State & local government · Moraph software

311 Omni-Channel Citizen Intake

Every resident request, from every channel, on one map and one work queue

Book a demonstrationRequest a technical briefingFactsheet

Overview

What you are buying

311 Omni-Channel Citizen Intake brings requests from phone, web, mobile app, email and monitored social media into one queue, places each one on the map, and routes it to the department and crew responsible. Work orders go to Public Works and other departments, and residents are told when their request is received, assigned and closed. Supervisors see open work by location, type and age, and every request keeps its full history.

The problem it solves

Most cities take service requests in several places at once: a call center, a web form, a mobile app, emails to council offices and posts on social media. Each channel has its own list, the same pothole is reported five times, and requests are re-keyed into departmental work order systems by hand. Residents rarely hear what happened, so they call again, and managers cannot see where requests are piling up or how long each department takes to close them.

  • Requests arrive in separate channels with no single list of open work
  • Duplicate reports of the same problem create duplicate work
  • Requests are re-keyed into departmental work order systems
  • Residents are not told what happened, so they call again

Who uses it

  • 311 and customer service center managers and agents
  • Public Works, sanitation, transportation and code enforcement departments
  • City and county managers and performance staff
  • Council offices that receive requests from constituents
  • Residents, who submit requests and follow them to closure

Requirements it supports

ADA Title II web accessibility rule (28 CFR Part 35, Subpart H)WCAG 2.1 Level AATitle VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and language access for people with limited English proficiencyTelephone Consumer Protection Act (47 U.S.C. 227), for text message updatesState public-records lawsYour records-retention schedules

The product supports these requirements; meeting them remains your organization’s responsibility.

See how it works

A short walkthrough

Illustrative screens with fictional sample data. They show the workflow, not any client’s data or configuration, and the layout of the product itself differs. A live demonstration uses the product with sample data.

  1. Step 1

    The intake queue

    Agents work one queue of new requests from every channel, with likely duplicates flagged before anything is routed.

    RequestChannelTypeLocationReceivedStatus
    SR-552301PhonePothole100 block, Sample Avenue8:04 a.m.New
    SR-552302Mobile appPothole100 block, Sample Avenue8:11 a.m.Possible duplicate
    SR-552304WebMissed trash pickup22 Example Lane8:15 a.m.Routed
    SR-552307Social mediaStreetlight outCorner of First and Main (fictional)8:20 a.m.New
    SR-552309EmailNoise complaintExample Park8:26 a.m.Routed
    Agents work one queue of new requests from every channel, with likely duplicates flagged before anything is routed.

  2. Step 2

    Creating a request

    The request type sets the questions, the map confirms the location, and nearby open requests are shown before a new one is created.

    Pothole · 100 block, Sample Avenue (fictional)

    Channel
    Mobile app
    Location
    Map pin, within city limits
    District
    District 3
    Size reported
    Larger than a dinner plate
    Photo
    1 attached

    Open requests nearby

    • SR-552301, pothole, 30 feet away, received today by phone
    • SR-551877, pothole, 400 feet away, assigned to Crew 12
    The request type sets the questions, the map confirms the location, and nearby open requests are shown before a new one is created.

  3. Step 3

    The department queue

    Public Works sees its requests on a map and a list, with target times, and assigns them to crews.

    RequestTypeDistrictLinked reportsTargetAssigned to
    SR-552301Pothole32Within targetUnassigned
    SR-551877Pothole31Within targetCrew 12
    SR-551640Sidewalk damage11Past targetCrew 4
    SR-551512Street sign down53Within targetCrew 7
    Public Works sees its requests on a map and a list, with target times, and assigns them to crews.

  4. Step 4

    Work in the field

    The crew records what was done, adds a photo and closes the request; linked reports close with it.

    SR-552301 · Pothole, 100 block Sample Avenue (fictional)

    Assigned
    Crew 12
    Arrived
    1:42 p.m.
    Work done
    Cold patch applied
    Photos
    Before and after
    Resolution
    Repaired

    Linked reports to close

    • SR-552302, mobile app
    • SR-552318, web
    The crew records what was done, adds a photo and closes the request; linked reports close with it.

