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Project References

Every project has at least one reference number. They’re how you find projects quickly — and how Arkata matches PA emails to the right one.

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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
Put the Internal Reference in your PA submissions. When the PA replies, Arkata can then match their email to the right project on its own.

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PA Reference

The PA Reference (e.g. PA/00123/24) is the official number the Planning Authority gives you after you submit.
“PA” here means Planning Authority, not the PA project type. Any project you submit to the Authority can have a PA Reference — a Regularisation, a DNO, a Dangerous Structure, and so on. It isn’t limited to Planning Application projects.
  • You type it in yourself, once the Authority assigns it
  • You can add it at any time — leave it blank until then
  • It’s the backup way Arkata matches incoming PA emails
  • Projects that never go to the Authority (GS, Other) simply won’t have one

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How references affect email matching

When an email arrives from the PA, Arkata tries to match it to a project using:
  1. Internal Reference (primary match)
  2. 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.