Free Construction Template

    Construction RFI Log Template

    Track every RFI in one register — who owns the next action, when the response is due, how long the item has been open, and whether it is putting schedule, procurement, or cost at risk.

    No email required. Download the log as a CSV for Excel or Google Sheets, or copy the column headers into your existing project tracker.

    What the RFI log looks like

    A preview of the register in use. The downloadable CSV ships with an empty header row only — no example data, no project information.

    • RFI-040
      Responded

      Slab depression at loading dock

      Assigned To
      Structural Engineer
      Due
      Mar 09
      Days Open
      7
      Schedule Impact
      No identified impact
    • RFI-041
      OpenOverdue

      Electrical panel schedule conflict

      Assigned To
      MEP Engineer
      Due
      Mar 11
      Days Open
      12
      Schedule Impact
      Gear release at risk
    • RFI-042
      Open

      Conflicting north corridor wall dimension

      Assigned To
      Architect
      Due
      Mar 12
      Days Open
      5
      Schedule Impact
      Framing layout at risk
    • RFI-043
      Open

      Roof drain location conflict

      Assigned To
      Architect / MEP
      Due
      Mar 14
      Days Open
      4
      Schedule Impact
      Roofing sequence
    • RFI-044
      Closed

      Storefront head detail clarification

      Assigned To
      Architect
      Due
      Mar 03
      Days Open
      6
      Schedule Impact
      No identified impact

    Example data only. Project-specific procedures should govern actual RFI status, routing, and response requirements.

    What should a construction RFI log track?

    An RFI log should tell a project manager which questions require action — not simply how many RFIs exist. The 25 columns in the template group into six things the register has to answer.

    Identification

    Enough detail that anyone on the project can find the question and the documents behind it without asking the sender.

    • RFI number
    • Subject
    • Discipline
    • Project area / location
    • Drawing and specification reference

    Ownership

    The single most common reason an RFI sits: nobody can say whose action is next.

    • Submitted by
    • Assigned to
    • Responsible company
    • Current ball-in-court

    Timing

    Dates give the log its usefulness. Without them the register is a list, not a control.

    • Submitted date
    • Required response date
    • Response date
    • Days open
    • Last updated

    Status

    One agreed status structure, used the same way by everyone contributing to the log.

    • Status
    • Priority

    Project impact

    Impact recorded against real work, not as an unqualified yes or no.

    • Schedule impact
    • Cost impact
    • Affected schedule activity
    • Related submittal
    • Related change event

    Record

    What the project can point to later when someone asks what was decided and who was told.

    • Response summary
    • Attachments / link
    • Distribution
    • Notes

    Recommended RFI status values

    Keep the status model straightforward. Seven values are usually enough to run a register that people actually maintain. Project-specific procedures may use different terminology.

    Draft
    Question is being prepared and has not been formally submitted.
    Open
    Submitted and awaiting action.
    In review
    Responsible party is reviewing the question.
    Responded
    A response has been issued.
    Pending additional information
    More information is required before the question can be resolved.
    Superseded
    Another RFI or a revised document replaced this question.
    Closed
    The response has been distributed and no further RFI action is required.

    How to prioritize RFIs in the log

    Do not prioritize an RFI solely by how old it is. Priority should reflect the work the answer is protecting.

    An RFI that has been open for six days but affects work scheduled three months from now may be less urgent than an RFI opened yesterday that is blocking a steel release, a procurement package, an inspection, or a framing activity.

    Critical
    An answer is required to prevent an immediate project activity, procurement item, fabrication release, inspection, or critical milestone from being delayed.
    High
    The answer affects near-term work or an upcoming milestone.
    Normal
    Clarification is required, but the affected work has sufficient float or lead time.
    Low
    Administrative or non-time-sensitive clarification.

    These labels are an internal prioritization aid. They do not establish contractual entitlement. Project-specific contract documents and procedures govern actual RFI requirements, response authority, and contractual impact.

    Why “days open” matters — and why it is not enough

    Days Open is the fastest way to surface aging RFIs. On its own it is a weak signal, because age says nothing about what the answer is holding. A useful log reads five fields together:

    • Days Open
    • Required Response Date
    • Affected Schedule Activity
    • Priority
    • Responsible Party

    Read together, they let the team separate the old-but-non-critical item from the new-but-schedule-critical one — which is the distinction that changes what gets chased this week.

