Comment Resolution Log
Template (Excel)

A comment resolution log is the register that captures every comment raised by reviewers on each document revision, along with the originator's response, the agreed action, the action owner, and the closeout status. Reviewers include the client, the operator, third-party inspection (TPI), and internal discipline leads performing inter-discipline check (IDC). For each comment it records sheet reference, comment category, severity, the response, and the target closeout date. The log is the audit trail that proves every reviewer comment was addressed before the next document revision was issued.

At minimum: comment ID, document number, document revision, sheet reference, comment date, reviewer name and organization, discipline, comment category (technical, editorial, code, safety, operability), severity (major, minor, hold), comment text, originator response, agreed action, action owner, target and actual closeout date, and closeout status. EPC contractors operating to client-specific procedures add a Comment Severity column with a Hold flag that blocks the next revision from issuing until cleared. The template includes the full standard column set plus the Hold flag and verified-by columns.

Pathnovo, an engineering document intelligence platform, auto-tracks comment resolution by extracting comments from marked-up PDFs and review packages, matching them to the parent document and revision in the Master Document Register, and assigning category, severity, and owner per the reviewer's notes. Open comments are flagged on the MDR, and the next revision cannot be issued for review until every open comment is closed or formally rejected. See the MDR automation workflow for the full document-control pipeline.

Inter-discipline check (IDC) is the practice where each discipline reviews documents from neighbouring disciplines before they go to the client. The IDC reviewer comments are captured in the same comment resolution log, tagged with Reviewer Organization = 'Discipline' and the discipline code. IDC comments must close before the document moves from IFR to IFA. The log is the audit trail proving IDC was performed per the project procedure. See the IDC inter-discipline check standard reference.

Major comments are technical, code, or safety findings that require a document change before the revision can advance (for example, missing relief device, wrong material code, or HAZOP recommendation not addressed). Minor comments are editorial, formatting, or non-impacting findings (typo, legend missing, tag suffix wrong). The severity drives the closeout protocol: major comments require originator response, agreed action, and verified closeout before the next revision; minor comments can be batch-closed at the next revision. The Hold severity blocks any issue of any kind until cleared by the reviewer.

On revamp and brownfield scope, reviewer comments often reference the existing operating plant, the existing as-built drawings, or operational constraints the new design must respect. Add an 'Existing Reference' column flagging comments that relate to existing equipment, tie-ins, or operating procedures. These comments often require a site visit or operator confirmation before closeout, so the target closeout date is offset accordingly. The log is also the input to the management of change (MOC) record for the brownfield scope. See the management of change standard reference.

The comment log is the input to the next document revision. Before the originator issues the next revision, every comment in the log must be at Closed status (or formally Rejected with reviewer agreement). The Next Revision Reference column points each closed comment at the revision number where the change was incorporated, giving a per-revision audit trail. At document AB (As-Built) issue, the log proves every comment in the document life was addressed, which is a standard CFIHOS handover requirement. See the CFIHOS handover checklist template.