Travel Change Requests
After travel is booked and itineraries are sent, caregivers may need to modify their arrangements. The change request system provides a structured workflow for caregivers to submit requests and for coordinators to review, approve, or deny them.
How Change Requests Work​
The change request workflow follows a defined process:
Caregiver Submits Request --> Coordinator Reviews --> Approve or Deny --> Update Bookings (if approved) --> Resend Itinerary
Request Lifecycle​
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| Submitted | The caregiver has submitted a change request. It is awaiting coordinator review. |
| Under Review | A coordinator has opened the request and is evaluating it. |
| Approved | The request has been approved. The coordinator updates the relevant bookings. |
| Denied | The request has been denied. The caregiver is notified with an explanation. |
| Completed | The approved changes have been applied to the bookings and a new itinerary has been sent. |
| Cancelled | The caregiver cancelled the request before it was reviewed. |
Caregiver-Submitted Requests​
Caregivers can submit change requests through the Caregiver Portal or by contacting the travel coordinator directly (in which case the coordinator creates the request on their behalf).
What Caregivers Can Request​
| Change Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Flight Change | Different departure time, different airport, earlier/later travel date, flight cancellation and rebooking. |
| Hotel Change | Different hotel, different room type, extended stay, early check-in or late check-out. |
| Date Change | Arrive a day earlier, depart a day later, change reporting date. |
| Special Needs | Accessibility requirements not previously communicated, dietary restrictions, medical needs. |
| Cancellation | Complete travel cancellation due to withdrawal from the event. |
Request Submission Details​
When a caregiver submits a change request, they provide:
- Change Type -- Selected from the categories above.
- Current Booking Details -- Auto-populated from the existing booking.
- Requested Change -- Free-text description of what they need changed.
- Reason -- Why the change is needed.
- Urgency -- Normal or Urgent.
Reviewing Change Requests​
Accessing the Change Request Queue​
- Navigate to the event's Travel tab.
- Click Change Requests in the travel sub-navigation.
- The change request list displays all requests for the event, sorted by submission date (newest first).
Filtering Requests​
- Status Filter -- Show requests by status (Submitted, Under Review, Approved, Denied, Completed).
- Urgency Filter -- Show only Urgent requests.
- Change Type Filter -- Filter by flight, hotel, date, or other change types.
Reviewing a Request​
- Click a request to open the detail view.
- Review the caregiver's current booking alongside their requested change.
- The system shows:
- Current Booking -- The existing flight and/or hotel details.
- Requested Change -- What the caregiver wants modified.
- Reason -- The caregiver's stated reason.
- Caregiver History -- Past change requests from this caregiver, if any.
Check the caregiver's history before approving. If a caregiver has submitted multiple change requests, it may indicate a broader issue that should be addressed with a phone call rather than piecemeal changes.
Approving a Change Request​
To approve a request:
- Open the request detail view.
- Click Approve.
- Enter an optional Coordinator Note (visible to the caregiver in their portal).
- Click Confirm Approval.
After approving:
- The request status changes to Approved.
- The caregiver receives an email notification that their request was approved.
- The coordinator must now update the relevant booking (flight, hotel, or both) to reflect the approved change. The request detail page includes a Go to Booking link for convenience.
- After updating the booking, return to the request and click Mark Complete to move it to Completed status.
- Resend the updated itinerary.
Approving a change request does not automatically modify the booking. The coordinator must manually update the flight or hotel details. This ensures the coordinator can verify airline/hotel availability and secure the correct confirmation numbers before committing.
Denying a Change Request​
To deny a request:
- Open the request detail view.
- Click Deny.
- Enter a Denial Reason (required). This is shared with the caregiver.
- Click Confirm Denial.
After denying:
- The request status changes to Denied.
- The caregiver receives an email notification with the denial reason.
- The existing bookings remain unchanged.
Common Denial Reasons​
- No alternative flights available within the required time window.
- Hotel block is fully committed; no rooms available at the requested property.
- The requested date change conflicts with the event schedule.
- The change was requested too close to the travel date to make modifications.
Change History Tracking​
Every change request and its resolution are permanently recorded for audit and operational purposes.
Viewing Change History​
- Per Caregiver -- Open a caregiver's travel detail and scroll to the Change History section. This shows all change requests submitted by that caregiver across the current event.
- Per Event -- Navigate to Travel > Change Requests and remove all status filters to see the complete history.
Change History Records​
Each history entry includes:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Request ID | A unique identifier for the change request. |
| Submitted Date | When the caregiver submitted the request. |
| Change Type | Flight, hotel, date, special needs, or cancellation. |
| Requested Change | The description of what was requested. |
| Resolution | Approved, Denied, or Cancelled. |
| Resolution Date | When the coordinator resolved the request. |
| Resolved By | The coordinator who handled the request. |
| Coordinator Note | Any note provided during approval or denial. |
| Booking Updated | Whether the underlying booking was modified (Yes/No). |
Exporting Change Request Data​
To export change request data for reporting:
- Navigate to Travel > Change Requests.
- Apply any desired filters (date range, status, change type).
- Click Export in the toolbar.
- Select the export format (CSV or Excel).
- The export includes all visible columns plus the full coordinator notes.
Notifications​
The change request system sends the following automatic notifications:
| Event | Notification Sent To | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| New request submitted | Travel Coordinator(s) | Email + in-app alert |
| Urgent request submitted | Travel Coordinator(s) | Email + in-app alert (highlighted) |
| Request approved | Caregiver | |
| Request denied | Caregiver | Email (includes denial reason) |
| Request completed | Caregiver | Email (includes updated itinerary link) |
Next Steps​
- Pre-Arrival Instructions -- Send pre-arrival information to caregivers.
- Flight Booking -- Update flight bookings after approving change requests.
- Hotel Assignments -- Update hotel assignments after approving change requests.
- Sending Itineraries -- Resend updated itineraries after changes.