How to set up Submittals

This article covers how to set up submittals for your project.

Submittals are used to manage and track the planned file deliveries/submittals on projects. The submittal feature allows you to tailor a review flow and document the review process in Dalux.

How to set up submittals

Activate submittals

To activate submittals, go to

Settings Box Add features  'Submittals' Activate.

A new feature card will appear in the settings menu, where the submittals feature can be set up.

How to set up packages

The purpose of the packages is to structure the large number of submittals that will be created in the project. Packages are required for submittals.

A typical package could be e.g. architects/engineers, who are delivering files such as drawings and specifications, or subcontractors delivering files like technical/product specifications.

To create and manage packages go to Settings Box Submittals: 'Packages'

A package is required for a submittal and is selected when creating a new submittal.

How to set permissions for packages

The packages are connected to the user group permissions. Permission is set for specific user groups.

To set permissions go to

Settings  Users Open a custom user group Permissions (Add) Submittal packages.

You can assign user groups the following permissions on a package level:

• Read - View, print, and export all submittals within the package.
• Create - Create submittals, set submitters, and send to submitters.
• Manage - Delete submittals and set user groups for 'Review manager', 'Reviewer', and 'Approver'. They can also force complete all reviews.

You can see more information about the level of permission by clicking the -icon.

This allows you to give specific groups different permissions for the different packages - such as e.g. architects being allowed to create their deliveries but only have view access in others.

The read-permission also allows to give certain user groups an observer role for submittals within certain packages.

How to set up specification sections

Specifications are not required for submittals but can be used as references for submittal items within a specific section of the project's building specifications. Such as trade-specific specifications, existing conditions, fire suppression, and so on.

These references can help the submitter to look up specifications, that they need to consider when delivering their files.

To create and manage 'Spec sections' go to

Settings Box Submittals: 'Spec sections'.

You can also copy and paste multiple rows in the spec. section window, like when creating packages (see above).

Spec. sections can be chosen when creating a new submittal.

How to set up review flows

Review flows control how submittals move through the submittal process. Each package can have multiple review flows, and you can assign multiple packages to the same review flow.

To create and manage your review flows, go to:

Settings Box Submittals: 'Review flows'.

A new window will open, where you can see all your review flows, and which flows are associated with which package. You can Add new, Edit existing, or Delete existing review flows.

To create a new review flow, click Add.

The following fields are required:

• A name for the review flow.
• Which package(s) the review flow is associated with.
• An approver is responsible for final approval (or rejection) - only one user group can be added as the approver.
• A deadline, which you can set as informative. If it is mandatory, submittals that were not completed will be set as 'approved'.

It is possible to expand the review flow by adding the following:

• A review manager can start the actual review or return the submittal to the submitter. If needed a review manager can also add more groups to the review, before sending the files for review.
• Setting one or more reviewers who can create remarks on the submittals and give an overall review response. Reviewers cannot reject a submittal - this can only be done by the approver.

When you are done creating the review flow, click 'Save'.

Automatic distribution of submittal files

When setting up a review flow, you can also set up the distribution of approved files. This is done in the distribution area at the bottom of the review flow.

Customized submittal review flows can trigger a file flow or distribute approved files to different file areas. This allows you to automate what happens with the files when a submittal is approved, either sending it directly to shared/published files or starting an approval/authorization.

With this feature, it's important only to use the normal flow triggers or a submittal flow trigger.

You can also select to distribute files to distribution lists, by clicking Add to distribution list in the distribution area.

How to set up review responses

You can customize a list of review responses, to make it easier for users to respond to reviews with the same formatted and color-coded response.

To set up review responses go to: 

Settings Box Submittals: 'Review responses'.

This opens a new window to create and manage review responses.

To create a new review response, click Add. The responses can be entered in the text box.

The order of responses can be changed by dragging and dropping the responses to the desired order.

If required, you can color-code the response by clicking on the colored block. You can select from a predefined list of colors or add your colors using either HEX or RGB codes.

How to restore a deleted submittal

Deleted submittals can be seen and restored from Settings 'Deleted submittals'.