As you start your journey within the construction industry, you’ll quickly find that documentation and a clear process is the backbone of every successful project, with one of the most critical processes being the document review and approval cycle, often managed using a system of statuses: A, B, C, and D.
This guide is designed to walk you through what these statuses mean, why the process is so important, who is involved, and to allow you to navigate it successfully. Understanding this will not only make you more effective but also help you contribute to a project’s quality, budget, and schedule.
🟩 The Importance of the Review Process
Before we get into the “what,” the document review process is; let’s understand the “why.” the document review process is important and thet it isn’t just about getting a stamp of approval, it’s a fundamental quality and risk management tool for the project.
A robust project document review process ensures that everything from the equipment / materials being ordered, the drawings being used on-site for installation and the testing scripts / method statements contain the required information to provie the systems operate correctly have all been checked against the project’s specific requirements by the client and the various consultants.
🟧 Benefits of a Strong Review Process
The below table details some of the benefits of including and conducting a focused document review process withing a construction project:
| Ensures Quality | It verifies that all materials, equipment, and construction methods meet the design specifications and quality standards. |
| Prevents Rework | Catching an error on paper is infinitely cheaper and faster than fixing it after it has been built. A proper review prevents costly and time-consuming rework. |
| Maintains Schedule and Budget | By avoiding rework and ensuring the right materials are ordered, the project is more likely to stay on schedule and within budget. |
| Enhances Safety | Thoroughly reviewed documents, especially those related to installation procedures and temporary works, are crucial for maintaining a safe construction site. |
| Improves Colaboration | The process fosters clear communication and alignment between the contractor, designers, and the client. |
🟧 Consequences of a Poor Review Process
Whilst there are many benefits to creating and running a good focused process as can be seen above, but a poor process will have consequences:
| Costly Rework and Delays | Using unapproved materials or incorrect drawings can lead to significant portions of work being demolished and redone. |
| Budget Over Runs | The direct costs of rework, plus the indirect costs of project delays, can quickly blow the budget. |
| Safety Hazards | Unchecked procedures or incorrect designs can create dangerous conditions for workers and end-users. |
| Contractural Disputes | Failures in the document review process are a common source of conflict and can lead to formal contractual claims and disputes. |
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🟩 Status A,B,C & D – What do they mean?
When a contractor or vendor / supplier submits a document, the client’s review team (design engineers, architects, commissioning consultants, facilities team) will review it and assigning it a status, with this status dictating the next course of action and, while the exact wording of the ‘status’ can vary slightly between projects, the meaning would be generally consistent, as can be seen in the table below:
| Status | Meaning | Contractor's Action | Consultant Future Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Approved | No comments. The document is fully compliant. You are clear to proceed with the associated work (e.g., procurement, fabrication, installation). | None |
| B | Approved with Comments / Revise and Resubmit | The document is generally acceptable. You can proceed with the work (e.g., order long-lead items). However, there are comments that must be incorporated into the document and resubmitted for final record-keeping. You don't need to wait for the resubmission to be approved to proceed. | Track the comments are closed out within the document. if there is an onsite inspection or test - recheck all comments to ensure are closed. |
| C | Revise and Resubmit / Rejected | The document has significant errors or omissions and is not approved. You cannot proceed with the associated work. You must revise the document to address all comments and resubmit it for another full review cycle. | Once received the revised and updated document, complete a full review and provide status, closing out previous comments. |
| D | Rejected / For Information Only | In some systems, 'C' means "Revise," while 'D' signifies a complete rejection. This means the submission is fundamentally incorrect or unsuitable for the project. In other cases, 'D' might be used to mean 'For Information Only,' indicating the document has been received but not formally reviewed. | If the 'Status D' is due to a rejected document, once received the revised and updated document, complete a full review and provide status, closing out previous comments. If 'Status D' is 'For Information', just need to log the documetn in the issue tracker. |
🟩 Roles & Responsibilities of the process
Defining roles and responsibilities is crucial for creating clarity and accountability within the document review process for a project.
When everyone knows exactly what they are responsible for, and what others do, it helps eliminate confusion, preventing things from being missed.
| Role | Responsibility | Issue / Return To |
|---|---|---|
| Sub Contractor | Your responsibility is to prepare the technical submission, ensuring it's complete, accurate, and compliant with the project specifications before issuing for review by the General Contractor. | Issue to: General Contractor |
| Vendor | Your responsibility is to prepare the technical submission, ensuring it's complete, accurate, and compliant with the project specifications before issuing for review by the General Contractor. | Issue to: General Contractor |
| General Contractor | A few responsiblities: a. Responsible for preparing any technical submissions, not prepared by others, ensuring they are complete, accurate, and compliant with the project specifications to the project consultants. b. Review and then once confirmed inline with project requirements - issue Sub Contractors and Vendor submittals to the project consultants. | Issue to: Client Consultants / Commissioning Consultant |
| Project Manager | Maintain an overview of the process across the project. | n/a |
| Client Engineer / Consultant | The client engineer will check the submission for compliance with the technical specifications, project requirements, and overall design intent, before providing it with the relevant 'Status'. | Issue to: a. General Contractor b. Commissioning Engineer |
| Facility Engineer | Generally will be involved in the process of checking and providing comments back to the Client Engineer / Commissioning Consultant. | Issue to: a. Client Engineer b. Commissioning Consultant |
| Commissioning Consultant | a. Focuses on the testing, commissioning, and maintainability aspects of the submission, ensuring the equipment can be properly tested, operated, and maintained in the long run. b. Responsible for the review and status of specific testing and commissioning method statements. | Issue to: a. Client Engineer b. General Contractor |
| Client | Generally will be involved in the process of checking and providing comments back to the Client Engineer / Commissioning Consultant. | Issue to: a. Client Engineer b. Commissioning Consultant |
🟩 Document Review Workflow
A review workflow is essential for establishing a clear and consistent document process on a project, defining roles and responsibilities, ensuring submissions don’t get lost and are reviewed by the correct people in a timely manner.
