Parent Case versus child Inquiry in the Medical Inquiry data model
Key Takeaway
The parent Case drives the status ladder (Draft, Signed, Submitted, Assigned, Responded) through its record type and support process. The child Inquiry holds the inquiry data, such as the HCP signature and preferred response channel.
In the Medical Inquiries feature of Life Sciences Cloud, one medical inquiry is a pair of records: a parent Case and a child Inquiry that work together as one. The Case handles routing to Medical Science Liaison (MSL) queues, reporting, and the status ladder. The Inquiry holds the inquiry-specific data, such as the healthcare professional's (HCP's) digital signature and preferred response channel. When you know which record owns which job, you know where to configure a requirement.
What the Case and Inquiry each do
Every medical inquiry relies on the Case and Inquiry objects working together. Each object has its own Medical Inquiry record type, and the two record types control different things.
| Case (parent) | Inquiry (child) | |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Parent record | Feature container |
| Handles | Routing to MSL queues and reporting | Inquiry-specific data, such as the HCP digital signature and response channel preferences |
| Medical Inquiry record type | Works with the support process to drive the status ladder | Controls the page layouts, stage paths, and related lists that sales representatives and MSLs see |
The status ladder is Draft, Signed, Submitted, Assigned, and Responded.
Use this quick guide to place a requirement on the right record:
If a requirement is about routing to MSL queues, reporting, or the allowed status values...
It points to the Case record type and its support process.
If a requirement is about what users see on the record, such as the page layout, stage path, or related lists...
It points to the Inquiry record type.
If a requirement is about the HCP's signature or response preference...
It points to the Inquiry, because the Inquiry holds that data.
Priya is a consultant for a vaccine maker, and the medical affairs team sends her three requests. First, they want a weekly report of inquiries waiting in each MSL queue. Reporting and queue routing belong to the Case, so she works on the Case side. Second, sales representatives want to see the stage path while they work an inquiry. The Inquiry record type controls what users see, so she updates the Inquiry page layout. Third, an auditor asks where the HCP's digital signature is stored. Priya answers that the signature lives on the child Inquiry, not on the Case.