# CRITICAL: Missing Points from Kickoff Requirements
**RE Workflow Management System - Streamlined Approvals**  
**Date:** October 17, 2025  
**Status:** 🚨 MUST ADDRESS BEFORE DEVELOPMENT

---

## ⚠️ CRITICAL MISSED POINTS

### **1. Working Days vs Calendar Days Calculation**

**FROM SRS (CRITICAL FOR TAT CALCULATION):**

```
Priority Level:
- Express (Urgent): Uses CALENDAR DAYS in TAT calculation
- Standard (Default): Uses WORKING DAYS in TAT calculation
```

**🚨 QUESTIONS MISSED:**
- [ ] **Q1.1:** What constitutes a "working day" at Royal Enfield?
  - Monday-Friday only?
  - Monday-Saturday (6-day work week)?
  - Specific company work schedule?

- [ ] **Q1.2:** Holiday calendar for working days calculation
  - Need complete list of RE public holidays for current + next year
  - Format: Excel/CSV with dates
  - National holidays + RE-specific holidays + Regional holidays?

- [ ] **Q1.3:** How to handle TAT calculation across holidays?
  - Example: 3 working days TAT set on Friday → Due date Monday or Tuesday?
  - If holiday falls mid-TAT period, extend automatically?

- [ ] **Q1.4:** Weekend definition
  - Saturday-Sunday?
  - Or different (e.g., Friday-Saturday in some regions)?

- [ ] **Q1.5:** TAT tracking during holidays
  - TAT timer pauses during holidays/weekends for "Standard" priority?
  - TAT continues running for "Express" priority (calendar days)?

**REQUIRED DELIVERABLES:**
- [ ] RE holiday calendar (current year + next year)
- [ ] Work week definition (5-day or 6-day)
- [ ] TAT calculation logic document
- [ ] Holiday handling rules

---

### **2. Rich Text Editor Requirements**

**FROM SRS:**

```
"Supports rich text formatting and pasted tables for better clarity.
Support comprehensive email like formatting features, including table 
insertion, links, and text formatting such as bold and italics"
```

**🚨 QUESTIONS MISSED:**
- [ ] **Q2.1:** Rich text editor for which fields?
  - Request Description (mentioned)
  - Work Notes/Comments?
  - Approval/Rejection remarks?
  - Closure remarks?

- [ ] **Q2.2:** Specific formatting features required:
  - [ ] Bold, Italic, Underline
  - [ ] Bullet points and numbered lists
  - [ ] Tables (insert/edit)
  - [ ] Hyperlinks
  - [ ] Images inline (or only as attachments?)
  - [ ] Font size, color?
  - [ ] Code blocks?
  - [ ] Quotes/blockquotes?

- [ ] **Q2.3:** Copy-paste behavior
  - Paste from Word documents - preserve formatting?
  - Paste from Excel - preserve table structure?
  - Sanitize pasted content for security?

- [ ] **Q2.4:** Character limits
  - Request Description: Max characters?
  - Work Notes: 2000 characters mentioned
  - Approval remarks: 500 characters mentioned
  - Closure remarks: Any limit?

**REQUIRED DELIVERABLES:**
- [ ] Approved rich text features list
- [ ] Character limits for each field
- [ ] Copy-paste behavior specifications

---

### **3. Dashboard Specifications**

**FROM SRS:**

```
"The Dashboard is an open element that is currently under discussion 
and will be finalized in later phases."
```

**🚨 CRITICAL DECISION NEEDED:**
- [ ] **Q3.1:** Should development proceed WITHOUT dashboard?
  - Skip dashboard entirely for Phase 1?
  - Build basic dashboard (show request counts only)?
  - Wait for dashboard requirements before starting?

- [ ] **Q3.2:** If basic dashboard is needed, what to show?
  - Total requests (by status)?
  - Pending approvals count?
  - Requests approaching TAT deadline?
  - Recent activity?
  - Quick actions/shortcuts?

- [ ] **Q3.3:** Dashboard finalization timeline
  - When will dashboard requirements be ready?
  - Can we start development in parallel?

**RECOMMENDATION:** 
Start with basic dashboard showing:
- My Pending Approvals (count + list)
- My Requests Summary (Draft, In Progress, Approved, Rejected)
- Requests Approaching TAT Deadline
- Recent Notifications

**REQUIRED DELIVERABLES:**
- [ ] Dashboard scope decision (Phase 1 or Phase 2?)
- [ ] Basic dashboard requirements (if Phase 1)
- [ ] Dashboard timeline (if Phase 2)

---

### **4. Draft Functionality Requirements**

**FROM SRS:**

```
"After verification, the user can either save the request as draft 
or click 'Submit Request.'"
```

**🚨 QUESTIONS MISSED:**
- [ ] **Q4.1:** Draft retention period
  - How long are drafts kept? (30 days, 90 days, indefinitely?)
  - Auto-delete policy for old drafts?
  - Warning before auto-deletion?

