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Issuer Guide

Issuers review and approve credential requests from improvers. Credentials gate access to workflow roles, ensuring only qualified improvers can claim specific types of work. This guide covers managing credential scopes and processing requests.

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Getting Started

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Requesting Issuer Access

1

Navigate to Settings

Go to /settings and request issuer status if you’re not already approved.
2

Wait for Admin Approval

An admin will review your request and assign issuer role with specific credential scopes.
3

Access the Issuer Panel

Once approved, navigate to /issuer to see your credential scope and pending requests.
Admin approval includes assigning which credential types you can grant. You can only approve requests for credentials in your scope.

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Understanding Credentials

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What Are Credentials?

Credentials are qualifications that improvers earn to access specific workflow roles. Examples:
  • dpw_certified: Department of Public Works certification
  • sfluv_verifier: SFLUV community verifier status
Proposers require specific credentials for workflow roles. Improvers can only claim steps in roles matching their active credentials.

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Credential Scopes

Your issuer scope determines which credential types you can grant or revoke:
  • Personal Scopes: Most issuers have specific credentials they can manage
  • Admin Scope: Admins can manage all credential types
1

View Your Scope

In the issuer panel, the “Your Credential Scope” card shows which credentials you can grant.
2

Understand Limitations

You can only see and approve requests for credentials in your scope.

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Reviewing Credential Requests

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Viewing Pending Requests

1

Navigate to Credential Requests Section

In the issuer panel, scroll to the “Credential Requests” card.
2

Use Filters

Filter requests by:
  • Status: All, Pending, Approved, Rejected
  • Credential Type: All, or specific credentials in your scope
3

Search Requests

Use the search box to find requests by requester name or email.
4

Navigate Pages

Use Previous/Next buttons to browse through requests (20 per page).

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Understanding Request Information

Each request card shows:
  • Requester Name: Improver’s display name
  • Requester Email: Improver’s verified email
  • Credential Type: Which credential they’re requesting
  • Request Date: When the request was submitted
  • Status Badge: Pending (yellow), Approved (green), or Rejected (red)

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Opening Request Details

1

Click a Request Card

Open the request details modal.
2

Review Requester Information

The modal shows:
  • Requester name and email
  • Requester user ID (for record-keeping)
  • Credential type being requested
  • Current status

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Approving or Rejecting Requests

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Making a Decision

1

Verify Qualifications

Before approving, verify the improver meets requirements for this credential:
  • Check training completion
  • Verify certifications
  • Confirm identity (if required)
  • Review past work quality (if applicable)
  • Consult with credential-specific criteria
2

Open Request Details

Click on a pending request to open the modal.
3

Change Approval Status

In the “Change Approval Status” dropdown, select:
  • Pending: Keep in review queue
  • Approved: Grant the credential
  • Rejected: Deny the credential
4

Save Changes

Click “Save Changes” to record your decision.
5

Improver Notified

The improver’s credential status updates immediately:
  • Approved: Credential added to their active credentials
  • Rejected: Request marked as rejected (improver can request again)
Approving a credential grants immediate access to all workflow roles requiring that credential. Ensure requesters are qualified.

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Changing Previous Decisions

You can change approval status even after initial decision:
1

Find the Request

Use filters to find approved or rejected requests.
2

Open Request Details

Click to open the modal.
3

Change Status

Select a different status from the dropdown:
  • Pending: Move back to review queue
  • Approved: Grant or re-grant credential
  • Rejected: Deny or revoke credential
4

Save Changes

The new status takes effect immediately.
Changing an approved request to rejected effectively revokes the credential from the improver.

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Revoking Credentials

To revoke a credential from an improver:
1

Find Approved Request

Filter by “Approved” status and search for the improver.
2

Open Request Details

Click to open the modal.
3

Change to Rejected

Select “Rejected” from the status dropdown.
4

Save Changes

The credential is immediately revoked.The improver:
  • Loses access to roles requiring this credential
  • Cannot claim new steps in those roles
  • Retains existing claimed steps (not automatically released)
Credential revocation does NOT automatically release existing step claims. The improver can complete already-claimed work.

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Granting Credentials Directly

Currently, credentials are granted via the request approval flow. Direct credential granting (without a request) uses these endpoints:
  • POST /issuers/credentials - Issue credential to a user
  • DELETE /issuers/credentials - Revoke credential from a user
  • GET /issuers/credentials/{user_id} - View user’s credentials
  • GET /issuers/users/by-address/{address} - Look up user by wallet address
Direct credential management via API is available for programmatic integrations and bulk operations.

