Use workflows

Use workflows

When using a workflow, understand how to access, edit, approve and decline items.
When a new draft of a published item is created, a tick is displayed against the published item. This means that no other user can create a draft until the current draft progresses through a workflow and its state changes to published.

Accessing Items during a workflow

When viewing an item by workflow, the items appearing as "draft" in the index are required to be reviewed. When you double-click on one of the items it will open in the item preview and edit window.

Do not open the item in edit mode, as the Next Stage button will not be available. Only double-click an item to review and approve an item.

If an item is participating in a workflow, the creator is given delete access to the item only in the first workflow stage. As the item progresses through a workflow, the item access is determined by the combined workflow and system defined access levels.
Access level 1st workflow stage Additional workflow stages
Read

System defined
Workflow defined

System defined
Workflow defined

Edit

System defined
Workflow defined

System defined
Workflow defined

Delete

User who created item
System defined
Workflow defined

System defined
Workflow defined

Approve

Workflow defined

Workflow defined

Approving and declining

Users with approval access have two options prior to a published stage, approving or declining. They may also be able to edit an item before sending it to the next stage.
Next Stage Used to approve an item and send it to the next stage in a workflow.
Process Stage Now Manually processes an item if its status is pending. All actions in the stage are processed.
Approve Workflow This is used to approve an item when joint approval is set.
Decline Used when an item is rejected during a workflow. It is available in all stages prior to the published stage. Executes any actions defined in the reject stage, and then sends the item back to the first stage of a workflow.
Cancel Draft This removes a draft item from a workflow altogether.
This displays only after an item has been published and a new draft has been created.

Edit published items

Once an item is published, there are various options available when deciding to edit that item.
Create Draft Creates a draft copy of a published item. The published item is locked on the rendered site, while a copy of the item is sent through a workflow. Once the draft item has been approved for publishing, it replaces the published item.
Restart Workflow Sends an item back to the first stage of a Workflow without activating the reject stage. The item no longer appears as published and is removed from the rendered site.
When you restart a workflow, any actions set to run on entering the first stage will not be executed.

These buttons display if you have approve access, the item is published and no draft exists.

Parent topic:
Manage items in a workflow

Next Stage	Used to approve an item and send it to the next stage in a workflow.
Process Stage Now	Manually processes an item if its status is pending. All actions in the stage are processed.
Approve Workflow	This is used to approve an item when joint approval is set.
Decline	Used when an item is rejected during a workflow. It is available in all stages prior to the published stage. Executes any actions defined in the reject stage, and then sends the item back to the first stage of a workflow.
Cancel Draft	This removes a draft item from a workflow altogether. This displays only after an item has been published and a new draft has been created.

Create Draft	Creates a draft copy of a published item. The published item is locked on the rendered site, while a copy of the item is sent through a workflow. Once the draft item has been approved for publishing, it replaces the published item.
Restart Workflow	Sends an item back to the first stage of a Workflow without activating the reject stage. The item no longer appears as published and is removed from the rendered site. When you restart a workflow, any actions set to run on entering the first stage will not be executed.