Request states

A request passes through different states as it is processed. These may vary from one jurisdiction to another.

The request states are defined in the Alaveteli code, and we recommend you use them (provided they match the FOI law in your own jurisdiction). But if you do need to customise them, you can — see Customising the request states for details.

WhatDoTheyKnow example

Requests made on the UK’s Alaveteli instance, WhatDoTheyKnow, may be in any of the states described below.

Note that your site doesn’t need to use the same states as WhatDoTheyKnow does. For example, Kosovo’s instance uses slightly different states: see this comparison of their differences.

waiting_response

Waiting for the public authority to reply

The default initial state
Can't transition here from internal_review

waiting_classification

Waiting for a classification of a response

The default state after receiving a response

waiting_response_overdue

Waiting for a reply for too long

Automatic, if today's date is after the request date + holidays + 20 days
When a user updates / visits an item in this state, thank user and tell them how long they should have to wait
Alert user by email when something becomes overdue

waiting_response_very_overdue

Waiting for a reply for a very long time

Automatic, if today's date is after the request date + holidays + (60 days (for schools) or 40 days (everyone else))
When a user updates / visits something in this state, suggest they might want to complain about it; show things they might want to do
Alert user by email when this state happens

waiting_clarification

The public authority would like part of the request explained

Prompt user to write followup
if a user sends an outgoing message on a request in this state, automatically transitions to
three days after this state change occurs, send reminder to user to action it (assuming user isn't banned)
Can't transition here from internal_review

gone_postal

The public authority would like to / has responded by post

If selected, remind user that in most cases authority should respond by email, and encourage followup.
Give most recent authority correspondence email address for user to request postal by private email.
Encourage user to update thread with annotation at later date.

not_held

The public authority does not have the information requested

Suggest user might want to try a different authority, or complain

rejected

The request was refused by the public authority

Show page of possible next steps

successful

All of the information requested has been received

Suggest they add annotations or make a donation

partially_successful

Some of the information requested has been received

Suggest they make a donation; give ideas what to do next

internal_review

Waiting for the public authority to complete an internal review of their handling of the request

Tell user they should expect a response within 20 days
When sends email to authority, adds “Internal review of” to Subject
Can be transitioned from the followup form

error_message

Received an error message, such as delivery failure.

Thank user for reporting, and suggest they use a form to give new email address for authority if that was the problem
Mark as needs admin attention

requires_admin

A strange reponse, required attention by the WhatDoTheyKnow team

a user is confused and doesn't know what state to set, so an admin can intervene
Redirect to form to ask for more information
Mark as needs admin attention

user_withdrawn

The requester has abandoned this request for some reason.

Prompt user to write message to tell authority

awaiting_description

This state, awaiting_description, is not really a state but a flag indicating that there is no state.