Shop Drawing Review Log

This template logs shop drawings as they move from submission through review, approval, and fabrication release. It gives operations, project management, and QA/QC a single record of the drawing title, revision, reviewer, comments, and any installation hold. Use it when you need a traceable path from submittal to field release.

The log is usually maintained by a project coordinator, document controller, or construction administrator, with review input from the responsible discipline lead. The person updating it should be the same one who can confirm status changes and capture dates consistently. If multiple reviewers are involved, assign one owner to avoid conflicting entries.

Update it every time a shop drawing is submitted, returned, revised, or released for fabrication. Do not wait until the end of the week if the status affects procurement or field work. A current log is most useful when it reflects the latest revision and the latest decision.

Yes, it creates an audit trail of submission dates, reviewer names, review comments, and release decisions. That record helps support project documentation practices and reduces disputes about who approved what and when. If your process includes formal sign-off, keep the approval language consistent with your internal controls.

Common mistakes include missing revision numbers, vague scope descriptions, and marking something released before review comments are resolved. Another frequent issue is using free-text fields for dates or status, which makes the log harder to sort and audit. The template works best when required fields are kept tight and status values are standardized.

Yes, you can add trade-specific fields such as manufacturer, equipment tag, or installation area if they are needed for the project. Keep the core fields intact so every record still shows submission details, review tracking, and release status. Avoid adding fields that do not change decisions or downstream work.

Email threads are easy to lose, hard to search, and often split the record across multiple replies and attachments. This template centralizes the key fields so the current status is visible without hunting through inboxes. It also makes it easier to see whether fabrication is on hold or cleared to proceed.

Once released, the log should show the release date, any remaining installation hold, and follow-up notes if field conditions still need coordination. If the release is partial or conditional, note that clearly so fabrication does not outrun unresolved issues. The goal is to prevent a release status from being mistaken for full field approval.