  5. Step 5

    What the resident sees

    Each resident who reported the problem is updated at the steps they chose, and can reopen it if it is not fixed.

    Your request SR-552302 · Pothole (fictional)

    1. Received through the mobile appResident
    2. Linked to an earlier report of the same pothole311 agent
    3. Assigned to a Public Works crewDispatcher
    4. Repaired: cold patch applied, photo attachedField crew
    5. Update sent by text messageSystem
    Each resident who reported the problem is updated at the steps they chose, and can reopen it if it is not fixed.

  6. Step 6

    The supervisor's view

    Supervisors and managers see open work, ageing and time to close by department and request type.

    DepartmentOpenPast targetClosed this weekReopenedReturned
    Public Works: streets1842121264
    Sanitation623340112
    Transportation: signals and lights4795815
    Code enforcement95124127
    Parks2803301
    Supervisors and managers see open work, ageing and time to close by department and request type.

Workflows

The principal workflows

  1. Intake

    Requests from every channel arrive in one queue in a common format, with the location placed on the map and the request type chosen from your service catalog.

    • Resident reports by phone, web, mobile app, email or a monitored social channel
    • Agent or resident selects the request type, which sets the questions asked
    • Location is captured as an address, map pin or photo location and checked against your GIS
    • Possible duplicates nearby are shown before a new request is created
    • Resident receives a reference number and can choose how to be updated

  2. Route

    Routing rules use the request type and location to send each request to the department, district and crew responsible, and create a work order where the department uses its own system.

    • Request type and location matched to the responsible department and district
    • Work order created in the department's work order or asset system, or in the 311 queue
    • Target time for the request type shown on the request
    • Supervisor assigns or reassigns to a crew
    • Requests outside your jurisdiction referred to the right agency with a note to the resident

  3. Work

    Crews see their assigned requests on a map on a phone or tablet, record what they did with photos, and close the request or pass it back with a reason.

    • Crew opens the day's requests on the map
    • Crew records arrival, work done and photos
    • Request closed with a resolution code, or returned for another department
    • Linked duplicate requests closed with the parent
    • Status changes recorded with who made them and when

  4. Close the loop

    Residents are updated as their request moves, and managers see open work, ageing and outcomes by type, department and area.

    • Updates sent by email, text or app notification at each status change the resident chose
    • Resident can view status online with their reference number
    • Resident can reopen or comment if the problem is not fixed
    • Supervisors review requests past their target time
    • Managers review trends by type, district and department

Roles and permissions

Who does what in the product

Each role below is a starting point. During implementation we set them up to match your teams, and every action anyone takes is recorded in the audit trail.

Call center agent

311 agent, customer service representative, contact center specialist

Takes requests from residents, makes sure each one is complete and correctly located, and tells residents where existing requests stand.

Sees

  • The intake queue for phone, email and social channels
  • Open requests near a location, to check for duplicates
  • Request history and status for any request a resident asks about
  • The knowledge base for common questions

Does

  • Creates requests and completes the questions for the request type
  • Links a new report to an existing open request
  • Converts emails and social posts into requests
  • Updates residents on status and records the contact
  • Records interpreter use on phone requests

Cannot

  • Close requests that are assigned to a department
  • Change routing rules or the service catalog
  • See internal notes a department marks as restricted
Approvals
None needed; supervisors can review samples of their requests for quality.
Notified about
New items in the channel queues they cover, and resident replies on requests they created.

Department dispatcher

Public Works dispatcher, sanitation supervisor, transportation operations coordinator

Takes requests routed to their department and makes sure each one reaches a crew or is sent back with a reason.

Sees

  • Requests routed to their department, on a list and a map
  • Crew assignments and workloads
  • Requests approaching or past their target time
  • Linked work orders in the department's own system

Does

  • Assigns and reassigns requests to crews
  • Returns misrouted requests with a reason
  • Merges duplicates in their department's queue
  • Adds internal notes and changes status
  • Closes requests on behalf of crews where your process allows

Cannot

  • See requests for other departments, except shared types your setup allows
  • Change target times or routing rules
  • Delete requests
Approvals
Returned requests go back to the 311 supervisor to reroute.
Notified about
New requests routed to their department, requests nearing target time, and resident reopen requests.

