How do I Submit Projects to the DNO (ENA Portal Integration)

1. Overview

Jumptech’s integration with the Energy Networks Association (ENA) Connect Direct portal allows you to seamlessly submit, track, and manage Distribution Network Operator (DNO) applications for Low Carbon Technologies (LCT), such as EV chargers, solar PV, battery storage, and heat pumps, directly within the platform.

This guide details the complete application lifecycle: how to process new applications, track their progress, handle communications, and modify submitted applications using the integrated amendment workflow.

2. How to Process Applications (Step-by-Step)

Processing a DNO application involves preparing your site data, uploading mandatory hardware documentation, and submitting the request to the ENA Connect Direct portal.

Step 1: Navigate to the DNO Application Tab

For every applicable project, a dedicated DNO Application tab is available.

• Open the relevant project and select the DNO Application tab.

• The initial status of any new application will always display as Not Sent.

Step 2: Complete the Application Form

While the application is in the Not Sent stage, the form is fully open and editable. Complete all required fields accurately:

• Core Identification Data: Input the MPAN, MPRN, Customer Address, and Main Address. Double-check these entries carefully; they serve as unique network identifiers and lock permanently once submitted.

• Add Equipment and Site Specs: Use the form configuration controls (Add, Remove, Duplicate, or Enter Manually) to accurately declare the specific technologies being installed. If a device is not on the default list, click Enter Device Manually to fill in the requested hardware information.

• Upload Cutout Images: Click the Cutout image edit pencil to upload and crop necessary photographs of the property’s physical fuse cutout. Ensure these photos are clear and legible to prevent the system from flagging your application for manual engineering reviews.

Step 3: Submit to the DNO

Once the form is thoroughly filled out, click Submit Application. The platform packages your data and transmits it securely to the ENA Connect Direct portal.

Step 4: Track the Application Status

After submission, the platform continuously tracks the lifecycle of the file. You can monitor these states from the DNO tab or by using the DNO Application Status filter dropdown on the main Projects page. You will see the application transition through various real-time statuses, including:

• Not Sent: The draft stage before submission.

• Submitted: Safely received by the system and awaiting automated or manual validation.

• Submitted (Escalated to DNO): Passed directly to a local DNO engineer for complex scenarios, such as looped utility supplies or fuse upgrade requests.

• In Review: Actively being assessed by utility administrators (or rejected if more information is required).

• Approved / Auto-Approved: Granted permission to proceed with the asset installation.

• Failed / Rejected: Returned by the network due to data discrepancies, invalid imagery, or grid capacity limits.

• More information required: The network requires further details before proceeding.

3. Managing System Communication & Project Views

ENA Application Comments (Two-Way Communication)

The ENA application inside the DNO tab includes a Comments section. This acts as a live, two-way message thread between the installer and the DNO on that specific application. It lets users ask questions or provide extra information without amending or resubmitting the entire application, allowing the DNO to respond directly in Pathway. Comments are exchanged with the DNO through the ENA Connect Direct integration.

• Configuration: No configuration is needed. This feature is always available.

• Where to Find It: Go to the Project page and open the DNO Application tab. The Comments section appears as a collapsible card within the application, showing a count in the header (for example, "3 comments"). It appears only after an application has been sent to the DNO. There is no comments section while the application status is Not Sent.

How the Comments Feature Works

• Viewing Comments: Comments are listed oldest-first. Each comment displays the author's name, its origin (such as "You" for the logged-in user, "Pathway" for another user in your company tenant, or "DNO"), and a date and time stamp.

• Adding a Comment: Type into the "Add a comment" box and click Add comment (or press Enter; use Shift plus Enter to add a new line). Empty or whitespace-only comments cannot be sent. The comment is transmitted directly to the DNO via Connect Direct and appears in the thread straight away.

• Length Limit: Up to 5,000 characters by default.

• Comments from the DNO: DNO replies return through the Connect Direct integration and load into the thread whenever the application data refreshes (such as when opening or reloading the DNO tab). There is no automated notification or unread badge, so users must routinely check the thread manually.

