New Connection Application Detail View (CIS01US04)

1. Problem Statement

User Roles Identified:

• Customer Executive: Front-line staff handling walk-in customers and processing applications
• Utility Administrator: System admin responsible for configuring workflows and reviewing applications

Pain Points by User Role:

Customer Executive Pain Points:

• Cannot efficiently review submitted documents in the current UI
• Unable to mark documents as verified or rejected with clear reasoning
• No guided process to walk customers through missing requirements
• Poor visibility into application status and next steps
• Difficult to identify incomplete or problematic applications
• No standardized process for handling document exceptions

Utility Administrator Pain Points:

• Lack of workflow visibility and bottleneck identification
• No clear audit trail for application processing decisions
• Inconsistent application processing across different staff members
• Cannot easily prioritize applications based on completeness or urgency
• Limited reporting capabilities on application processing performance

Core Problem:

The current new connection application detail view lacks a structured, guided workflow that enables efficient document verification, clear status tracking, and seamless handoffs between departments, resulting in processing delays, customer frustration, and operational inefficiencies.

2. Who Are the Users Facing the Problem?

Customer Executive: Front-line customer service staff responsible for processing new service applications, verifying customer documents, and guiding customers through the connection process. They need access to review, verify, and manage customer applications.

Utility Administrator: System administrators who configure application workflows, set business rules, and monitor overall application processing performance. They need access to configure processes and generate reports.

3. Jobs To Be Done

For Customer Executive: When I need to process a new water connection application, But I cannot easily review submitted documents, verify their completeness, or guide the customer through missing requirements, Help me access a clear document verification interface with guided workflows and status tracking, So that I can efficiently process applications while providing excellent customer service.

For Customer Executive: When I need to verify customer identity documents and supporting paperwork, But I cannot mark documents as approved/rejected or provide clear feedback on issues, Help me implement a structured document review system with verification controls and comment capabilities, So that I can ensure compliance while maintaining processing speed.

For Utility Administrator: When I need to monitor application processing performance and identify bottlenecks, But I lack visibility into workflow status and processing metrics, Help me access comprehensive dashboards with application analytics and workflow monitoring, So that I can optimize processes and ensure consistent service delivery.

For Utility Administrator: When I need to configure application requirements and approval workflows, But I cannot easily set up business rules or modify processing steps, Help me implement flexible workflow configuration tools with rule-based automation, So that I can adapt processes to changing regulations and business needs.

4. Solution

Comprehensive New Connection Application Management System

Document Management & Verification Center

• Interactive document viewer with zoom, rotation, and annotation capabilities
• Document verification checklist with pass/fail indicators for each requirement
• Bulk document upload with automatic categorization and validation rules

Guided Workflow & Process Management

• Step-by-step application processing wizard with clear progress indicators
• Conditional logic that adapts workflow based on application type and customer category
• Automated task assignments with role-based routing and escalation rules

Customer Communication & Notification Hub

• Automated status notifications via SMS, email, and customer portal
• Template-based communication with customizable messaging for different scenarios
• Customer self-service portal integration for application status checking

Application Status & Tracking Dashboard

• Real-time application status visibility with color-coded priority indicators
• Advanced filtering and search capabilities by customer, date, status, and staff member
• Batch processing capabilities for handling multiple applications simultaneously

Compliance & Audit Management

• Complete audit trail with timestamped actions and staff member identification
• Regulatory compliance checking with automatic flagging of non-compliant applications
• Document retention management with automated archival and retrieval systems

Field Service Integration

• Seamless work order generation with application details automatically populated
• Mobile access for field technicians with offline capability and synchronization
• Site survey integration with photo capture and technical requirement documentation

Analytics & Performance Monitoring

• Application processing metrics with average handling time and bottleneck identification
• Staff performance dashboards with workload distribution and quality metrics
• Customer satisfaction tracking with feedback collection and analysis tools

5. Major Steps Involved

Customer Executive Workflow:

1. Application Reception & Initial Review
   • Access application from queue or search by customer name/application ID
   • Review customer information and service request details
   • Verify application completeness using automated checklist
2. Document Verification Process
   • Open document viewer with split-screen layout (document + verification checklist)
   • Review each required document using zoom and annotation tools
   • Mark each document as "Verified", "Needs Correction", or "Missing"
   • Add comments for rejected documents with specific correction requirements
3. Customer Information Validation
   • Verify customer identity against submitted ID documents
   • Validate property ownership or lease agreements
   • Check service address against GIS mapping system
4. Application Processing Decision
   • Review automated compliance checks and flag any issues
   • Make approval/rejection decision based on verification results
   • Generate customer communication using appropriate templates
5. Handoff to Next Stage
   • Create field work order for approved applications
   • Schedule customer notifications for status updates
   • Update application status and assign to appropriate queue

Utility Administrator Workflow:

1. Workflow Configuration
   • Access system administration panel
   • Configure document requirements by customer type and service category
   • Set up approval hierarchies and escalation rules
2. Performance Monitoring
   • Review application processing dashboards and metrics
   • Identify bottlenecks and processing delays
   • Generate performance reports for management review
3. System Maintenance
   • Update template communications and automated messages
   • Manage user permissions and role assignments
   • Configure integration settings with external systems

