---
title: Handling a whistleblowing case
description: Take on a case, acknowledge receipt, exchange with the reporter, record the persons concerned and close the case.
url: "http://illizeo.com/en/centre-aide/whistleblowing-handling-a-case/"
updated: "2026-11-11"
category: Whistleblowing
---

# Handling a whistleblowing case

A report submitted on the portal becomes a case, entrusted to the handlers of the chosen channel. This article explains how a handler deals with it in the **Reports** tab: finding the case, acknowledging receipt, exchanging with the reporter, setting the priority, moving the status forward, recording the persons concerned, reading the audit log and closing the case. It is aimed at the handlers (also called managers) named on a channel.

## Before you start

- The Whistleblowing module must be subscribed and open to your account.
- To open the module, you need the **Whistleblowing report** right at **Access** level. The Administrator, HR (**Execute** level) and Auditor (**Access** level) roles carry it by default.
- That right opens the module, not the cases. You only see a case if you **handle the channel** that received it (or if the case is assigned to you). See [Setting up channels and naming handlers](https://illizeo.com/en/centre-aide/whistleblowing-channels-and-handlers/).
- Two situations close access to a case whatever else is true: being **implicated** in that case, or being recused from it. No role, not even administrator, lifts that denial, and every denial is recorded in the case’s audit log.

## Finding your cases

Open **Whistleblowing › Reports**. The **Case Management** page lists the cases of the channels you handle.

1. Filter by status with the **All**, **New**, **Open**, **Pending**, **Resolved** and **Closed** tabs; each tab shows its number of cases.
2. Identify a case by its **Ref.**, **Channel**, **Category**, **Summary**, **Status**, **Priority**, **Deadline** (days left before it falls due), the person **Assigned** and the number of **Messages**.
3. Click the row to open the case.

![Reports tab seen by a handler: Case Management title, filter tabs All 3, New 1, Open 1, Pending, Resolved, Closed 1, then a table of three cases from the Harcèlement et discrimination channel with their reference, category, summary, status, priority, deadline, assignee and number of messages.](https://i0.wp.com/illizeo.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/lanceur-alerte-03.en_-scaled.png?resize=800%2C269&quality=80&ssl=1)
The list only shows the cases of the channels you handle.

An empty list with the message “No reports” is not an outage: no case is accessible to you yet. Cases appear as soon as a channel you handle receives one.

## Reading a case

The case header shows its subject, reference, channel and category, then its badges: status, priority, days remaining (or overdue), acknowledgement, and the **Audit** button with the number of events. Below the header, **Case progress** shows the five steps **Received**, **In Progress**, **Pending**, **Resolved** and **Closed**.

The left-hand column, **Case details**, gives the reference, channel, submission date, status, **Priority**, the person it is **Assigned to**, **Anonymity**, the **Persons concerned**, tags, **Attachments** and the **Description** written by the reporter. On the right, **Secure Messaging** shows the exchanges.

![Case opened by the handler: header with the subject, reference, channel, In Progress, High and days-remaining badges, the acknowledgement badge, the Audit button and the green Mark Resolved button; Case progress strip over Received, In Progress, Pending, Resolved, Closed; Case details column with the priority, the assigned handler, the Anonymous report label and one person concerned with deferred information; on the right Secure Messaging with the automatic confirmation message, the handler’s questions and the reporter’s reply.](https://i0.wp.com/illizeo.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/lanceur-alerte-04.en_-scaled.png?resize=800%2C639&quality=80&ssl=1)
A case: details on the left, exchanges on the right.

## Taking the case on

1. Under **Assigned to**, click **Assign to me** if nobody has taken the case yet.
2. Set the **Priority** from the list: **Low**, **Medium**, **High** or **Critical**. The message “Priority updated” confirms.

A case can only be assigned to a handler of its channel: the server refuses anyone who could not open it. To transfer the cases of a handler leaving a channel, use **Settings › Whistleblowing › Managers**.

## Acknowledging receipt

The acknowledgement badge in the header is both a state and an action.

- If it reads **ACK sent**, the acknowledgement has already gone (automatically on submission, if your organisation has enabled the confirmation message, or manually). Its tooltip gives the date; that date is the proof and is never overwritten.
- If it reads **Acknowledgement**, none has gone yet. Click it to send it to the reporter: it is posted in their messaging, with the text set by your organisation or, failing that, a standard text. The message “Acknowledgement sent” confirms.

The acknowledgement deadline is set under **Settings › Whistleblowing › Legal Deadlines** (7 days at most, as the screen points out, citing EU Directive 2019/1937). See [Configuring the scheme](https://illizeo.com/en/centre-aide/whistleblowing-settings/).

## Exchanging with the reporter

1. In **Secure Messaging**, type your reply in the **Reply anonymously…** field.
2. If needed, click the paperclip to attach files: up to 10 per reply, 10 MB each, in PDF, Word, Excel, TXT, PNG, JPG and WEBP formats.
3. Click **Send**. The message “Message sent” confirms.

The reporter reads your reply by signing in to the portal with their tracking password; they receive no email. When they reply, the module’s bell and an email let you know, without repeating the text. Attaching a document in the messaging avoids having to give a personal address, which would break anonymity. Messaging closes when the case is closed.

