Case stages

This guide is for implementers configuring the lifecycle stages that cases move through from intake to closure.

Mental model

Stages represent the lifecycle of a case:

Intake → Assessment → Planning → Implementation → Monitoring → Evaluation → Closure

Each stage can enforce requirements before a case can enter it, ensuring proper process compliance.

Stage configuration

Field	What it means
Name	Stage label (e.g., "Assessment")
Sequence	Display order (lower = earlier)
Phase	Classification of the stage's purpose
Is Closed	Marks the case as closed when entering this stage
Requires Assessment	Case must have an assessment before entering
Requires Intervention Plan	Case must have an intervention plan before entering
Requires Approval	Stage transition needs approval workflow
Minimum Intensity Level	Only cases at or above this intensity can enter
Folded in Board View	Collapse this column in the card board view
Color	Visual color indicator

Case stages list showing phase, sequence, and requirements.

Phase classifications

Each stage maps to one of seven phases:

Phase	Purpose	Typical stages
Intake	Initial registration and triage	Referral, New Case
Assessment	Evaluating needs and risks	Initial Assessment, Detailed Assessment
Planning	Designing the intervention	Case Plan Development
Implementation	Delivering services	Active Intervention, Service Delivery
Monitoring	Tracking progress	Follow-up, Review
Evaluation	Measuring outcomes	Outcome Assessment
Closure	Ending the case	Closed - Graduated, Closed - Transferred

Phases help with reporting and analytics by grouping stages into standard categories regardless of their custom names.

Setting up stages

Step 1: Plan your stages

Before creating stages, map your program's workflow:

1. Identify the key decision points in a case

2. Determine what information is needed at each point

3. Decide which transitions require approval

4. Define closure conditions

Step 2: Create stages

1. Navigate to Cases > Configuration > Case Stages

2. Click Create

3. Set the Name, Sequence, and Phase

4. Configure requirements (assessment, plan, approval)

5. Save

Step 3: Link stages to case types

1. Open the Case Type record

2. In the Available Stages field, select which stages apply to this type

3. Save

Note

A stage can be shared across multiple case types. Only link stages that are relevant to each type.

Stage requirements

Requirements enforce process compliance by preventing premature stage transitions:

Requirement	Effect
Requires Assessment	Worker must complete an assessment form before moving the case to this stage
Requires Intervention Plan	Worker must create an intervention plan before entering this stage
Requires Approval	Stage transition is routed through the approval workflow
Minimum Intensity	Only cases at the specified intensity level or higher can enter

Closure reasons

When a case reaches a closed stage, a closure reason must be selected:

Field	What it means
Name	Reason label (e.g., "Graduated Successfully")
Code	Unique identifier
Outcome Type	Positive, Neutral, or Negative

Common closure reasons

Reason	Outcome Type	When to use
Graduated successfully	Positive	Beneficiary achieved program goals
Transferred to another service	Neutral	Case referred to different provider
Relocated out of area	Neutral	Beneficiary moved away
Withdrawn by beneficiary	Neutral	Beneficiary chose to leave
Lost to follow-up	Negative	Cannot contact beneficiary
Deceased	Negative	Beneficiary passed away

Outcome types enable reporting on case closure patterns and program effectiveness.

Are You Stuck?

Worker can't move a case to the next stage?

Check the stage requirements. The worker may need to complete an assessment or intervention plan first. Also verify the case intensity meets the minimum level.

Closed cases reappearing in active views?

Ensure the closing stage has Is Closed checked. Only stages with this flag properly mark cases as closed.

Need different stages for different case types?

Create all stages globally, then use the Available Stages field on each case type to select only the relevant ones.

Can I reopen a closed case?

Move the case back to an active stage. This is allowed but should be done sparingly - consider creating a new case with a reference to the previous one.

Stage order looks wrong in kanban?

Check the Sequence values. Lower numbers appear first (leftmost column in the board view). Use increments of 10 (10, 20, 30) so you can insert new stages between existing ones later.

Next steps

• Case teams - Configure case management teams

• Case management overview - Case management fundamentals

• Approval workflows overview - Set up approval for stage transitions