Eight blocks, fully configurable. This guide walks through each one — what it does, how to configure it, and what to watch out for.
The RFI workflow in RenderDraw is a durable, event-driven pipeline. Each block is a discrete step that can be configured independently. Blocks are connected by output-to-input mappings, so the classification metadata from Block 2 flows directly into the routing rules in Block 3, and the KB passages from Block 4 feed the draft context in Block 5.
Before you start, make sure you have: (1) a knowledgebase with your project specs indexed, (2) at least one reviewer configured in your team settings, and (3) an intake channel (email, form, or webhook) connected. The setup guide for the knowledgebase is at rfi/knowledgebase.html.
Eight discrete, independently configurable steps that take an RFI from intake all the way through to an audit-ready closeout.
The entry point for every RFI.
The intake trigger is the entry point for every RFI. RenderDraw supports three intake channels. You can activate one or all three simultaneously — all inbound requests land in the same queue regardless of channel.
Connect a dedicated inbox (e.g., rfi@yourcompany.com) via IMAP or Microsoft 365 / Google Workspace integration. Incoming emails are parsed for subject, body, sender, and attachments.
POST to /api/workflows/{id}/trigger from your project management system (Procore, Autodesk BIM 360, Aconex) using the standard RFI trigger schema.
Embed the hosted intake form on your project portal. Fields include: subject, description, reference document, section/drawing number, urgency, and optional attachments.
Extracts structured metadata from the request.
The classification block reads the incoming RFI and extracts structured metadata. This metadata drives routing, SLA assignment, and knowledgebase search in subsequent blocks.
| Output Field | Type | Example Value | Used By |
|---|---|---|---|
trade | string | "Mechanical" | Routing, KB filter |
urgency | enum | "high" | "medium" | "low" | SLA tier, queue priority |
spec_section | string | "15400 – Plumbing" | KB filter, routing |
drawing_ref | string | "P-201 Rev 3" | KB document filter |
question_type | enum | "conflict" | "clarification" | "substitution" | "missing_info" | Routing, response template |
confidence | float 0–1 | 0.87 | Human gate flag threshold |
confidence falls below your configured threshold (default 0.70), the block flags the RFI for manual review before routing. The reviewer sees the raw text and the proposed classification side by side.Assigns the RFI to the right reviewer and SLA tier.
Routing rules use the classification metadata to assign the RFI to the right reviewer and SLA tier. Rules are evaluated in order; the first match wins.
# Example routing rules (evaluated top-to-bottom, first match wins)
rules:
- if:
trade: "Structural"
urgency: "high"
assign_to: "structural-lead"
sla_hours: 24
escalate_after_hours: 20
- if:
trade: "Mechanical"
assign_to: "mep-team"
sla_hours: 48
escalate_after_hours: 40
- default:
assign_to: "project-engineer"
sla_hours: 72
escalate_after_hours: 60SLA timers start the moment routing is complete — not when the reviewer opens the item. Escalation sends a notification to the reviewer's manager and adds an entry to the audit log.
Surfaces relevant passages via semantic search.
Before the AI draft is generated, the workflow queries your project knowledgebase to surface relevant passages. The query uses semantic search, not keyword matching — so "pipe support spacing at high temperature" finds the relevant ASME B31.3 excerpt even if those exact words are not in the spec.
The query is constructed automatically from the RFI text plus the classification metadata. The top-N passages (configurable, default 5) are passed to the draft block with their source citations.
Generates a structured response draft.
The draft block takes the RFI text, classification metadata, and retrieved KB passages and generates a structured response draft. The draft includes:
A qualified engineer makes the final decision.
The human gate is the most important block in the workflow. It is where a qualified engineer sees the AI draft alongside the source documents and makes the final decision about what goes out the door.
Sends the approved response and records it.
Once a reviewer approves the response, the delivery block sends it through the appropriate channel and records the delivery event in the audit log.
Reply-to-thread via the connected inbox. The response includes the formatted answer, source citations as attachments, and the RFI reference number.
POST to the originating system's webhook endpoint with the structured response payload. Used for Procore, BIM 360, and other integrations.
In-platform notification to the submitting party with a link to the formal response record and downloadable PDF.
Writes every event to the immutable audit log.
Every event in the workflow is written to the immutable audit log. The log captures:
The full audit log for any RFI — or the entire project RFI log — is available as a one-click export in CSV, JSON, or PDF formats. The PDF format includes all attachments and is suitable for submission as a closeout document or claims evidence.
See tracking & reporting →Four lessons from teams who have rolled out the RFI workflow on live projects.
Submit a test RFI and deliberately let it go overdue. Confirm that the escalation notification reaches the right person and that the audit log records the escalation event. Do this before a real project depends on it.
The AI draft quality is only as good as the KB. Index your spec books, drawing logs, and prior RFI archive before you open the intake channel. An empty KB means every RFI goes to manual review.
A default catch-all routing rule is fine for getting started, but add specific rules for your highest-volume trades early. Misrouted RFIs burn reviewer time and push SLA metrics.
The human gate shows similar past RFIs from your archive. Reviewers who consistently reference prior answers produce more consistent responses — and build a stronger KB for future drafts.
The setup wizard in the platform walks you through each block. Start your free trial and have your first workflow live in under 30 minutes.