Workflow Basics

Workflow is the process that each permit goes through from start to finish; this process involves permit technicians, plan reviewers, and inspectors. Workflow allows you to track the progress of a permit through the process of being received, reviewed, issued, and finaled. As the permit moves through these stages, the Workflow will need to be updated as well. You can access a permit's workflow in the Navigation Pane.

Workflow is divided into Tasks; Workflow tasks are specific to the type of permit. For example, some permits have fire marshal review or planning tasks. Once a permit has moved past a specific task, only users with permission can use the Supervisor button to go back and correct or alter the task.

Upon Application Intake, the possible permit statuses are:

• Additional Info Needed
• Additional Info Received
• Application Accepted
• Application Submitted
• Ready for Plan Review
• Ready to Issue
• Void-only used for mistakenly submitted applications
• Withdrawn-used when the applicant cancels the project

After an application moves past the intake stage, it will go through the Review stages. In the Review stage, the possible permit statuses are:

• Additional Info Needed
• Additional Info Received
• Approved with Conditions
• Awaiting Review
• Not Required-this allows you to move through the review stage if the review task was mistakenly assigned
• Revisions Needed
• Revisions Received-creates child revision record to track revisions
• Withdrawn-used when applicant cancels the project

After the Review stage, the permit will move into the Issuance stage. The possible statuses in the Issuance stage are:

• Permit Issued: this status generates a permit and moves the Workflow into the Inspection process stage
• Ready to Issue: this is the default status
• Withdrawn: used when applicant cancels the project

In the Inspection process stage, the possible permit statutes are:

• Awaiting Scheduling
• Expired
• Inspection Process Complete
  • This will move the permit into the close out task with a status of finaled. This status will not be allowed if there are pending inspections on the record.
• Stop Work Order
• Under Inspection
• Withdrawn-used when applicant cancels the project

The Inspection stage is also where you would issue a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (Temp C of O or TCO). For this, you would select the status of Temp C of O Requested. This creates a child related record with the ending TCO. For complete instructions on issuing a Temp C of O, see the article in Workflow and Reports titled Temporary Certificate of Occupancy.

Workflow may feel like an extra step, but it provides valuable information to the customer, who can check on the status via the ePermitting website rather than have to call the jurisdiction. In addition, workflow allows you to track and manage tasks.