Contract work is managed via Case records in InfraLink. A Case is a well-defined and trackable scope of work. A Case can be created manually by a User or automatically by the application, and it will typically include clearly defined completion criteria. A Case will have a defined workflow and can be assigned to the responsible User. Case features and capabilities rely on comprehensive and well-structured Case Category, Case Status and Case Workflow definitions. An administrator must have adequate global privileges to create, delete, or modify these global definitions.

It is important to note that while the categories, statuses and workflows are defined globally, they are enabled at the Contract level. So, a Contract-level User will only see and act upon the workflows associated with the Contract(s) they support.

This article will provide guidance for the creation and management of Case Statuses.

Creating Case Statuses

Case Statuses should cover all possible states that Cases may rest in between the points of creation and closure. Examples of typical Cases Statuses include: New, In Progress, Suspended and Complete.

The configuration of a Case Status, occurring at the Instance level, also defines business logic that allows or prohibits certain behaviors while a Case rests in that status. For example, the configured business logic for a Case Status may determine whether or not new Work Tickets can be created for a Case currently in that status. A particular Case Status can be used across multiple Contracts, and any number of Case Categories and Case Workflows within a Contract.

  1. From the Configure menu on the Top-Level Navigation toolbar, select Workflows, Etc from the drop-down options.
  2. From the configuration options along the left side of the screen, click the downward arrow next to Cases and select Statuses from the drop-down menu.  This will open the Case Statuses dictionary.
  3. Click the New button at the top of the top of the screen. This will open the New Case Status form.
  4. Name the new Case Status. Use a name that will clearly convey the status context or characteristics.
  5. Assign a Color to the new status by selecting an active color from the drop-down menu or selecting a new color using the Edit Color button. Note: The color assigned to a Case Status is used in Grid views and some Summary Dashboard Charts. The color assignments provide a visual representation of Case Statuses for effective grouping and interpretation of the data. 
  6. Assign an Order number for purpose of sorting statuses within the dictionary.  Note: Assigning staggered Order values (e.g., 5-10-15, 10-20-30, etc.) accommodates the insertion of new Case Statuses in the future. 
  7. Assign Case Status Reasons, if desired. Note: Assigning reasons to a Case Status, allows Users to provide additional information (i.e., context) when transitioning a Case to this status. For example, a “Suspended” status may be used for multiple reasons, such as “System Element not accessible”, “Client resolved”, or “Problem not observed”. 
  8. Check the box next to Required Reason Specification only if a Status Reason selection should be mandatory for that status.
    1. Note: Reasons can only be assigned when transitioning from one status into another. Status Reasons cannot be assigned at the time of Case creation (i.e., cannot apply to the default initial status.)
  9. Check the box next to Allows Release Date only if the status is exceptional or temporary and an anticipated end date should be recorded (e.g., a Case may remain in the "On Hold" status until <Release Date>).
    1. Note: Notifications can be configured to indicate when a Case has remained in a status past the expected Release Date.
  10. Under the Business Logic, check the box next to each behavior that will apply to the new Case Status. Reference the table below for guidance on each option.


    Business Logic SelectionPurpose/Description

    Allow activity logging

    		Allows Users to log Activities (i.e., labor hours) against a Case, or its associated Work Tickets and Tasks, while the case is in this status. Activities can also be logged during transitions into and out of this status.
    Allow adding/removing tasksAllows Users with the necessary permissions, or the automated generators, to create new Tasks or delete Tasks for a Case in this status.
    Allow bill of material create/editAllows bill of material record to be created for Case, or edited, while in this status.
    Allow billable labor trackingAllows logged activities to be identified as billable labor hours in this status.
    Allow case deletionAllows Users with adequate Permissions to delete Case record as long as there are no tasks, activities, invoices, etc. associated with the Case.
    Allow Case transfersAllows Users to initiate the transfer of a Case to a different Contract when in this status. 
    Allow creating new work ticketsAllows Users with the necessary permissions to create new Work Ticket(s) for a Case in this status
    Allow editing of Case scopeAllows edits to the original Case attributes (e.g., description, issue type (symptom), etc.) and System Element association(s) when in this status. When enabled on the current status, the update and status transition forms will present Problem Cause and Problem Resolution fields.
    Allow invoice creation

    If supported by Instance, allows invoice creation when a Case is in this status

    Allow material trackingAllows consumable materials usage to be logged in this status
    Allow priority changeAllows Users with the necessary permissions to change the Case Priority while in this status
    Allow Release Date

    If allowed, user can specify a Release Date for the status, common for suspended statuses. The Expected Release Date represents the anticipated date and time for work to resume. Notifications can be configured, under Work Progress Notifications, for when a Case remains in this status past the specified Release Date.

