Submittal & Design Approval Tracking

Q: Can the automation handle multiple rounds of rework and resubmittals?

Yes. Once feedback is consolidated and sent to the design team, a resubmittal can be routed through the same approval process with the same or updated approver list.

Q: Will the automation work with our existing email and document tools?

The automation integrates with standard email platforms and document storage systems. It reads from your email inbox, accesses files in your document repository, and logs all activity in a centralized tracking database.

Q: How much oversight does the project manager still need to provide?

The project manager reviews escalation alerts, approves any deadline extensions, and monitors the final consolidated feedback before it goes to the design team. Routine distribution, chasing, and consolidation are fully automated.

Q: What if feedback from different approvers conflicts?

The automation consolidates all feedback into a single summary document, flagging conflicting or duplicate items. The project manager reviews the summary and can add notes or clarifications before sending it to the design team.

Keep every submittal moving through review without chasing emails or losing track of revision rounds.

144 hrs

Manual time identified

Companies have mapped

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About This Automation

Submittal and design approval tracking involves compiling technical packages, distributing them to multiple approvers, and consolidating feedback for rework. Manual coordination across email, spreadsheets, and messaging tools creates delays, lost feedback, and repeated follow-up work.

Automation routes submittals to the right approvers with clear deadlines, monitors responses in real time, escalates overdue reviews, and compiles feedback into a structured summary. Approval cycles accelerate and rework begins sooner.

Key features:

Route submittals to designated approvers with branded requests and direct links

Monitor approval responses and track status in real time

Escalate overdue approvers automatically with reminder emails

Extract and consolidate feedback from all approval emails into a single summary

Notify the design team of rework items and next steps via email and messaging

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	Manual chasing of approvers Project managers spend hours each week sending follow-up emails and messages to approvers who have not yet reviewed.	80%
2	Lost or unclear feedback Feedback scattered across multiple emails is often incomplete, contradictory, or missed entirely during consolidation.	67%
3	Delayed approval turnaround Lack of visibility into review status and unclear deadlines extend approval cycles to 8-12 days or longer.	53%
4	Manual spreadsheet updates Tracking spreadsheets are updated hours or days after responses arrive, creating stale status information.	40%
5	Rework cycle delays Design teams wait for consolidated feedback, leading to extended project schedules and missed deadlines.	26%

Disclaimer

Automation readiness

How well-suited this process is for automation

Process Pain Score™

9.0/ 10

AI Fit Rating™

8.9/ 10

Automation Lift Index™

8.5/ 10

Hidden Overhead™

7.3/ 10

How The Automation Works

The full workflow, from trigger to completion.

1. Submittal marked ready for reviewtrigger

A new submittal is created with project, revision, and approver list. The automation is triggered immediately.

2. Route submittal to approvers

The automation sends a branded email to each approver with a direct link to the submittal and a clear deadline. A unique tracking ID is included so responses can be matched to the submittal.

3. Create approval tracking record

A new record is created for this submittal cycle, with fields for each approver's status, response date, and feedback. The record is linked to the project and submittal ID.

4. Monitor for responses

The automation monitors the project manager's inbox for reply emails from approvers. When a reply arrives, it is parsed for approval status and feedback text, and the record is updated in real time.

5. All approvals received?

The automation checks whether all required approvers have responded. If yes, proceed to consolidation. If no and the deadline is approaching, send an escalation.

6. Escalate overdue approvals

If any approver has not responded 24 hours before the deadline, a message is sent to the project manager with a list of pending approvers. The automation also sends a polite reminder email to the overdue approver.

7. Consolidate feedback and notify team

Once all responses are in, the automation compiles feedback into a summary and sends it to the design team via email and. The record is marked complete with a summary of all approvals and any rework requests.

Most popular tool stack used

— the complete tool combinations companies use

58% of companies

28% of companies

13% 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

368 hrsIdentified

4Mapped

View

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know before mapping this process.

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

The automation detects the overdue response and sends an escalation alert to the project manager along with a reminder email to the approver. The project manager can then decide whether to extend the deadline or proceed without that.

Can the automation handle multiple rounds of rework and resubmittals?

Will the automation work with our existing email and document tools?

How much oversight does the project manager still need to provide?

What if feedback from different approvers conflicts?

View more FAQs

Process pain:9.0/10

Mapped by:4 Companies

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Page updated 10 August 2026