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Best Practices for Issuers

Establish and document requirements for each credential:
  • Training or certification requirements
  • Work experience or references
  • Identity verification process
  • Renewal or review schedules
Consistent criteria ensure fair and reliable credentialing.
Process credential requests quickly:
  • Review pending requests regularly
  • Communicate with requesters if more information is needed
  • Avoid bottlenecking improver onboarding
  • Set expectations for review timelines
Don’t rubber-stamp requests:
  • Check training completion
  • Verify certifications are current
  • Confirm identity when required
  • Review work history if available
  • Use judgment and due diligence
Keep records of approval rationale:
  • Note verification steps completed
  • Record any concerns or special conditions
  • Track renewal dates or review schedules
  • Document reasons for rejection
Stay engaged with credentialed improvers:
  • Track work quality via workflow submissions
  • Review complaints or issues
  • Revoke credentials if standards aren’t maintained
  • Provide feedback and coaching
  • Update credential requirements as needed
Keep improvers informed:
  • Set expectations for approval timeline
  • Explain rejection reasons
  • Provide guidance on reapplication
  • Share credential renewal requirements
  • Answer questions about qualifications

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Managing Multiple Credential Types

If your scope includes multiple credential types:
1

Use Credential Filter

Filter requests by specific credential type to focus on one at a time.
2

Establish Type-Specific Processes

Different credentials may have different requirements:
  • Technical certifications may require exam scores
  • Community verifiers may need reference checks
  • Specialized roles may need portfolio review
3

Track Type-Specific Metrics

Monitor:
  • Approval rates by credential type
  • Time-to-approval by type
  • Revocation rates by type
  • Work quality by credential holders

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Troubleshooting

Possible reasons:
  • Request is for a credential outside your scope
  • Requester hasn’t submitted the request yet
  • Request was processed by another issuer
  • Filters are hiding the request
Solution: Check filters, verify credential scope, or contact admins.
Check:
  • You’re logged in with issuer access
  • The credential is in your scope
  • Network connection is stable
Solution: Refresh page and try again. Contact admins if issue persists.
There may be a delay:
  • Refresh the improver’s view
  • Check if request status actually updated
  • Verify you saved changes
Solution: Confirm rejection was saved. Contact admins if credential persists.
Revocation is done by changing approved request status to rejected:
  1. Filter by “Approved” status
  2. Find the improver’s request
  3. Open details and change to “Rejected”
  4. Save changes
If the improver never had a request (direct grant by admin), contact an admin to revoke.

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Understanding the Improver Perspective

Knowing how improvers interact with credentials helps you serve them better:
  1. Improver requests credential via their improver panel
  2. Request appears in your queue (if credential is in your scope)
  3. You review and approve/reject
  4. Improver sees status update in their credentials tab
  5. If approved: Improver can now claim steps in roles requiring this credential
  6. If rejected: Improver can request again (after addressing issues)
Improvers are notified of status changes and can see pending, approved, and rejected requests.

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Working with Admins

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Requesting Scope Changes

If you need to grant credentials outside your current scope:
1

Contact an Admin

Request scope expansion with justification.
2

Admin Updates Your Scope

Admin modifies your issuer scopes via admin panel.
3

New Credentials Appear

Refresh your issuer panel to see expanded scope.

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Escalating Issues

Contact admins for:
  • Requests requiring special verification
  • Credential revocations without a request record
  • Policy questions or edge cases
  • Technical issues with the issuer panel

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API Endpoints Reference

Issuer routes (require issuer or admin role):
  • POST /issuers/request - Request issuer status
  • GET /issuers/scopes - Get your credential scopes
  • GET /issuers/credential-requests - List requests (paginated)
  • POST /issuers/credential-requests/{request_id}/decision - Approve/reject request
  • POST /issuers/credentials - Issue credential directly
  • DELETE /issuers/credentials - Revoke credential directly
  • GET /issuers/credentials/{user_id} - View user’s credentials
  • GET /issuers/users/by-address/{address} - Look up user by address
Admin routes (for managing issuers):
  • GET /admin/issuers - List all issuers
  • PUT /admin/issuers - Update issuer scopes
  • GET /admin/issuer-requests - List issuer access requests
  • PUT /admin/issuer-requests - Approve/reject issuer requests
  • GET /admin/credential-types - List credential types
  • POST /admin/credential-types - Create credential type
  • DELETE /admin/credential-types/{value} - Delete credential type

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