    Note: The Expected Release Date is set during a Case's transition into the associated Case Status. Once set, the Expected Release Date cannot be edited via Case Update or Edit. To revise the Expected Release Date, the Case must once again transition to a status with the Allow Release Date Business Logic. Tip: For this purpose, some workflow configurations include an allowed transition from a Case Status with this Business Logic to itself (e.g., Suspended-to-Suspended). This configuration allows for editing the Expected Release Date and logs the action under the Case Updates.

    Allow system element actions on Case updates

    		Allows Users to add/remove System Element(s) and change System Element(s) status while a Case is in this status
    Allow task status changes

    Allows Users to change the status of associated Tasks in this status

    Note: If not selected, Tasks will be locked in their current statuses (e.g., A User would not be able to reset or mark a Task "Unable to perform".)

    Allow miscellaneous expense trackingAllows for the tracking of miscellaneous expenses in the Case Update panel. Note: This capability must also be enabled on the Contract.
    Allows Users to edit previously logged Case activity while in this status; may be restricted by the Contract's "Grace Period" setting

    Allows Users to edit previous Case updates within the Case Details panel.

    Committed WorkWhen in this status, the Case's Estimated Cost is recognized as committed costs against the selected Service Budget.
    Include Cases in this status when checking for existing Cases of SEs

    When a System Element(s) is associated with a new or open Case, InfraLink will scan for existing Cases associated with the same System Element(s). This helps prevent duplicate Case creation for the same Issue.

    By checking this box, Cases in this status will be included in that scan.

    Is a "Canceled" statusCases in this status are considered canceled. Service Budgets do not recognize the Estimated Cost associated with any canceled Case records.
    Is a "Closed" statusTypically, this is a final status in the Case Workflow, and the issue is considered resolved. For Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Cases, the Estimated Cost is considered a Closed cost against the selected Service Budget. For Time and Material (T&M) Cases, the actual costs (i.e., Billable Labor + Misc Expenses + Materials) are considered a Closed cost against the selected Service Budget.

    Is a "Pending Work" status

    		Cases will display within the "Issues" section of System Element Details panel while in this status.
    Is a "Recent Work" statusCase will show up in "Recent Work" section of System Element details while in this status.
    Is a "Suspended" status

    Case is considered suspended, and time in status is automatically logged as suspension time in Case Details panel.

    Note: Status Reasons are typically configured for a "Suspended" status.

    Require activity loggingRequires Users to log activity to transition out of this status. Tooltip: At least one logged Activity is required to transition into this status. Activity must exist prior to, or be created during transition, as permitted by "Allow Activity Logging" business logic setting.
    Require all tasks...Requires all associated Tasks to be in selected status(es) to transition out of this status.
    Require all work tickets...Requires all associated Work Tickets to be in selected status(es) to transition out of this status
    Require completed issue diagnosis and resolutionRequires Problem Cause and Resolution to be specified to transition out of this status
    Require invoice paidRequires an invoice to be in "paid" status to transition out of this status
    Require invoice postedRequires an invoice to be in posted status to transition out of this status
    Require LocationRequires Location to be specified to transition out of this status or to create updates related to the current status of the Case
    Require Release DateRequires a Release Date be specified to transition into this status.
    Require System ElementRequires System Element to be specified to transition out of this status or to create updates related to the current status of the Case
    Tasks in Progress - Automatically transition to this status when task progress startsCase automatically transitions to this status when task progress starts. If user is completing and backdating a PM task, the case will log this status transition to match the task's backdated completion date and time.


  11. Define the impacts of the new Case Status in performance metrics. Reference the table below for guidance on time and milestone options per metric. The milestone and target performance times for each metric are typically based on contract requirements/SLA.
    1. Acknowledge Time. This is the time allowed to acknowledge a new Case.
    2. Initial Response Time. This is the time allowed to take action, beyond acknowledgement, on the new Case. 
    3. On-Site Time. This is the time allowed to arrive on site. 
    4. Resolution Time. This is the time allowed to resolve a Case.
    5. SelectionImpact
      ExcludeThe duration of time in this status will be excluded from the overall counter for this metric. 
      Exclude and set milestone

      The metric milestone is set (i.e., reached) when a Case transitions to this status. The duration of time in this state is excluded from the overall counter for this metric. 

