Plan Approval - Produce documents approvals

Introduction

This feature enables a seamless workflow integration between the Produce and Plan products, allowing users to create documents in Produce and send them for approval within Plan. The goal is to streamline document creation and approval processes, providing an advanced workflow option that goes beyond the simple workflow currently available in Produce.

Feature Description

1. Approval Workflow Integration:

   • Documents created in Produce can now be sent to Plan for an advanced approval workflow.
   • Users can add comments, annotations, and manage document statuses directly in Plan.

2. Document Restrictions:

   • Documents cannot be used to create assets until they are fully approved in Plan. Once approved, assets can be generated.

3. Template and Reviewer Selection:

   • Users can link Produce templates to specific Plan approval projects.
   • Reviewer selection is done manually if configured, allowing Initiators to pick from available reviewers in Plan.

4. Status Handling:

   • Produce documents move through stages like "In Progress," "Pending Review," "Needs Change," and "Approved."
   • Assets can only be created once a document reaches the "Approved" status.

5. Version Control:

   • Each version of a document submitted for review is captured, creating a version history that can be accessed in Plan for review and commentary.

How to Setup

Plan Approval Project Setup

• • Only Administrators can create Plan approval projects.
  • Projects can be single-stage or multi-stage, with various configuration options for reviewer settings.
  • Reviewers for each stage can be selected by the Initiator or pre-assigned.
  • Specify whether all reviewers in a stage or only one is required to approve a document.

Produce Template Setup

1. • Navigate to the template settings in Produce.
   • Select the workflow type: None, Simple, or Advanced.
   • If "Advanced" is selected, link the template to an existing Plan approval project (mandatory).
   • Save the template once the appropriate approval project is assigned.

Workflow Process

1. Document Creation in Produce:

   • Initiators create documents from a template, setting the status to "In Progress" (work can still be done on the document) or "Pending Review" (to send for approval).
   • If "Pending Review" is selected, the document is pushed to the assigned Plan project.

2. Review Process in Plan:

   • Reviewers receive notification emails to review the document.
   • Comments, annotations, and review status updates (e.g., "Needs Change" or "Approved") are handled in Plan.
   • The document status is visible both in Plan and Produce.

3. Version Updates:

   • When a document requires changes, the Initiator creates a new version in Produce.
   • A new version is sent for review, and the same approval process repeats until the document is fully approved.

4. Final Approval:

   • Once approved in Plan, the document is marked "Approved" in both systems, unlocking it for asset creation.

Status and Version Handling

• Statuses: The workflow includes "In Progress" (Produce-only), "Pending Review," "Needs Change," and "Approved."
• Versioning: A snapshot of each version is saved when submitted for review. Only the latest version can be reviewed and approved.

Email Notifications

• Notifications are automatically sent to assigned reviewers when their action is required and to the Initiator when changes are requested.

Limitations and Restrictions

• Document Changes: Once sent for approval, documents cannot be altered. A new version must be created for any changes.
• Document Deletion: Deleting a document in Produce will terminate the approval process in Plan.