Overview

A deficiency is a documented issue found at a site. This might be a violation, a failed BMP, a pollution source, or any condition that needs corrective action. Deficiencies are the core tracking mechanism for compliance issues in SwiftComply Stormwater.

Deficiency statuses

Deficiencies have two statuses:

Open: the deficiency has been identified but not yet resolved.
Resolved: the deficiency has been addressed with resolution notes and optional resolution photos.

Deficiency fields

Each deficiency includes:

Name: a short title describing the issue (required).
Description: detailed description.
Deficiency Level: severity classification (required).
Corrective Action: what needs to be done. Free text or selected from predefined options.
Assignees: users responsible for resolving the deficiency.
Due Date: target resolution date.
BMP: link to a specific BMP on the Site Map if applicable.
Coordinates: GPS location for map display.
Images: photos documenting the deficiency (organized by category: identification, resolution, follow-up).

Deficiency levels

Deficiency levels define severity classifications and are configured by your administrator under Settings > Deficiency Levels. Each level has a name (for example, Critical, High, Medium, Low) and an optional resolution deadline in days.

Where deficiencies appear

Site detail page: Recent deficiencies section.
Deficiencies list: click Deficiencies in the left sidebar to see all deficiencies across all sites.
Within inspection reports: composite deficiency fields let inspectors create and update deficiencies during inspections.
On the Site Map: deficiencies with GPS coordinates appear as markers.
Analytics: deficiency aging, outstanding, and trend reports.

Audit trail

Every deficiency has a complete activity log tracking:

Creation (who, when)
Level changes (from one level to another)
Image additions (identification, resolution, follow-up)
Follow-up notes
Resolution and unresolve events
Emails sent to external parties

Each log entry records the user (or public resolver if emailed externally) and timestamp.

Sharing a deficiency externally

You can share a deficiency with someone outside your organization (for example, a facility owner or contractor) by emailing it from the deficiency's detail page. The email includes a public access link that lets the recipient view the deficiency without logging in.

When sending the email, you can also toggle on Allow Deficiency Resolution From Email? so the recipient can resolve the deficiency themselves through the same link, submitting resolution notes, photos, and marking it resolved. See Creating, Assigning, and Resolving a Deficiency for step-by-step instructions.

The public access link is generated automatically when you email a deficiency. There is no separate "share" button or settings page. The link is part of the outgoing email to the recipient.

FAQ

Q: Can a deficiency be linked to a BMP?

A: Yes. Deficiencies can be linked to BMPs on the Site Map. If a BMP is deleted, linked deficiencies are automatically resolved.

Q: What happens when a deficiency is resolved?

A: The resolver's name, email, resolution date, and resolution notes are recorded. Resolution images can be uploaded. The deficiency status changes to Resolved.

Q: Can I reopen a resolved deficiency?

A: Yes. Click Unresolve on a resolved deficiency to reopen it. The resolution data is cleared and the deficiency returns to Open status.

Q: How do I share a deficiency with an external party?

A: Open the deficiency and email it from the deficiency detail page. The email includes a public access link for the recipient. Optionally toggle on Allow Deficiency Resolution From Email? so they can resolve it through the same link.