• Editing and Deleting: This is not possible. Once posted, a comment is permanent and read-only for you, other Pathway users, and the DNO alike.

• Input Box Availability: Controlled by the system backend per application. It is generally available on any application sent to the DNO, but it is hidden on archived or redacted applications, where existing comments simply remain visible as read-only.

• Failed to Send: If a comment fails to post due to a connection issue or because the DNO is no longer accepting comments on that file, an error is shown and your typed text is preserved so you can try sending it again.

• Key Context: Comments belong to a specific application version, not the overall project. Starting a new application will start a completely fresh comment thread. They are also entirely separate from internal project Notes; Notes stay within your team, whereas ENA comments go directly to the DNO.

Secure Project Switching

When navigating between separate installations in Jumptech, switching projects triggers a clean data load accompanied by a loading spinner on the DNO tab. This ensures you always view the correct, isolated data for the active project, eliminating any latency risks or cached data leaks from previously viewed records. The application data remains completely synchronised with the DNO network.

4. Modifying Existing Submissions (The Amendment Process)

If the DNO returns, rejects, or asks for changes to your application, you can edit it directly. Instead of cluttering your dashboard with duplicate copies, you make your updates right on the original submission. This keeps your entire project history organised and in one place.

The Default Read-Only State

To prevent accidental changes to submitted records, any application requiring changes is Read-Only by default. Form fields, configuration actions (Add, Remove, Duplicate, or Enter Manually), and standard submission controls remain hidden until an explicit amendment session is initiated.

Step-by-Step Amendment Workflow

The basic progression follows these stages: verify eligibility, click amend, unlock the form, modify permitted fields, and finally submit the amendment.

Step 1: Verify Amendment Eligibility

The system automatically evaluates whether an application can be updated. An Amend button will appear on the application tab only if the DNO has flagged that specific submission as amendable, and the application sits in one of the following Connect Direct statuses:

• Auto-Approved or (Re) Auto-Approved

• DNO Approved or DNO Approved with Limit

• Failed, Failed - Too Large, or Failed - Invalid Cut-Out Image

• Image Scan Failed

• Further Information Required

• Commissioning Submitted

Step 2: Open the Session

Click Amend. An informational banner will immediately display at the top of your screen:

"You are amending a submitted application. Click Submit Amendment to send your changes to the DNO."

This action unlocks the editable sections of the form and reveals the Cutout image edit pencil.

Step 3: Modify Allowed Fields

Correct the elements called out by the DNO reviewers. Take note of the platform's structural constraints regarding what can and cannot be changed:

Step 4: Finalise Your Changes

Two dedicated controls govern the end of your editing session:

• Submit Amendment: Opens a confirmation window. Once confirmed, the updated package goes back to the DNO, the application status reverts to Submitted while under review, and an audit log reading "DNO Application Amended" is written to the project timeline.

• Cancel Amendment: Discards all session modifications instantly, returning the application to its locked, read-only state.

Important Tab Behaviour Note: Navigating away from the DNO tab to another area of the platform while actively editing will silently cancel your amendment session. Always submit or manually cancel your session before changing tabs.

5. Advanced Scenarios & Data Exceptions

Handling Amendment Failures

If the DNO rejects your submitted corrections, a notification banner appears at the top of the tab:

"The last amendment attempt failed: [Category supplied by DNO]"

This error layout is purely informational. Review the reason provided; you can click Amend again to fix the issue, or click Start New Application to wipe the slate clean.

Non-Amendable Applications

If a rejected application does not meet the DNO’s criteria for adjustments, the Amend option will remain hidden. In these circumstances, your path forward is to click Start New Application to establish an entirely fresh profile.

Redacted and Archived Applications (GDPR Requirements)

When an application's personal data is scrubbed or removed by the DNO, typically due to GDPR guidelines or corporate retention limits, the system updates dynamically:

• A notification banner states: "The DNO has archived this application. No further amendments can be made."