Field crew

Equipment operator, maintenance worker, sanitation crew lead, inspector

Does the work in the field and records what was done so the resident and the department can see it.

Sees

  • Requests assigned to them or their crew, on a map
  • Request details, photos and location notes
  • Earlier work at the same location

Does

  • Records arrival and work done
  • Adds photos from the field
  • Closes requests with a resolution code
  • Flags work that needs another crew or department

Cannot

  • See resident contact details unless your setup allows it for the request type
  • Reassign requests to other crews
  • Edit a request after it is closed
Approvals
Closures can be reviewed by their dispatcher; flagged work is rerouted by the dispatcher.
Notified about
New assignments and changes to their assigned requests.

311 supervisor

311 manager, customer service manager, contact center supervisor

Runs the intake operation: the queue, routing, the service catalog and the quality of what residents are told.

Sees

  • Every request across all channels and departments
  • Ageing, misrouted and reopened requests
  • Agent workload and quality review results
  • The service catalog and routing rules

Does

  • Maintains request types, questions, routing rules and target times
  • Reroutes requests that were returned or misrouted
  • Writes and approves resident message templates and knowledge base articles
  • Reviews samples of agent requests for quality
  • Decides what appears on the public request map

Cannot

  • Delete requests or edit their history
  • Close a department's request without recording a reason
  • Edit audit trail entries
Approvals
Approves changes to the service catalog, routing rules and resident messages.
Notified about
Requests past target time, returned requests, reopen spikes and integration errors.

Performance analyst

Performance management analyst, budget analyst, data analyst

Uses request data to show where service is working and where it is not.

Sees

  • Request volumes, ageing and outcomes across departments
  • Request locations and trends on the map
  • Report definitions and saved views

Does

  • Builds and saves report views
  • Exports data for performance reporting
  • Publishes summary data to your open-data portal where you choose to

Cannot

  • Create, change or close requests
  • See resident contact details
  • Change routing or the service catalog
Approvals
Publication of request data to open-data portals follows your approval process.
Notified about
Scheduled reports they own.

Council office staff

Council aide, constituent services coordinator, district liaison

Submits requests for constituents and follows them, without needing to phone departments.

Sees

  • Requests in their district, on a list and a map
  • Status and public notes on those requests
  • Requests they submitted, wherever they are located

Does

  • Creates requests on behalf of constituents
  • Follows requests and receives status updates
  • Adds comments for the department

Cannot

  • Assign, reroute or close requests
  • Change target times or priority
  • See internal or restricted notes
Approvals
None; their requests follow the same routing as everyone else's.
Notified about
Status changes on requests they submitted or follow.

Administrator

IT application administrator, GIS and systems administrator

Manages users, integrations and settings, without taking part in request work.

Sees

  • Users, roles and department assignments
  • Integration status for channels, GIS and work order systems
  • The record of permission changes

Does

  • Adds and removes users, or maps them from single sign-on groups
  • Configures channels, GIS layers and work order connections
  • Runs access review reports

Cannot

  • Change the service catalog or routing rules without supervisor approval
  • Close or reassign requests
  • Edit audit trail entries
Approvals
Changes to department access are approved by the 311 supervisor.
Notified about
Integration and channel errors, access reviews coming due.

