The Approval Process

How to setup the Approvals Workflow

• Click on “My Workspace” under the “Content Management” section of xCatalyst
• Then click on “Approval Assignees” in the top right hand corner
• The next screen is a list of the Menu Level 1 items on your website, with placeholders for Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 Approval Assignees
• By clicking “Add” next to any of the Menu Level 1 items, you have the option to select any user who has the privilege to approve and/or publish content
• When you select that user as the Level 1 Approval Assignee, they can either approve the changes, approve and publish the changes, or reassign the page.
  • If you require additional approvers for a certain section of content, simply add them as the Level 2 and Level 3 Approval Assignees. Then, when a change is made, the Level 1 assignee will be notified and will either approve the page or assign it for redo. Multiple levels of approvers are optional.

The Workflow Process:

When content is created or edited, and the page is saved and checked in:

• Level 1 Approval Assignee is notified
  • The Level 1 Approval Assignee does not approve the page and assigns it for redo
  • The Level 1 Approval Assignee approves the change, but does not publish, d assigns to the next level approver
  • The Level 1 Approval Assignee approves and publishes the change to the live website
    • NOTE: If there are multiple levels of approvers and this approver publishes the page, it bypasses the subsequent approvers
• Level 2 Approval Assignee is notified
• The Level 2 Approval Assignee does not approve the page and assigns it for redo
• The Level 2 Approval Assignee approves the change, but does not publish, and assigns to the next level approver
• The Level 2 Approval Assignee approves and publishes the change to the live website 
• NOTE: If there are multiple levels of approvers and this approver publishes the page, it bypasses the subsequent approvers
• Level 3 Approval Assignee is notified
• The Level 3 Approval Assignee does not approve the page and assigns it for redo
• The Level 3 Approval Assignee approves the change, but does not publish
• NOTE: At this point there are no subsequent approvers so this approver would have the page assigned to them for revision
•  The Level 3 Approval Assignee approves and publishes the change to the live website

Approval Assignees

Approval assignees can be assigned for each Menu Level 1 section and by Independent Pagecategories. In addition, a default assignee can be assigned. The default assignee will receive approvalnotifications when a Menu Level 1 section or Independent Page category does not have a definedapproval assignee.

To activate the approval work flow do the following: 

• Click on the Site Administration left menu section to expand it.
• Click on the Site Configuration link.
• Un-check the Bypass Approval Process check box.

To define approval assignees do the following:

• Navigate to the My Workspace or Workspace for all Users.
• Click the Approval Assignees link.
• Click on the Add link associated with the relevant menu section or independent page category.
• Select Assignee Level from the drop list.
• Select Assignee from the drop list.
• Repeat steps 3,4 and five until all approval assignees have been selected.
• Click on the Save button.

To deactivate Approval Work Flow do the following:

• Click the Site Administration left menu section to expand it.
• Click the Site Configuration link.
• Click the Bypass Approval Process check box. The box should have a check mark.
• Click the Save button.

E-mail Notifications

• When a page is checked in an email notification will go out to the approval assignee.
• The notification will contain page information and links to preview the page and the assignee's workspace.
• When the assignee clicks on the link a browser page with the preview or the assignees workspace will open.
• If the assignee is not logged they will be prompted to do so.

Assign Approval

Approval assignees can assign a page to a content editor that is not the default editor for approval. This capability enables a flexible ad hoc work flow approval process.

To assign a page for approval:

1. Navigate to the Workspace or the Workspace for All Users.
2. In the Items Pending Approval section of the workspace locate the page that will be assigned for approval .
3. In the Approval Assignee column click on the user name  link.
4. The Assign popup window will open.
5. Select the Assignee from the drop list.
6. Enter any notes or instructions.
7. Click on the Assign button.

The content editor that was assigned  will receive an email notification prompting them to approve the page.

Note: Assigning approval privileges to a content editor with approval privileges does not change the default approval assignee for future approvals of the specific page.

Assign Redo

Approval assignees can assign a page back to a content editor for rework. To assign a page for Redo follow these steps:

1. Navigate to  My Workspace or the Workspace for All Users
2. In the Items Pending Approval section of the workspace locate the page that will be assigned for Redo.
3. In the Assign Redo column click on the Select link.
4. The Assign Redo popup window will open.
5. Select the Assignee from the drop list.
6. Enter any notes or instructions.
7. Click on the Assign button.

The content editor that was assigned the Redo will receive an email notification. When the page is edited and checked in the default approval assignee will receive an email notification prompting them to approve the page.