RFI Policies
Configure how RFIs are reviewed, what's required before submit, and the guards on closing — at the organization and project level.
RFI policies control how RFIs flow from question to closure. They're set under Admin → RFIs → Policies, at two scopes: Organization defaults that apply everywhere, and Project overrides for a specific job.
RFIs are in beta
The RFI module is in beta — in production and usable, but not yet part of a versioned release of its own.
Organization defaults, project overrides
Organization policies are the starting values; a project can override any of them. Set your house rules at the org level and only deviate where a job needs it.
Review Workflow
| Setting | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Review mode | Two-step (coordinator-gated) — a coordinator screens each RFI, routes it to a responder, then reviews the answer before closing. Single-step (direct) — RFIs go straight to the assigned responder with no coordinator screening. |
| Response SLA (days) | The default due date, counted from submission, when the initiator doesn't set one. |
Required Before Submit
Toggle the fields an initiator must complete before an RFI can be submitted:
| Field | Effect |
|---|---|
| Discipline | Must pick a discipline before submitting |
| Due date | Must set a due date (otherwise the SLA default applies) |
| Responder | Must nominate a responder before submitting |
Closure & Escalation
| Setting | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Require official response before close | Blocks closing an RFI until an authoritative answer of record exists. Recommended on. |
| Allow initiator to close (single-step) | Lets the person who raised a single-step RFI accept & close its answer themselves, whatever their role. Off: only roles that can move RFIs through the workflow can close it. |
| Require coordinator assignment (two-step) | On (default): every two-step RFI waits for a coordinator to screen and route it. Off: an RFI raised with a responder already named skips the screen and goes straight to that responder; one raised without a responder still waits for a coordinator. |
| Auto-escalate overdue RFIs | On (default): when an RFI passes its due date, whoever holds the ball, its watchers and everyone on the project whose role can route RFIs (by default the owner, project manager, superintendent and RFI coordinator) get a notice in the app and by email. Off: overdue RFIs are only flagged on the register. |
Keep the close guarded
Leaving Require official response before close on is what keeps RFIs honest — nothing closes without an answer people can cite later.
Related
- Statuses & Ball-in-Court — how review mode shapes the workflow
- Raising an RFI — which fields the required-before-submit rules affect
Questions
Who can change RFI policies?
Only your organisation's owner. Policies sits under Admin → RFIs, and the Admin section shows on a computer, not on a phone.
If I change the review mode, what happens to RFIs already raised?
Each RFI keeps the review mode it was raised under, so the change applies to new RFIs only. The response SLA and the required fields apply the next time any RFI is submitted, and Require official response before close the next time one is closed.
I saved the project's policies. Why does it now ignore our organisation's settings?
The Project scope opens showing the built-in defaults, not your organisation's choices, and Save Overrides saves every setting on it. After that the project keeps its own value for each one, and later changes to the Organization defaults don't reach it. Check every setting before you save a project.
What do Auto-escalate overdue RFIs and Require coordinator assignment do?
Auto-escalate overdue RFIs (on by default) sends a notice in the app and by email to whoever holds the ball, the watchers and everyone on the project whose role can route RFIs when an RFI passes its due date. Require coordinator assignment (on by default) makes every two-step RFI wait to be routed. Turned off, an RFI raised with a responder named goes straight to them.