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Milestone Requirements: Overview

High level overview of milestone requirements (M0, M1, M2).

Natalie P - Account Operations avatar
Written by Natalie P - Account Operations
Updated over 3 weeks ago

LightReach milestone requirements were designed by industry leaders with operations personnel in mind. You deliver quality to the homeowner, we make it simple to submit for milestone approvals. This article references a detailed breakdown of current milestones.

NTP

Notice to Proceed (NTP) is synonymous with a fully signed & executed order. It is LightReach's signal to the Certified Installer that the contract package is fully executed, and the Installer has the go ahead to proceed with installation. Note that LightReach does not audit the physical site at NTP -- it is the responsibility of the installer to ensure full site eligibility prior to installing.

NTP (M0) Requirements include:

  • Initial account/system details

  • Underwriting documents

  • Signed contract & completed customer agreement confirmation task

When all requirements are completed and validated, NTP will be granted. The fastest path to NTP approval is through the homeowner's web portal account, which provides an avenue to instant approval on all NTP items.

Installation

Installation is the first major operational milestone. The Certified Developer is signaling to LightReach that installation is physically complete, and accurate design documentation has been uploaded.

Installation(M1) Requirements include:

  • Solar Module Serial Number

  • System Details & Site Qualifications

  • Monitoring & System Settings (new M1 requirement as of 5/15/25)

  • Permit

  • Utility Bill

  • Incentive Documents (if applicable)

  • Design Package Documents

  • Install Photo Documents

  • Expected Inspection & PTO dates will become an M1 requirement starting 5/15/25

Activation

Activation is the second operational milestone (M2). This signals to LightReach that the system is complete and active, communicating, and all required documentation has been uploaded.

Activation (M2) Requirements include:

  • Monitoring & System Settings (will become an M1 requirement on 5/15)

  • PTO Documentation

  • Incentive Documents (if applicable)

  • Extended Warranty Documentation (if applicable)

Submitting in the Portal

Installation and Activation milestones are specific sections within the portal that require a full set of uploads and a formal submission. NTP, by contrast, does not have a formal submission button--rather, simply complete all NTP requirements to receive NTP status automatically.

  • NTP: Submit all requirements, NTP granted automatically

  • Installation: Formal submission section + button

  • PTO: Formal submission section + button

Each M1 (Installation) and M2 (Activation) section is clearly marked in the LightReach portal. Follow these easy steps below to submit (M1 Install Package example used for reference)

1. Access the customer account and select "Submit Package" in the top banner to upload documents for the next milestone:

2. Confirm that all requirements have been uploaded for submittal:

Resolving Rejections

M1 and M2 Package resubmissions will go into our re-review queue for processing. The EPC will be required to take an action on each flag before they are able to resubmit the package.

1. View any rejected projects from your "Accounts" dashboard in the palmetto.finance portal by filtering the status:

2. Clicking “Resolve Flags” will take your team directly to the Flag Checklist:

3. The Flag Checklist, located at the top of each milestone package, groups flags into issues that require immediate attention and those that can be resolved in the next submittal:

4. Each item in the checklist will route to a Flag Action Page containing detailed notes and a direct link to the applicable Knowledge Base article:

You'll be able to keep track of your progress via the Details Bar at the bottom of each page. This will show you a green progress bar, which flag you are working on and the total number of flags requiring actioning prior to resubmitting a package. Additionally, the option to Skip to the next flag without taking action, or Save and Continue is available here.

5. Flag Statuses will show "ready for review" or "not resolved" to track issue resolution and support the automation of the re-review process:

Note: All "Action Required" flags must be resolved to resubmit


Packages with existing rejections will show "see below" in the Flag Checklist. Existing flags will not have a Flag Action Page and the details of the rejection can be located in the relevant section of the package, same as before:


Video Guides

Milestone Package Enhancements Overview:

Actioning Old Flags:

Activation Package - Conditionally Approved Items:


Resolving Rejections - FAQ

This FAQ supports the milestone package update summary and addresses common partner questions about the updated rejection and flag process. These improvements are designed to reduce confusion, highlight only what needs to be fixed, and help your projects move through approval faster—with fewer delays and less back-and-forth.

Questions

Guidance

"I can't resubmit"

click here

If the Resubmit button is disabled, it’s most likely because one or more Rejected flags are still unresolved.

Check the Flag Checklist Summary at the top of the package to identify any open items. Most flags require a document upload to be marked as resolved. Once all rejected flags are cleared, resubmitting will be enabled.

Why this change?

We’re aiming to prevent incomplete resubmissions and extended back-and-forth for rejected projects. Requiring resolution of each flag upfront helps speed up approvals and funding.

"I click the flag but nothing pops up"

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This applies to older flags created prior to the latest release. These now appear in the new checklist view with a note to “See Below.”

You’ll need to scroll to the relevant section of the milestone package to view full details—same as before.

Why this change?

To support the improved experience while still accommodating flags created before the update.

"Do I have to click into every flag to see the notes and details?”

click here

Not necessarily. The Flag Checklist Summary provides a top-level view of each issue, including:

  • The requirement that was missed

  • A standardized description of the issue(s)

To view additional context (e.g., site-specific notes from LightReach QC or helpful links) and to upload resolution documents, you’ll need to click into the individual flag.

Why this change?

We’re streamlining the resubmittal and review process. The checklist gives a clear, consistent view of what’s blocking approval—without needing to scroll through the full package to decode what needs to be fixed. Standardized issue descriptions help everyone speak the same language, while focusing only on flagged issues helps both partners and QC teams work more efficiently.

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