An RFI log is the single list of every request for information on a construction project: what was asked, who raised it, who holds it now, when the answer is due, when it arrived, and what it affected. It is the difference between a managed RFI process and a pile of correspondence. Below is a free RFI log template you can download for Excel or as a CSV, no form to fill in, along with the reasoning behind every column so you can defend the format when someone wants to "simplify" it.
The template and what it looks like filled in
The log has twelve columns. Here it is with three generic example rows, so you can see how entries should read: specific titles, one question per row, and dates on everything.
| RFI No. | Title | Question summary | Raised by | Assigned to | Date raised | Response due | Date answered | Status | Impact (cost/schedule/none) | Linked documents | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RFI-001 | Level 2 slab edge detail | Level 2 slab edge detail conflicts with facade bracket layout; confirm which detail governs | J. Carter (Site Manager) | Architect | 2026-07-06 | 2026-07-13 | 2026-07-10 | Closed | None | A-201 Rev C; S-105 Rev B | Structural detail governs; facade brackets adjusted |
| RFI-002 | Substation ductbank routing | Electrical ductbank route clashes with storm drain shown on civil plans; propose 600mm offset south | M. Osei (Project Engineer) | Civil Engineer | 2026-07-09 | 2026-07-16 | Open | Schedule | C-301 Rev A; E-110 Rev B | Reminder sent; duct delivery held pending answer | |
| RFI-003 | Door hardware finish | Spec section 08 71 00 lists two finishes for ground floor doors; confirm which applies | L. Novak (Package Manager) | Architect | 2026-07-12 | 2026-07-19 | 2026-07-15 | Answered | Cost | Spec 08 71 00; A-601 Rev B | Satin finish confirmed; pricing being checked before close-out |
Download the CSV or Download for Excel. Both contain the header row, the three example rows above to keep as reference or delete, and ten empty numbered rows ready to fill in.
Every column exists because its absence has cost someone money
None of the twelve columns is decorative. Here is what each one is for.
- RFI No. A sequential, never reused number. It is how the RFI gets referenced in meeting minutes, change orders, and claims.
- Title. Short and specific enough to find the row in a year. "Level 2 slab edge detail", not "drawing question".
- Question summary. One sentence stating the conflict or gap. The full question lives in the RFI document itself; the log needs just enough to know what the row is about.
- Raised by. The person and role who asked. Follow-up questions about the question go to them.
- Assigned to. Who holds the RFI right now, often called ball-in-court. This is the column that makes the log a management tool instead of an archive: it tells you who the project is waiting on.
- Date raised and Response due. The clock. An RFI without a due date has no urgency signal, and a log without dates cannot show aging.
- Date answered. Filled in when the answer arrives. The gap between due and answered, across many rows, is your evidence about response performance.
- Status. Keep the list short: Open, Answered, Closed. Answered means a response arrived; Closed means it was reviewed, distributed, and actioned. The distinction matters because an answer nobody has actioned is still a live risk.
- Impact. Cost, schedule, or none. This is what lets you review the ten RFIs that matter instead of all forty.
- Linked documents. Drawing numbers with revisions, specification sections. The documents the question is about, so the next reader opens the right sheet first time.
- Notes. The overflow column: reminders sent, partial answers, related change order references.
A log is only useful if it is kept honest
The template is the easy part. The discipline that makes it work: one person owns the log, usually the project engineer or document controller, and updates it the day something changes, not the day before the meeting. Statuses reflect reality, which means Closed is only used when the answer has actually been distributed and actioned. Every row has a due date, with no exceptions, because undated rows never age and never get chased. And the weekly project meeting reviews the log by age and by who holds each open RFI, which is gentler and more effective than reviewing it by blame. For the wider process this log sits inside, from what makes a good RFI to how the routing works, see our complete guide to RFIs in construction.
When the spreadsheet stops being enough
A spreadsheet log is a real system and plenty of projects run well on one. Its limit is that it is bookkeeping done by hand: it is only as current as its owner's last update, it cannot remind anyone of a deadline, and it lives apart from the RFIs themselves. Dedicated RFI software removes that gap: RFIs are raised from within the project record, the log maintains itself because each RFI and its log entry are the same record, reminders fire on due dates automatically, and the full history is searchable. If your open RFI count regularly runs past what one person can chase by hand, that is the signal to move.
Frequently asked questions
What is an RFI log in construction?
An RFI log is the single tracked list of every request for information on a project, recording the number, title, who raised it, who currently holds it, the dates raised, due, and answered, the status, and the cost or schedule impact. It is the record that makes the RFI process manageable and auditable.
What columns should an RFI log include?
At minimum: RFI number, title, question summary, raised by, assigned to (ball-in-court), date raised, response due, date answered, status, impact, linked documents, and notes. The assigned-to and due date columns are the ones that turn the log into a management tool.
Is this RFI log template really free?
Yes. Both the Excel and CSV versions download directly from the links on this page, with no form and no email required, and you can adapt the columns to your project.
