How to setup a Release Approval Workflow


This type of workflow is setup for documents when you want to workflow the documents through an approval process before they are released.  To setup or modify a workflow, navigate as follows:

  1. Navigate to Documents - Document Library
  2. Navigate to desired folder.
  3. Select Folder Properties 
  4. Select Approval Route tab from right hand screen or right click on the folder and select Workflow - Manage Approval Routes.

Create New Folder Approval Workflow

  1. Select Create and then Edit under the template column
  2. A workflow configuration screen will appear
  3. Insert a task by selecting the Add/Remove Tasks Menu
  4. Configure the task according to business needs (Refer to Workflow documentation on configuring Tasks)
  5. Once all tasks are inserted and configured, Click on Save Changes to save the changes.
  6. Click on Close to return to Approval Route screen
  7. Click on Enable under the state column to enforce the approval.

Edit Existing Folder Approval Workflow

  1. Select Edit under the template column
  2. A workflow configuration screen will appear
  3. Select the sequence you want to modify, or select the sequence you want to delete.
  4. Insert or delete a task by selecting the Add/Remove Tasks Menu
  5. Configure tasks according to business needs (Refer to Workflow documentation on configuring Tasks)
  6. Once all tasks are modified, Click on Save Changes to save the changes.
  7. Click on Close to return to Approval Route screen
  8. Click on Enable under the state column to enforce the approval.

Note: Modifying sequence tasks can be completed without saving each change until you are ready to exit, however it is recommended to save changes often.

The red/green circle at the beginning of the Approval Route workflow is a simple symbol to demonstrate whether the Approval workflow is Enabled (green) or Disabled (red). The selection of enabled/disabled is at the right end of the grid.

It is assumed that part of the Approval Workflow process will be a formal Approval step. If an approval step is not inserted into the workflow, the document will be released without anyone approving the document.

When a folder is moved or copied under another folder, Approval Routes are copied to the newly created subfolder.  If an Approval Route exists for moved or copied folders, that approval route will remain in place until modified by an owner or administrator.

Folder Approval Route View


Folder workflows can be disabled at any time by an Owner. This allows users to bypass checking in legacy documents that have already been released through a document management process. Likewise, workflows can be enabled at any time. Once a workflow is configured it can only be disable or modified.