    How to use this RFI log on an active construction project

    1. 1

      Log every formal RFI

      Assign a unique number and a subject line that describes the actual question, not the trade.

    2. 2

      Identify who owns the next action

      Do not let “Assigned To” become ambiguous. One named party holds the ball at any point in time.

    3. 3

      Set a real required response date

      Tie the date to the project activity the answer protects, not to a default number of days.

    4. 4

      Track status consistently

      Use one agreed status structure across the whole team so the register can be read at a glance.

    5. 5

      Connect the RFI to the project

      Reference drawings, specifications, schedule activities, submittals, and change events.

    6. 6

      Review open items regularly

      Coordination meetings, OAC meetings, design meetings, and internal project reviews are the natural checkpoints.

    7. 7

      Distribute the response

      Make sure the affected field and project teams actually receive the final direction.

    8. 8

      Close the record

      Only close the RFI after the response and the relevant downstream action have been documented.

    Example of a construction RFI log

    The same five fictional RFIs, expanded to show how the fields work together across an open, an overdue, a responded, and a closed item.

    RFI-042OpenPriority: Critical

    Conflicting north corridor wall dimension

    Architectural and structural sheets show different dimensions for the same wall. Framing layout for the corridor cannot proceed until one dimension governs.

    Discipline
    Architectural
    Assigned to
    Architect
    References
    A-201 / S-103 · Level 2, north corridor, grid C–E
    Submitted / Due
    Mar 06 / Mar 12
    Days open
    5
    Schedule impact
    Framing layout at risk
    Cost impact
    None identified
    Related record
    Related change event: pending assessment
    RFI-041OpenOverduePriority: Critical

    Electrical panel schedule conflict

    Panel schedule conflicts with the single-line diagram. The answer governs the switchgear release, so the item is tracked against the procurement activity rather than the field date.

    Discipline
    Electrical
    Assigned to
    MEP Engineer
    References
    E-401 · Spec 26 24 16 · Level 1 electrical room
    Submitted / Due
    Mar 04 / Mar 11
    Days open
    12
    Schedule impact
    Gear release at risk
    Cost impact
    Potential — under review
    Related record
    Related submittal: switchgear (in review)
    RFI-043OpenPriority: High

    Roof drain location conflict

    Roof drain location conflicts with a structural beam. Affects the roofing sequence but the activity has float.

    Discipline
    Plumbing
    Assigned to
    Architect / MEP
    References
    A-501 / P-201 · Roof, bay 4
    Submitted / Due
    Mar 07 / Mar 14
    Days open
    4
    Schedule impact
    Roofing sequence
    Cost impact
    None identified
    Related record
    Related submittal: roof assembly
    RFI-040RespondedPriority: Normal

    Slab depression at loading dock

    Depression depth at the dock was not dimensioned. Engineer responded with a revised detail; response distributed to the concrete subcontractor.

    Discipline
    Structural
    Assigned to
    Structural Engineer
    References
    S-201 · Loading dock slab
    Submitted / Due
    Mar 02 / Mar 09
    Days open
    7
    Schedule impact
    No identified impact
    Cost impact
    None identified
    Related record
    Response issued with revised detail
    RFI-044ClosedPriority: Low

    Storefront head detail clarification

    Head detail clarified and closed after the response was distributed and the downstream shop drawing was updated.

    Discipline
    Architectural
    Assigned to
    Architect
    References
    A-702 · Storefront head, east elevation
    Submitted / Due
    Feb 24 / Mar 03
    Days open
    6
    Schedule impact
    No identified impact
    Cost impact
    None identified
    Related record
    Related submittal: storefront shop drawings (approved)

    Example data only. Project-specific procedures should govern actual RFI status, routing, and response requirements.

    RFI form vs. RFI log — what is the difference?

    RFI form

    Documents one individual question and its response.

    • The issue
    • Supporting documents
    • The question
    • Proposed resolution
    • The formal response
    Use the free construction RFI template

    RFI log

    Tracks every RFI across the project.

