Field Definitions: PM Request for Information Form

The following is a list of field descriptions for the PM Request for Information form. Many of the descriptions include links to other topics that provide additional information about or related to the topic.

Project

Enter a project or press F4 to select one from a list.

 

PM Request For Information

RFI Type

Enter an RFI type or press F4 to select one from a list.

An RFI type is a document type that is set up for the RFI document category using PM Document Types .

 

PM Request For Information

RFI

Open an Existing RFI

Enter an existing RFI number or press F4 to select one from a list. You can also use the Grid tab.

Create a new RFI

When creating a new RFI, you are creating one of the type selected in the RFI Type field.

There are several ways to create a new RFI using this field:

  • Enter a "+" and press TAB to exit the field. The system will automatically create a new RFI and assign it the next available number.
  • Click the New Record icon () at the top of the form and select an RFI type in the RFI Type field. The system will automatically assign the new RFI the next available number.
  • Enter an RFI number that does not already exist for the type selected in the RFI Type field. The RFI number can be up to ten characters long.

    How the RFI number is selected

The RFI number will be assigned based on the Auto-Generate Request for Information using option in PM Projects. If set to Project, the system will generate the next sequential number based on all RFIs for the project. If set to Project and Type the system will generate the next sequential number based on all RFIs having the same document type (e.g. all RFIs for the project with a document type of ‘CERT’).

Note: If you are using both numeric and alphanumeric numbers, the auto-generate process will ignore alphanumeric numbers when determining the next number to assign.

PM Request For Information

Subject

Enter a brief description of the RFI. The value in this field can be up to 60 characters long.

 

PM Request For Information

Date

Enter the date of this RFI. When creating a new RFI, this field populates with the current date.

Date field shortcuts

T or t Set the date to the current date.
MMDD

Four digit month and day

 Enter a four digit month and date (MMDD) and the system will automatically add the current year.
+ The system will automatically set the date to tomorrow.
+5 The system will automatically set the date to 5 days in the future.

You can actually enter any value after the +, for example you can enter +7 to set the date to next week.
- The system will automatically set the date to the previous day.
-5 The system will automatically set the date to 5 days in the past.

Just like with +, you can enter any value after the -, for example you can enter -7 to set the date to the previous week.

 

PM Request For Information

Drawing Number

Use this field to associate an RFI with a drawing number, or drawing log.

Enter a drawing log number or press F4 to select one from a list.

Drawing logs are created and maintained using PM Drawing Logs . You can also relate a drawing log to an RFI using the Related Items feature.

 

PM Request For Information

Status

Enter the status of the RFI or press F4 to select it from a list. This field will default to the default RFI beginning status when creating a new RFI, which is set up using the Default RFI Beginning Status field on the Info tab of PM Company Parameters .

Status IDs are created and maintained using PM Status IDs. Press F5 in this field to open this form.

Note: The status entered on this form will be the status that displays on all of the replies in the Status field on PM RFI Replies.

PM Request For Information

Responsible Person

Enter the person at your firm that is responsible for tracking this RFI, or press F4 to select them from a list.

Only contacts associated with the firm in the Our Firm field on the Info tab of PM Company Parameters will display in the list.

Note: To add a new contact to the list, press F5 in the Responsible Person field to open PM Firm Contacts, select the firm set up are our firm in PM Company Parameters, and then a add the contact.

PM Request For Information

Reference

Use this field to enter an external reference number.

Spec Section

Specify the section of the specifications this RFI is related to, if applicable. Not validated.

 

PM Request For Information

Sent

Enter the date you sent this RFI.

Note:

Changes to this date will not update the Date Sent for records on the Distribution tab.

 

PM Request For Information

Due Back

Enter the date the RFI is due back.

This field will default with a value if there is a date entered in the Date Sent field and there is a default due back date set up on the project using the Default Request for Information Days Due field on the PM Info tab of PM Projects. The system will use this date in PM Document Tracking to identify overdue RFIs.

Note:

Changing the Date Sent will automatically recalculate this date, but changes will not update the Date Required field on the Distribution tab.

PM Request For Information

Received

Enter the date that you received the RFI.

 

PM Request For Information

From Firm

Enter the firm that is requesting the information or press F4 to select it from a list. Firms are created and maintained using the PM Firms form.

