How do I set up Approval Workflows?

Read on to learn more about how you can set up Approval Workflows

1. Quick Start

 

To get started quickly, turn on the default "Skyjed approval workflow" by going to Settings > Approval Workflows, and toggle the workflow status to "On".

 

You cannot add conditions to the Skyjed approval workflow, but you can add or amend approval steps to suit your organisation's needs.

 

All templates will be assigned to this workflow by default, so all Designs and Audits will now follow the same approvals process. You can amend which templates you want to follow this workflow in Settings.

 

2. Set Up New Approval Workflows

 

2.1. Add Conditions

 

Click "Create Workflow" on the Approval Workflows page in Settings.

 

Enter a Name, and select the first condition you want to set up:

• Global: Apply this workflow to every lifecycle item in your organisation.
• Product: Apply this workflow to specific lifecycle item(s) by selecting them in the drop-down that appears.
• Portfolio: Apply this workflow to specific portfolio(s) by selecting them in the drop-down that appears..

Note:

If "Global" is not selected as the first condition, the platform will automatically generate a Global condition that will apply to any items that do not meet the criteria set for first condition.

 

When new conditions are added, these will initially have no approvals steps. This means that any items and templates using these conditions will have no approvals process (follow the guidance below to add approval steps).

 

Each approval workflow can only have 1 Global condition, but you can add as many Product or Portfolio conditions as needed to suit your organisation's requirements. 

 

2.2. Add Approval Steps

 

Each condition can have up to 6 approval steps. Add steps using the guidance below to build your approval workflows.

 

Click "Add Approval Step" to add a step, enter a Name, and select an Approval Type:

• Role: Choose the team role(s) that can act as approver(s) for items they manage (i.e. Leader, Owner, or Contributor)
• Individual: Choose specific approver(s) by selecting their name(s) in the drop-down that appears.
• Team: Choose the teams(s) that approver(s) need to be members of by selecting the team(s) in the drop-down that appears.

 

For Role approval types:

• Choose the lowest role that can approve this step
• Specify how many approvers are needed
• Toggle on/off whether requestors can approve their own requests

   

 

 

For Individual approval types:

• Select the name(s) of the approver(s)
• Specify how many approvers are needed
• Toggle on/off whether requestors can approve their own requests

 

 

For Team approval types:

• Select the team(s) containing the names of those that can be approver(s)
• Specify how many approvers are needed
• Toggle on/off whether requestors can approve their own requests

 

 

 

Continue adding conditions and approval steps until the approval workflow is complete.

 

3. Apply Approval Workflows to Templates

 

When the approval workflow is ready, it can can be applied to template(s):

• Go to a relevant template in Settings > Design Templates or Settings > Audit
• Click the eye or pencil icon to view/edit the template
• Scroll down and select from the available options:
  • Choose the default approval workflow
  • Select the relevant custom-built approval workflow from the drop-down
  • Choose no approval workflow
• Click save

 

4. Start a Design or Audit

 

When users start a new Design or Audit and select a template, they will see the approval workflow that applies to the template selected.

 

Once started, an approval icon is visible in the workspace. This will have an orange notification dot until the workflow steps are populated with assigned approver(s).

 

Clicking on the approval icon displays information about the approval request that can be tailored:

• • Pre-Approval: If required, add any additional approvers before the formal approval process begins
  • Workflow Steps: Assign approvers within the parameters set for the workflow and add target due dates where useful.
  • Post-Approval: If required, add any additional approvers after the formal approval process has finished.
  • Due Date: Enter a due date for completion using the calculated estimate where useful.

 

These details can be updated at any time and any entries will be displayed when the Design or Audit is sent for approval to confirm whether any changes are required.

 

 

5. Action Approval Requests

 

5.1. Check the Approvals Page

 

Go to the Approvals page to view your to-do list of pending approvals.

You will receive notifications for pending approvals via:

• Email
• In-app notification
• Red, numbered circle on the Approvals tab with the number of open requests

 

The Approvals page, provides a summary of both the approval requests you need review and complete, as well as those requested for items where you are a team member:

• As an Approver: Click "Approval request" to go to the approval workspace and review the request
• As a Team Member: Click "Design" or "Audit" to go to item workspace for more information.

Note:

For a given row, you may have one role, or the other, or be both an approver and a team member for a given item (e.g. a Leader).

 

 

5.2. Review an Approval Request

 

In the Approval Workspace:

• Review the content in all applicable drivers
• When ready to provide your review, click "Add your review" at the top right of the screen.

 

Note:

You can click on the approval icon to view the progress of the Approval Workflow, including names of other approvers, comments, change requests, date and time stamps.

 

5.3. Add Your Review

 

 

In the review section, you can:

• Enter comments about the Design or Audit
• Approve the approval request
• Request changes

 

5.4. After You Approve

 

After each review, the system will update the approval workflow with your comments or requested changes.

 

Once you submit your approval:

• The next approver in the workflow (if any) will be notified and it will be removed from your to-do list on the approvals page.
• If you were the final approver, the request will be marked as fully approved and the Design or Audit will be published.

 

The audit trail functionality supports compliance and review processes, making it easier to track and verify approval histories.

6. Tips