- [ ] **Q4.2:** Draft editing permissions
  - Can only initiator edit their draft?
  - What if initiator is on leave - can manager access/edit?
  - Can drafts be shared with others for collaboration?

- [ ] **Q4.3:** Draft auto-save
  - Auto-save while user is creating request?
  - Save frequency (every 30 seconds, on field change)?
  - Show "Last saved at..." timestamp?

- [ ] **Q4.4:** Draft limits
  - Max number of drafts per user?
  - Storage limit for draft attachments?

- [ ] **Q4.5:** Draft to submitted conversion
  - Can submitted request be reverted to draft?
  - If rejected, can it be reopened as draft for editing?

**REQUIRED DELIVERABLES:**
- [ ] Draft retention policy
- [ ] Draft auto-save behavior
- [ ] Draft limits and quotas

---

### **5. Google Docs/Sheets Integration**

**FROM SRS:**

```
"Users can associate Google Docs and Google Sheets links as part 
of the request for collaborative reference."
```

**🚨 QUESTIONS MISSED:**
- [ ] **Q5.1:** Google Workspace integration
  - Is RE using Google Workspace / G Suite?
  - Or personal Google accounts allowed?
  - Or should we support both?

- [ ] **Q5.2:** Access validation
  - Should system validate that linked Google Doc is accessible to all participants?
  - Check permissions before allowing link?
  - Warning if doc is private/restricted?

- [ ] **Q5.3:** Link display
  - Show preview of Google Doc (embed)?
  - Or just show link with title?
  - Extract title automatically from link?

- [ ] **Q5.4:** Link editing
  - Can links be edited after adding?
  - Can links be removed?
  - Who can add/edit/remove links - any participant or only initiator?

- [ ] **Q5.5:** Other cloud storage support
  - Only Google Docs/Sheets or also:
    - Microsoft OneDrive/SharePoint?
    - Dropbox?
    - RE internal file shares?

**REQUIRED DELIVERABLES:**
- [ ] Google Workspace details (if using)
- [ ] Access validation requirements
- [ ] Supported cloud storage platforms

---

### **6. Pilot Rollout Strategy**

**FROM SRS:**

```
"Initially, the system will be introduced in a pilot environment 
for selected users and departments. Based on feedback and performance, 
it will later be rolled out organization-wide."
```

**🚨 QUESTIONS MISSED:**
- [ ] **Q6.1:** Pilot user selection
  - Which departments for pilot? (Name specific departments)
  - How many users in pilot? (10, 20, 50?)
  - User roles represented in pilot?

- [ ] **Q6.2:** Pilot duration
  - How long is pilot phase? (2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months?)
  - Success criteria for pilot?
  - Go/No-go decision process?

- [ ] **Q6.3:** Pilot environment
  - Separate pilot environment or use QA?
  - Pilot data - real or test data?
  - Pilot database separate or shared with production?

- [ ] **Q6.4:** Pilot to production data migration
  - Will pilot requests be migrated to production?
  - Or start fresh in production?

- [ ] **Q6.5:** Feedback collection during pilot
  - How to collect feedback? (Surveys, interviews, feedback form in app?)
  - Who analyzes feedback?
  - Timeline for incorporating feedback?

**REQUIRED DELIVERABLES:**
- [ ] Pilot department list
- [ ] Pilot user list (with roles)
- [ ] Pilot timeline and success criteria
- [ ] Feedback collection mechanism

---

### **7. Non-Functional Requirements - Missed Details**

**FROM SRS:**

```
Performance: Average response time < 3 seconds for standard operations.
Scalability: Should scale horizontally on GCP.
Reliability: 99% uptime target.
Backup & Recovery: Daily database backup and weekly full snapshot.
                   Restore process must not exceed 2 hours.
```

**🚨 QUESTIONS MISSED:**

#### **Performance:**
- [ ] **Q7.1:** What are "standard operations"?
  - Page load (Dashboard, My Requests)?
  - API calls (fetch request list)?
  - Document upload?
  - Search queries?

- [ ] **Q7.2:** Performance under load
  - <3 seconds for how many concurrent users? (1, 10, 100?)
  - What if system is under heavy load?
  - Graceful degradation strategy?

