Plumbing Certificate of Compliance completion checklist (NSW, Australia) Workflow

Why should we automate our Certificate of Compliance completion process instead of managing it manually?

Manually tracking certificate details, office checks and lodgement deadlines across spreadsheets or email threads makes it easy for details to be missed or lodgement dates to slip. This workflow captures all required completion details upfront through a request form, routes incomplete certificates back to the plumber automatically, and keeps a timeline of what happened on each record. This helps office staff focus on checking and lodging certificates rather than chasing information.

What is the ROI of using this workflow compared to handling certificates by email and spreadsheets?

Each certificate becomes a record with a reference number and status, so office staff can see at a glance which certificates are being prepared, awaiting missing details, or ready to lodge without searching through email. The automatic routing back to the plumber when details are missing removes the need for manual follow-up emails and reduces delays before lodgement. Over time this can reduce administrative hours spent tracking certificate status and lodgement deadlines.

How does the office check for completeness, and what happens if details are missing?

An office team member is assigned a task to check the certificate details entered on the request form and record whether the details are complete or missing, noting any specific gaps. If details are marked as missing, the workflow sets the certificate status to Details Missing and assigns a task to the plumber to update the description of work, tests and results, or as-built diagram based on the notes. Once the plumber submits updates, the workflow automatically sends the certificate back to the office for a re-check.

Who is responsible for lodging the certificate with NSW Fair Trading?

Once the office confirms the certificate details are complete, the status is set to Ready to Lodge and a task is assigned to the office to lodge the Certificate of Compliance with NSW Fair Trading and provide the customer their copy. The office team member records the certificate number, lodgement date and the date the customer copy was provided directly on this task. These details are then saved to the record and the status is updated to Lodged.

How does the customer find out their certificate has been lodged?

After the office records the lodgement details, the workflow automatically sends the customer an email confirming that their Certificate of Compliance has been lodged, including the certificate number and lodgement date. Customers do not need an account to receive this notification, as email is built into the workflow. This keeps customers informed without requiring extra manual communication from office staff.

Can we customise the request form or the details captured during office review?

Yes, the request form fields, office check questions and the details recorded during lodgement can be adjusted by describing the change in plain English or editing the steps directly in the workflow editor. Earlier versions of the workflow are kept, so changes can be reviewed or reverted if needed. This makes it possible to adapt the checklist as certificate requirements or internal processes change.

What happens to the photos, diagrams and test results submitted on the request form?

Information submitted through the public request form, including photos, the as-built drainage diagram, and tests carried out and results, is saved to the certificate record. If the plumber updates any of these items during a revision task, those updates are also saved to the record. This keeps a single, accessible record of the completion details supporting each certificate.

How is the status of a certificate tracked as it moves through the process?

Each certificate record moves through statuses including Preparing, Details Missing, Ready to Lodge and Lodged as the workflow progresses. Table views and dashboards display records by status, so office staff can quickly identify which certificates need attention. The record's timeline also captures what happened at each step, from initial submission through to lodgement confirmation.

Is there a limit to how many times a certificate can be sent back to the plumber for missing details?

The workflow allows the office to route a certificate back to the plumber whenever details are found to be missing, and this can repeat as many times as needed until the office marks the details as complete. Each round of updates from the plumber is saved to the record before the office re-checks it. This keeps the certificate moving toward lodgement while maintaining a record of what was corrected.