Project References
Every project in Arkata has at least one reference number. Understanding these helps you find projects quickly and is important for how email automation works.
Internal Reference
The Internal Reference (e.g. INT-0042) is automatically generated when you create a project. You cannot change it.
- It’s unique across your entire firm
- It’s the primary way Arkata identifies projects internally
- It’s the main matching key when emails arrive from the Planning Authority
Use the Internal Reference when communicating with the PA in your submissions. This makes it easier for Arkata’s email automation to match incoming correspondence to the right project.
PA Reference
The PA Reference (e.g. PA/00123/24) is the official number assigned by the Planning Authority after you submit an application.
- You add this manually once the PA assigns it
- Not all projects will have one (e.g. GS or Other projects)
- Used as a secondary matching key for email automation
How references affect email matching
When an email arrives from the PA, Arkata tries to match it to a project using:
- Internal Reference (primary match)
- PA Reference (fallback for certain email types like RFI)
If neither reference can be matched, the email is flagged for manual review rather than being filed automatically.