#### **Scalability:**
- [ ] **Q7.3:** Horizontal scaling on GCP
  - Initial setup: 1 VM (as per SRS)
  - When to scale horizontally? (>100 users, >500 users?)
  - Load balancer setup required?
  - Auto-scaling configuration?

- [ ] **Q7.4:** Expected growth
  - Current user base size?
  - Expected growth in 6 months, 1 year?
  - Peak usage times (end of month, quarterly approvals)?

#### **Reliability:**
- [ ] **Q7.5:** 99% uptime target
  - Allowed downtime: ~7.3 hours/month
  - Planned maintenance windows?
  - Preferred maintenance day/time? (Weekends, after hours?)

- [ ] **Q7.6:** High availability setup
  - Database replication required?
  - Failover mechanism needed?
  - Or acceptable to have brief downtime during recovery?

#### **Backup & Recovery:**
- [ ] **Q7.7:** Backup verification
  - Who verifies backups are working?
  - Test restore frequency? (Monthly, quarterly?)

- [ ] **Q7.8:** Backup retention
  - Daily backups kept for how long? (7 days, 30 days?)
  - Weekly backups kept for how long? (90 days, 1 year?)

- [ ] **Q7.9:** Disaster recovery
  - Off-site backup required?
  - Geographic redundancy (multi-region)?
  - Recovery Point Objective (RPO): Max data loss acceptable?
  - Recovery Time Objective (RTO): Max downtime acceptable? (Currently says <2 hours)

**REQUIRED DELIVERABLES:**
- [ ] Performance benchmarks with specific user loads
- [ ] Scaling strategy document
- [ ] Backup verification and retention policy
- [ ] Disaster recovery plan

---

### **8. RE IT Data Privacy Guidelines**

**FROM SRS:**

```
"Compliance: Follows RE IT data privacy guidelines."
```

**🚨 CRITICAL QUESTION:**
- [ ] **Q8.1:** What are RE IT data privacy guidelines?
  - **WHERE IS THE DOCUMENT?**
  - Who provides this?
  - Is it documented or need to be created?

- [ ] **Q8.2:** Specific compliance requirements
  - Data classification (Public, Internal, Confidential, Restricted)?
  - PII handling rules?
  - Data retention periods?
  - Data deletion/archival policy?
  - Geographic data residency (India only, Asia, Global)?

- [ ] **Q8.3:** Audit trail requirements
  - What actions must be logged?
  - Audit log retention period?
  - Who can access audit logs?
  - Format for audit reports?

**REQUIRED DELIVERABLES:**
- [ ] **RE IT Data Privacy Guidelines document (CRITICAL)**
- [ ] Data classification matrix
- [ ] Audit trail specifications
- [ ] Data retention policy document

---

### **9. Template for Future Scope**

**FROM SRS:**

```
"Existing Template – (Future scope) Use a predefined structure."
```

**🚨 QUESTIONS FOR ARCHITECTURE:**
- [ ] **Q9.1:** Architecture consideration for templates
  - Should current architecture support templates in future?
  - Database schema designed to accommodate templates later?
  - Or complete refactor needed for templates?

- [ ] **Q9.2:** Template timeline
  - When is template feature expected? (Phase 2, Phase 3?)
  - Any specific templates in mind?
  - Should we prepare for this in initial design?

**REQUIRED DELIVERABLES:**
- [ ] Future roadmap with template timeline
- [ ] Architecture review for template support

---

### **10. "Not in Scope" Clarification**

**FROM SRS:**

```
"Anything which comes beyond the scope defined above in terms of 
Width and depth"
```

**🚨 EXPLICIT OUT OF SCOPE CONFIRMATION NEEDED:**

- [ ] **Q10.1:** Explicitly confirm what is OUT OF SCOPE:
  - [ ] Mobile app (web-only)
  - [ ] SAP integration
  - [ ] DMS integration
  - [ ] Reporting module (beyond basic)
  - [ ] Analytics dashboard
  - [ ] Workflow templates
  - [ ] Parallel approvals (only sequential supported)
  - [ ] Conditional routing (if-then-else in workflow)
  - [ ] Delegation (approver assigns to someone else)
  - [ ] Bulk actions (approve multiple requests at once)
  - [ ] Scheduled/Recurring workflows
  - [ ] API for external systems
  - [ ] Data import/export functionality
  - [ ] Multi-language support
  - [ ] Approval via email (approve by replying to email)
  - [ ] SMS notifications
  - [ ] Push notifications
  - [ ] Offline mode

**REQUIRED DELIVERABLES:**
- [ ] Signed "Out of Scope" list to prevent scope creep

---

## 🎯 NEW CRITICAL DEPENDENCIES IDENTIFIED

### **11. Holiday Calendar API/Service**

**CRITICAL FOR TAT CALCULATION:**
- [ ] Does RE have a holiday calendar API/service?
- [ ] If yes, API documentation and access?
- [ ] If no, need to build holiday management module:
  - Admin UI to manage holidays
  - Regional holiday support
  - Holiday calendar import/export

**OPTIONS:**
- **Option A:** RE provides holiday API (best)
- **Option B:** Build simple holiday management (admin adds holidays manually)
- **Option C:** Use third-party holiday API (Google Calendar API?)