• The Amend tool is permanently disabled, the form is locked, and automatic system polling ceases.

• Allowed Paths: Historical DNO Comments remain visible for review, and you can click Start New Application to process a clean, replacement file.

6. General Support & Troubleshooting FAQ

Q: Why are the form options and input boxes completely hidden on my rejected application?

A: Submitted and rejected applications stay read-only by default to preserve historical records. To make updates, look for and click the Amend button to enter editing mode, or select Start New Application to begin a fresh submission.

Q: Why can I not find the "Amend" button on a rejected application?

A: The DNO evaluates applications individually to verify if they can be modified. If the DNO passes a non-amendable flag or if the application status falls outside permitted guidelines, the button is hidden. You must click Start New Application instead.

Q: What happened to the traditional "Resubmit" option?

A: The traditional resubmission loop has been replaced entirely by the integrated Amend to Submit Amendment workflow to ensure changes tie directly back to the original application ID in the DNO database without generating duplicate clones.

Q: I am inside active Amendment mode, but the MPAN, MPRN, and address fields are still greyed out. Why?

A: These fields define the core structural location of the utility link. The DNO does not permit identity corrections on an existing folder. If a typo occurred on an ID or address during the original submission, cancel your amendment session and click Start New Application.

Q: Why did the DNO comments stop working after an application was archived?

A: Comments remain available on almost all application states except for files that were left as Not Sent prior to archiving or data scrubbing.

Q: What does the "Archived by DNO" banner mean?

A: This indicates that the DNO has scrubbed the data payload, usually due to GDPR or corporate data expiration rules. Because the record is archived, amendments are closed. Use Start New Application to establish a fresh submission link.

Q: When I switch projects, I occasionally see data details from the previous project for a split second. Is this normal?

A: The system deploys a structural loading spinner to overwrite local browser cache memory during project changes. If extreme local connection latency causes old data elements to briefly ghost on your screen, simply refresh your web browser page to force a clean visual sync.

Q: Why can I not see the Comments section at all?

A: The application has not been sent to the DNO yet (status is Not Sent), or the comments feature is not enabled for your tenant or specific application type.

Q: Why can I see historical comments but the comment box is missing?

A: The input box is system-controlled. Most commonly, this means the application has been archived or redacted by the DNO, turning the message thread into a permanent, read-only file.

Q: I posted a comment with a mistake, can it be edited or deleted?

A: No. Comments are permanent and cannot be altered once sent. You should submit a follow-up comment outlining the correction.

Q: The DNO says they replied to my message but I cannot see it in the thread.

A: Refresh or reload your project DNO tab. Incoming DNO comments only load when the application data refreshes. If it still does not appear after a reload, escalate the issue to support.

Q: Do I get an alert or email notification when the DNO adds a comment?

A: No. There are no automated notifications, flags, or unread badges for new comments. You must look at the DNO Application tab manually to check for updates.

Q: My comment failed to send, is my typed text lost?

A: No. The system retains your text inside the input box so you can attempt to resend it. If it fails repeatedly, check to confirm the application state has not changed or been archived.

Q: I cannot submit the DNO application at all. Why?

A: The platform uses built-in logic to validate your form before submission. For example, if you set the property supply as single-phase but selected a three-phase device preference, the system will block submission until the conflicting answers are resolved.

Q: Can we restrict the DNO workflow so it only shows at a specific stage in our project flow?

A: While it is highly advised to keep this tab active from the beginning of your project lifecycle, your system administrator can configure it to trigger at a specific stage if required.

Q: How do I submit a Notification only?

A: Since the launch of the Connect Direct portal, the ENA no longer accepts standalone notifications. A full application per project is required.

Q: If I need to speak directly to the ENA or DNO, is there a reference number?

A: Yes. A dedicated reference number is displayed directly inside your application tab once the file is generated. Quote this reference in any direct communication to speed up the review process.

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