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Run a Document Review Workflow

Document review workflow tutorial

This tutorial walks a document controller through the complete lifecycle of a controlled document review — from uploading the document to confirming the final audit trail. By the end, you will have a registered document with an active workflow, reviewer responses, and a complete audit record showing every decision.

Role: Document Controller (or Project Admin)
Prerequisite: At least one active workflow template. See Create Your First Workflow Template.

Step 1 — Prepare and upload the document​

  1. Navigate to Documents in the left sidebar.
  2. Click Upload Document.
  3. Select the file (PDF, DWG, DOCX, or any format allowed in project settings).
  4. Fill in the metadata:
    • Document Number — auto-populated if a numbering scheme is configured, otherwise enter manually.
    • Title — a clear, descriptive name.
    • Discipline — e.g., Civil, Structural, Mechanical.
    • Document Type — e.g., Drawing, Specification, Method Statement.
    • Revision — use A for the first revision.
    • Zone / Package — fill if required by the review matrix.
  5. Leave status as Draft (it will change to Under Review automatically when the workflow starts).
  6. Toggle Start Workflow After Upload on if you want the template picker to open immediately after upload.
  7. Click Upload.

Step 2 — Start the workflow​

If you toggled Start Workflow After Upload, the template picker opens automatically. If not:

  1. Find the document in the register.
  2. Click the ⋮ Actions menu on the document row.
  3. Select Start Workflow.
  4. The template picker lists all active templates. Select the appropriate one.
  5. Review the template preview showing all steps, step types, routing mode, and default assignees.

Step 3 — Confirm assignees and due dates​

  1. The template pre-fills assignees from its configuration:
    • Named role — resolves to the user holding that role on this project.
    • Access group — any member of the group may respond.
    • Review Matrix — the matrix auto-selects the reviewer based on the document’s discipline, type, and zone.
  2. Override any assignee by clicking the assignee field and searching for a user.
  3. Adjust step due dates if the project schedule requires a shorter or longer window.
  4. Fill in the Instructions field — this message is shown to all assignees and included in notification emails.
  5. Click Start Workflow.

The document status changes to Under Review and all Step 1 assignees receive email notifications.

Step 4 — Monitor the active workflow​

Open the workflow instance from Workflows → Active or from the document’s Actions menu:

  • The step progress bar at the top shows all steps with their status: Completed (✓ green), Active (blue), Pending (grey).
  • The current step panel shows: assignee name, due date, step type, and instructions.
  • Comments submitted by reviewers appear under each step.
  • Overdue steps are flagged in red on the Dashboard and in the Overdue report.

You can also monitor pending actions for all reviewers from Dashboard → Pending Actions (when you have Project Admin or Document Controller permissions).

Step 5 — Reviewer responds (from the reviewer’s perspective)​

The reviewer:

  1. Receives an email with subject [Workflow Step Assigned] — [Document Number] — [Step Name] and a direct link to their step.
  2. Clicks the link to open the step in Workflows (or navigates via Dashboard → Pending Actions).
  3. Sees the document viewer on the left and the step response panel on the right.
  4. Reviews the document.
  5. Selects a response action:
ActionMeaningEffect
ApproveDocument meets requirementsStep marked complete, workflow advances
Approve with CommentsApproved but comments require attentionStep complete, comments captured
RejectDocument does not meet requirementsStep complete; may trigger Return for Revision branch
Return for RevisionDocument needs rework before continuingStep complete; workflow may reset
AcknowledgeReceipt confirmed (Acknowledge steps only)Step complete, no decision recorded
  1. Adds a comment (optional for Approve; required for Reject / Return for Revision).
  2. Optionally attaches a marked-up file.
  3. Clicks Submit.

Step 6 — Handle rejection or revision requests​

If a reviewer rejects or returns the document:

  1. You (document controller) receive a notification.
  2. Review the reviewer’s comments carefully.
  3. