Chapter 2: Web Requests
Accessing Web Requests
Several users of BluePrince can send requests for action to your jurisdiction from an online interface – these are called Web Requests. They may be initiated by contractors, property owners, inspectors, or BluePrince technical support. These requests are accessed via the triangle at the top left of the BluePrince Main Tool Bar.
The triangle has 3 possible colors: blue indicates there are no current Web Requests; yellow indicates that all messages have been read but not all have been processed; and red indicates there are new Web Requests that have not been read. If your User ID is configured to access Web Requests, clicking the mouse anywhere in the triangle will launch the Web Requests window, shown as Figure 16. This window allows you to see all the web requests your User ID is configured to access. In this example, a New Project Request has been selected.
Figure 16 - Web Requests Window
There are several categories of Web Requests that will be described in this section.
- Online Property Requests – from a contractor or property owner, requesting the addition of a property to the jurisdiction’s database. The request type is “Property”. An example is provided in the figure above.
- Project Web Requests – from a contractor or property owner, requesting the creation of a new project on a property. The request type is “Message” with Summary of “New Project Request from [name]” in the Summary Column. An example is provided in the figure above.
- Permit Web Requests – from a contractor or property owner, requesting the creation of a new permit. The request type is “Permit. An example is provided in the figure above.
- Inspection Web Requests – from a contractor or property owner, requesting an inspection for a project or permit. This type of request begins with “Inspection Request from [name]” in the Summary Column where [name] contains the contractor's name.
- Online Invoice Payments – from a contractor or property owner, submitting payment for an invoice that has been generated. An Online Invoice Payment message begins with “Message from BuildingDepartment.com, For [name]” in the Summary Column of the Incoming Requests form, where [name] contains the contractor's name.
- Other Online Messages – other messages (for example, the “New Contractor Signup” message in Figure 16).
The requests that have not been read also have an asterisk (*) in the left most column of the Web Requests Dialog (for example, the New Contractor Signup in Figure 16). Be on the lookout for the exclamation point (!) symbol on the left side of the Web Requests screen. When an on-line permit application is being processed by BluePrince, the left-most column contains an exclamation point (!). This indicates that another user is reviewing that application.
Online Property Requests
The first step for a contractor or property owner online is to add the property they are developing to their online Project Page. To do this, they search for the property in the BluePrince database using the street number, street name, owner name, or existing permit #. If the online user cannot find an address they can request that a new address be added to your database, if this is permitted. For example, if a new subdivision is being built from previously vacant land, new addresses may be defined.
In this case you will receive an incoming Property Web Request. This request arrives within the Web Requests window as shown in Figure 16. Pressing the Remove button removes this request from the Incoming Requests Table and automatically logs it for your records.
Select it and click the View Selected button. The Check Property Values dialog appears (see Figure 18). Values that the applicant provided are shown in the Value column and the applicant is identified (for example here, as Dwight’s Construction). If one or more of these values are incorrect, you may enter a reason in the Reason column. Once you have entered text in the Reason column, a Return button will be active at the bottom of the window. Click the Return button to return the related request to the applicant with the text you have entered. If the request is a duplicate of one that has already been processed, press the Return-Dupe button.
Figure 17 - Check Property Values for Property Web Request
If you make an error and need to wipe out all of the reasons you entered click the Reset button and BluePrince will reset the form and allow you to start over.
Click Close if you want to return to the Incoming Requests dialog without processing the Property Web Request.
If you want to continue processing the Property Addition within BluePrince, press the Go to BP button. You will be asked to confirm that action. Verify that the information entered by the contractor is correct and enter in any other information that is needed and Save the new property.
Project Web Requests
Once the contractor or home owner has the property on their Project Page, the next step of development is to request that a Project be created. This request arrives within the Web Requests window as shown in Figure 19. Pressing the Remove button removes this request from the Incoming Requests Table and automatically logs it for your records.
