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Creating Risk Assessments

This guide walks you through the complete process of creating and managing risk assessments in the CGIAR Risk Intelligence Tool.

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Overview

The platform supports multiple ways to input data for risk assessments:
  • Upload Business Plan (Available now) - Automatically extract risk data from PDF documents
  • Guided Interview (Coming soon) - Interactive AI chatbot that collects data through Q&A
  • Manual Entry (Coming soon) - Direct input into comprehensive risk assessment forms

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Starting a New Assessment

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From your dashboard, click the “New Assessment” button in the top-right corner. This opens the assessment creation wizard.
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Enter Basic Information
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Provide the following details:
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  • Assessment Name: A descriptive name for tracking (e.g., “Kenya Dairy Farm 2026 Q1”)
  • Company/Business Name: The entity being assessed (e.g., “Sunrise Agro Ltd.”)
  • Company Type: Select from options including:
    • Startup
    • SME
    • Large Enterprise
    • NGO / Non-Profit
    • Cooperative
    • Government Agency
    • Other
  • Country: Currently locked to Kenya for the MVP
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    Auto-save as Draft: If you close the modal after entering basic information, the system automatically saves your work as a draft. You can resume drafts from the dashboard at any time.
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    Select Intake Mode
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    Choose how you want to provide information for the risk assessment:
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    Upload Business Plan (Available)
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    Best for organizations with existing business plans or project proposals in PDF format.
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    Supported formats: PDF only (up to 25 MB)
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    What it does:
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  • Automatically extracts financial data
  • Identifies risk factors across 7 categories
  • Analyzes business operations and market conditions
  • Generates comprehensive risk scores
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    Guided Interview (Coming Soon)
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    Interactive AI assistant that guides you through data collection with:
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  • Structured question & answer flow
  • Real-time validation
  • Auto-save progress
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    Manual Entry (Coming Soon)
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    Direct form input with:
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  • Full control over all fields
  • Bulk data entry capability
  • Offline capable

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    Uploading Business Plans

    Once you select “Upload Business Plan”, you’ll be redirected to the upload interface.
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    Upload Your PDF
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    You can upload files in two ways:
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  • Drag & Drop: Drag your PDF file directly into the green dropzone
  • Browse: Click “Browse Files” to select a file from your computer
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    Requirements:
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  • File format: PDF only
  • Maximum size: 25 MB
  • Content: Business plans, project proposals, financial reports
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    Monitor Upload Progress
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    Once you select a file, you’ll see:
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  • File name and size
  • Real-time upload progress bar (0-100%)
  • “Upload complete” confirmation when finished
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    Trigger AI Analysis
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    After upload completes:
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  • Click “Start Analysis” to begin AI processing
  • The system creates a parsing job and updates the assessment status to ANALYZING
  • You’ll be redirected to the assessment details page
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    Processing Time: AI analysis typically takes 3-8 minutes depending on document length and complexity. You can safely navigate away - the analysis continues in the background.

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    Tracking Assessment Progress

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    Assessment Statuses

    Assessments move through several status stages:
    StatusDescriptionWhat You Can Do
    DRAFTCreated but not yet submitted for analysisEdit details, add files, or delete
    ANALYZINGAI is processing your documentMonitor progress, view preliminary results
    ACTION_REQUIREDAnalysis needs your input to continueReview flagged items, provide clarification
    COMPLETEFull risk analysis and report readyView scores, download reports, add comments

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    Progress Indicators

    On the dashboard and assessment detail pages, you’ll see:
    • Progress bar: Visual 0-100% completion indicator
    • Status badge: Color-coded current status
    • Last updated: Timestamp of most recent activity
    • Version number: Tracks changes and updates

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    Managing Drafts

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    Resuming a Draft

    1. From the dashboard, locate drafts marked with DRAFT status
    2. Click the draft row or “Resume” button
    3. The creation wizard reopens with your saved information
    4. Continue from where you left off

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    Editing Assessment Details

    For active assessments (not yet complete):
    1. Navigate to the assessment detail page
    2. Click “Edit Details” in the header
    3. Update name, company information, or company type
    4. Click “Save Changes”
    Version Control: The system automatically increments the version number with each update to maintain a full audit trail.

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    Deleting Assessments

    To remove an assessment:
    1. Click the trash icon (🗑️) next to the assessment
    2. Confirm deletion in the dialog
    3. The assessment and all associated data are permanently removed
    Permanent Action: Deletion cannot be undone. Make sure you’ve exported any reports or data you need before deleting.

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    Adding Comments and Notes

    You can add comments to assessments at any stage:
    1. Navigate to the assessment detail page
    2. Scroll to the Comments section
    3. Type your note or observation
    4. Click “Add Comment”
    Comments include:
    • User email (who created it)
    • Timestamp
    • Full comment content
    Use comments to:
    • Document decisions or assumptions
    • Flag items for team review
    • Track changes or updates
    • Add context for future reference

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    Dashboard Statistics

    Your dashboard displays real-time statistics:
    • Total Assessments: All assessments you’ve created
    • Active: Currently being analyzed (ANALYZING status)
    • Drafts: Saved but not yet submitted
    • Completed: Finished assessments with full reports
    Use these metrics to track your workload and prioritize reviews.

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    Best Practices

    For best AI analysis results:
    • Use searchable PDFs (not scanned images)
    • Include complete financial statements when available
    • Ensure text is clear and well-formatted
    • Include relevant appendices and supporting documents
    • Combine related documents into a single PDF when appropriate
    Use clear, consistent assessment names:
    • Include organization name
    • Add time period or fiscal year
    • Reference project or initiative if applicable
    • Example: “[Company Name] - [Project] - [Quarter/Year]”
    • Check draft assessments weekly to prevent stale data
    • Review completed assessments quarterly
    • Update assessments when business conditions change significantly
    • Archive outdated assessments to keep dashboard clean

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    Troubleshooting

    • Check your internet connection
    • Verify PDF is under 25 MB
    • Try compressing the PDF if it’s too large
    • Ensure the file is a valid PDF (not corrupted)
    • Clear browser cache and try again
    • Normal processing: 3-8 minutes
    • Large documents may take up to 15 minutes
    • Check assessment status on dashboard for updates
    • If stuck for >20 minutes, contact support
    • You can safely close the browser - analysis continues
    • Check the status filter on dashboard
    • Use the search bar to find by name or company
    • Drafts appear at the top of the assessment list
    • Verify you’re logged in with the correct account

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    Next Steps

    Once your assessment completes:

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