Responding to Shortfall
When an officer returns your application with a shortfall notice, here is how to respond and re-submit.
What is a Shortfall?
A shortfall is a notice sent by a reviewing officer (DEO or BOCW) when they find that your application is incomplete, contains errors, or requires additional documentation. The application is returned to you so you can address the issues raised before it continues through the approval workflow.
Shortfalls can be sent at two stages:
| Sent By | Status After Shortfall | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| DEO (Level 1) | DEOShortfall | The DEO has found issues and returned the application to you |
| BOCW (Level 2) | BOCWShortfall | The BOCW officer has found issues and returned the application to you |
How You Are Notified
When an officer sends a shortfall:
- Your application status changes to DEOShortfall or BOCWShortfall
- An amber Respond button appears on your Dashboard next to the project
- You receive an email notification informing you that action is required
Accessing the Shortfall Response Page
From the Architect Dashboard, find the project showing status DEOShortfall or BOCWShortfall and click the amber Respond button. This opens the shortfall response page.
What You See on the Shortfall Page
Shortfall Notice — Sent by DEO
This application has been returned to you by the DEO with the following remarks: "Please upload a clear copy of the sanctioned building plan. The uploaded document is not legible."
The page contains the following sections:
Shortfall Alert Banner
A prominent amber banner at the top of the page showing:
- Which officer sent the shortfall (DEO or BOCW)
- The officer's shortfall comment explaining what needs to be corrected
- The date the shortfall was issued
Current Registration Details
A read-only view of your Form 1 details as currently submitted. Review these to understand what the officer is referring to in their shortfall comment.
Comment Trail
A chronological history of all comments made on this application — your original submission comment, the officer's shortfall comment, and any previous shortfall exchanges. This gives you full context of the application's history.
How to Respond to a Shortfall
Read the Shortfall Comment Carefully
Read the officer's shortfall comment in the alert banner and in the comment trail. Understand exactly what is being requested — missing documents, incorrect information, or clarification needed.
Enter Your Response Comment
In the Response Comment text area, type your reply to the officer's shortfall. This field is mandatory — you cannot re-submit without entering a response.
Your response should:
- Acknowledge the shortfall raised by the officer
- Explain what corrections or additions you have made
- Mention any new documents you are uploading
Upload Additional Documents (Optional)
If the shortfall requires you to provide additional or corrected documents, use the Upload Documents section to attach them. This is optional — only upload if the officer has specifically requested new documents or if you are replacing a previously uploaded file.
Accepted formats: PDF, JPG, PNG. Ensure files are clear and legible.
Click "Re-submit"
Once your response comment is entered and any additional documents are uploaded, click the Re-submit button.
Application Returns to the Officer
The system automatically routes the application back to the officer who sent the shortfall:
- If the shortfall was from the DEO → status returns to SubmittedToDEO
- If the shortfall was from the BOCW → status returns to SubmittedToBOCW
The officer will be notified and can resume their review.
Multiple Shortfalls
An application can receive multiple shortfalls — for example, the DEO may send a shortfall, you respond, the DEO forwards to BOCW, and then the BOCW sends another shortfall. Each shortfall follows the same process: read the comment, respond, optionally upload documents, and re-submit.
The comment trail records every exchange, so both you and the officers have a complete history of all communications.
Common Reasons for Shortfall
| Reason | How to Address |
|---|---|
| Missing or illegible documents | Upload clear, high-resolution scans or PDFs |
| Incorrect project details | Explain the discrepancy in your response comment; contact admin if DB correction is needed |
| Incomplete nature of work description | Provide a detailed description in your response comment |
| Wrong commencement or completion dates | Explain the correct dates and provide supporting evidence |
| Missing contractor agreement | Upload the signed contractor agreement document |
After Re-submission
After re-submitting, your dashboard shows the grey View button again, indicating the application is back under review. Monitor the status — if the officer is satisfied, they will forward the application to the next level. If they find further issues, another shortfall may be sent.