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Run a Transmittal Cycle

Transmittal cycle

This tutorial runs the complete transmittal lifecycle: from creating the transmittal and adding documents, through issuing to recipients, tracking acknowledgements, handling overdue responses, and closing the distribution record.

Role: Document Controller (or Project Admin)
Prerequisite: Documents approved and in the register ready for distribution.

What is a transmittal cycle?​

A transmittal cycle is the controlled process of:

  1. Assembling a document package
  2. Formally issuing it to named recipients
  3. Tracking that each recipient acknowledged receipt
  4. Resolving outstanding acknowledgements or re-issuing if needed
  5. Archiving the distribution record at closeout

Every transmittal is a permanent project record. Even after the cycle is complete, the transmittal shows who received which documents on which date.

Step 1 — Prepare the document package​

Before creating the transmittal:

  1. Confirm all documents to be transmitted are at the correct revision and status (typically Approved or Issued).
  2. If the documents belong to a work package, confirm the package status is Active or Submitted.
  3. Check that all document metadata is complete — transmittal cover sheets pull from document records.

Step 2 — Create a new transmittal​

  1. Navigate to Transmittals in the left sidebar.
  2. Click New Transmittal.
  3. A transmittal number is assigned automatically from the project numbering scheme.
  4. Enter a descriptive Subject (e.g., Civil Package A – Rev B – Issued for Review).
  5. Select the Purpose:
    • For Approval — recipient must formally approve
    • For Review — recipient reviews and provides comments
    • For Information — distribution only
    • For Construction — issued for use in construction

Step 3 — Add documents​

  1. In the Documents section, click Add Documents.
  2. The document register panel opens. Filter by package, discipline, or status as needed.
  3. Select all documents to include. Each selection locks in the current revision.
  4. Review the list — confirm each document number, title, revision, and status are correct.
  5. If a wrong revision was selected, remove the document row and re-add after uploading the correct revision.

Step 4 — Add recipients​

  1. In the Recipients section, click Add Recipient.
  2. Search for a project member or external contact by name or email.
  3. Alternatively, click Add Distribution List to add an entire named group at once.
  4. Repeat for all recipients.
  5. Each recipient row shows their name, email, organisation, and acknowledgement status (initially blank).

Step 5 — Set response requirements​

  1. Set the Required By date — the date by which all recipients should acknowledge. Overdue notifications fire when this date passes.
  2. Toggle Require Acknowledgement on (enabled by default for For Approval and For Construction purposes).
  3. Add any Notes or cover instructions for the recipients.

Step 6 — Preview and issue​

  1. Click Preview Cover Sheet to review the auto-generated PDF.
  2. Verify: transmittal number, subject, purpose, document list, recipient addresses, notes, and issue date.
  3. If correct, click Issue Transmittal.
  4. Confirm the issuance in the dialog.
  5. The transmittal status changes to Issued.
  6. All recipients receive an email notification containing: transmittal details, document list, cover sheet PDF attachment, and an acknowledgement link.

Step 7 — Monitor acknowledgements​

After issuing:

  1. Open the transmittal detail page.
  2. The Recipients section shows per-recipient status:
    • Acknowledged (green ✓) — recipient confirmed receipt, shows timestamp.
    • Pending (—) — no response yet, within the required-by window.
    • Overdue (red ✗) — required-by date has passed without acknowledgement.
  3. The Dashboard → Overdue Items panel lists this transmittal if any acknowledgements are overdue.
  4. The Overdue Report shows days overdue per recipient.

Step 8 — Handle overdue acknowledgements​

For each overdue recipient:

  1. Click Resend Notification on the recipient row to send a reminder email.
  2. If the recipient is unreachable, contact them directly and record a manual acknowledgement:
    • Click Record Acknowledgement on the recipient row.
    • Enter the date acknowledged and a reference note (e.g., Confirmed by phone on DD/MM/YYYY).
    • Save. The status updates to Acknowledged with a note.
  3. If the transmittal was issued to the wrong recipient by mistake:
    • Click Void Recipient to remove them from the acknowledgement requirement.
    • Add a note explaining the reason.

Step 9 — Re-issue flow (if needed)​

If documents are revised and need to be re-distributed:

  1. Upload the new revision to the register.
  2. Create a new transmittal (do not edit the issued one — transmittals are permanent records).
  3. Set the Purpose to the same or updated purpose.
  4. Reference the original transmittal in the Notes field.
  5. Issue the new transmittal.

The original transmittal remains in the record as evidence that the earlier revision was distributed.

Step 10 — Close the transmittal​

Once all recipients have acknowledged:

  1. The transmittal status automatically updates to Acknowledged.
  2. Review the transmittal record to confirm the complete distribution chain.
  3. For project closeout, export the transmittal register from Reports → Transmittal Register.

Good practices​

  • Use consistent subject-line formats across the project so the transmittal register is scannable.
  • Set realistic Required By dates. For For Approval transmittals, 10–14 business days is typical.
  • Only transmit the latest approved revision unless the purpose is explicitly For Review or For Approval.
  • For large packages, issue one transmittal per discipline to make acknowledgement tracking easier.
  • At project closeout, export the full transmittal register as a PDF and archive it with the project record.