Permissions at a glance

ActionAgentDispatcherCrewSupervisorAnalystCouncil staffAdmin
Create requestsFullFullFullFullNo accessOwn work onlyNo access
Link and merge duplicatesFullOwn work onlyNo accessFullNo accessNo accessNo access
Assign requests to crewsNo accessOwn work onlyNo accessFullNo accessNo accessNo access
Record work and close requestsNo accessOwn work onlyOwn work onlyFullNo accessNo accessNo access
Reroute misrouted requestsNo accessNo accessNo accessFullNo accessNo accessNo access
See resident contact detailsFullOwn work onlyNo accessFullNo accessOwn work onlyNo access
Change service catalog and routingNo accessNo accessNo accessApprovesNo accessNo accessNo access
Edit resident message templatesNo accessNo accessNo accessApprovesNo accessNo accessNo access
View performance reportsNo accessOwn work onlyNo accessFullFullOwn work onlyNo access
Configure channels and integrationsNo accessNo accessNo accessView onlyNo accessNo accessFull
View audit trailNo accessNo accessNo accessView onlyNo accessNo accessView only
Manage users and rolesNo accessNo accessNo accessApprovesNo accessNo accessFull
  • Full
  • Own work only
  • Approves
  • View only
  • No access

How access is controlled

  • Departments see their own work by default. Shared request types, such as a tree blocking a street light, can be visible to more than one department when you set them up that way.
  • Roles are configured with you during implementation. You can rename them, add custom roles, and limit them by department, district or channel.
  • Resident contact details are shown only to roles that need them to do their work, and every view of a request's contact details is recorded in the audit trail.
  • Staff sign in through your identity provider and roles can follow its groups. Residents do not need an account to submit a request or check its status.

Features

What it does

One queue for every channel

Phone, web, mobile app, email and monitored social media requests in the same queue, each marked with the channel it came from.

Service catalog

Request types with their own questions, routing, target times and resident-facing descriptions, maintained by your staff.

Map-based intake

Locations checked against your GIS address points and boundaries, with map pins for places without an address.

Duplicate detection

Open requests of the same type nearby are shown at intake, so a new report can be linked to an existing one instead of creating new work.

Routing rules

Requests sent to the right department, district and crew by type and location, with manual reassignment recorded.

Work order handoff

Work orders created in the department's own work order or asset management system, with status flowing back to the request.

Agent workspace

Call center agents search existing requests, create new ones, and answer common questions from a knowledge base on one screen.

Crew mobile view

Crews see assigned requests on a map, record work and photos, and close requests from the field, including where coverage is poor and work is synced later.

Resident updates

Residents choose to receive updates by email, text or app notification when their request is received, assigned and closed.

Public request map

An optional public map of open and recently closed requests, showing only the details you choose to publish.

Multilingual intake

The web and app forms and resident messages can be offered in the languages you configure, with interpreter use recorded on phone requests.

Performance views

Open requests, ageing and time to close by type, department and district, for supervisors and managers.

Integrations

How it connects to your systems

Connects toHowWhat flows
Telephony and contact centerCalls to 311 open the agent workspace with the caller's number, and the call is linked to the request where your phone system supports it.In: caller number and call identifier. Out: request reference for the call record.
GISAddress points, parcels, districts and service boundaries are read from your GIS to validate locations and drive routing.In: address points, boundaries and asset layers. Out: request locations as a map layer.
Work order and asset managementWork orders are created in the department's work order or asset management system, and their status flows back to the request.Out: work orders with location and details. In: status, crew and completion notes.
Open311 GeoReport v2Requests can be submitted and read through the Open311 GeoReport v2 standard, so third-party apps and other tools can connect.In and out: service list, requests and status in the GeoReport v2 format.
Email and text messagingResident updates are sent through your email service and a text messaging provider, only to residents who opted in.Out: status messages. In: replies, opt-outs and delivery status.
Social media monitoringPosts and messages addressed to your official accounts can be brought into the queue for an agent to convert into a request.In: posts and direct messages to your official accounts.
Single sign-onStaff sign in through your identity provider (SAML or OpenID Connect).In: user identity and group membership for role assignment.
Work API and open dataRequest data available to your data warehouse, performance dashboards or open-data portal through the Moraph Work API.Out: requests, status, locations and outcomes, with resident details removed for open data.

Each integration is confirmed in discovery and specified in the design. See how an engagement progresses.

Security and privacy

How your data is protected

Resident details protected

Names, phone numbers and emails are shown only to roles that need them, and never on the public map or in open data.

Staff single sign-on

Staff sign in through your identity provider, so your own password and multi-factor policies apply.

