Congratulations! You’re now the person responsible for making sure RFIs actually move, instead of vanishing into that mysterious gap between the field and the architect’s inbox. Where do you even begin? What’s the right approach? That’s exactly what this ZenTek Consultants blog series is here to help you figure out!

Missed Part 1? Read it here.

Part 2: Submitting and Tracking RFIs from the Field

The whole point of having RFIs live in Procore is that field staff can use the tool where the issue/question originates. They can open an RFI from a tablet, standing in front of a wall that doesn’t match the drawing – not at a desk an hour later, when the details are already forgotten. A superintendent or foreman can open the Procore app, snap a photo of the issue, and draft the question right there, with the photo attached, rather than creating and sending a separate email with attachments hours later. Encourage your field staff to create RFIs in the moment, rather than batching them up for end-of-day entry.

Linking RFIs to drawings and specs is what turns a vague question into something the design team can answer quickly. Rather than describing a location in text, in Procore you can attach the relevant drawing sheet directly to the RFI and mark up the area in question. This does double duty. It speeds up the design team’s response, and it leaves a permanent visual record tied to the actual drawing revision in question, which matters enormously if there’s ever a dispute later about what was actually being asked.

Due date logic deserves real attention in an RFI. Set a realistic, project-appropriate due date on every RFI based on its actual urgency. A question that will hold up tomorrow’s concrete pour needs a same-day answer. The wall finish question for a room that won’t be built for four months doesn’t. Procore will track and flag overdue RFIs automatically, but that tracking is only useful if the due dates you set were realistic in the first place. Note that it’s also vital to point out the scheduling and cost impacts a delayed response will have on the project, and Procore can track/notify parties about those as well.

Attachments beyond the initial photo matter as well. Things like product cut sheets, shop drawing excerpts, and anything that helps the design team answer without needing follow-up questions. The more complete an RFI is at submission, the fewer round trips it takes to close, and round trips are where schedule time quietly disappears.

Build the habit of submitting RFIs from the field, fully attached and clearly linked, and you’ll see real questions get real answers in days instead of weeks. Don’t miss the next installment of our “Mastering RFIs in Procore” series!