Project teams use Airspecs to build accurate submittal schedules in minutes—auto-extracting requirements from the specs and organizing them by trade. The result: faster kickoff, fewer missed deliverables, and a smoother path to project execution.
January 30, 2025
When the Notice to Proceed lands, the clock starts ticking—and fast. Most contractors have just ten days to turn in a submittal schedule, making it one of the first formal touchpoints with the owner. That early submission doesn’t just check a box—it sets the tone for your team’s ability to execute.
If it’s your first time managing this process, the timeline can feel tight. But with a clear understanding of what’s required and a solid strategy in place, you can create a submittal schedule that inspires confidence from day one.
A submittal schedule outlines every known project submittal alongside key planning details. While it doesn’t need to be fully exhaustive or final, it should present a realistic timeline aligned with the construction schedule. At minimum, each entry should include:
Even if some trades haven’t been awarded yet, placeholders with tentative dates are expected. The goal is to demonstrate proactive coordination, not perfection.
Think of the submittal schedule as a planning tool for external stakeholders. It tells the design team and owner that you have a handle on the flow of materials and approvals. It also lays the groundwork for the submittal log, which will guide day-to-day execution.
In short, it’s an opportunity to show your client that your team is organized, informed, and ready to deliver.
While the schedule is your project’s early roadmap, the submittal log becomes the real-time dashboard. It evolves throughout the project and includes much deeper details, such as:
The submittal log also captures where each item is in the review process—whether it’s been received, approved, rejected, or returned with comments—along with dates and responsible parties.
With hundreds of line items and multiple stakeholders, managing a submittal log manually is a known pain point. Some project teams still comb through massive spec books to extract requirements, which can delay progress and introduce risk.
That’s where tools like Airspecs come in—automatically pulling submittals from Division 01 through Division 49 and categorizing them by trade, type, and urgency. This makes it easy to split the log into smaller, trade-specific sets, helping each subcontractor focus on their scope and reducing back-and-forth.
By assigning only the relevant submittals to each trade partner, you reduce confusion, improve turnaround times, and lower the chance of something critical falling through the cracks.
The Notice to Proceed doesn’t just mark the start of construction—it’s your first test. With the right tools and a proactive mindset, you can hit the ground running with a submittal schedule that keeps your team organized and your client confident.
Platforms like Airspecs simplify extraction, formatting, and tracking so your team can focus on execution, not paperwork. When you start strong, the rest of the project is easier to manage—and much easier to close out.