## Moving the status forward

- Click a step of **Case progress** (**Received**, **In Progress**, **Pending**, **Resolved**) to move the case to it. The message “Status updated” confirms. The reporter sees the same progress, with an explanatory sentence.
- The **Mark Resolved** button in the header moves a new, open or pending case straight to **Resolved**.
- A resolved case shows the **Close case** button; a closed case shows **Reopen**, which puts it back **In Progress**.

## Recording the persons concerned

Naming a person concerned means deciding on their right to be informed. Illizeo sends no notice to that person: informing them — and often hearing them — is the handler’s job. The screen points out that an automatic warning could give them time to destroy evidence or retaliate, the risk that GDPR art. 14.5(b) allows you to guard against. It records what you did.

1. Under **Persons concerned**, click **Name a person concerned** (or **Manage** if someone is already named).
2. In the panel, click **Name a person concerned**, then under **Choose the person** select the employee.
3. Choose their situation:
   - **Informed**: fill in **Informed on** (no future date), **How** (**Interview**, **Letter**, **Email** or **Other**) and, if you wish, **What they were told**;
   - **Information deferred**: explain **Why the information is deferred** (at least 30 characters: this is the text an auditor will read) and set the **Review on** date, which must be in the future.
4. Click **Save decisions**. The message “Decisions saved” confirms. **Back to messages** returns to the messaging.

![Persons concerned panel: reminder that Illizeo sends no notice to the person concerned, citing GDPR art. 14.5(b); one named person, with the Informed and Information deferred choices, the latter selected, the deferral reason filled in (143 characters out of a minimum of 30) and the Review on date of 15.12.2026; Name a person concerned button, the note “No one is blocking closure.” and the Save decisions button.](https://i0.wp.com/illizeo.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/lanceur-alerte-05.en_-scaled.png?resize=800%2C639&quality=80&ssl=1)
Each person concerned is either informed, or their information is deferred with a reason.

A named person immediately loses access to the case, even if they handle the channel or are an administrator. Nor do they receive the notifications about it.

## Reading the audit log

Click **Audit** in the header, or **Audit log** at the top of the messaging. The log lists, most recent first, each event in the case with its author and date: submission, views, messages, status, priority and assignment changes, acknowledgement, exports, attachment downloads and access denials. **See messages** returns to the exchanges.

![Audit log of a case: case views, messages sent by the handler and by the reporter (without a name), naming of a person concerned, assignment changed, status changed from new to open, acknowledgement sent and report submitted, each dated; See messages button at the top right.](https://i0.wp.com/illizeo.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/lanceur-alerte-06.en_-scaled.png?resize=800%2C639&quality=80&ssl=1)
Every action on the case leaves a trace, including simply viewing it.

To read this log, you also need to be able to open the case. The **Whistleblowing — Read case audit trail** right (**Access** level) completes it; the Administrator, HR and Auditor roles carry it.

## Closing a case

1. On a resolved case, click **Close case** (or the **Closed** step of the progress strip).
2. In the **Close case** dialog, fill in the **Close reason**, which is required.
3. Describe the **Decision / Corrective actions** if needed.
4. Click **Close case**. The message “Case closed” confirms.

![Close case dialog on a case: reference and the note “This action is permanent”, required Close reason field, optional Decision / Corrective actions field, Cancel and Close case buttons, the latter greyed out while the reason is empty.](https://i0.wp.com/illizeo.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/lanceur-alerte-07.en_-scaled.png?resize=800%2C556&quality=80&ssl=1)
The close reason is required.

Closure is refused while a person concerned is neither informed nor under a still-valid deferral: a deferral whose review date has passed blocks closure. The persons concerned panel says so (“1 expired deferral blocks closure.”). The closing date is recorded once and for all; it is what counts for the feedback deadline and for retention.

## Good to know

- Access to a case follows the channel, not the role: an administrator who does not handle the channel does not see the case.
- Each time a case is opened, it is recorded in the audit log; so is each access denial, with its reason.
- The module’s bell tells you about new cases, reporter replies, and deadlines that are close or overdue (acknowledgement, feedback to the reporter).
- Emails sent to handlers contain metadata only: never the summary, the description or the messages.
- For what the reporter sees, read [Submitting and tracking a report](https://illizeo.com/en/centre-aide/whistleblowing-submitting-and-tracking-a-report/).

## Frequently asked questions

### I am an administrator and I cannot see a case. Is that normal?

Yes, if you do not handle the case’s channel, or if you are implicated in that case. The **Settings › Whistleblowing › My Access** page shows the channels you handle and the rule applied.

### Why is the acknowledgement button greyed out?

Because the acknowledgement has already gone. Its date proves the deadline was met; it cannot be replaced by a new sending.

### Closure is refused. What should I check?

The close reason must be filled in, and each person concerned must be informed or under a deferral whose review date has not passed. Open **Manage** to put things right.

### Does the reporter get an email when I reply?

No. The reporter has no account and, most often, no known address: they check their messaging on the portal with their tracking password.

### *Similaire*