Build to Print Checklist: Documents a Panel Shop Needs
A build to print checklist lists what a panel shop needs from you before it can quote and build exactly to your design: schematics, a bill of materials with part numbers, a layout drawing, a terminal plan, labelling rules, the applicable standards and a test procedure. Complete documents shorten the quotation and remove rework.
What you receive: send the documents on this list and your quotation within one working day gives price, lead time and a list of any open questions. Request a quotation
By Eng. Babu Parkash, Panel Engineering, Saudi Control Panels Company. Published October 2026.
What is build to print?
Build to print means the workshop builds the panel from your drawings without changing the design. You own the design and the revision control. The shop owns the quality of the build: the right parts, the right wiring and a recorded test. Because the shop does not design, any gap in the drawings becomes a question, and every question costs time.
The checklist below turns those questions into documents you can send in one package.
What documents go into a build to print checklist?
| No. | Document | Why the shop needs it | If missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Schematic diagrams (PDF and native CAD) | Defines circuits, wire numbers and device tags | Shop cannot wire or test |
| 2 | Bill of materials with manufacturer part numbers | Fixes what is purchased | Substitutions and price changes |
| 3 | Panel layout (general arrangement) | Mounting positions, clearances, door cut-outs | Parts do not fit |
| 4 | Terminal plan and wiring list | Terminal-to-terminal connections | Hours lost interpreting the schematic |
| 5 | Enclosure specification | Make, size, material, IP rating, finish | Wrong box ordered |
| 6 | Labelling schedule | Nameplate wording, device tags, wire marking | Labels re-made after FAT |
| 7 | Cable and ferrule rules | Colours, cross-sections, ferrule types | Mixed practices inside one panel |
| 8 | Standards and project specification | IEC parts, client standards, approved vendor list | Panel built to the wrong rules |
| 9 | Test procedure and acceptance values | What FAT checks and what passes | Disputes at release |
| 10 | Packing, marking and delivery instructions | How, where and when to ship | Damage or wrong address |
Send native files for the schematic and layout where you can. A PDF shows what the circuit is. The native file lets the shop produce the wiring list and labels without retyping.
Worked example: reviewing a bill of materials before quotation
Worked example: the counts below are made up to show how the review runs. A batch of six identical panels arrives with a 140-line bill of materials. The shop checks each line for three things.
| Check | Lines affected | Action | Effect on quotation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer part number missing | 9 | Ask customer | Held until answered |
| Part obsolete or on long delivery | 4 | Propose equivalent, approval needed | Lead time risk flagged |
| Quantity does not match schematic | 3 | Confirm count | Corrected before purchase |
| Clean lines | 124 | None | Priced at once |
Sixteen of 140 lines, or about 11 percent, raised questions. A complete document package closes those before the quotation, so the shop prices all 140 lines on day one. Without it, the nine missing part numbers alone can hold the quotation for several days, because the shop cannot price what it cannot identify.
The same review catches the four long-lead items early. Order them with the purchase order and the schedule keeps its dates. Our build-to-print and OEM assembly typically takes two to six weeks from drawings and bill of materials, and an early review is what keeps a job at the short end of that range.
How do you handle revisions and alternates?
Settle both rules before the first build, because a change that is not controlled is a defect waiting to happen.
- Revision control. Mark each document with a revision and date. Tell the shop which revision is current, and send change notices rather than marked-up photographs.
- Approved alternates. List a second-choice part for any item with a known delivery risk, so the shop can substitute without stopping.
- Engineering queries. Name one contact on your side who answers shop questions within a set time.
- Deviations. Ask the shop to record any approved deviation on the build sheet and the FAT report.
- As-built drawings. Agree whether you want a marked-up set after the build.
For OEMs placing repeat orders, these rules sit in a standing agreement. Batch orders and revision handling are explained on the OEM contract panel assembly page, and the build to print panels page lists the ranges and the lead time by panel type.
Where do wiring and design fit in the package?
If the drawings leave wiring practice open, the shop applies its standard, so state your own where it matters: cross-sections, colours and ferrule types. The control panel wiring services page explains what we apply by default. If the drawings are incomplete or in a hand-marked form, a design pass produces a clean set before the build; see panel design and drawings.
Quotation turnaround is one working day once the package arrives, so the faster you send the documents above, the faster the clock for the panel itself starts.
Questions about build to print
What is a build to print checklist?
A build to print checklist is the list of documents a panel shop needs to build a panel exactly from your design: schematics, bill of materials, layout, terminal plan, labelling rules, standards and test procedure. Sending the full list avoids queries and shortens the quotation.
What drawings does a panel shop need to quote?
At minimum, the schematics, bill of materials with part numbers and a layout drawing. With those three the shop can price components, labour and enclosure. The terminal plan, labelling schedule and test procedure complete the package before the build.
Can the shop change my design?
Not in build to print. The shop builds what is drawn. If it sees a clash, such as parts that do not fit, it raises a query and waits for your decision. Any approved change is recorded as a revision.
Which file formats work well?
PDF for reading and native CAD for reuse. Send the bill of materials as a spreadsheet, not a scanned page, so part numbers can be copied into purchase orders without retyping errors.
How do I protect my drawings?
Put a non-disclosure agreement in place first, then name the shop engineers who may see the files. Confidentiality terms are agreed at order stage, before the first drawing leaves your office.
Ready to send your build to print checklist documents? Send the package and we will confirm price, lead time and any open questions within one working day.