**DECISION REQUIRED:** Which option?

---

### **12. Rich Text Editor Library**

**TECHNICAL DECISION:**
- [ ] Which rich text editor to use?
  - **Tiptap** (modern, extensible, React-friendly)
  - **Quill** (stable, widely used)
  - **Draft.js** (by Facebook, powerful but complex)
  - **Slate** (very flexible, lower level)
  - **CKEditor** (feature-rich, commercial license for some features)

- [ ] Do we need custom toolbar?
- [ ] Any specific RE branding in editor?

**RECOMMENDATION:** Tiptap (modern, good DX, extensible)

**DECISION REQUIRED:** Which editor library?

---

### **13. File Preview Library**

**FOR PDF AND IMAGE PREVIEW:**
- [ ] PDF preview library decision:
  - **PDF.js** (Mozilla, open source, widely used)
  - **React-PDF** (wrapper for PDF.js)
  - **pdfobject** (simple embed)

- [ ] Image preview/lightbox:
  - **React Image Lightbox**
  - **PhotoSwipe**
  - **Fancybox**

**RECOMMENDATION:** React-PDF for PDFs, React Image Lightbox for images

**DECISION REQUIRED:** Which libraries?

---

### **14. Data Privacy for AI Service**

**CRITICAL FOR AI-GENERATED CONCLUSION:**

- [ ] **Q14.1:** Can workflow request data be sent to external AI service (OpenAI)?
  - Requests may contain confidential business information
  - Employee names, departments, approvers
  - Discussion content in Work Notes
  - **Data residency concerns?**

- [ ] **Q14.2:** If external AI NOT allowed:
  - Self-hosted LLM required? (Llama, Mistral)
  - Azure OpenAI (data stays in Azure, compliant)
  - Or skip AI feature entirely and make it manual?

- [ ] **Q14.3:** PII filtering before sending to AI
  - Remove employee names, IDs, emails?
  - Anonymize data before AI processing?

**REQUIRED DELIVERABLES:**
- [ ] **Legal/Compliance approval for AI service** (CRITICAL)
- [ ] Data processing agreement with AI provider
- [ ] PII filtering specifications

---

### **15. Notification Frequency**

**FROM SRS:**

```
"Auto-reminders are sent at configured thresholds (e.g., 80% TAT usage)."
```

**🚨 QUESTIONS MISSED:**
- [ ] **Q15.1:** TAT reminder thresholds
  - Exactly at what % should reminders be sent?
  - Example: 50%, 75%, 90%, 100%, 110%?
  - How often after breach? (Daily, Every 6 hours?)

- [ ] **Q15.2:** Reminder throttling
  - Max reminders per day per user?
  - To prevent notification fatigue

- [ ] **Q15.3:** Escalation after repeated reminders
  - If approver ignores 3 reminders, escalate to manager?
  - Or just keep sending reminders?

**REQUIRED DELIVERABLES:**
- [ ] TAT reminder threshold configuration
- [ ] Escalation rules document

---

### **16. Search and Filter Specifications**

**FROM SRS:**

```
"Includes search and filter options for status and priority to 
quickly locate specific requests."
```

**🚨 QUESTIONS MISSED:**
- [ ] **Q16.1:** Search by what fields?
  - Request Title (full-text search)
  - Request ID (exact match)
  - Initiator name
  - Approver name
  - Department
  - Date range
  - Description content?

- [ ] **Q16.2:** Filter options needed:
  - Status (Draft, In Progress, Approved, Rejected)
  - Priority (Express, Standard)
  - Date range (created between X and Y)
  - Current approver level
  - TAT status (Within TAT, Approaching, Breached)
  - Department
  - Assigned to me (as approver or initiator)

- [ ] **Q16.3:** Sort options:
  - Date created (newest first, oldest first)
  - TAT remaining (urgent first)
  - Request ID
  - Approval level

**REQUIRED DELIVERABLES:**
- [ ] Search and filter specifications document
- [ ] Approved list of searchable/filterable fields

---

### **17. Pagination and Data Loading**

**FROM SRS:**

```
"Supports pagination and stable ID-based navigation to detail screens."
```

**🚨 QUESTIONS MISSED:**
- [ ] **Q17.1:** Pagination size
  - How many requests per page? (10, 25, 50, 100?)
  - User-configurable?

