An RFI (request for information) is a question the job can't move past until somebody answers it, usually the architect or engineer. StruXure keeps the question, who it's addressed to, every answer it gets, which answer is official, and how long it took. Each project has its own RFIs. Open them from RFIs under Documents in the project sidebar. The page is called RFI Overview.
The life of an RFI
- An RFI admin raises it. They write the Subject and Message, choose an RFI manager, and address it to the people who should answer (Assignees (To)) and the people who should know (Distribution list (CC)). It gets the next number on the project.
- It's sent. Clicking Send makes it Open and emails the To and CC lists. An RFI saved as a Draft isn't sent to anyone until someone clicks Send on it.
- People respond. Anyone with Respond access can add a response, with files if needed. Assignees ticked Required must respond before the RFI can close.
- The manager marks the answer official. The RFI manager or an RFI admin marks one response Official Response. That's the answer the work is carried out to. It doesn't close the RFI.
- The manager closes it. Close RFI closes it and stops the clock.
If the question itself needs rewording, an RFI admin creates a new revision. See Change the question with a new revision.
The four statuses
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Draft | Written but not sent to anyone. It takes no responses or comments. |
| Open | Sent and waiting on answers. |
| Closed | Closed by the RFI manager or an RFI admin, with or without an official response. |
| Cancelled | Withdrawn. It stays on the list with its number and history, and can be reinstated. |
Draft and Open are the outstanding statuses. Only they count as outstanding, and only they can be overdue.
Numbers and revisions
Each RFI gets the next number on the project when it's saved, and numbers are never edited. Its page title shows the number and the revision, for example RFI #12.0. Each new revision of the question adds one: #12.1, #12.2 and so on. The earlier wording is kept on the RFI's Revisions tab.
What's on an RFI's page
- Details: the official response (if there is one), the Request and General Details cards, Responses, Comments and Attachments.
- Revisions: every earlier wording of the question.
- Emails: the emails StruXure has queued for this RFI.
- History: every change, with who made it and when.
Who can do what
There are three levels of RFI access:
- Read: see RFIs, comment on them, and print or export them.
- Respond: also add responses. If you're the RFI manager named on an RFI, you can also mark a response official, close it and pass it to someone else.
- Admin: also raise, send, edit, revise, cancel, reopen and reinstate RFIs, and respond on someone else's behalf.
RFIs can't be deleted. To withdraw one, cancel it. See Cancel, reopen or reinstate an RFI.