NC Update Requests Proposal:
North Carolina follows the national guidance for Update Requests (URs). We encourage editors to use their best discretion when handling URs, particularly with regards to timing of responses, the use of reminder messages, and team handling.
Best Practices:
- Most editors in North Carolina follow the 1-4-8 open-reminder-close timeline for handling URs (sometimes referred to as 0-3-7), where an initial response is sent on Day 1 (with a goal of responding within 24 hours of receiving the UR), an optional reminder message is sent on Day 4 if no response is received (3 days after the UR is received) , and finally the UR closed on Day 8 if no further response is received (7 days after the UR is received, and at least 3 days after the last reminder or response is received).
- It is best practice to allow reporters 3 days to respond to any reply sent, even if this exceeds the typical 7-day close timeline.
- Reminder messages are discretionary in North Carolina. Most NC editors use them for the majority of URs, but there is no mandate to do so.
- Team handling is encouraged but not mandated in North Carolina. We encourage editors to become familiar with and build a rapport with their fellow NC editors, in particular Area Managers and State Managers, so that you are on the same page regarding UR handling methods and preferences, such as sending reminder messages on another editor's UR. If another editor has firsthand knowledge of the issue and can make the necessary corrections to the map to solve the reported issue, they are free to do so.
- The use of standardized comments such as those found in the URComments-Enhanced script may be beneficial, particularly to editors handling URs for the first time; however, there is no standardized list for NC or SAT, nor is there a mandate to use standardized comments of any form. NC editors are encouraged to tailor their responses to the specifics of the UR in question, which can lead to better response rates from reporters.