# Decide an Appeal Once an appeal is [lodged](/help/appeals-lodge), assign a reviewer to look into it and send the outcome before it's due. Standard 2.8 requires all parties to the appeal to be afforded procedural fairness, and appeal outcomes to be documented and communicated to the appellant. ASQA's practice guide also expects the staff responsible for processing appeals to be objective and impartial. *** ## Steps
1
**Assign a reviewer** Open the appeal in [**Appeals**](https://app.rtosafe.com.au/Appeals) and assign someone who wasn't involved in the original decision, so the appeal is decided objectively and impartially.
2
**Record what you do** Add notes as you look into the appeal, so its handling is documented. Link any follow-up tasks, improvements or risks, because Standard 2.8 requires appeal outcomes to inform continuous improvement.
3
**Send the outcome** The reviewer selects **Send Outcome**, chooses the outcome and explains the reasons.
An appeal record for Priya Sharma marked Under Review, with arrows pointing to the assigned reviewer, John Smith, and the Send Outcome button next to the outcome due date
*** ## What Happens Next * The appeal closes, and the appellant is emailed the outcome. * The appellant can still ask for an independent review. See [Manage an Independent Review](/help/appeals-independent-review). * Use **Export PDF** for a complete record of the appeal. *** ## Common Issues
Why can't I send the appeal outcome? Only the assigned reviewer can send it. If they're no longer available, reassign the appeal.
What if the appellant's email bounces? RTOSafe shows a notice on the appeal. Check the address and resend, or record how you told the appellant another way.