Grievance redress overview

This guide is for implementers configuring the GRM in OpenSPP. You should understand your program's complaint handling requirements but don't need programming knowledge.

Mental model

The GRM in OpenSPP has four layers:

Layer	What it does	Example
Category	Classifies the type of complaint or request	"Payment delay", "Enrollment error"
Stage	Tracks where a ticket is in the resolution process	"New", "In Progress", "Resolved"
Channel	How the complaint was submitted	"Phone", "Email", "Web"
SLA	Defines response and resolution time targets	"Respond within 24 hours, resolve within 5 days"

Think of it like a customer service system: categories are the issue types in a support ticket, stages track the ticket status, channels are how the customer reached you, and SLAs are your service guarantees.

Key concepts

Ticket stages

Stages track a ticket through its lifecycle. Each stage has a type:

Stage Type	Meaning
New	Ticket just created, not yet triaged
In Progress	Actively being worked on
Waiting	On hold pending information or external action
Escalated	Elevated to a higher authority
Resolved	Solution provided
Closed	Ticket completed and confirmed
Cancelled	Ticket voided

Stage configuration:

Field	What it means
Name	Stage label
Sequence	Display order
Stage Type	Classification (see above)
Is Closed	Marks ticket as closed
Requires Approval	Transition needs approval
Requires Decision	Must record a decision before closure
SLA Hours	Time allowed in this stage
Mail Template	Auto-send email when entering this stage
Allowed Groups	Which user groups can move tickets to this stage

Ticket categories

Ticket categories list showing severity, sensitivity, and SLA settings.

Ticket category form with severity, SLA hours, and subcategories.

Categories classify complaints in a hierarchy (parent → child):

Field	What it means
Name	Category label (e.g., "Payment Issues")
Code	Unique identifier
Parent	Parent category for hierarchy
Default Severity	Low, Medium, High, or Critical
Default Sensitivity	Standard, Sensitive, or Highly Sensitive
Default SLA Hours	Time target for this category
Default Team	Team auto-assigned for this category
Auto Escalate	Automatically escalate if SLA breached
Auto Create Case	Create a linked case management record

Subcategories

Second-level categories for finer classification:

Example Category	Example Subcategories
Payment Issues	Late payment, Wrong amount, Payment not received
Enrollment	Rejected application, Missing documents, Data error
Service Delivery	Service point closed, Staff misconduct, Long wait times

Submission channels

Channels track how complaints are received. Channels are configurable records — you can create as many as you need. The system ships with these defaults:

Channel	Description
Web	Online submission
Email	Electronic mail
Phone	Hotline or call center
Other	Any other channel

You can add additional channels (e.g., In-person, SMS, Field visit) through Configuration > Channels.

Navigation

Menu	Purpose
Helpdesk	Main GRM dashboard
Helpdesk > All Tickets	View all tickets
Helpdesk > My Tickets	Tickets assigned to you
Configuration > Stages	Define ticket stages
Configuration > Categories	Create ticket categories
Configuration > Subcategories	Create subcategories
Configuration > Channels	Configure submission channels
Configuration > SLA Rules	Set service level agreements
Configuration > Teams	Manage GRM teams
Configuration > Tags	Create ticket tags

GRM tickets view showing the helpdesk interface.

Common use cases

Use case 1: Payment complaint handling

Goal: Track and resolve payment-related complaints.

Setup:

1. Create a "Payment Issues" category with subcategories (Late, Wrong amount, Not received)

2. Set default severity to "High" and SLA to 48 hours

3. Assign a default team (e.g., "Finance Support")

4. Enable auto-escalation if SLA is breached

5. Configure stages: New → Under Investigation → Resolution Proposed → Resolved → Closed

Use case 2: Multi-channel complaint intake

Goal: Accept complaints through phone, in-person, and SMS.

Setup:

1. Create channels: Phone, In-Person, SMS

2. Each ticket records which channel was used

3. Use channel data for reporting (which channels are most used)

4. Ensure all channels lead to the same resolution workflow

Use case 3: Sensitive complaint handling

Goal: Handle GBV or exploitation complaints with restricted access.

Setup:

1. Create a "Sensitive Complaints" category with sensitivity = "Highly Sensitive"

2. Restrict stage access using Allowed Groups (only trained staff)

3. Disable auto-escalation (manual routing only)

4. Enable Requires Decision on the resolution stage

Are You Stuck?

Where do I configure the GRM?

Go to Helpdesk > Configuration. All GRM settings are under this menu.

Ticket auto-assigned to wrong team?

Check the Default Team on the ticket's category. When a ticket is created with that category, it auto-assigns to the specified team.

SLA timer not showing?

SLA rules must match the ticket's category and team. Check that an SLA rule exists with matching conditions (see SLA rules).

Can I link a grievance to a specific program?

Yes, if the GRM Programs module is installed. This adds program and entitlement fields to tickets. Ask your administrator if you don't see these fields.

Can I link a grievance to a registrant?

Yes, if the GRM Registry module is installed. This adds beneficiary lookup to tickets. Ask your administrator if you don't see this feature.

How do I handle anonymous complaints?

Create the ticket without linking it to a registrant. Use the channel field to record how the complaint was received.

Next steps

• SLA rules - Configure service level agreements

• GRM teams and tags - Set up GRM teams and tags

• Case management overview - Link grievances to case management