specification-extractor_skill

Overview

This skill extracts structured data from construction specification documents and converts narrative spec text into actionable records. It parses CSI MasterFormat section headers, separates Part 1/2/3 content, and identifies manufacturers, product requirements, standards, and submittal obligations. The output supports estimating, procurement, compliance checks, and submittal tracking.

How this skill works

The extractor reads PDF text, detects CSI section headers and PART divisions, and parses article-level items into structured parts. It identifies manufacturers and product lines in Part 2, locates submittal requirements in Part 1 using keyword mappings, and scans for referenced standards with regex patterns. Results are returned as a SpecExtractionResult containing sections, products, submittals, and referenced standards, plus optional generated reports and logs.

When to use it

• Preparing estimates from project specifications to quickly identify scope and product requirements
• Creating procurement schedules or product lists from specification documents
• Generating a submittal log to track required shop drawings, samples, and product data
• Validating spec compliance by extracting and reviewing referenced standards
• Archiving and indexing large numbers of specification PDFs for search and analytics

Best practices

• Provide clean, machine-readable PDFs (text-based rather than scanned images) for best extraction results
• Confirm CSI-style section headings are present or pre-process headings to match MasterFormat patterns
• Review and normalize manufacturer names and product fields after extraction to match your procurement catalog
• Tune or extend standard and submittal keyword patterns for project-specific terminology
• Validate extracted submittal timing and copy counts against contract requirements before issuing logs

Example use cases

• Run a batch of project specs to build a vendor/product shortlist for procurement and estimating
• Auto-generate a submittal log for the general contractor showing required shop drawings and samples
• Produce a standards register that lists all referenced ASTM, ANSI, UL, and NFPA items across specs
• Populate an internal BOM or product schedule from Part 2 product descriptions for materials planning