Create an RFI

Before you create RFIs, review permissions, custom fields, and RFI types in RFI administration.

To create RFIs on the web:

1. Click in the top left corner.

2. Select a Status. See RFI statuses.

   RFI Managers and Project Administrators can select the Open for Manager status to assign a new RFI directly to another RFI Manager in the project.

3. Enter an RFI number. See RFI numbering.

4. Enter a Title.

5. Select an RFI Type. The fields in the creation form depend on the field visibility settings for the RFI type you select. See RFI Types.

   Note: Changing the RFI type during creation updates the form fields to match the type's field visibility settings. Fields that the new type hides don't keep the values you entered.

6. Select the Ball in court, reviewers, and Optional Reviewers as needed. You can select up to 10 reviewers. For Ball in court, you can select an individual project member, a company, or a role. Optional Reviewers can respond at any point but don't block workflow progression. See Optional reviewers for details.

7. Add References. Select files, sheets, photos, submittals, issues, schedule items, assets, PCOs, forms, or other RFIs, or upload files from your device.

   Note: A tool that an Account Administrator turns off doesn't appear as a reference option. See Products and Tools for more information.

8. Complete additional fields as needed.

9. Click Create.

RFI AI Agent

The RFI AI Agent helps you decide whether an RFI is needed before you submit one. When you leave the Question field after typing a question, the agent searches your project's specifications and closed RFIs.

How the analysis runs

1. In the Create RFI form, enter your question in the Question field.
2. Click anywhere outside the Question field. A banner appears while the agent analyzes your question.
3. Continue filling in other fields during the analysis.
4. The banner updates when the analysis finishes. Click View results to open the results.

Banner states

The banner shows one of these states:

Review the results

The results show information from your project that is relevant to your question:

• Specifications: Specification sections related to your question. Select a section to open it in a new tab.
• Similar RFIs: Previously closed RFIs that match your question. Select an RFI to open it in a new tab.

The agent gives one of these verdicts:

• No RFI needed: The answer already exists in your project data. Review the sources before you decide to submit.
• RFI recommended: The agent didn't find an existing answer, so an RFI is warranted.
• Couldn't determine: The agent didn't find enough relevant information to make a recommendation.

To create an RFI from the results, click Create RFI. The Create RFI form opens with your question and relevant references already added.

For accuracy and legal details, see Autodesk Assistant in Autodesk Forma Legal Disclaimer.

You can generate an RFI with AI to fill in fields in the RFI creation form from a text prompt.

How AI prefill works

• In the create form, describe your RFI in a prompt. Autodesk AI analyzes your text and fills in the relevant fields and highlights them for your review.
• You must review all filled information for accuracy and completeness. Editing a field removes its highlight.
• All users who have permission to create RFIs can use this feature.
• Autodesk AI fills only fields that are visible for the selected RFI type. Fields that are hidden for the RFI type stay empty.

Supported fields

Autodesk AI currently fills in the title, question, category, discipline, cost impact, schedule impact, priority, and location details.

RFI type behavior

The AI-generated response doesn't override existing default values for fields.

Regenerate a response

You can regenerate the AI-generated response:

• Autodesk AI repopulates all supported fields with new content.
• Review and verify all regenerated content before you proceed.

Activity log

The activity log records RFIs generated with AI.

Tips for writing a better prompt

• Be specific about the issue or information needed. Avoid vague or general phrasing.
• Use clear, complete sentences that describe the RFI question. Include as much detail as you can.

Limitations

Query limits

Each project member can run 100 queries per 24-hour period and 10 queries per minute. The entire project can run 500 queries per 24-hour period.

Trust and legal

Accuracy and Reliability

How accurate and reliable are the responses generated by Autodesk GenAI Assistant?

• Responses are AI generated, so information provided as an answer may not be complete or accurate. It is your responsibility to verify answers.

Data Usage

Is my data used to train the AI model?

• Autodesk Assistant in Autodesk Forma is using pretrained third-party models and we do not share any customer data with those third-party providers.

Legal Disclaimer

Where can I find a legal disclaimer for Autodesk Assistant in Autodesk Forma?