6. Flow Diagram

7. Business Rules

General Application Processing Rules

• Applications must progress through defined workflow stages: Application Review → Site Inspection → Approval → Installation → Activation → Follow-up
• Each workflow stage must be completed before proceeding to the next stage
• Applications showing "5 days remaining" or similar countdown must be processed within the indicated timeframe
• System must track and display days remaining for each application stage

Consumer Card

• consumer name
• Status
• Service connection request

Contact Information

• consumer email
• phone no
• service address
• billing address

Account information

• consumer number
• category
• sub category
• connection date
• Plan

Application Details

• Application ID - generated from Num format
• Created on
• Created by
• Last Updated on
• Last updated by

Workflow Progress

• Flow should be as below
  • Application review
  • Site inspection
  • Approval
  • Installation
  • Activation

Appication review Tab

Document Verification Rules

• Each document must have a verification status: Pending Verification, Verified, or Rejected
• Documents can only be marked as "Verified" or "Rejected" by authorized Customer Service personnel
• All documents must be in "Verified" status before application can proceed to Site Inspection stage
• Document can be view.

Appliaction review card

• Requirement checklist
  • All documents verified - gets tick when all documents are verified
  • no rejected documents - gets tick when there are no rejected document
  • Sevice location verified - remains tick.
• Payment Details - details will come from the New connection form payments details
  • Amount
  • Payment options
  • Payment mode - only if payment option is pay now
  • payment status
• Accept application button - accept the NSC application and moves to the next step
• Reject application button - opens a dialouge box for writing a reason for rejection and rejects the request.

Application notes

• User can add notes to the application
• A text box to write a note
• add button - adds the note with the username and date and time stamp

Timeline

Display the activity log of the NSC Application.

Site inspection tab

Site inspection scheduling

• Select service Order - all the template from wx which are associated with consumer are visible in the searchable dropdown
• Select date of inspection - date picker
• special instructions - text box
• back button - navigate to previous screen
• skip instruction - navigate to next step
• Schedule inspection - raised a service order in wx dispatcher

Service location card

• Map - showing the location of the service address
• Address - display the service address
• Location type - premise type from the premise attached
• GPS coordinates - fetched from the service address

Approval Tab

Inspection Results - if inspection request is raised

• Inpection progress message - if the service order is completed then dispaly "inspection completed successfully" - So status approved, if ot then "inspectio in progress" - SO status other tha approved
• Service details - data will come from WX dispatcher
  • name
  • discription
  • Type
  • Subtype
  • Address - consumer service address
• Schedule Information - data will come from WX dispatcher
  • Created on
  • Schedule on
  • Assiged on
  • Assigned to
  • Status

Approval requirement

• Site inspection pass
• Pament recieved
• Techical requirement met
• Legal reqirment met
• All reqirements are non mandatory

Approval decision

• Approve application - applicatio is marked approved
• Reject application - reject application
• Approval note - text box

Installation tab

Meter installation -

• Installation type - schedule new installation
  • Select service Order - all the template from wx which are associated with consumer are visible in the searchable dropdown
  • installation date - date picker
  • special instructions - text box
  • back button - navigate to previous screen
  • Schedule inspection - raised a service order in wx dispatcher
• Installation type - assign exisiting meter
  • display the tabs of the utility service that meter need to be assigned
  • search bar to search meter - by device no and meter no
  • available meters - listview (meter no, device no, installed on, status, action "select")
  • when a meter is selected, selected meter device no and meter no are shown below, need to add latest reading and reading date
  • Back - navigate to previous step
  • assign meter - assign the meter to consumer

Meter summary

• utility name and meter
  • meter no
  • device no
  • status
  • reading
  • reading date

Activation Tab

Service activation

• meter installation message
• utility service tabs
• meter insformation
  • meter type (meter no)
  • Device no
  • Status
• Initial reading
  • reading
  • last updated (last reading date)
• installation date
  • date of installation
• Activate service button - activate the account
• back button - navigate to previous step

Activation requiremnt

• Meter configuration
• Communication method
• not mandatory ticks
• Activation status - if all ticks are done then "completed", otherwise "pending requirement"

Communication prefrences

• Email
• sms
• phone
• Not mandatory to tick

Any of the information help should not be missing for the relatable fields

Status lifecycle

• pending - when application is created
• accepted - when the application is accepted
• survey inprogress - when survey is schedule
• Survey completed - when the survey service order is completed
• approved - when application is approved
• installation inprogress - when meter installation service order is raised
• installation completed - when the installation service order is completed
• Activated - when the account is activated
• rejected - when the application is rejected

Landing page

KPI cards

• application pending -number of application with pending status
• approve today - no of applications approved today
• avg processing time - Example

Average Processing Time = (5 + 5 + 6) / 3 = 5.33 days

• rejection rate - (number of application with rejected status/ total applications ) x 100

Tab view

• Current application - all application except status - reject and activated
• History applicartions - applications with the status reject and activated