Leave this field blank if your firm is the one requesting the information.

Tip: The sort name can be used instead of the firm number when selecting firms in PM module forms. Generally the sort name is the first several letters of the firm name. 
For example when creating a subcontract in the PM Subcontracts form for 'Bryan Electrical', you can enter the sort name 'bryan' in the Vendorfield instead of the firm number '10042'. The sort name of a firm is set up using the Sort Name field on the PM Firms form.

PM Request For Information

From Contact

Specify the contact requesting the information. Must be a valid contact for the requesting firm (set up in PM Firm Contacts).

If your firm is the one requesting the information, you can leave this field blank.

 

PM Request For Information

Question

Enter a description of the original question or information being requested.

Spelling Check

Click the Spelling icon on the toolbar or select Tools > Spelling to spell check the text in this field.

Add a Standard Note

Standard notes allow you to insert frequently used text into some fields in the application. This text is created and maintained using the HQ Standard Note form.

To insert a standard note into the field, right click the mouse while focus is in the field and select Standard Notes from the shortcut menu, which opens the Standard Note Copy window. Then enter the standard note to copy (or select from F4 lookup) and click OK. The system inserts the selected note into the field.

PM Request For Information

Suggestion

Use this field to enter a suggested answer to the original question.

 

PM Request For Information

Responses

This field is Display Only, meaning that you cannot enter information into this field - responses are entered using either the Response tab or the PM RFI Replies form.

This field displays all of the responses to the original question in chronological order, starting with the most recent responses at the top. The responses are sorted using the Date field.

PM Request For Information

Description

Enter a description of the impact to the schedule and cost of the project for this RFI.

The description entered in this field will default as the description of a PCO created using the Create > Create Pending Change Order option.

PM Request For Information

Days

Check this box if the RFI extends the project timeline. This will enable the field next to the checkbox to enter the number of days that the project is extended.

When creating a pending change order from this RFI by selecting Create > Create Pending Change Order, the value in this field will populate in the Change in Days field on the PCO Item.

PM Request For Information

# of Days

Enter the number of days that the RFI will extend the project’s completion date. The value in this field will populate in the Change in Days field when creating a pending change order from this RFI.

Note:

You can create a pending change order from an RFI using Create > Create Pending Change Order.

This field is only enabled when the Days box is checked.

PM Request For Information

Costs

Check this box if the RFI increases the project cost. This will enable the field next to the checkbox to enter the amount of the increase. This is for informational purposed only.

 

PM Request For Information

Costs

Enter the total cost impact for this RFI. Informational only.

 

PM Request For Information

ROM Price - Y/N?

Check this box if the RFI impacts the rough order of magnitude price. This will enable the field next to the checkbox to enter the amount.

Click here for information on the ROM Price field.

 

PM Request For Information

ROM Price

Enter the rough order of magnitude price impact of the RFI.

If you create a PCO from this issue using the Create > Pending Change Order option, the value in the ROM Price field will by default populate as the fixed amount of the PCO item.

If you create a project issue from the RFI using the Create > Project Issue option, the value in the ROM Price field will by default populate in the Schedule/ Cost Impact section on the project issue.

PM Request For Information

Submittal

Use this field to associate an RFI with a submittal. Enter a submittal number or press F4 to select a submittal from a list.

Submittals are created and maintained using PM Submittals - 6.5.

You can also associate an RFI with a submittal using the Related Items feature.

 

PM Request For Information

Addendum

Specify the addendum this RFI is related to, if applicable.

This is an optional field and has no validation.

 

 

PM Request For Information

Schedule No

Enter the schedule number related to this RFI, if applicable. Not validated.

 

PM Request For Information

Sequence

Enter a sequence number or enter N, New, or + to have the system auto-assign the next available sequential number.

PM Request For Information

Distribution: Sent to Firm

Enter the firm that should receive the document(s) generated using the Create and Send feature or press F4 to select a firm from a list.

Click here for an overview of the Create and Send feature.

Drag and Drop

To drag and drop firms/contacts to the distribution grid, double-click the Distribution tab (label) or select View > Project Firms List. This displays the Project Firm Contacts list. You can then select a firm/contact and drag it to the grid.