- [ ] **Q17.2:** Total expected data volume
  - Expected requests per month?
  - Expected growth over 1 year, 2 years?
  - This affects database indexing strategy

- [ ] **Q17.3:** Load more vs pagination
  - Traditional pagination (1, 2, 3... pages)?
  - Or "Load More" button (infinite scroll)?
  - Or both?

**REQUIRED DELIVERABLES:**
- [ ] Pagination preferences
- [ ] Expected data volume estimates

---

## 📊 SUMMARY: CRITICAL GAPS

### **🔴 MUST HAVE BEFORE DEVELOPMENT:**

1. ✅ Working days definition + Holiday calendar
2. ✅ Rich text editor feature list
3. ✅ Dashboard decision (skip or build basic?)
4. ✅ Draft retention policy
5. ✅ Google Docs/Sheets validation requirements
6. ✅ **RE IT Data Privacy Guidelines document**
7. ✅ Legal approval for AI service data usage
8. ✅ TAT reminder threshold configuration
9. ✅ Out of scope confirmation (signed)

### **🟡 HIGH PRIORITY (Week 1-2):**

1. ✅ Pilot rollout strategy and user list
2. ✅ Performance benchmark specifications
3. ✅ Backup verification and retention policy
4. ✅ Search/filter field specifications
5. ✅ Rich text editor library selection
6. ✅ File preview library selection
7. ✅ Pagination preferences
8. ✅ Template future roadmap

### **🟢 MEDIUM PRIORITY (Week 2-3):**

1. ✅ Holiday calendar API (if available)
2. ✅ Notification frequency and throttling
3. ✅ Draft auto-save behavior
4. ✅ Google Docs preview preferences
5. ✅ Disaster recovery detailed plan

---

## ✅ ACTION ITEMS FOR KICKOFF MEETING

### **Add to Meeting Agenda:**

1. **Working Days & Holiday Calendar** (15 minutes)
   - Define working days
   - Provide holiday calendar
   - Confirm TAT calculation logic

2. **Dashboard Scope Decision** (10 minutes)
   - Skip entirely or build basic?
   - If basic, what to show?

3. **Rich Text Editor Requirements** (10 minutes)
   - Which fields need rich text?
   - Approved formatting features
   - Character limits

4. **Draft Functionality** (5 minutes)
   - Retention period
   - Auto-save behavior

5. **AI Service Legal Approval** (10 minutes)
   - Can we use external AI (OpenAI)?
   - If not, alternatives?
   - Legal sign-off needed

6. **RE IT Data Privacy Guidelines** (10 minutes)
   - WHERE IS THIS DOCUMENT?
   - Who provides it?
   - Critical for compliance

7. **Out of Scope Confirmation** (5 minutes)
   - Review and sign off on out-of-scope list
   - Prevent future scope creep

8. **Pilot Strategy** (10 minutes)
   - Which departments?
   - How many users?
   - Duration?

---

## 📧 URGENT REQUEST EMAIL TEMPLATE

```
Subject: URGENT: Critical Information Needed Before Development Start

Hi [Product Owner / Stakeholder Name],

During our detailed analysis of the SRS document, we've identified several 
CRITICAL gaps that must be addressed before we can start development.

Most Critical (BLOCKERS):
1. Working days definition + RE holiday calendar (for TAT calculation)
2. RE IT Data Privacy Guidelines document (mentioned but not provided)
3. Legal approval to use external AI service for conclusion remarks
4. Dashboard scope decision (skip or build basic?)
5. Out of scope confirmation (to prevent scope creep)

These are in addition to the previously identified dependencies (SSO, AD, 
Database access, etc.).

I've created a comprehensive document: RE_MISSING_CRITICAL_KICKOFF_POINTS.md

Can we schedule an urgent 60-minute call this week to address these gaps?

Without these clarifications, we cannot:
- Design the database schema correctly (affects TAT calculation logic)
- Select appropriate libraries (rich text editor, file preview)
- Ensure legal compliance (AI service, data privacy)
- Prevent scope creep (out of scope confirmation)

Please let me know your availability ASAP.

Thanks,
[Your Name]
Development Team Lead
```

---

**Document Owner:** Development Team Lead  
**Date:** October 17, 2025  
**Priority:** 🔴 CRITICAL  
**Status:** ⚠️ AWAITING RESPONSE