Search bar - Application ID, name

filter - date filter, category, subcategory, status

export - can export the listview data

listview

• application id
• name
• category
• sub category
• phone
• submission date
• status
• Action - view

Add new application button - on click new request form should be open

8. Sample Data

Sample Application Data:

• Application ID: NCA-2025-001234
• Customer Name: Sarah Johnson
• Service Address: 123 Oak Street, Springfield, IL 60601
• Application Type: Residential New Connection
• Service Type: Standard Water Service
• Application Date: 2025-05-15
• Estimated Value: $2,850
• Priority: Standard
• Status: Pending Document Verification

Required Documents:

• - Government Photo ID: ✓ Submitted (Driver's License)
• - Proof of Property Ownership: ✓ Submitted (Property Deed)
• - Building Permit: ⚠️ Under Review
• - Site Plan: ❌ Missing
• - Payment Authorization: ✓ Submitted (Credit Card Auth)

Processing Timeline:

• - Application Received: 2025-05-15 09:30 AM
• - Initial Review Completed: 2025-05-15 10:15 AM
• - Document Review Started: 2025-05-15 02:30 PM
• - Customer Contacted for Missing Documents: 2025-05-16 11:00 AM
• - Next Action Due: 2025-05-18 11:00 A

Sample Document Verification Data:

• Work Order: WO-2025-004567
• Application Reference: NCA-2025-001234
• Customer: Sarah Johnson
• Service Address: 123 Oak Street, Springfield, IL 60601
• Work Type: New Water Service Installation
• Scheduled Date: 2025-05-22 08:00 AM
• Assigned Technician: Michael Rodriguez
• Materials Required:
• - 3/4" Water Meter (#WSM-34-001)
• - 10ft Copper Service Line (#CSL-34-010)
• - Service Box Assembly (#SBA-STD-001)
• Estimated Duration: 3 hours
• Special Instructions: Customer prefers morning appointment, dog on propery

9. Acceptance Criteria

1. The system must display a structured workflow progress indicator showing six stages: Application Review, Site Inspection, Approval, Installation, Activation, and Follow-up with clear visual indication of current and completed stages.
2. The system must show application countdown timer (e.g., "5 days remaining") and track processing deadlines for each workflow stage.
3. The system must display three information panels: Contact Information (email, phone, service address, billing address), Account Information (consumer number, category, sub-category, connection date, plan), and Application Details (ID, creation info, updates).
4. The system must provide a Required Documents section showing exactly 4 core documents: Identity Proof, Property Ownership Document, Previous Utility Bill, and Service Application Form with individual verification status.
5. The system must allow users to mark each document as "Verify" or "Reject" with individual action buttons, and provide "View" capability for document review.
6. The system must display document upload dates and provide "Upload" and "Download All" functionality for batch document management.
7. The system must show document verification summary (e.g., "0 verified", "0 rejected", "4 pending") with real-time status updates.
8. The system must provide an Application Review panel with Requirements Checklist showing specific criteria: "All documents verified", "No rejected documents", "Service location verified".
9. The system must display Payment Details section with Amount ($150.00), Payment Option (Pay Later), Payment Mode (Credit Card), and Payment Status (Pending).
10. The system must provide three primary action buttons: "Accept Application" (enabled only when all criteria met), "Request Information", and "Reject Application".
11. The system must include an Application Notes section for team communication with timestamp tracking and user attribution.
12. The system must display a Timeline showing chronological progression: Application submitted, Document verification, Site inspection (Pending), Final approval (Pending).
13. The system must auto-generate Consumer Numbers following the format APP-YYYYMMDD-XXX (e.g., APP-20230615-001).
14. The system must capture and display service address separately from billing address with full address details.
15. The system must prevent users from proceeding to next workflow stage until all requirements of current stage are satisfied.
16. The system must log all document verification actions with user identification (e.g., "Chris Scott - Customer Service Engineer").
17. The system must maintain application status visibility (e.g., "Pending Review") and update in real-time as actions are taken.
18. The system must track and display creation date, creator name, last update date, and last updated by information for audit purposes.
19. The system must validate payment information completeness before allowing final application acceptance.
20. The system must provide search functionality for applications with filtering capabilities by status, date, and customer information.

10. Process Changes

Impact percentages are based on industry benchmarks for utility digital transformation initiatives and workflow automation implementations.

11. Impact from Solving This Problem

Improvement percentages are based on utility industry benchmarks for digital process transformation and workflow automation initiatives, adjusted for typical SMART360 implementation results.

12. User Behavior Tracking

Customer Executive Tracking Plan

Key Questions Answered:

• Which workflow steps are taking longer than expected?
• Are certain document types consistently problematic?
• Which staff members might benefit from additional training?
• How does processing time vary by application complexity?

Utility Administrator Tracking Plan

Key Questions Answered:

• Which system configurations lead to the best performance outcomes?
• What performance trends indicate need for process improvements?
• How effective are workflow optimizations in improving efficiency?
• Which reports and dashboards provide the most value to decision-making?

13. Wireframe

https://preview--utility-compass-flow-13.lovable.app/onboarding

https://preview--nsc-view-04.lovable.app/dashboard