User Guide: Review Tasks & Department Routing
Last updated: January 15, 2026
Overview
The Review Tasks system is the backbone of multi-department permit review workflows. When an application is accepted, the system creates individual Review Task records for each department that needs to review the permit. These tasks enable parallel reviews while automatically keeping the parent permit record updated with the latest status from each department.
Key Concepts
| Concept | Description |
|---|---|
| Review Task | A child record linked to a parent permit, representing one department's review |
| Review Type | The category of review (Zoning, Building, Fire, Health, etc.) |
| Status Sync | Automations that copy Review Task status to the parent permit |
| Parent Permit | The main permit record that contains aggregated status from all Review Tasks |
Why Review Tasks?
| Benefit | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Parallel Reviews | Multiple departments can review simultaneously |
| Clear Ownership | Each reviewer sees only their assigned tasks |
| Automatic Updates | Parent permit status stays current without manual updates |
| Visibility | LP Tech sees all department statuses in one place |
| Audit Trail | Complete history of who did what and when |
How Review Tasks Are Created
Automatic Creation
When an application is accepted (via the Application Acceptance Review Task), the system automatically creates Review Tasks based on the permit type configuration.
Example: A Commercial Building Permit might automatically create:
- Zoning Review Task
- Building Plan Review Task
- Electrical Review Task
- Fire Review Task
- Health Dept Review Task
- Dev Engineering Review Task
Permit Type Configuration
Each permit type has pre-configured review requirements:
| Permit Type | Typical Review Tasks Created |
|---|---|
| Building Permit (Commercial) | Zoning, Building, Electrical, Fire, Health, Dev Eng |
| Building Permit (Residential) | Zoning, Building, Electrical |
| Trade Permit (Electrical) | Electrical Review |
| Trade Permit (Plumbing) | Plumbing/Mechanical Review |
| Rental License | Zoning, Health |
Note: Review Task requirements are configured in Entity Manager by administrators.
Manual Creation
In some cases, you may need to manually create a Review Task:
- Open the parent permit record
- Navigate to the Review Tasks related list
- Click "Add Review Task" or equivalent
- Select the Review Type
- Set initial status (typically "Pending")
- Assign a reviewer (optional)
- Save
When to Create Manually:
- Additional review required that wasn't auto-created
- Special circumstances requiring extra departmental review
- Correction of configuration issues
Understanding Review Task Statuses
Review Task statuses are organized into 8 categories. Each status signals where the review stands in the workflow.
Category 1: Pending
Meaning: Review has not started
| Status | When Used |
|---|---|
| Pending | Initial state for most review types |
| Pending Review | Waiting for reviewer to begin |
| Pending Plan Submittal | Waiting for applicant to submit plans (Application Acceptance) |
Category 2: In Process
Meaning: Reviewer is actively working on the review
| Status | When Used |
|---|---|
| Review In Process | Reviewer has started and is actively reviewing |
Category 3: On Hold
Meaning: Review is paused, waiting for external response
| Status | When Used |
|---|---|
| On Hold | Generic hold (simple reviews) |
| On Hold-Letter | Waiting for written response from applicant |
| On Hold-Meeting | Waiting for meeting with applicant |
| On Hold-Phone Call | Waiting for phone call with applicant |
| On Hold-See Comments | Applicant should review comments for details |
Category 4: Approved
Meaning: Review passed, workflow can proceed
| Status | When Used |
|---|---|
| Approved | Standard approval |
| Approved with Conditions | Approved but applicant must meet specified conditions |
| Review Not Required | This review type doesn't apply to this permit |
| Ready for Issuance | All reviews done, ready for permit issuance |
| Pass | Inspection passed |
| Accepted | Application accepted (Application Acceptance) |
| Accepted-Additional Review Req | Accepted but extra review flagged |
| Accepted-No Plans Required | Accepted for permits not needing plan review |
Category 5: Denied/Cancelled
Meaning: Review blocked or workflow ended
| Status | When Used |
|---|---|
| Denied | Review failed, permit cannot proceed |
| Fail | Inspection failed |
| Application Cancelled | Application was cancelled |
| Permit Cancelled | Issued permit was cancelled |
| Cancelled | General cancellation |
| Expired | Review/permit expired due to time limits |
Category 6: Revision
Meaning: Applicant action required
| Status | When Used |
|---|---|
| Revision | Plans need revision by applicant |
| Incomplete | Application incomplete, applicant must provide more |
Category 7: Issuance
Meaning: Permit has been issued (Issuance tasks only)
| Status | When Used |
|---|---|
| Issued | Permit issued to applicant |
| Re-Issued | Permit re-issued (after correction) |
| Revision Issued | Permit issued with revisions |
Category 8: Completion
Meaning: Record closed (C of C tasks only)
| Status | When Used |
|---|---|
| Completed | Certificate of Completion issued, record closed |
Status Sync Automations
How Status Sync Works
When a reviewer changes a Review Task status, an automation automatically copies that status to the corresponding field on the parent permit.