Figure 18 - Web Requests: New Project Request
Processing this request is very similar to that of Property Web Requests, except that you will see a Check Project Values form. You may enter Reasons for rejecting the request, Reset the Check Project Values form, Close it without processing it, and Return it to the applicant or proceed to process the request by clicking Go To BP.
Permit Web Requests
After the contractor has a property and project on his Project Page, he may make an on-line permit application. This Permit Web Request arrives within the Web Requests window as shown in Figure 20. Pressing the Remove button removes this request from the Incoming Requests Table and automatically logs it for your records.
Processing this request is very similar to that of Property Web Requests, except that you will see a Check and Confirm Values form. You may enter Reasons for rejecting the request, Reset the Check and Confirm Values form, Close it without processing it, and Return it to the applicant or proceed to process the request by clicking Go To BP. You will be asked to confirm that action and then the Web Request Permit form will open with Property, Summary, Details and Contractor data populated from the Web Request details.
Figure 19 - Permit Web Request: Check and Confirm Values Form
Enter the remaining required fields just as you would on a New Permit form. If you’d like to create additional notes to be sent to the applicant, press the Additional Notes button to compose them. While the Web Request Permit form is open, the leftmost column on the Incoming Requests table contains an exclamation point (!) to tell other users you are processing this permit application. When the permit is changed to Applied, the Web Request is removed from the Incoming Web Requests table and automatically logged for you.
Inspection Request
If a contractor is allowed to request or cancel an inspection for a project or permit, an Inspection Request or Canceled Inspection may be in the Web Requests window as shown in Figure 21. This type of request begins with “Inspection Request from [name]” in the Summary Column where [name] contains the contractor's name. This note informs you that a new on-line inspection request has been made and needs to be scheduled. Rather than selecting the request within this window to process it, use the BluePrince Main Tool Bar and click the Inspections button to open the Schedule Inspections tab. There you will see and be able to respond to the actual inspection request.
Figure 20 - Web Requests: Canceled Inspection Message from Contractor
Online Invoice Payments
When a fee is due from a contractor with an online Project Page, an invoice is generated and sent to him. The contractor may make a payment online for an invoice that is due. In this case, you will receive an Online Invoice Payment message. An Online Invoice Payment message begins with “Message from BuildingDepartment.com, For [name]” in the Summary Column of the Incoming Requests form, where [name] contains the contractor's name. Select the message and click the View Selected button to open the Message dialog. The text will be similar to the following (where XYZ is the invoice number):
Invoice: # XYZ Paid
Invoice: # XYZ was Paid Online with PayPal and has been marked as 'Paid' in your database.
If the invoice was related to a permit there will also be a line of text in the message letting you know this and reminding you to make sure the permit is issued, that all fees have been paid, and all Pre-Issue approvals are complete. Once you have read the message you can click Send To Logs to close the dialog and log the message. When you do this, the Message is removed from the Incoming Requests table and placed in the Logged Requests table. If you want to return to the Incoming Requests dialog without processing the Online Invoice Payment message simply press the Close button and no changes will be saved.
Other Online Messages
BluePrince can receive an incoming request of type "Message" from a few other sources:
- Contractors with a general question for you, beginning with “Message from [Contractor]” in the Summary Column of the Incoming Requests form, where [Contractor] contains one of your contractor's names.
- Inspectors with a note to you, beginning with “Note From [name]” in the Summary Column of the Incoming Requests form, where [name] contains one of your inspector's names. This note can be used for any purpose.
- BluePrince, beginning with “Database Updates Blocked” in the Summary Column. This will inform you if the processing of Web Requests is being impacted by technical issues such as internet connectivity.
When you select a Message Web Request and click View Selected, a Message dialog appears that may be similar to Figure 22.
Figure 21 - Web Requests: Message Dialog
Click the Send to Logs button to close the dialog and log the message. When you do, the Message is removed from the Incoming Requests table. To close the dialog and keep the message on the Incoming Requests table, click Close.
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