What this does: A query sends an answer back to your client with a note explaining what needs to change. Queries are held until you choose to send them, so several go out in one email rather than one email per question.

Before you start

You can only query an answer that is waiting For review, which means Review Answers has to be switched on for that question.

See Turning on Review Answers for a request.

How to raise a query

  1. Open your request, go to step 4 Share & Track, then the Responses tab.
  2. Click a question with the status For review to expand it.
  3. Choose Add query.
  4. Write your note in Note for the recipients. A note is required.
  5. Choose Add query to save it.

The query is now held against that question. Your client cannot see it yet.

Writing a useful note

Your note is the entire instruction your client receives about that question, so it needs to say what to do rather than what is wrong.

  • Useful: “These statements cover December to February. Please send March to May.”
  • Useful: “This licence expired in June. Please upload a current one, showing both sides.”
  • Not useful: “Incorrect”, “wrong dates”, “please resend”.

A specific note usually saves you a second query round on the same question.

Sending your queries

Nothing reaches your client until you send. Work through as many questions as you need, then send them together:

  1. Raise a query on each question that needs one.
  2. Choose Review & send.
  3. Check each note.
  4. Send.

One email goes out covering every query, and those questions move to Queried. The email uses your own branding and email domain like every other request email, and it does not contain your notes or any client information. It tells your client to return to the request, where the notes are waiting.

Editing or removing a query before you send

Until a query is sent you can change your mind:

  • Edit the note to correct or add detail.
  • Delete the query entirely if it turns out the answer was fine.

Once a query has been sent, it is with your client and cannot be withdrawn.

Sending more than one round

You are not limited to one round. Some people review a section at a time and send as they go, others hold everything until they have been through the whole request.

Queries raised after you have sent go out in the next email. Sending in fewer, larger rounds means fewer emails for your client.

What happens next

A queried question returns to your client’s to do list with your note attached, and the request drops back below complete, so reminders start again on your existing schedule. There is nothing separate to set up.

When your client resubmits, the answer comes back to For review, not Completed. You review it again and either mark it complete or raise another query.

Notes

  • A query is not the same as a comment. A comment is for discussion and does not block an answer from being completed. A query does, and it goes out in an email round. See Using the comments feature.
  • Where a request has more than one recipient, all of them receive the query email and any of them can update the answer. The exception is signatures, which can only be provided by the person using their own link. See How to sign a Gatheroo request.
  • Every query is recorded in the Activity log, including when it was raised and when it was sent.

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