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2021 11 17 Wisdom Wednesday Caseflow APIs

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YANG YANG edited this page Nov 17, 2021 · 1 revision

A tour of the Caseflow APIs

What's an API?

  • Application Programming Interface
  • A way for computer systems to talk to each other
  • Server / client model

APIs that Caseflow uses as a client

  • eFolder (documents)
  • BGS (person data)
    • soon to be supplemented with MPI
  • VBMS (establishing claims)
  • Lighthouse APIs
  • GovDelivery (hearings emails)
  • Pexip (video conferencing API for virtual hearings)

Caseflow is also an API server

Jobs API

  • Used internally by Caseflow to schedule asynchronous jobs to be performed later
  • Jobs are useful for a variety of purposes
    • Priority Push
    • Quarterly and annual metrics
    • Sync data from BGS or VBMS
    • Close out evidence submission windows
    • Full list of jobs

IDT API

  • Used by IDT (Interactive Decision Template)
    • Microsoft Word Macro, built in VBScript by our PO Paul Saindon
    • Allows BVA Intake, attorneys, judges, and dispatch to generate Word documents using data fetched from Caseflow
    • DSVA Slack channel #appeals-idt
    • Caseflow Team Bravo did design research on how IDT is used, and what an IDT replacement might look like.
  • List appeals
    • for a Veteran
    • with a task assigned to the current user
  • List all VLJs
  • User's own details (name, VACOLS attorney ID, roles)
  • Appeal details
  • Veteran and POA details
  • Outcode appeal (create decision document, upload it to VBMS, trigger any downstream effects of decision)
  • Upload document to VBMS

Appeals Status API

  • Used by VA.gov Appeals Status
  • Also used by Lighthouse
  • Allows Veterans to query for the status of their Appeals, HLRs, and SCs
    • Some possible statuses: pre-docket, pending hearing scheduling, scheduled hearing, evidentiary period, at VSO, on docket, decision in progress, etc.
    • Also includes description of issues

Hearings API

  • Used by VEText
  • Allows VEText to query for all hearings scheduled for a given day
    • Appeal ID
    • Facility (address, room number, virtual)
    • Veteran personal information
    • Timezone

Decision Reviews API

  • Used by Lighthouse, in turn used by VA.gov
    • We have a biweekly touchpoint with the Lighthouse team
    • DSVA Slack channel #appeals-api
  • Publicly documented on the Lighthouse developer portal
  • Under active development, with end goal of allowing Veterans to submit their own decision reviews on VA.gov
    • Contestable Issues endpoint
    • Future: submit 0995, 0996, or 10182 endpoint

Addendum

  • The canonical reference for Caseflow APIs is here, and I am indebted to Tomas's work on maintaining that page.
  • A recording of this presentation is available.
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