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How to create a new case manually
To manually create a case, the first step is to enter all of the case details.
Follow the steps below to manually create a case:
- Sign into eCase. Refer to the How to Sign into eCase section.
- Select the New Case button on the eCase menu. The Case Details
screen appears. This is where you can
select the type of request the correspondent has sent in.
- Select the Case Type from the drop down menu. The Case Details screen automatically appears which you will use to enter in the correspondents details and request.
- Complete the Case Detail information. The fields will change based on what Case Type you have selected. The details below explain the Freedom of Information (FOI) case type.
Field Description Request Category Select either FOI for Freedom of Information cases, or EIR for Environmental Information Requests. Case Title Enter a summary of the case. Team Select the team where you will be allocating the case to.
Case Advisor Select the person who will own the case overall. Users who have the Advise on cases privilege on their user account will appear in this list. Key Terms Select one or more Key Terms that are relevant to the case. Key Terms are used to identify cases that might be linked to this case, or provide standard line responses.
Date Received Enter the date the correspondence was received. The case clock will start the next business day and will calculate the response due date (target date).
Correspondence Date Enter the date the correspondence was sent. Correspondence Ref Optional: Enter a reference if one was provided. Correspondence Method Select how the correspondence was sent in – Email or Letter. Reply Preference Select how the reply is to be sent – Email or Letter. Correspondence Description Enter in the wording of the correspondence. Round Robin A request sent to multiple people/authorities asking for the same information. In the Workbasket, you will see the robin icon above the case reference number to indicate the case has been identified as a round robin case. Round Robin Comments Enter any comments about the coordination of the round robin in the Round Robin Comments field. This can include who is leading the case and any guidance provided. Handling Instructions Optional: Enter instructions on how to handle the case. - Complete the Correspondent Details.
If the correspondence has come in via a letter, the Address and Postcode fields are mandatory, along with the Correspondent Group field.
All other fields are optional.
Type in the correspondents postcode in the Postcode Search field and select the address from the drop down list. The Address and Postcode fields are now available and can be manually edited.
If you cannot find the address by using the Postcode Search field, then click on the enter the address manually link. The Address and Postcode fields are now available and can be manually edited.
When you type in two or more of the correspondent details, the finding past correspondent function will automatically search eCase for matching details. These will appear in correspondent cards on the right side of the screen. The correspondent card will include the number of cases the correspondent has sent in, how many are open cases, along with a link to the last received case and the number of days, months or years since it was received. Review the details and if a correspondent card matches, click on the Select link.
- If no correspondents appear or match, the no past correspondents found icon will appear. Enter the details in manually.
- In the Case Documents area, attach any documentation that has come in from the correspondent, for example, a copy of the FOI letter that has been sent in.
Use the Attach new files... button, or drag and drop a file in to the Case Documents area.
The Attach New Files window opens where you can classify the type of document you are uploading to the case. - In the Attach New Files window select the document type using the Type drop down.
NOTE Add additional documents if required using the Add more files... button. - Optional: Add in a description for the document and click on the Attach files to case button.
- Add any Standard Lines that match the details of the case. See the How to add Standard Lines section.
TIP Standard Lines are lines of prepared text which can be used as part of a response to a correspondent. They can either be entered as a text line/paragraph or as a whole template document, like a pre-prepared letter. They automatically appear based on the Key Terms assigned to the case, or can be manually selected by clicking on the search all standard lines link.
NOTE Standard Lines are optional and can also be added during the Prepare a Response stage of the process. - Optional:
- Review Linked Cases to see if any cases on eCase are related to the new case.
- Add in anyone that needs to Watch This Case.
- Add any Mandatory Clearances.