Case states & status flow
Every case status in TaxNotice.ai and what moves a case between them — Open, Drafting, Partner Review, Approved to Send, Sent to IRS, follow-up, and Closed.
Last updated 2026-06-24
Every case in TaxNotice.ai shows one case status that tells your firm where the work stands. The status is set by the case itself as it moves through the notice lifecycle — you don't set it by hand. This reference lists every status, what each one means, and exactly what moves a case to the next.
How case status works
A case carries a single status at a time, shown as a badge on the case and in the Notice Register and dashboards. The status advances only when the stage's gate is satisfied — for example, a case can't reach Drafting until evidence is ready, and can't be Sent to IRS until delivery proof is recorded. The same gates are why a status sometimes can't move yet: the case will name what is missing.
The statuses
| Status | What it means | What moves it forward |
|---|---|---|
| Open | The case exists and is being assigned to an owner; drafting hasn't started. | The preparer starts drafting once the evidence checklist is complete and any required POA is recorded. |
| Drafting | A Case Preparer is building the response package. | The package is validated, a reviewing partner is assigned, and it's submitted for review. |
| Partner Review | The submitted version is locked and with the partner. | The partner approves and signs it, or sends it back for revision. |
| Revision Requested | The partner returned the package with required changes. | The preparer reworks the draft and resubmits it for review. |
| Approved to Send | The partner has approved and signed; the package is ready for delivery. | Your team logs method-specific delivery proof. |
| Sent to IRS | The package was delivered and proof was recorded. | Response monitoring is activated for the case. |
| Awaiting IRS Response | The case is being monitored while you wait for the IRS. | The IRS response is logged — or a fresh submission restarts the cycle. |
| Response Decision | The IRS has responded (or action is required) and the firm is deciding the next move. | The firm closes the case, resets monitoring, requests more information, or starts a follow-up submission. |
| Closed | The matter is resolved or withdrawn; the case is read-only. | A formal reopen (with a reason) returns the case to active work. |
Getting to a sent response
The first run of statuses is the path from a new case to a delivered response:
Open → Drafting → Partner Review → Approved to Send → Sent to IRS.
This sequence has the firm's main control points built in. Drafting opens only when the case is ready. Partner Review is the gate where a partner — and only a partner — approves and signs. Approved to Send is not the same as sent: a case becomes Sent to IRS only after real delivery proof is recorded, which stops the pre-deadline reminders and starts monitoring.
Awaiting IRS Response
Once a response is out, the case sits in Awaiting IRS Response while TaxNotice.ai watches the expected reply window. Inside this status the case can take a few shapes that the Follow-up tab and the Notice Register make visible:
- Monitoring — simply waiting within the expected window.
- Escalated — the window passed with no IRS reply, so the case is flagged for a follow-up contact.
- Paused — the matter is waiting on taxpayer action, so monitoring is suspended with a reason.
- Follow-up in progress — your firm is actively working a follow-up step or another submission.
Response Decision
When the IRS answers, your team logs the response and the case moves to Response Decision, where the firm chooses what happens next:
- Close the case as resolved, with an outcome and client summary.
- Reset monitoring if the matter simply needs more time.
- Request more information or rework the response, which sends the case back through the drafting and review cycle on a new round of work.
- Start a follow-up submission when another response is needed.
Loops and reopens
The status flow isn't strictly one-way. A Revision Requested case loops back to Drafting. A Response Decision can send the case back through drafting and review for a second submission. And a Closed case is read-only until a formal reopen — which requires a reason and a triggering event, and never erases the original history.
Related
See case status on live work
TaxNotice.ai is opening to a small group of founding firms before launch. Request founding firm access to see your firm's cases move through these statuses.