A good document review process helps prevent bottlenecks, improves efficiency, and creates accountability, providing a traceable audit trail for all documents, which is vital for quality control, contractual compliance, and mitigating disputes, ensuring a smoother project execution.
When thinking about or creating a process it should follow a logical sequence of steps:
| Step | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Creation & Internal Review | The contractor's team creates the document (e.g., a material submittal or a shop drawing). Conduct a thorough internal review first to catch any obvious errors. |
| 2 | Submission | The document is formally submitted to the client's team via the project's document control system. |
| 3 | Client Review | The client's team / project manager distributes the document to the relevant reviewers (engineers, architects, commissioning consultant). |
| 4 | Comments & Status | Reviewers provide their comments and recommend a status. The lead reviewer, for the submission consolidates the feedback and issues the final, official status. |
| 5 | Action | The contractor receives the status and takes the required action: Status A: File the approval and proceed. Status B: Proceed with the work but revise and resubmit the document. Status C/D: Stop. Revise the document based on comments and start the submission process over again. |
🟩 What happens if we receive a ‘Status C’
Receiving a “Status C” is a normal part of the process, especially early in a project, the key is how we respond:
✅ Read and Understand Every Comment: Carefully review each comment from the client’s project team.
If a comment is unclear, 🙋♀️ ask for clarification. Never ignore a comment.
✅ Revise the Document / Submission: Update your submission to address every single point raised. It’s good practice to use a comment response sheet, where you list each comment and explain how you have addressed it in the revised document.
✅ Track Your Changes: When resubmitting, clearly mark the revision number (e.g., Rev 01, 02) and highlight the changes made. This helps the reviewer quickly see that you have addressed their concerns, speeding up the approval process.
✅ Learn from Mistakes: Pay attention to common reasons for rejection. Are you missing information? Is your formatting incorrect? Are you failing to meet a specific clause in the project specifications? Use this feedback to improve your future submissions, helping with efficiency and time spent on this task / activitiy.
🟩 Guidance and Best Practices for a Successful Submission
✅ Do Your Homework: Before you start, thoroughly read the relevant sections of the project specifications. Your submission must prove compliance with these documents.
✅ The “No Surprises” Rule: Your submission should be a direct response to the specified requirements. It’s not the place to propose unapproved, alternative solutions unless you’ve had prior discussions.
✅ Clarity is Key: Present your information in a clear, logical, and easy-to-review format. A well-organized submission makes the reviewer’s job easier and reflects positively on your professionalism.
✅ Include All Supporting Documents: Don’t make the reviewer hunt for information. If your submission relies on datasheets, calculations, or certificates, include them.
✅ Perform a Quality Check: Before you hit “submit,” do a final check. Is it the correct document? Are all pages included? Is it for the right project.
🟩 What Types of Documents Are Reviewed?
Which documents will require to be issued for approval, will generally be dictated by the specific project/contract documents.
As an outline, the documents as listed in our articles below would usually be required, relating to the commissioning process:
🟧 Material / Technical Submissions
These are generally focused upon items of equipment and materials that will be selected and manufactured to meet the design requirements as set out in the project specifications. The materials and equipment can range from details of pipework/cables to generator and chillers.
Material Submissions are usually issued by the general contractor / main contractor for approval by the design team. The commissioning manager should also support reviewing these documents.
🟧 Drawings
The designer will usually issue a full set of design drawings to the project – these will detail the expectations relating to what should be installed where, sizes, flow rates, and any simple control logic, etc. The general contractor / main contractor would take these drawings, fully coordinate the services, and produce ‘shop drawings’ / ‘working drawings’.
These shop/working drawings should be reviewed and commented upon by the project team [designer, commissioning consultant].
🟧 Testing Procedures
Testing procedures should be developed by the General Contractor / Main Contractor for the future commissioning works – these will range from early testing requirements such as Weld / Pressure Testing all the way through to the final building-integrated testing.
These testing procedures should be reviewed and commented upon by the commissioning consultant, coordinating with other team members such as the designer and facilities staff.
🟧 Testing Sequence and Programme
The expected testing program and sequence of works should generally be developed by the general contractor / main contractor.
This testing program/sequence should be reviewed and commented upon by the commissioning consultant, coordinating with other team members such as the designer and facilities staff.
⬜ Document Status Meaning [Download]
This free, 1-page guide that clearly defines the exact meaning and required action for every document status.
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