Flow:
- Reviewer updates Review Task (e.g., Zoning Review → "Approved")
- Status Sync automation triggers
- Automation updates parent permit (e.g., sets "Zoning Status" = "Approved")
- LP Tech sees updated status on permit record
Review Type → Parent Field Mapping
| Review Type | Parent Permit Field |
|---|---|
| Application Acceptance | Acceptance Status |
| Zoning | Zoning Status |
| Building Plan Review | Building Review Status |
| Electrical Review | Electrical Status |
| Fire Review | Fire Status |
| Health Dept | Health Dept Status |
| Dev Engineering | Dev Engineering Status |
| DAP | DAP Status |
| Plumbing Mechanical | Plumbing Mech Status |
| Permit Issuance | Issuance Status |
| C of C | C of C Status |
Example: If the Fire Review Task status is set to "On Hold-Letter," the parent permit's "Fire Status" field will automatically update to "On Hold-Letter."
Benefits of Status Sync
| Benefit | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Real-time visibility | LP Tech always sees current status |
| No manual updates | Parent record updates automatically |
| Consistency | Same status terminology everywhere |
| Audit trail | Changes tracked in both records |
Assigning Reviewers to Tasks
Manual Assignment
- Open the Review Task record
- Find the Assigned To or Reviewer field
- Select the reviewer from the dropdown
- Save the record
Factors for Assignment
Consider when assigning:
- Reviewer workload
- Reviewer expertise
- Geographic territory (if applicable)
- Review complexity
- Due dates
Auto-Assignment Rules
Some systems may have auto-assignment configured:
- Round-robin assignment
- Territory-based assignment
- Workload balancing
Note: Auto-assignment rules are configured by administrators in Entity Manager/Automation Builder.
Reassigning Tasks
To reassign a task to a different reviewer:
- Open the Review Task
- Change the Assigned To field
- Add a note explaining the reassignment (recommended)
- Save
Viewing Review Tasks for a Permit
From the Parent Permit
- Open the permit record in Entity Manager
- Navigate to the Review Tasks related list/section
- See all Review Tasks with their current status
Review Task List View
The related list typically shows:
| Column | Information |
|---|---|
| Review Type | Zoning, Building, Fire, etc. |
| Status | Current Review Task status |
| Assigned To | Reviewer name |
| Created Date | When task was created |
| Last Updated | Most recent status change |
Understanding Aggregated Status
The parent permit record shows all synced status fields:
| Field | Current Value |
|---|---|
| Acceptance Status | Accepted |
| Zoning Status | Approved |
| Building Review Status | Review In Process |
| Fire Status | Pending |
| Health Dept Status | Approved with Conditions |
This gives you a "dashboard view" of where the permit stands across all departments.
