A work request is a description of work required at a particular site. The work may involve installing new facilities or replacing existing facilities. Replacing a pole would entail a simple work request. A large, complex project, such as the extension of service to a new subdivision, might require several work requests.

Work requests can be created within Bentley OpenUtilities Designer, Bentley OpenUtilities Designer Workflow Manager, and Bentley Expert Designer Communications with the Workflow Manager component, or they can initiate from an external work management system and then be retrieved by the Workflow Manager component of any of these products. All your work requests are stored in the My Work folder.

A typical work request calls for a design, which contains specifications that satisfy the job's requirements. Any work request that involves changes to the GIS map will require a design. Only one design can be submitted with each work request. For large jobs, you may decide to divide the project into several work requests organized by phases. Alternatively, you could develop a single design for the project and close out work locations in phases as construction is completed. For more information about designs, see About Design Units.