Role-based access

Each person sees requests for their department, district or channel, as their role allows.

Encryption and keys

Requests, photos and resident details are encrypted, with keys Moraph staff cannot use without explicit, time-bound authorization.

Complete audit trail

Every creation, status change, assignment and view of contact details is logged with the person and time, and cannot be edited.

US hosting

Data for US government clients is hosted only in Moraph's United States region, under the controls covered by Moraph's SOC 2 Type II report and ISO/IEC 27001 certification.

Company-wide controls, independent audits (SOC 2 Type II and ISO/IEC 27001) and data residency are described in our Trust Center, where you can request the evidence pack.

Reporting

What you can report on

10 standard reports, grouped by who uses them. Each shows who it is for, how it can be broken down, how it is delivered and what it is used for. The data behind them is also available to your own reporting tools.

Operations

Open requests by age

For 311 supervisor and department dispatchers

Every open request with its type, department, district, age and target time, oldest first.

Break down by
Department, Request type, District, Age band, Status
Delivered as
Live dashboard; CSV export
Used for
Finding work that is stuck and reassigning it.

Past target time

For department dispatchers, 311 supervisor and department heads

Requests that have passed the target time set for their type, with who they are assigned to.

Break down by
Department, Request type, Crew, District
Delivered as
Live dashboard; scheduled email
Used for
Daily follow-up on overdue work.

Misrouted and returned requests

For 311 supervisor

Requests returned by a department or rerouted, with the reason given.

Break down by
Request type, Original department, Reason, Period
Delivered as
Live dashboard; CSV export
Used for
Fixing routing rules and request types that send work to the wrong place.

Channel volume

For 311 supervisor and contact center managers

Requests received by channel and hour, and how many were linked to an existing request.

Break down by
Channel, Request type, Hour and day, Period
Delivered as
Live dashboard; CSV export
Used for
Staffing the call center and seeing how residents prefer to report.

Service performance

Time to close

For department heads, managers and performance staff

Time from receipt to closure for closed requests, against the target time for each type.

Break down by
Department, Request type, District, Period
Delivered as
Live dashboard; PDF for management reports; CSV export
Used for
Seeing which services meet their targets and where they slip.

Requests by area

For managers, council offices and performance staff

Requests on the map and by district, with clusters of repeated problems at the same location.

Break down by
District, Request type, Neighborhood, Period
Delivered as
Live map; CSV export
Used for
Planning maintenance and spotting areas that need attention.

Reopened requests

For 311 supervisor and department heads

Requests that residents reopened after closure, with their comments and the original resolution.

Break down by
Department, Request type, Crew, Period
Delivered as
Live dashboard; CSV export
Used for
Checking that closed means fixed.

District summary for council offices

For council members and their staff

Requests received, open and closed in a district, by type, with ageing.

Break down by
Request type, Status, Period
Delivered as
Scheduled email; PDF
Used for
Keeping council offices informed about service in their district.

Quality and audit

Agent quality review

For 311 supervisor

Sampled requests reviewed for correct type, location and resident information, with findings by agent.

Break down by
Agent, Channel, Finding, Period
Delivered as
Live dashboard; CSV export
Used for
Coaching agents and improving the service catalog.

Request history extract

For 311 supervisor, records officers and attorneys

The full history of a selected request or set of requests, including channels, assignments, notes, photos and resident messages.

Break down by
Request, Location, Date range, User
Delivered as
On request; PDF and CSV export
Used for
Answering public-records requests and claims, such as a pothole damage claim, with the full record.

Exports, access and evidence

  • Every report can be exported to CSV, and summary reports to PDF. Reports can be scheduled by email to the staff and council offices entitled to see them.
  • Filters can be saved, so a dispatcher, department head or council aide can keep their own views.
  • Request data is available through the Moraph Work API for your data warehouse or performance dashboards, and a version without resident details can feed your open-data portal.
  • Reports respect each viewer's role: departments see their own requests, council offices see their district, and resident contact details never appear in summary reports.
  • Running and exporting a report is recorded in the audit trail.

