This article explains how to complete each stage of the Consultation Process in detail.
Step 1: Create the consultation Engagement Plan
- Navigate to Engagement Plans and create a new engagement plan.
- In the Description field summarize the consultation objectives.
Expected result: A consultation Engagement Plan is ready to receive consultation communications and issues.
Step 2: Identify and Link Stakeholders to Engagement Plan
Identify the stakeholders you need to engage with based on factors such as categorization, location, or stakeholder assessments.
Once identified, link the stakeholders to the Engagement Plan by navigating to Planning -> Stakeholders.
Alternatively, you can link Individuals or Organizations in batch by navigating to Stakeholder engagement->Individuals or Stakeholder engagement->Organizations respectively.
Expected result: Relevant stakeholders are linked to the Engagement Plan and are available for consultation tracking, communications, and reporting.
⚠️ Important: Only Individuals and Organisations linked directly to the engagement plan appear in the consultation report.
✨ What's New on UI: A Consultation status column in stakeholders list page in engagement plan.
Step 3: Record consultation communications
- Link each communication that belongs to the consultation process to the consultation Engagement Plan.
- Set Requires follow-up to Yes when a concern or item needs action.
- Add all participating stakeholders to the communication. When communications are created through Outlook and Teams, participant capture can happen automatically.
Expected result: The communication is linked to the consultation process and can be used for follow-up and reporting.
📌 Note: Consultation reports include only stakeholders who are linked to both the consultation Engagement Plan and the communication.
✨ What's New on UI: A Requires follow-up dropdown in create new communication screen.
Step 4: Handle multi-stakeholder overrides when needed
For communications involving multiple stakeholders, use Stakeholder Overrides from Consultation reporting section to capture stakeholder-specific outcomes.
- Add an override for the relevant stakeholder.
- Update Requires Follow-up, Summary, and linked Issues as needed.
- Save the override.
Expected result: Reporting can distinguish stakeholder-specific responses while preserving the original communication record.
📌 Note: The Stakeholder overrides table only appears when there are multiple stakeholders associated with a communication.
✨ What's New on UI: A Stakeholder overrides table in Consultation reporting screen.
Step 5: Create issues from consultation concerns
When a communication raises a concern, create the Issue directly from the communication record.
- This automatically captures the stakeholder, communication, Engagement Plan, title, and issue type.
- For multi-stakeholder communications, make sure the issue is linked to the specific stakeholder who raised the concern.
Expected result: The issue is linked to the originating communication and stakeholder.
Step 6: Assess the issue
Use the Assess action to evaluate the issue and document how it is being handled.
- Complete the assessment fields such as assessment date, assessment of merits, and assessment comments.
- Then complete the analysis fields, including measure adopted, official response, and titleholder response.
- Update these fields over time if the response evolves before closure.
Expected result: The issue contains a documented assessment and response strategy.
⚠️ Important: The Analysis section is completed during issue assessment and should include details such as the measure adopted and official response.
📌 Note: Use the Reassess action to revisit and update the assessment and analysis information before the issue is closed.
Step 7: Create and Track Commitments when needed
If an issue results in an agreed action, create a Commitment.
- Create the Commitment from the issue.
- Link it to the relevant stakeholder and consultation Engagement Plan, if applicable.
- Record and update the commitment details until completion.
Expected result: The commitment is linked to the consultation issue and Engagement Plan for tracking and reporting.
Step 8: Close the issue
When the issue is ready to close:
- Review the resolution information.
- Select a Resolution Type and add Resolution Comments.
- Record Stakeholder Satisfaction, if available.
- Confirm the final Measure Adopted and Official Response.
Expected result: The issue is fully documented and ready for consultation reporting.
✨ What's New on UI: Close-out section: Resolution Type, Resolution Comments, Stakeholder Satisfaction. Analysis section: Measure Adopted, Official Response and Link to commitment.
Step 9: Generate consultation reports
- Open the consultation Engagement Plan.
- Generate the report. If you dont have any templates configure yet, contact your Borealis Admin or the helpdesk for assistance.
- Review the report content and stakeholder coverage.
Expected result: The consultation report includes communications, issues, responses, commitments, and closure details.