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+# Change Management Implementation Plan
+
+## Overview
+Implement a change-management workflow in GoobyDesk that allows authorized users to submit new changes, keeps change records separate from ticket records, and lays the groundwork for future change review and lifecycle management.
+
+## Goals
+- Allow `itsm_technician`, `manager`, and `admin` users to submit new changes.
+- Add a `Create New Change` entry point on the changes dashboard.
+- Implement a `/changes/submit-new` route that accepts change details and stores them as a new change record.
+- Move change data out of `tickets.json` into a dedicated `changes.json` storage model to avoid field conflicts with ticket workflows.
+
+## Scope
+### In scope
+- Change submission UI and backend flow.
+- Role-based access control for the change submission route.
+- New change storage abstraction and migration path.
+- Basic dashboard integration.
+
+### Out of scope for this phase
+- Full change approval workflow.
+- Change calendar or scheduling automation.
+- Advanced change reporting beyond the existing dashboard experience.
+
+## Existing Codebase Notes
+- The changes blueprint already contains a `/submit-new` route stub in `blueprints/changes_module.py`.
+- The template directory already has `templates/changes/submit_new.html`, but it is currently empty.
+- The changes dashboard is rendered from `templates/changes/changes_dashboard.html`.
+- Role checks already exist through `local_handlers/auth_decorators.py` and should be reused for this feature.
+- The repository already uses storage wrappers such as `TicketStore`, so the change store should follow the same pattern.
+
+## Implementation Steps
+
+### 1. Access Control
+- Protect the change submission route with the existing RBAC decorator system.
+- Allow access for:
+  - `itsm_technician`
+  - `manager`
+  - `admin`
+- Apply the same guard pattern to any future change-management routes that should be restricted to these roles.
+
+### 2. Add a Dedicated Change Store
+- Introduce a new storage abstraction for change records, similar to `TicketStore`.
+- Use a dedicated data file such as `changes.json`.
+- Keep the change schema distinct from the ticket schema to avoid conflicts between:
+  - ticket fields such as `ticket_subject` and `ticket_status`
+  - change fields such as `change_short_description`, `implement_plan`, `rollback_plan`, and `test_accept_plan`
+- The change store should support basic CRUD-style operations for the initial implementation.
+
+### 3. Define the Change Record Schema
+Use a dedicated schema for change records with fields such as:
+- `uuid`
+- `change_created_timestamp`
+- `change_number`
+- `change_risk`
+- `change_status`
+- `change_updated_timestamp`
+- `impacted_service_id`
+- `impacted_service_uuid`
+- `implement_plan`
+- `implementor_id`
+- `implementor_uuid`
+- `planned_end_timestamp`
+- `planned_start_timestamp`
+- `requestor_id`
+- `requestor_uuid`
+- `rollback_plan`
+- `test_accept_plan`
+- `change_short_description`
+
+The initial implementation can store a minimal subset of these fields while preserving the full field list for future expansion.
+
+### 4. Implement the Submit-New Backend Flow
+- Complete the `submit_new()` handler in `blueprints/changes_module.py`.
+- Support both `GET` and `POST` methods.
+- On `GET`, render the change submission form.
+- On `POST`, validate required input values before creating a record.
+- Required fields for the first implementation should include:
+  - change subject / description
+  - implement plan
+  - test plan
+  - rollback plan
+  - planned start timestamp
+  - planned end timestamp
+- Set the initial change status to `pending`.
+- Generate a unique change number, ideally using a helper similar to `TicketStore.next_change_number()`.
+- Persist the new record to the new change store.
+
+### 5. Implement the Submit-New UI
+- Populate `templates/changes/submit_new.html` with a form for change submission.
+- Include fields for:
+  - subject / short description
+  - description or detailed summary
+  - implement plan
+  - test plan
+  - rollback plan
+  - risk selection
+  - planned start date/time
+  - planned end date/time
+- Keep the form simple, readable, and consistent with the existing Flask/Jinja templates in the project.
+- On successful submission, redirect the user back to the changes dashboard or a future change detail page.
+
+### 6. Add the Dashboard Action
+- Update `templates/changes/changes_dashboard.html` with a `Create New Change` button.
+- Link the button to `/changes/submit-new`.
+- Preserve the existing dashboard listing for current change records.
+
+### 7. Split Change Data from Ticket Data
+- Do not continue storing change records inside `tickets.json` as a workaround.
+- Introduce a dedicated `changes.json` storage file and use it as the source of truth for change records.
+- Keep tickets for incident/request workflows only.
+- This separation prevents schema conflicts and makes future change-specific workflows easier to maintain.
+
+### 8. Migration Strategy for Existing Data
+- Add a migration path for any records that already resemble changes and are stored in `tickets.json`.
+- The migration should:
+  - read existing ticket records that represent changes
+  - map the relevant fields into the new change schema
+  - write them to `changes.json`
+  - preserve the original ticket record until the migration is confirmed safe
+- Prefer an explicit migration function or one-time import script rather than a silent merge inside the runtime logic.
+- Once the migration is validated, the old change-like records can be retired from the ticket store if desired.
+
+## Suggested Implementation Order
+1. Add the new change storage abstraction and configuration path.
+2. Implement RBAC for the change submission route.
+3. Implement the POST handler and persistence logic.
+4. Build the submit form UI.
+5. Add the dashboard button.
+6. Add migration support for existing change-like records.
+7. Validate the happy path with a test submission.
+
+## Validation Checklist
+- Authorized users can open `/changes/submit-new`.
+- Unauthorized users receive a 403 response.
+- A submitted change is saved in `changes.json`.
+- The change appears on the change dashboard.
+- The stored change uses the expected pending status and generated change number.
+- Existing ticket functionality remains intact after the storage split.
+
+## Notes for Future Work
+- Once the storage split is complete, follow-on work can add:
+  - change detail views
+  - change approval and rejection flows
+  - status transition handling
+  - richer dashboards and reporting