CRS Workflow Automation 101: A Guide to Standardizing Your Design Review Process

In the high-stakes environment of Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) projects, the design review process serves as a critical gatekeeper for quality, safety, and compliance. Central to this process is the Comment Resolution Sheet (CRS): a structured log that documents every technical query, response, and eventual resolution during the lifecycle of a design submittal. However, as projects grow in complexity, relying on traditional, fragmented systems often leads to operational bottlenecks.

Standardizing and automating the CRS workflow is no longer a luxury but a fundamental necessity for teams aiming to maintain a competitive edge. This guide outlines the transition from manual spreadsheet management to a modern, automated framework using specialized AEC project management software.

The Critical Role of the Comment Resolution Sheet (CRS)

A Comment Resolution Sheet (CRS) facilitates the communication between the Author (the entity responsible for the design) and the Reviewer (the technical lead or regulatory body). It consolidates all feedback regarding technical drawings, specifications, and BIM models into a single, actionable document. Without a standardized CRS, teams frequently suffer from version mix-ups, lost comments, and an overall lack of transparency that can jeopardize project timelines.

By adopting CRS workflow automation, organizations can transform this static log into a dynamic, live environment. This transition ensures that every comment is tracked to closure, creating a defensible audit trail that is essential for QA/QC and regulatory compliance.

The Limitations of the "Spreadsheet Trap"

Many engineering firms still manage their design reviews through a combination of PDF markups, emails, and Excel spreadsheets. This approach, often referred to as the "spreadsheet trap," introduces significant risks:

1. Version Fragmentation: When multiple disciplines (Structural, MEP, Civil) provide feedback simultaneously, consolidating those comments into a single master sheet becomes a manual, error-prone task.
2. Lack of Real-Time Visibility: Project Managers (PMs) often have no insight into the current status of a review until the spreadsheet is manually updated and shared, leading to delays in identifying bottlenecks.
3. Accountability Gaps: In a manual system, it is difficult to track who made a specific change or why a critical comment was overlooked.
4. Inefficient Rework: Authors may spend hours cross-referencing vague comments with outdated drawing versions, increasing the likelihood of errors in manual CRS workflows.

Phases of a Standardized Automated Workflow

To achieve functional efficiency, an automated CRS workflow should follow a logical, sequential progression. This ensures that every stakeholder understands their responsibilities and that the system triggers the correct actions at each stage.

Phase 1: Intake and Distribution

The process begins with the centralized upload of a design package. In an automated system, the Author (e.g., a Consultant or Vendor) uploads the documentation directly to the platform.

• Metadata Tagging: Each document is tagged with essential metadata, including Discipline, Document Type, Revision Number, and Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) area.
• Role Assignment: The system automatically identifies the required Reviewers based on the document's discipline.
• SLA Configuration: Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are applied, setting clear deadlines for the initial review phase.

Phase 2: Multi-Discipline Parallel Review

Unlike serial reviews, where a document moves from one department to another, engineering design review software facilitates parallel collaboration. Reviewers from different disciplines can annotate the same digital document simultaneously.

• Direct Annotation: Every markup made on the drawing is automatically captured as a line item in the live CRS. This eliminates the need for manual transcription.
• Standardized Field Entry: Reviewers must categorize their comments (e.g., Safety, Code Compliance, Coordination) and assign a priority level (Critical, High, Medium, Low). This ensures the data remains tidy and ready for analysis.

Phase 3: Resolution and Status Tracking

Once the review period concludes, the Author is notified to address the consolidated comments. The system tracks the lifecycle of each item using a controlled vocabulary of statuses:

1. Open: The comment has been logged but not yet addressed.
2. Pending Response: The Author is currently formulating a resolution.
3. Resolved – To Be Verified: The Author has implemented the change and provided a justification within the system.
4. Closed/Verified: The Reviewer has confirmed that the resolution is satisfactory in the latest revision.
5. Rejected: The Reviewer finds the resolution unsatisfactory, triggering a further iteration.

This level of automation ensures that no comment is "silently" closed in an inbox; every action is recorded with a timestamp and a user ID.

Phase 4: Final Approval and Archiving

The final phase involves the formal sign-off. Once all critical comments have reached the "Closed/Verified" status, the system facilitates the final approval workflow.

• Revision Comparison: Automation tools can highlight the differences between Revision N and Revision N+1, allowing Reviewers to quickly verify that promised changes were actually made.
• Audit Trail Generation: A complete history of the CRS is archived, providing a permanent record of the "who, what, and when" for every design decision. This is vital for complex infrastructure and industrial development projects.

Defining Roles and Responsibilities (RACI)

A standardized process is only as effective as the people executing it. Clearly defined roles are essential for maintaining the integrity of the automated workflow:

• Author (Designer/Vendor): Responsible for providing high-quality submittals and responding to comments within the agreed timeframe.
• Discipline Reviewer: Responsible for technical accuracy within their specific field (e.g., Structural, Electrical) and verifying that their comments are resolved in subsequent revisions.
• Lead Engineer: Accountable for the final technical approval. They ensure that all multi-discipline comments are coordinated and that no conflicting instructions are issued to the Author.
• Document Controller: Responsible for maintaining the system's metadata standards and ensuring that all participants adhere to the project's naming conventions.

The Impact of Automation on Project Performance

Transitioning to automated CRS management yields measurable improvements in project performance. By centralizing the design review process, firms can achieve a "single source of truth," reducing the administrative overhead associated with manual data entry.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor after implementing contrat.io or similar platforms include:

• Cycle Time Reduction: The average time taken to move from a submittal to an "Approved" status.
• Comment Aging: The number of days a comment remains in an "Open" or "Pending" state.
• Rework Rate: The percentage of comments that are rejected after the first resolution attempt.

Conclusion: Future-Proofing AEC Workflows

Standardizing the CRS workflow is a logical step toward digital maturity in the AEC industry. By moving away from fragmented spreadsheets and embracing CRS workflow automation, engineering teams can focus on their core technical responsibilities rather than administrative troubleshooting.

The implementation of a centralized, automated system provides the transparency and accountability required for modern EPC projects. As the industry continues to evolve, those who standardize their processes today will be best positioned to handle the complexities of tomorrow’s infrastructure.

For more information on optimizing your review cycles, explore our AEC framework for faster engineering design reviews.