Review Task Workflow Example
Example: Commercial Building Permit
Step 1: Application Accepted
- Application Acceptance Review Task → "Accepted"
- System creates: Zoning, Building, Electrical, Fire, Health, Dev Eng Review Tasks
- All tasks start with status "Pending"
Step 2: Zoning Review
- Zoning reviewer sets status → "Review In Process"
- Parent permit Zoning Status updates automatically
- Reviewer completes review → "Approved"
- Parent permit Zoning Status updates to "Approved"
Step 3: Building Plan Review
- Reviewer starts → "Review In Process"
- Finds issue → "On Hold-Letter" (waiting for applicant response)
- Parent permit Building Review Status shows "On Hold-Letter"
- Applicant responds, reviewer continues → back to "Review In Process"
- Reviewer approves → "Approved"
Step 4: Other Reviews
- Fire, Health, Dev Eng progress through their own workflows
- Each status change syncs to parent permit
- LP Tech monitors all statuses from parent permit record
Step 5: All Approved
- When all Review Tasks show approved statuses
- Permit ready for issuance (next workflow step)
Managing Review Tasks as LP Tech
Daily Workflow
- Check your dashboard for permits with pending/stalled reviews
- Monitor aging tasks - reviews that have been pending too long
- Send reminders to reviewers with overdue tasks (see Automated Reminders guide)
- Expedite urgent permits by communicating with reviewers
Identifying Bottlenecks
Look for:
- Tasks in "Pending" for too long
- Tasks in "On Hold" without applicant follow-up
- Tasks in "Revision" waiting for resubmission
Taking Action on Stalled Reviews
| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| Task pending > X days | Send reminder to assigned reviewer |
| Reviewer out of office | Reassign task |
| On Hold, no applicant response | Contact applicant |
| Revision submitted | Notify reviewer to continue review |
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
Q: Review Task status doesn't sync to parent permit. A: Check if the Status Sync automation is enabled. Contact your administrator if the automation may be disabled or misconfigured.
Q: A Review Task wasn't auto-created that should have been. A: The permit type configuration may not include that review type. You can manually create the Review Task, or ask an administrator to update the permit type configuration.
Q: The wrong Review Tasks were created. A: Check if the correct permit type was selected. If Review Tasks need to be removed, contact your administrator (do not delete without approval).
Q: I can't see the Review Tasks for a permit. A: Check your user permissions. You may not have access to the Review Tasks related list for that permit type.
Q: Status appears different on Review Task vs. parent permit. A: There may be a sync delay, or the automation may have encountered an error. Try refreshing. If the issue persists, contact your administrator.
Best Practices
For LP Techs
- Monitor parent permit status fields - They aggregate all Review Task statuses in one view
- Don't manually update parent status fields - Let the automations handle it
- Check Review Tasks for details - Parent fields show status; Review Tasks show notes/history
- Use dashboards - Configure views to show permits by status categories
For Reviewers
- Update status promptly - Don't leave tasks in incorrect status
- Add notes - Document your findings in the Review Task comments
- Use specific On Hold variants - Help applicants understand what's needed
- Return to "In Process" - When resuming review after hold
For Administrators
- Keep permit type configurations current - Ensure correct Review Tasks are auto-created
- Monitor automation logs - Check for Status Sync failures
- Train users on status meanings - Consistent status usage across reviewers
Related Guides
- Application Intake & Initial Review - Accepting applications that trigger Review Task creation
- Plan Review Workflow - How reviewers work with their assigned tasks
- Multi-Department Review Tracking - Monitoring all reviews for a permit
- Automated Reminders - Setting up reminders for stalled tasks
Technical Reference
Status Sync Framework
For detailed documentation on Status Sync automation structure, see:
StatusSync_Framework_Template.mdin the Workflow/Automations folder
Status Category Summary
| Category | Statuses | Parent Field Shows |
|---|---|---|
| Pending | Pending, Pending Review, Pending Plan Submittal | Specific pending status |
| In Process | Review In Process | Review In Process |
| On Hold | On Hold, On Hold-Letter, On Hold-Meeting, On Hold-Phone Call, On Hold-See Comments | Specific hold variant |
| Approved | Approved, Approved with Conditions, Review Not Required, Ready for Issuance, Pass, Accepted, Accepted-Additional Review Req, Accepted-No Plans Required | Specific approval status |
| Denied/Cancelled | Denied, Fail, Application Cancelled, Permit Cancelled, Cancelled, Expired | Specific denial status |
| Revision | Revision, Incomplete | Specific revision status |
| Issuance | Issued, Re-Issued, Revision Issued | Specific issuance status |
| Completion | Completed | Completed |
For questions about Review Tasks configuration or Status Sync automations, contact your System Administrator.