We offer 3 different Approval workflows which determines how a post is created from the moment it is drafted until it is published and live on your social media channel.
We also have Custom Workflows available on select plans. Custom Workflows allow you to automatically assign users to specific post statuses and to block movement into a post state until required users act.
Approval Workflows
1. Original Workflow allows you to review and approve posts, with 6 different post states (Draft, Pending Approval, Requires Edit, Approved, Scheduled, and Published). This workflow is ideal if multiple collaborators are involved in the approval process.
👥✚ More than 1 collaborator in charge of approval
✅+7 7 post states (Draft, Pending Approval, Requires Edits, Approved, Scheduled, Published, and Canceled)
2. Lite Workflow automatically schedules approved posts, with 5 different post states (Draft, Pending Approval, Requires Edit, Scheduled, and Published). This workflow is ideal if one collaborator is in charge of the approval process.
👤 1 collaborator in charge of approval
✅+6 6 post states (Draft, Pending Approval, Requires Edits, Scheduled, Published and Canceled)
3. Zero Workflow automatically schedules approved posts, with 3 different post states (Draft, Scheduled, and Published). This workflow is ideal if one collaborator is in charge of the approval process.
🚫 No approval steps
✅+4 4 post states (Draft, Scheduled, Published, and Canceled)
📝 Note: The Original Workflow will be the default workflow, so please make any necessary updates to a calendar's workflow. For example, if there is only one collaborator responsible for the approval, there is no reason to keep an original workflow because your collaborator will have to update the status of the post twice (approve then schedule), rather than automatically schedule for approval.
How to update Approval workflow?
Go to the Calendar Settings
Select the workflow that is most suitable for the calendar
Confirm the change by selecting Yes
📝 Note: Regardless of the workflow you choose, the collaborator who is responsible for the next step will need to be assigned when the status of a post is updated so they are aware and notified. Check out our article here for reasons why you or your collaborator may not be receiving notifications.
2. Custom Workflows
Custom Workflow allows you to control Assignment Triggers and State Guards for your calendars.
1. Assignment Trigger will automatically assign users listed once the status of a post has been updated. Rather than manually assigning the posts to your collaborators, you can now set a Trigger to automatically assign users for different post statuses based on your custom workflow settings.
For example, you can have one or more collaborators automatically assigned to a post once the post goes into the Pending Approval state.
You can create multiple Assignment Triggers in a calendar, but there can only be one Trigger created per Post State. You can always delete or update the Trigger as needed.
Understanding Assignment Triggers Fields
When Entering State: this is the post status where the Trigger will assign users when entering the selected state
Operation
Add to Assignees: to add users to the currently assigned users
Replace Assignees: to replace current assignees with only the selected users listed in the Trigger
Assign To: these are the users that will be assigned when entering the state
2. State Guards: require action from one or more users to move the post into the guarded state. This is useful if you would like posts to be approved by specific users or to prevent users from scheduling posts before the post has been acted upon by specific users.
Once the necessary actions are taken by any or all of the required users, we will automatically change the post status into the Guarded State.
Understanding State Guards Fields
When Entering State: this is the post status that will be blocked unless users undertake necessary actions required to enter the selected state
Require
All users defined in this Guard: specifies whether all of the selected users must act
Any users defined in this Guard: specifies whether that any one of the selected users can act to update the post status
Users to Act: these are the users that will need to act to enter the guarded state
Subsequent States
Allow: Allow users to skip over the guarded state or manually change the post status to a future state (e.g. Creating a post then publishing now even with a Scheduled State Guard)
Block: Prevents users from skipping over the guarded State "Block" if you do not want users to skip over the Guarded state
Overrideable By: Users listed can allow the Guard to be resolved by manually overriding the State Guard. This setting can be helpful in cases where a collaborator is, say, on vacation or unavailable.
How to Override a Guarded State
Manually select the target state (e.g. Approved)
Select the state again from the drop-down
Press Override
📝 Note: If a post is moved back to a state prior to the guarded state, then the required actions must be completed again by the assigned users
Custom Workflows are now available for subscribers on the Advanced Plan and up. You can create Custom Workflows from the Workflow tab of Calendar Settings.
Learn more about Workflows in the Custom Workflow Flash Webinar!
We also offer an in depth Advanced Collaboration webinar.