    • Ownership
    • Due dates
    • Status
    • Age
    • Impact
    • Related records
    • Overall project exposure

    For the process behind both — who submits, who answers, and how RFIs relate to submittals and change orders — see what an RFI is in construction.

    Why keep a formal RFI log if the team already uses email?

    Email and meeting minutes communicate decisions perfectly well, and most projects will keep using both. What they do not produce on their own is a controlled register of:

    • Every RFI number
    • The responsible party
    • The due date
    • Current status
    • The response date
    • Schedule impact
    • Cost impact
    • Related documents
    • The final response

    A formal log gives the team one place to review the whole portfolio of outstanding questions, rather than reconstructing it from threads after the fact.

    RFI metrics worth reviewing

    Useful RFI reporting is operational, not benchmarked. These are the measures that tend to change what a project team does next:

    • Open RFIs
    • Overdue RFIs
    • RFIs due this week
    • Average response time
    • Median response time
    • Days open
    • RFIs by discipline
    • RFIs by responsible party
    • RFIs affecting upcoming schedule activities
    • RFIs with potential cost impact
    • RFIs awaiting owner decisions
    • RFIs awaiting design decisions
    • Repeat RFIs related to the same condition
    • Closed RFIs reopened or superseded

    The goal is not to maximize or minimize RFI count. The goal is to identify unanswered questions that create project exposure.

    Common RFI log mistakes

    • No clear responsible party, so the item belongs to everyone and nobody.
    • Required response dates left blank, which makes “overdue” meaningless.
    • Status values used inconsistently between contributors.
    • Schedule impact recorded as yes/no with no affected activity named.
    • A response received but the log never updated.
    • Duplicate RFIs raised for the same condition by different parties.
    • No connection to the drawings or specification sections in question.
    • The log maintained by one person and not visible to the wider team.
    • Closing an RFI before the downstream impact has been addressed.

    When is an RFI spreadsheet enough?

    Often. A spreadsheet register is a legitimate project control, and plenty of well-run projects never need anything else. It works when:

    • The project team is small
    • RFI volume is manageable
    • One person owns the register
    • Distribution is straightforward
    • Drawings and attachments are easy to reference
    • Schedule and change connections are limited
    • The team reviews the log consistently

    If that describes your project, download the CSV and run it. The discipline of maintaining the register matters more than the tool holding it.

    When the log stops scaling

    The spreadsheet is useful. The handoffs are where it breaks.

    A register holds information. What it does not do is move work between people. As projects and portfolios grow, teams start needing:

    • Multiple submitters
    • Multiple reviewers
    • Automated notifications
    • Role-based access
    • Attachment control
    • Document references
    • Overdue reminders
    • Approvals
    • Project-wide visibility
    • Reporting
    • Cross-project rollups
    • Schedule connections
    • Change-management connections
    • A complete audit trail
    RFI management in Jet.Build

    Move from an RFI log to a live project workflow.

    Jet.Build keeps the RFI register centralized — status, ownership, due dates, and attachments held against the same project record as drawings, specifications, submittals, schedules, and cost workflows. Responses are routed to the responsible party, visible to the participants who need them under role-based access, and reportable across projects.

    Teams can use Jenny to surface project records and summarize underlying project information, while responsibility for decisions and responses remains with the project team.

    Explore Project Management See Construction Scheduling

    Related RFI resources

    What Is an RFI in Construction?The full RFI process — meaning, roles, workflow, RFI vs. submittal vs. change order, and schedule and cost impact.Construction RFI TemplateA free, printable request for information form for documenting one question, its references, and its response.Construction Project Management SoftwareRFIs, submittals, daily logs, and approvals managed on one live project record.Construction Scheduling SoftwareConnect open questions to milestone dates, sequencing, and schedule risk.Construction Document ManagementCurrent drawings, specifications, and attachments in one controlled place.Construction Cost ManagementTrack the cost exposure behind change events, commitments, and approvals.

    See how Jet.Build tracks RFIs across active projects.

    Take about 30 minutes with our team to see how Jet.Build connects RFI ownership, due dates, documents, schedules, changes, and reporting without rebuilding the project record from spreadsheets and email.

    Schedule a Demo