The modify evidence function allows users to update person / prospect person and case evidence. The evidence information that can be modified is specific to the evidence type. Person / prospect person evidence types maintained on a case are considered case evidence and are maintained using the evidence modification process for that case.
When evidence updates are saved, the system validates the evidence information. The validations for modifying evidence can differ from the validations applied when adding new evidence (even when changing the same information). For case evidence which is awaiting case supervisor approval, a special validation warns the user of the pending approval. Evidence records that have been approved by the case supervisor but have not yet been activated cannot be modified. Modifications to person / prospect person evidence on the person tab evidence do not require approval as this evidence is automatically activated when saved.
Case evidence operates differently to person / prospect person evidence on the person tab when modified. When a user updates an active evidence record, the modifications are not automatically applied. Instead, a new, in edit evidence record is created with the modifications. The purpose of this record is to allow users to work on the evidence updates without impacting case processing as the active evidence remains intact. When an in edit evidence record is updated, the modifications are automatically applied to the existing evidence record. The in edit function does not apply to person / prospect person evidence on the person tab. Active evidence records modified at the person tab level are automatically updated on modification.
Two types of evidence changes can be made to evidence: evidence corrections and changes in circumstance. When person / prospect person evidence on the person tab is corrected, the corrected evidence record will automatically supersede the existing active record. When a case evidence record is corrected, an in edit evidence record with the corrections will supersede the active evidence record as part of the apply evidence changes process. A change in circumstance does not replace existing active evidence as the original evidence was correct for a given period of time but the new circumstance applies to the next period of time. For case evidence, an in edit evidence record which includes the changes in circumstance is created and activated in its own right.
For changes in circumstances, the effective date of change indicates the date on which the change in circumstances is effective. For example, the income amount for an income evidence record might go from 100 to 90. The effective date is the date on which the income amount was reduced. This style of evidence represents an evidence record that has a continuous timeline. For example, an income evidence may capture the details of the employer and the weekly amount of income the client receives. While the client is employed by that employer, the income may vary over time. On week 1 the income may be 40, on week 2, the income may be 100, week 3, 0 and week 4, back to 40 again. While on one of the weeks the income is '0', the client was still employed. Using 'effective date of change' would record each change in succession over the four week period. If however the client was no longer employed by that employer, the income record would be ended. If at a later date the client was employed once again by the same employer, a new income record would be created. This allows the user to see the income received for each instance the customer was employed.
When making an evidence correction, the effective date of change should not be entered and on some evidence types, particularly where 'from' dates are used, this option may not be available. The corrected record automatically applies to the same period as the active evidence record. For example, if an incorrect date of birth is recorded for a person, the caseworker can update the persons birth and death evidence and correct the date of birth. Typically bank account, birth and death, email address, identification, phone number, and relationships evidence types do not change over time. Therefore any modifications to these evidence types is a correction.
When a modified person / prospect person evidence record is saved all cases that use this modified evidence will the be reassessed.