Approve or Reject a Document

Approve or Reject a Document — Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to approve or reject a document?

Approving a document signals that the document meets the required criteria and is accepted within the workflow. Rejecting a document indicates it does not meet requirements and usually returns it for revision or stops the workflow. Approval decisions update the document's workflow status and are recorded in the document's history.

Who can approve or reject a document?

Users who are designated approvers in the document's workflow or who have the appropriate permissions in the system can approve or reject that document. The exact set of approvers and permission requirements are determined by the workflow configuration for the document.

How does an approver receive and find approval requests?

Approvers are typically notified of pending approval requests through the system's notification mechanism (for example, in-app notifications and/or email). Pending approvals are accessible in the workflow or approvals area of the application so approvers can review documents awaiting action.

What information should an approver review before taking action?

An approver should review the full document content, any attached files or supporting materials, and any comments or change history included with the approval request. They should also verify that the document meets any applicable standards, business rules, and the requirements defined by the workflow.

Can an approver add comments when approving or rejecting?

Yes. Approvers can typically add a comment or note when they approve or reject a document. These comments become part of the document's audit trail and help explain the rationale for the decision or provide guidance for revisions.

What happens to the document after it is approved?

When a document is approved, its workflow status is updated to reflect the approval. Depending on the workflow configuration, approval may move the document to the next step, publish it, or mark it as final. The approval action and associated comments are recorded in the document history.

What happens after a document is rejected?

When a document is rejected, its workflow status is updated to reflect the rejection. Rejection commonly returns the document to the creator or a specified role for corrections, and the rejection reason (if provided) is recorded in the history so revisions can be made.

Can approvals be re-assigned or delegated?

Many systems allow approval assignments to be re-assigned or delegated according to organizational rules or user settings. The ability to reassign an approval depends on the workflow configuration and the platform permissions in use.

Is there an audit trail showing who approved or rejected a document and when?

Yes. Approval and rejection actions are recorded in the document's history or audit trail, including the user who took the action, the timestamp, and any comment provided. This provides traceability for workflow decisions.

Can an approval decision be undone or overridden?

Whether an approval decision can be undone or overridden depends on the system's permissions and workflow settings. Some platforms allow administrators or users with elevated privileges to revoke or re-open approvals; others require a follow-up workflow step to change the document status.

Where can I find more detailed, step-by-step guidance?

For the specific procedure and screenshots for approving or rejecting a document in this product, see the product user guide page dedicated to approving or rejecting documents: more information. For overall workflow concepts and setup, see the workflow overview: more information.

References — other relevant user guides

- Workflow overview: more information

- Send a document for approval: more information

- Document statuses and history: more information