RFIs

What is an RFI

An RFI (Request For Information) is a formal question that needs an official answer — for example a clarification about a drawing, a specification, or a site condition. Unlike an ordinary comment thread, an RFI tracks who must answer, by when (due date), and ends with one designated OFFICIAL response.

Open the RFIs page from RFIs in the sidebar. Viewing needs the rfis.read permission, which all built-in roles have by default.

The RFIs list page

The RFIs page lists all RFIs in the current project as a table. Columns include a status colour bar, Id, title, priority, assignee (a user or a group), due date (with an Overdue chip when the date has passed), and status.

• Click a column header to sort.
• Use the filter row under the headers to narrow results.
• Click a row to open the RFI for editing.
• The delete column appears only if you can delete RFIs.
• Pagination controls are at the bottom.

Filter RFIs and share a filtered view

Use the filter row under the column headers to filter by id, title, priority, assignee, status, and more. Filters are stored in the page URL, so:

• Your filtered view survives a page refresh.
• You can copy the URL and send it to a teammate — they open exactly the same filtered list.

Combine filters with column sorting to find the right RFI quickly.

Export the RFIs list to Excel

You can download the RFIs table as an Excel file (.xlsx) — for example an RFI log to share with a client.

1. On the RFIs page, set the filters and sorting you want. The export matches what the table shows.
2. Click the three-dot Page actions button next to the RFIs title and choose Export….
3. The Export table dialog opens. If you have filters on, it reminds you that the active filters and sorting apply to the export.
4. Optional: switch on Only visible to me to keep the file private.
5. Click Export. The button shows that the file is being generated. When it is ready, the file opens in a new browser tab and a message confirms the export.

What is in the file: one row per RFI with its Id, title, priority, assignee, type, status, due date, who created it and when, and the description. All matching RFIs are exported, not just the current page, up to 5,000 rows.

Where the file goes: without the switch, the message reads "Export ready — saved to the project's documents". With Only visible to me on, it reads "Export ready — saved privately for you" and only you can see the saved file.

Anyone who can see the RFIs page (rfis.read) can export — no extra permission is needed.

How to create an RFI

1. On the RFIs page, click the create button.
2. Give the RFI a clear title phrased as the question you need answered.
3. Add a description with the context: what you looked at, what is unclear, what decision depends on the answer.
4. Set priority, type, assignee (the person or group who should answer), and a due date.
5. Save.

Creating RFIs needs the rfis.create permission — all built-in roles have it by default.

Edit an RFI: fields you can change

Click an RFI row to open its edit dialog. You can update:

• Title and description (inline).
• Priority and type (defined by your project).
• Assignee: a single user or a whole group.
• Due date.
• Watchers: people who follow the RFI.
• Status (follows your project's status flow).
• Linked assets: connect the RFI to the equipment it concerns.
• Attachments: upload files or pick existing documents.

You can edit if you created the RFI, are its assignee, belong to the assigned group, or hold the rfis.update permission.

Due dates and the Overdue chip

Every RFI can have a due date — the date by which the official answer is needed. Set or change it in the RFI's edit dialog.

When the due date passes and the RFI is still open, the list shows an Overdue chip next to the date so overdue questions stand out. Sort or filter the list to chase overdue RFIs first.

Watchers: follow an RFI

The watchers list on an RFI holds the people who want to follow it besides the creator and assignee. Add teammates as watchers from the RFI's edit dialog so the right people can keep an eye on the question and its answer.

Use watchers for stakeholders who are affected by the answer but are not the ones answering.

Comments vs the official response

An RFI has two levels of conversation:

• Comments: the open discussion — clarifying questions, partial answers, back-and-forth. Anyone with rfis.comment (all built-in roles) can comment.
• The official response: ONE answer shown in its own card, which is the formal, authoritative reply to the RFI.

The official response is created by promoting a comment: once the discussion produces the definitive answer, that comment is promoted into the official response card. It can also be cleared again if it was promoted by mistake. Promoting or clearing needs the rfis.respond permission.

Who can set the official response

Promoting a comment to the official response, or clearing it, needs the rfis.respond permission — held by Project Admins and Project Members by default.

Important: unlike editing or status changes, there is NO creator or assignee shortcut for responding. Even the RFI's creator or assignee cannot set the official response without rfis.respond. This keeps the official answer authoritative. If you should be able to respond but can't, ask a project admin for the permission.

Change an RFI's status

Change status from the RFI's edit dialog. The available options follow the status flow defined by your project, and some statuses are terminal — once the RFI reaches them, it is considered closed.

You can change status if you created the RFI, are its assignee, belong to the assigned group, or hold the rfis.status.update permission (Project Admin and Project Member by default). If the status you expect is unavailable, the flow may only allow certain next steps — ask a project admin about the configured transitions.

Who can do what with RFIs

Default permissions (the project owner can always do everything):

• View: rfis.read — Project Admin, Project Member, Technician.
• Create: rfis.create — Project Admin, Project Member, Technician.
• Edit: rfis.update — Project Admin, Project Member. Also allowed without the permission for the RFI's creator, its assignee, and members of the assigned group.
• Change status: rfis.status.update — Project Admin, Project Member. Same creator/assignee/group bypass applies.
• Comment: rfis.comment — Project Admin, Project Member, Technician.
• Set/clear the official response: rfis.respond — Project Admin, Project Member. NO creator or assignee bypass.
• Delete: rfis.delete — Project Admin only.

If an action is hidden or disabled for you, ask a project admin to adjust your role.

RFI problems — troubleshooting

• Can't edit an RFI: you can only edit if you created it, are assigned to it (directly or via a group), or have rfis.update.
• Can't promote a comment to the official response: this always needs rfis.respond — there is no creator/assignee shortcut.
• Can't change status: needs rfis.status.update or the creator/assignee/group bypass; also check that the target status is allowed by the project's flow, and note that some statuses are terminal.
• Delete column missing: deleting needs rfis.delete (Project Admin by default).
• Filters seem stuck after sharing a link: filters live in the URL — clear them from the filter row or remove the URL parameters.
• An RFI shows Overdue: its due date passed while it was still open — answer it or move the due date.