      IncludeThe duration of time in this status will be included in the overall counter for this metric. 
      Include and clear milestone

      The duration of time in this status will be included, and if a milestone was previously set, it will be cleared when the case is transitioned into this state. For example, a reopened Case may clear a previous Resolution Time milestone and continue the counter for that metric.

  12. Enter a Description for the new Case Status. The status description should provide enough detail to inform the appropriate use of the status within future workflows.

  13. Click the OK button to save the new Case Status. The new Case Status will be listed in the Case Status dictionary.

Cloning Case Statuses

In some situations, the creation of a new Case Status may be quickly accomplished by cloning an existing Case Status. This option is most often utilized when a User needs a new status that only slightly varies from an existing Case Status. Since Case Statuses are defined at the Instance level, modifying an existing Case Status for a new or unique need is not practical due to the global impacts. Instead, you would create a clone of the existing Case Status, incorporate the necessary modifications, and save as a new Case Status with a unique name.

  1. From the Configure menu on the Top-Level Navigation toolbar, select Workflows, Etc from the drop-down options.
  2. From the configuration options along the left side of the screen, click the downward arrow next to Cases and select Statuses from the drop-down menu.  This will open the Case Statuses dictionary.
  3. Select the existing Case Status you wish to clone.
  4. Click the Clone button at the top of the top of the screen. This will open the Clone Case Status form. Details and selections will mirror that of the existing Case Status
  5. By default, the form will list the Name as "Copy of..." the existing status. Enter a new Case Status name that is clearly distinguishable.
  6. Update the Case Status Color by selecting an active color from the drop-down menu or selecting a new color using the Edit Color button. Note: The color assigned to a Case Status is used in Grid views and some Summary Dashboard Charts. The color assignments provide a visual representation of Case Statuses for effective grouping and interpretation of the data. 
  7. Assign a new Order number for purpose of sorting statuses within the dictionary.  Note: Assigning staggered Order values (e.g., 5-10-15, 10-20-30, etc.) allows for the insertion of future Case Statuses which will then sort with similar statuses within the Case Statuses dictionary.
  8. Assign Case Status Reasons, if desired. Note: Assigning reasons to a Case Status, allows (or requires) Users to provide additional information (i.e., context) when transitioning a Case to this status. For example, a “Suspended” status may be used for multiple reasons, such as “System Element not accessible”, “Client resolved”, or “Problem not observed”.
  9. Check the box next to Required Reason Specification only if a Reason selection should be mandatory for that status.
  10. Check the box next to Allows Release Date only if the status is exceptional or temporary and an anticipated date for the resumption of work needs to be recorded (e.g., a Case may remain in the "On Hold" status until <Release Date>). Note: Notifications can be configured to indicate when a Case has remained in a state past the expected release date.
  11. Make any necessary changes to the cloned Business Logic selections as needed for the new Case Status. Check, or leave checked, only the boxes next to behaviors that will apply to the new Case Status. Reference the table above, in the "Creating Case Statuses" section, for guidance.
  12. Update the new Case Status' role in performance metrics, as needed. Reference the list above, in Creating Case Statuses, for guidance.
  13. Update the Case Status Description. It is helpful to include how this status differs from the existing (i.e., cloned) Case Status.
  14. Click the OK button to save the new Case Status. The new Case Status will be listed in the Case Status dictionary.

Editing Case Statuses

Once a Case Status is created, it can be edited by an administrative User with the necessary permissions. Case Statuses are edited much the same way as they are created.

  1. From the Configure menu on the Top-Level Navigation toolbar, select Workflows, Etc from the drop-down options.
  2. From the configuration options along the left side of the screen, click the downward arrow next to Cases and select Statuses from the drop-down menu.  This will open the Case Statuses dictionary.
  3. Select the Case Status which requires edit.

    1. Note: Once you make a status selection, details for that Case Status will be displayed along the right side of the viewing pane. The status details include a Workflows section, which lists every Case Workflow that includes the selected status. Note: Any edits to the Case Status will impact all Contracts and Case Categories associated with the listed workflows.

  4. Click the Edit button at the top of the top of the screen. This will open the Edit Case Status form.
  5. Make changes as necessary.
  6. Click OK to save your edits.

Deleting Case Statuses

Due to the global nature of Case Statuses, they cannot be deleted.