Deployment

Where and how it runs

Moraph cloud

Hosted and operated by Moraph in the United States region.

Dedicated environment

Single-tenant hosting where your policies require it, scoped in the proposal.

Phased by department

Start with the departments that receive the most requests, such as Public Works and sanitation, and add others in later phases.

With a managed service

Optionally run with a Moraph managed service for service catalog changes, integration monitoring and platform administration.

Security controls, independent audits and data residency are set out in our Trust Center. Engagement models and what drives a quotation are on Working with Moraph.

Implementation

What a rollout involves

The general phases are on Working with Moraph. For this product, they involve the following.

Service catalog design

We work with your 311 team and departments to define request types, questions, routing and target times. We need your current request lists and each department's contact.

GIS connection

Address points, districts, service boundaries and relevant asset layers are connected from your GIS and checked for coverage.

Channel setup

Phone, web, mobile app, email and social channels are connected, and the web form and app are branded and tested for accessibility.

Work order integration

Connections to departmental work order and asset systems are built and tested with each department's own data.

Data migration

Open requests are migrated from your current systems, and history is migrated or linked where the source data allows.

Training and launch

Agents, dispatchers, crews and council offices are trained on their own tasks, and departments can go live in stages.

Limitations

What it does not do

Worth knowing before you evaluate it.

  • It is not a 911 or emergency dispatch system. Emergency calls must continue to go to 911, and the forms tell residents so.
  • It is not a telephone system. Calls are handled by your existing phone or contact center platform, which is integrated.
  • Status updates depend on departments recording progress. Where a department's own work order system is used, updates arrive as that system reports them.
  • Social media monitoring covers posts and messages addressed to your official accounts; it does not scan general public conversation.
  • Location validation is only as good as the address and boundary data in your GIS, which your GIS staff maintain.
  • Text message updates are sent only to residents who opt in, through a messaging provider under your agreement or Moraph's.
  • Duplicate detection suggests likely matches; staff decide whether to link them.
  • Translations of forms and messages into additional languages are provided by you or a translation service you choose.

Evaluation checklist

What to test in a demonstration or pilot

Questions worth putting to us, and to any other vendor you are considering.

  1. Submit the same pothole through phone, web and the app and see how the duplicates are handled
  2. Route a sample request to a department and follow it to a work order in that department's system
  3. Close a request as a crew on a phone and check what the resident receives
  4. Check location validation against a few difficult addresses from your own GIS
  5. Ask a council aide to find the open requests in their district
  6. Review which roles can see a resident's contact details and confirm it matches your policy

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Do departments have to give up their work order systems?

No. Requests can create work orders in a department's existing work order or asset system, with status flowing back. Departments without a system can work requests directly in 311.

Do residents need an account?

No. Residents can submit and check requests with a reference number. They can create an account in the app or on the web if they want to see all their requests in one place.

Can third-party apps submit requests?

Yes, through the Open311 GeoReport v2 interface, for the request types you choose to expose.

How are anonymous reports handled?

You decide by request type whether contact details are required, optional or not collected. Anonymous reporters can still check status with their reference number.

Is the public form and app accessible?

They are designed to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA, the standard the ADA Title II web rule adopts. An accessibility conformance report is available on request through How to Buy.

How is it priced?

As a subscription, usually based on population served or request volume, with implementation and integrations charged separately. See Working with Moraph for what drives a quotation.

Next steps

Evaluate 311 Omni-Channel Citizen Intake

Book a demonstration

See the product working with sample data, focused on your workflows.

Request a demonstration

Request a technical briefing

Architecture, integrations, security and hosting, with our engineers and your technical team.

Request a briefing

Factsheet

This page on two sides, to share with colleagues or add to your evaluation file.

Open the factsheet

Buying through a formal procurement? See How to buy for purchasing routes, accessibility conformance reports and company information. Documentation: 311 Omni-Channel Citizen Intake guides on docs.moraph.com (getting started and security guides are public; setup, administration and integration guides are for client accounts). Support: 311 Omni-Channel Citizen Intake support guide.

Related products