Decline records a decision not to proceed. Delete permanently removes an eligible request and its associated intake data.
No case is created. The request and decision trail remain. The decline reason is internal and visible only to staff with request access; the requestor does not see it unless your team communicates it separately. Do not assume declining automatically sends the requestor that explanation.
With Delete Case Requests permission, use the request's delete action and read the confirmation. It warns that uploaded files are removed, request history is erased, and the action cannot be undone. Use decline when you need to preserve the submission and decision.
Deletion is blocked while the request is linked to an existing case. The dialog directs authorized users to the case first. Deleting a case requires separate permission and does not automatically delete the request. Do not remove a live case merely to tidy the intake queue; retain the linked records when the work and history should remain available.