Overview
Questions come up on every construction project, a drawing detail that doesn't quite match the spec, a site condition that wasn't anticipated, a scope gap that needs an answer before work can proceed. How those questions get handled determines whether a project stays on track or slowly unravels through miscommunication and delay.
Requests for Information (RFIs) are the formal mechanism for asking those questions and getting documented answers. Structur's RFI management system gives you a dedicated space to create, send, track, and close RFIs directly within a project, so nothing gets lost in an email thread, and every response is on the record.
Understanding RFIs
What It Does
Structur's RFI feature allows you to:
Create formal RFI records tied directly to a project
Identify the sender submitting the RFI and the recipient who needs to respond
Set a due date to keep response timelines accountable
Track ball-in-court status so it's always clear who is currently responsible for taking action
Write a detailed description of the question or clarification needed
Attach supporting documents, drawings, specifications, photos, to give the recipient full context
Record and store the complete response history within each RFI for future reference
Close RFIs once they've been resolved to keep the log clean and current
When to Use It
RFIs are most valuable when you need to:
Formally document a question about design intent, drawings, or specifications
Get a written answer from an architect, engineer, owner, or vendor before proceeding with work
Clarify a scope gap or conflict between contract documents
Create a paper trail for any issue that could lead to a change order or dispute down the road
Track outstanding questions and make sure nothing is waiting on a response longer than it should be
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Navigate to RFIs
Open an active project in Structur
Click on the Project Management section in your dashboard
Select the RFIs tab
You'll see a list of all existing RFIs for that project, along with their current status and ball-in-court assignment.
2. Create a New RFI
Click New RFI
Work through the RFI form, filling in each of the following fields
3. Give the RFI a Clear Title
Enter a clear and concise title that immediately communicates what the RFI is about. A good title lets everyone, including future team members reviewing the log, understand the issue at a glance without having to open the record.
Example: "Conflict Between Structural Drawing S-204 and Architectural Floor Plan A-101 at Grid Line C" is far more useful than "Drawing Question" when you're managing a log of 30 open RFIs.
4. Identify the Sender
Select the sender, the person or party submitting the RFI. This establishes who is raising the question and creates a clear record of the RFI's origin.
5. Set the Ball-in-Court
The ball-in-court field tracks who is currently responsible for taking action on the RFI. By default, the recipient holds the ball-in-court when the RFI is first sent, meaning the response is on them.
As the RFI moves through the review process, this field updates dynamically to reflect who needs to act next. At any point, you can see exactly who is holding the ball and where the delay lies if a response is overdue.
6. Set a Due Date
Enter a due date for when a response is needed. Setting a deadline creates accountability and signals to the recipient that there's a timeline attached to this question. Due dates also make it easy to identify overdue RFIs in your log.
7. Select the Recipient
Choose the client or vendor to whom the RFI is directed, typically the architect, engineer, owner, or a specific vendor depending on the nature of the question.
You can also add additional recipients
8. Write a Detailed Description
Provide a thorough description of your request, including:
The specific question or clarification you need
The context, what drawing, spec section, or site condition prompted the RFI
Any relevant background information the recipient needs to give a complete answer
What you need the recipient to decide or confirm
The more clearly you frame the question, the faster and more useful the response will be. Vague RFIs produce vague answers.
9. Attach Supporting Documents
Upload any supporting documents that help clarify the issue, marked-up drawings, specification sections, photographs of site conditions, or any other reference material that gives the recipient a complete picture.
Good attachments reduce the back-and-forth by giving the reviewer everything they need to answer the RFI in a single pass.
10. Send the RFI
Once the form is complete and all attachments are uploaded, click Send RFI.
The recipient will be notified and the RFI will appear in your project's RFI log with its current ball-in-court status and due date visible.
11. Track Responses and Manage the Log
After the RFI is sent:
Response history is recorded and stored within the RFI record, every reply, revision, and comment is captured for future reference
Ball-in-court updates dynamically as the RFI moves between parties, keeping accountability clear at every stage
Once the question has been fully resolved, mark the RFI as closed to keep your log accurate and reflect the true number of open items
Best Practices
Write specific, well-framed questions - An RFI that asks one clear question gets resolved faster than one that bundles multiple issues together. If you have several distinct questions, consider creating separate RFIs for each.
Always set a due date - Without a deadline, RFIs can sit unanswered for weeks. Due dates create urgency and make it easy to identify what's holding up the project.
Attach everything the reviewer needs - Include marked-up drawings, spec references, and photos so the recipient doesn't have to come back asking for more information before they can respond.
Use the ball-in-court field actively - Keep this field current so it's always clear who needs to act. If an RFI is sitting in someone's court past the due date, that's your signal to follow up.
Close RFIs promptly - Once a question is resolved, mark it closed. An RFI log full of technically resolved but still-open items loses its value as a management tool.
Use RFIs to document potential change order triggers - If a clarification reveals a scope gap or design change, having the RFI on record gives you a documented starting point for a change order conversation.
Be consistent with titles - Clear, descriptive RFI titles make it much easier to search and reference past RFIs, especially on long projects where the log grows quickly.
Common Questions
Q: Do recipients need a Structur account to respond to an RFI?
A: No. Recipients are notified and can respond without needing to log in to Structur directly. All responses are captured and stored within the RFI record automatically.
Q: What does ball-in-court mean, and why does it matter?
A: Ball-in-court identifies who is currently responsible for taking action on an RFI. By default, the recipient holds the ball-in-court when the RFI is first sent. As the RFI moves between parties, this field updates to reflect who needs to act next, making it immediately visible where any delay or bottleneck is sitting.
Q: Can I add a recipient who isn't already in my Structur contacts?
A: Yes. You can add new clients or vendors directly from the recipient field when creating an RFI, without having to set them up separately beforehand.
Q: Are all responses to an RFI saved?
A: Yes. Every response to an RFI is recorded and stored within the RFI record, creating a complete response history that's available for future reference at any time.
Q: How do I know when an RFI has been answered?
A: The response history within the RFI record will reflect any replies from the recipient. You can also track the ball-in-court field, when the ball returns to your court, it typically means the recipient has responded and it's now your turn to review and act.
Q: When should I close an RFI?
A: Close an RFI once the question has been fully resolved and any necessary action has been taken. Keeping resolved RFIs open clutters your log and makes it harder to see what's genuinely still outstanding.
Q: Can I attach drawings or photos to an RFI?
A: Yes. You can attach any supporting documents, drawings, specifications, photographs, or other reference files, directly to the RFI to give the recipient full context for their review.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Don't | ✅ Do |
Write vague titles like "Question" or "Clarification Needed" | Use specific, descriptive titles that identify the drawing, spec, or issue clearly |
Bundle multiple unrelated questions into one RFI | Create separate RFIs for distinct questions so each can be tracked and resolved independently |
Send an RFI without a due date | Always set a deadline to create accountability and flag overdue items |
Skip attaching supporting documents | Include marked-up drawings, photos, and spec references so the reviewer has everything they need |
Leave resolved RFIs open in the log | Close RFIs promptly once the question is answered to keep the log accurate |
Ignore the ball-in-court field after sending | Monitor who holds the ball and follow up when due dates pass without a response |