What Is a Work Queue?
A work queue refers to the structured ordering of items in a system that assigns priority, ownership, and next steps.
In MCA and small business lending, work queues often contain submissions awaiting underwriting, flagged exceptions, missing-info requests, or second look cases.
This concept typically appears in intake and decision workflows. Operators use work queues to prevent pileups in shared inboxes and to maintain fairness by distributing tasks in a clear, trackable way.
How Does a Work Queue Work?
Work queues operate by combining task capture with prioritization rules.
- Item capture: Submissions, exceptions, or follow-up tasks are logged as queue items.
- Prioritization: Items are ranked based on urgency, deal value, SLA timelines, or risk indicators.
- Assignment: Items are distributed to the right queues or team members.
- Resolution tracking: Each queue item is cleared once reviewed, approved, or updated.
In Heron, work queues are built automatically from intake and scrubbing outputs.
- Automated routing: Submissions are ingested and directed into queues based on routing rules.
- Priority logic: High-value, urgent, or flagged items rise to the top of the work queue.
- Structured outputs: Queue items are tied to CRM records, with clear notes and statuses.
- Next action: Teams work through queues in order of priority, clearing the most impactful tasks first.
This keeps pipelines flowing smoothly even during volume spikes.
Why Is a Work Queue Important?
For brokers and funders, work queues are important because they prevent chaos in high-volume environments. Without them, submissions may pile up in shared inboxes, and important deals could be delayed or overlooked.
Heron makes queues more effective by automating prioritization. Teams reduce backlog, meet SLAs more consistently, and keep funding decisions moving quickly.
Common Use Cases
Work queues are applied in daily submission and underwriting workflows.
- Prioritizing high-value deals for immediate underwriting review.
- Surfacing exception cases for manual intervention.
- Organizing missing-info follow-ups for operations staff.
- Distributing balanced workloads across underwriters.
- Tracking queue burn-down rates to monitor efficiency.
FAQs About Work Queue
How does Heron generate work queues?
Heron parses submissions, applies routing and prioritization rules, and automatically creates queues that align with deal flow needs.
Why are work queues valuable for MCA brokers and funders?
They keep high-volume pipelines organized, ensure urgent deals are addressed first, and reduce delays caused by manual sorting or missed submissions.
What outputs should teams expect from work queues?
Teams receive structured CRM queues with prioritized items, linked flags, and statuses, ensuring that everyone works from the same clear task list.