Document Approval Workflow Overview
A Document Approval Workflow can be set as a One Stage Process with Approvers Only or a Two Stage Process with Reviewers and Approvers.
*A Document Approval Workflow can never be set as a One Stage Process with Reviewers Only.
In a one stage process, only Approvers have been selected to be involved in the Approval Workflow process of the Document.
The Approvers will be notified via an automatic System Email Notification when the Document has been uploaded by the User Responsible for the Document.
All of the Approvers must read the Document and choose to Approve or Disapprove.
If Approved by all Approvers, the Document is marked as Approved and the Approval Workflow process is completed.
If Disapproved by any one Approver, the Document is marked as Disapproved and sent back to the User Responsible for the Document to make changes.
The User Responsible for the Document will receive an automatic System Email Notification to let them know the Document was Disapproved and the reason for it.
Once the User Responsible for the Document has uploaded the Document with the required changes, the Approval Workflow begins again.
The Approvers will be notified via an automatic System Email Notification that the Document is ready to Approve once again.
The Approval Workflow process will continue back and forth until all of the Approvers have Approved the Document.
Image: One Stage Document Approval Workflow Flowchart
In a two stage process, Reviewers and Approvers have been selected to be involved in the Approval Workflow process of the Document.
All of the Reviewers must first read the Document and choose to Accept or Reject.
If the Document is Accepted by all of the Reviewers, the Document is then moved on to the Approvers, who will need to Approve or Disapprove the Document.
If Rejected by any one Reviewer, the Document is marked as Rejected and sent back to the User Responsible for the Document to make required changes.
The User Responsible for the Document will receive an automatic System Email Notification to let them know the Document was Rejected and the reason for it.
Once the User Responsible for the Document has re-uploaded the Document with the changes, the Approval Workflow begins again.
The Reviewers will be notified via an automatic System Email Notification that the Document is ready to Review once again.
Once all Reviewers have Accepted the Document, the Document is then moved on to the Approvers.
The Approvers will be notified via an automatic System Email Notification that the Document is ready to Approve.
All of the Approvers must then read the Document and choose to Approve or Disapprove.
If Approved by all Approvers, the Document is marked as Approved.
If Disapproved by any one Approver, the Document is marked as Disapproved and sent back to the User Responsible for the Document to make required changes.
The User Responsible for the Document will receive an automatic System Email Notification to let them know the Document was Disapproved and the reason for it.
Once the User Responsible for the Document has re-uploaded the Document with changes, the Approval Workflow begins again.
The Reviewers will be notified via an automatic System Email Notification that the Document is ready to Review once again.
The Approval Workflow process will continue back and forth until all of the Reviewers have Accepted and all of the Approvers have Approved the Document.
Image: Approval Workflow Flowchart
Note: The Users noted as Notify of Change will simply receive an automatic System Email Notification with a link to the Document, letting them know a new Version has been added to their site once the Approval Workflow process has been completed.
The Notify of Change Users do not have any actions to complete.
Only the following Users have actions to take:
- Reviewer: Must Accept/Reject the Document, and provide reasons for Rejection.
- Approver: Must Approve/Disapprove the Document, and provide reasons for Disapproval.
- Responsible for Document: Must upload new Document when changes are needed.
Related User Guide Articles
For information on the areas of the Document Approval Workflow:
- Document Approval Workflow: Reviewers
- Document Approval Workflow: Approvers
- Document Approval Workflow: Responsible for Change
- Document Approval Workflow: Notify of Change