B3. Application stages

Every application passes through the same stages. A stage is a step in the review. Each move needs a written reason.

The stages

Stage	What it means	Who can move the application on
Submitted	The applicant has sent the request.	Accepted by the Platform Super Administrator (Task B2.1).
Eligibility review	Staff check the request against the facility rules and the applicant's basic eligibility.	Client System Administrator, Programme Administrator, State Coordinator, Institution Administrator, Finance Entry Officer or Finance Approver.
Due diligence	Staff check registration, identity, members, site and documents.	Same roles as above.
Appraisal	Staff analyse the request and recommend terms.	Same roles as above.
Committee review	The request waits for an independent decision (Part B4).	Same roles as above.
Approved or Declined	The final decision.	Finance Approver or State Coordinator, as the checker (Part B4).

Applications can also be Withdrawn or Expired along the way.

Task B3.1: Move an application to the next stage

Who can do this: Client System Administrator, Programme Administrator, State Coordinator, Institution Administrator, Finance Entry Officer or Finance Approver. Your data scope must include the application.

Before you start

• Read the application's evidence and the Eligibility and exceptions section.
• Know your reason. It must be at least 10 characters.

Steps

1. Open Finance applications from the menu.
2. Select the row Open application for Hauwa's application.
3. Read the Application evidence section.
4. Check the Workflow timeline, which shows every earlier move, who made it, when, and why.
5. Select Move to {next stage}. For example, Move to Due diligence.
6. In the Reason box, type what you checked. For example: "Cooperative registration, member list and identity checks verified against the originals on 27 October."
7. Select Confirm.

Example from the walkthrough

Ibrahim Sule moves the application to Due diligence after he confirms the cooperative's registration, member list and identity checks. After the site visit, the offtake letter and bank statements are reviewed, and he moves it to Appraisal. His appraisal recommends approval at 16% on 50/50 co-lending over twelve months, and he moves it to Committee review.

What happens next

• The timeline records the move.
• The people responsible for the next stage are notified in the app, and by email and push if they have allowed it.

Automatic escalation when a stage stalls

DFFMS watches each stage. It checks once a day, at 06:00 UTC.

Event	What happens
An application sits in one stage for 5 working days	Level 1: it is escalated to the Programme Administrator with a WARNING.
It sits for 10 working days	Level 2: it is escalated to the Client System Administrator with a CRITICAL warning.

These limits are set in Configuration, under Escalation service levels. The defaults are 5 and 10 working days. Only the Platform Super Administrator or Client System Administrator can change them.

Escalations close automatically when the application moves on.

Task B3.2: Raise an escalation by hand

Use this when a decision is stuck and you do not want to wait for the daily check.

1. Open the application, financing case or scheme redemption page.
2. Go to the Escalation panel.
3. Select Escalate.
4. In What needs a decision, describe the decision, for example "Committee decision needed before the cooperative's planting window closes."
5. In Reason, type at least 10 characters.
6. Confirm. The row shows Escalated to Programme Administrator (or the next level), with the source (you).

Resolving an escalation

1. In the Escalation panel, select Resolve.
2. Type How was this resolved? (at least 5 characters).
3. Confirm.

Only the Platform Super Administrator, Client System Administrator, Programme Administrator, or the person who raised the escalation can resolve it.