In Communications Control, you have the opportunity to request approvals for content. In this process, you can choose between two types of approvals: Simple and Advanced.

Content can also be approved by external users. Find out more about this here.

In Communications Control, we distinguish between two forms of approvals: (content-related) approvals and channel approvals. Content approvals can be requested for ideas, content, and responses to dialog tickets. Channel approvals only apply to content and are only required if channel responsibles have been assigned. Learn more about channel approvals here.

All screenshots shown below are from content. The functions also apply to ideas and can be found there in exactly the same place. To find out how to request approvals for dialog tickets, click here.

The key learnings of this article:

• Simple approval

• Extended approval

• Approvals for dialog tickets

• Notifications for approvals

• Staying up to date with the approval status

The simple approval

The approval menu can be found on the right side of the screen within a content or idea. A click on the thumb symbol opens the approval area.

The details page that opens is for requesting a simple approval. The following information can be stored:

• Due date

• Description

• Mandatory users

Decisive for the outcome of the approval is the answer of the user, who reacts first.

If the due date of an approval is exceeded and none of the users have reacted yet, it will be considered as failed and will not be granted.

The advanced approval

Advanced approvals can also be requested by clicking on the thumb icon. Then turn on the switch Use advanced mode with actions.

Here, you can enter even more details as in the simple approval:

• Due Date

• Application of an approval rule

• Instruction to user

• Mandatory users

• Optional users

• Identify actions that occur after successful approval: add tags, send email, change content status, share with other teams

If you selected optional users, additional fields open: The option to deny the approval with only one negative vote and the option to set how many optional users must grant the approval for the content to be considered approved. The grey field underneath the settings shows an overview of the currently set details.

For recurring approval workflows, we recommend that you create and apply approval rules. Thus, one click is sufficient to enter all information. How to create approval rules is explained here.

If you want to request approval for a piece of content and multiple attached cross-posts, you don't need to send the requests separately. Simply click the approval icon in the main content and select all the cross-posts for which you want to request approval.

Requesting approvals for dialog tickets

The structure of dialog tickets is quite different from that of content and ideas. Therefore, you will find the function for requesting approvals in a different place.

In the corresponding dialog ticket, click the Reply button (on the right below the ticket). In the response field that opens, enter your response, click the arrow to the right of the Submit button, and select the Request approval option.

A popup will open where you can enter the approval settings. Here, as with ideas and content, you can choose between the two approval types and enter the corresponding conditions.

Notifications for approvals

For both types of approvals, the included users are notified. Depending on their settings, this is done via email, in-app notification, or push notification.

To adjust the approval notifications, you may change them in your personal settings under notifications - approvals. Learn more about this here.

Following the status of approvals

Once an approval has been requested, its status can be tracked in the content or idea. 

If you requested approvals, you can also remind the remaining users to respond or cancel the entire process in the same view.

If a user leaves a comment during the approval, it will be displayed on the right to his/her name. For example, giving a reason why he or she has denied the approval.

If you want to leave a comment to justify your decision for or against the approval, you can do this in the field above the Deny and Grant buttons.

If the content or idea has already undergone one or more approval processes in the past, its course can also be understood here.