Note: If you manually add a firm/contact to the grid that is not set up for the project, upon saving the record, the system displays a message indicating the firm/contact does not exist in PM Firms and gives you the option to add the firm/contact. Select Yes to add the firm/contact to the distribution list and to PM Firms. Select No to add the firm/contact to the distribution grid only.

Distribution defaults

When creating a new record, the Distribution tab will automatically populate with any PM firm contact set up as a distribution default.

For example, if a contact at an architecture firm should receive a copy of all drawing logs of document type 'ARCH', you can use the distribution default feature to set up that contact as a default for 'ARCH' documents. When drawing logs of that type are created, that contact will automatically populate on the Distribution tab.

Click here for more information on distribution defaults.

Create and Send - Overview

Distribution: Sent to Contact

Enter the contact that should receive the document(s) generated using the Create and Send feature, or press F4 to select one from a list. Only contacts associated with the firm selected in the Sent To Firm field can be selected.

Contacts are associated with firms using PM Firm Contacts .

Distribution defaults

When creating a new record, the Distribution tab will automatically populate with any PM firm contact set up as a distribution default.

For example, if a contact at an architecture firm should receive a copy of all drawing logs of document type 'ARCH', you can use the distribution default feature to set up that contact as a default for 'ARCH' documents. When drawing logs of that type are created, that contact will automatically populate on the Distribution tab.

Click here for more information on distribution defaults.

Create and Send - Overview

Date Req'd

Enter the date that the RFI should be returned to you. Initially defaults a date based on the ‘Date Sent’ and the ‘Default Request for Information Days Due’ in PM Projects. This date will print on the Request for Information form.

Note:

Changes to the Date Due (Info tab) will not update this date; however, changes to the Date Sent (previous field) will cause a recalculation of this date.

 

PM Request For Information

Date Rec'd

Enter the date you received the response.

 

PM Request For Information

Distribution: Send

Check this box if the contact should receive communications generated using the Create and Send feature.

When this box is not checked, the contact can be manually added to a Create and Send email but they will not automatically populate in the To, Cc, or Bcc fields on the Message tab of the PM Send Documents form.

Click here for an overview of the Create and Send feature.

If a communication has already been sent

If this contact was added to an email generated using the Create and Send feature, this box will be checked.

Create and Send - Overview

Distribution: Preferred Method

Use this field to select which type of communication should be sent to the contact when using the Create and Send feature. This field defaults based on the preferred method set up using PM Firm Contacts.

  • M -Print — Print a hard copy of the generated PDF document(s). When this option is selected, the contact will not receive a copy of the email body text.
  • E -Email — Send the generated PDF document(s) using email. The email address of the contact is pulled from the Email field on the Info tab of the PM Firm Contacts form. F -Fax — Send the generated PDF document(s) suing fax. The system will use the fax number set up on the PM Firm Contacts form.
    Note: This option requires that you have a fax server set up in the Fax Server Name field on the Info tab of PM Company Parameters .

Create and Send - Overview

Send Type

Select how the contact should be added to the communication generated from the Create and Send feature: To, Cc, Bcc.

When a communication is created using the Create and Send feature (), the contact will automatically be added using the selection in this field.

Click here for an overview of the Create and Send feature.

If a communication has already been sent

If an email generated using the Create and Send feature has already been sent to the contact, this field will display how the contact was included on the last communication.

For example if the contact was added to an email in the To field on the PM Send Documents form, To will display in this field. When a new email is created using the Create and Send form, the contact will automatically populate in the To field.

Create and Send - Overview

Notes

Enter any notes that apply to the RFI. These notes will display on the standard RFI document template (VPPM Request For Information) in a section titled Additional Information.

Spelling Check

Click the Spelling icon on the toolbar or select Tools > Spelling to spell check the text in this field.

Add a Standard Note

Standard notes allow you to insert frequently used text into some fields in the application. This text is created and maintained using the HQ Standard Note form.

To insert a standard note into the field, right click the mouse while focus is in the field and select Standard Notes from the shortcut menu, which opens the Standard Note Copy window. Then enter the standard note to copy (or select from F4 lookup) and click OK. The system inserts the selected note into the field.

PM Request For Information