to the fabricator with the approved drawing and a link to start production.

Most popular tool stack used

— the complete tool combinations companies use

52% of companies

28% of companies

15% of companies

Disclaimer

What you get when you map this process

Everything you need to understand, plan, and build your automation.

ROI and business case

What this process costs today and what changes once it's automated.

Launch schedule

What gets built, in what order, and what success looks like once it's live.

Process runbook

How the automation runs day to day, including exceptions and human decision points.

Developer handover pack

Full build spec, logic, and configuration — ready to hand off without a briefing call.

Integration and connections guide

Every tool connection, credential, and data mapping the build needs.

Test and QA plan

216 hrsIdentified

4Mapped

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Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know before mapping this process.

What happens if an approver does not respond by the deadline?

The system automatically sends reminders to approvers who miss the deadline and alerts the operations manager so they can follow up if needed. Overdue drawings are flagged for escalation.

How does the system know who should approve each drawing?

Can approvers sign drawings digitally, or do they still need to print and scan?

What if we need to add a new approver or change the approval sequence for a project?

Where are signed drawings and approval records stored after approval is complete?

View more FAQs

Process pain:7.8/10

Mapped by:4 Companies

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Page updated 10 August 2026