• Autodesk Assistant in Autodesk Forma Legal Disclaimer

• Per Section 11.1 of the Autodesk Terms of Use, our Offerings are tools that are intended to assist you, in the case of the Autodesk Forma services, with your construction management and planning activities. Our tools are not a substitute for your professional judgment or independent expertise. It is your responsibility to:

  • (a) determine whether the use of an Offering is appropriate for your purposes
  • (b) determine the appropriate use for the Offerings
  • (c) select the Offerings and other computer programs and materials, in each case to help achieve your intended results or output

  You are solely responsible for:

  • (i) your use of the Offerings and any results produced by the Offerings, including any output
  • (ii) establishing the adequacy of independent procedures for testing the reliability, safety, accuracy, completeness, compliance with applicable legal requirements and industry standards, and other characteristics of any output, including insights, recommendations, and all items designed with the assistance of the Offerings.

• For more information, review the Autodesk Terms of Use and visit the Autodesk Trust Center.

The default RFI number comes from the last created or renamed RFI, plus one. You can change this default number as long as the number is unique.

To change the RFI number:

1. Open an RFI.
2. Edit the RFI number in the top right corner.

To edit an RFI on the web:

1. Open an RFI.
2. Change the fields you need.

To create an RFI on the mobile app:

1. Tap Create RFI.
2. Select a Status.
3. Enter an RFI number.
4. Enter a Title.
5. Select an RFI Type.
6. Select the Ball in court.
7. Add References. Select files, sheets, photos, submittals, issues, schedule items, assets, PCOs, forms, or other RFIs, or upload files from your device.
8. Complete additional fields.
9. Tap Create.

You can place an RFI pushpin directly on a sheet to create an RFI in context. The sheet stays visible while you fill in the details.

You need RFI Creator, RFI Manager, or Project Administrator permission.

To create an RFI from a sheet (web):

1. Open a sheet in the document viewer.
2. Click the RFI icon in the markup toolbar.
3. Click the location on the sheet where you want to place the pushpin.
4. Enter the RFI details.
5. Click Create.

The pushpin stays on the sheet after creation. Its color shows the current RFI status. The RFI Placement field shows the current document.

To create an RFI from a sheet (mobile app):

1. Open a sheet in the document viewer.
2. Tap the RFI icon in the markup toolbar.
3. Tap the location on the sheet where you want to place the pushpin.
4. Enter the RFI details.
5. Tap Create.

View RFI pushpins on a sheet

Pushpins mark the location of each RFI on a sheet. Pushpin color reflects the current RFI status. Void RFIs don't appear as pushpins. The sheet hides pushpins when the Issues, Assets, or Location panel is active.

• Click a pushpin to view RFI details.
• Move a pushpin to a new location. Moving a pushpin updates its position in the current sheet version only. You need edit permission for the RFI to move the pushpin.

The fields in the RFI creation form depend on the field visibility configuration for the selected RFI type. Project Administrators and RFI Managers can customize which fields appear and which fields are required for each type. See RFI Types for configuration details.

To edit an RFI on mobile:

1. Tap an RFI.
2. Tap Edit.
3. Edit the relevant fields.
4. Tap the back arrow.

Only users with permission to create RFIs can use this feature.

Consistent RFI numbers make it easy to track, sort, and refer to RFIs. Custom alphanumeric formats help differentiate RFI types and trades. You can reuse voided RFI numbers by appending identifiers such as "-void".

RFI numbering best practices

Project Administrators and RFI Managers can assign custom numbers to RFIs in the Open In review status. Then the RFIs go to reviewers.

Supported RFI numbering formats:

• Alphanumeric combinations, such as BID-1. To sort correctly, put letters before numbers.
• Multiple RFI numbering series, for example, BID-1 and ARCH-1.
• Custom numbering schemes with a maximum length of 15 characters.

RFI revision numbers

If you need to revise an RFI, we recommend that you duplicate the existing RFI and give the copy a new number that shows it's a revision of the original. You can then edit the copy as needed and take it through the process like a new RFI.

To sort correctly, use the RFI revision format X.1 when you create revision RFIs.

• Period-delimited names, like RFI-001.1, are the preferred method for related information requests.
• Using letters between number groups (for example, RFI-001-rev1 or RFI-001r1) can cause sorting issues.

For example, if the original RFI is numbered RFI-001, number the duplicate RFI-001.1 to show it's the first revision of RFI-001. If you need further revisions, number the next one RFI-001.2, and so on.

The following image compares the sort order of the two revision methods.