Locate request software updates coming on February 4, 2026 introduce three new ticket fields.
SMS
Excavators can opt-in to receive text messages from facility owners and locators, should they choose to use that method of communication. Within their user profile, the excavator provides their mobile phone number and indicates if they would like to receive text messages from utility members.
All existing accounts will default to NO until the excavator changes their preference.
On the outbound ticket sent to facility owners and locators, the excavator’s preference is indicated:
Opting-in to receive text messages does not guarantee text communication, but provides an additional option to facility owners and locators whose systems support SMS.
Ticket Action Reason
When a user edits a ticket, they enter the reason for the change in a pop-up box.
This edit reason will be displayed in a new field called Ticket Action Reason on the outbound ticket. The new field allows for a quick reference to the reason a ticket was edited and frees up space in the Remarks field for important ticket details.
Job End Date
The new optional field allows excavators to provide the date the job is planned to be completed by. Facility owners and locators can use this information to identify sites that remain active within the lifespan of the locate, and provide additional safety information when necessary. Providing a job end date is especially beneficial for jobs that continue of a long period of time.
On the outbound ticket, this field is called Work End Date:
The job end date does not affect the lifespan of a locate. Facility owners still determine how long their locate response is valid for.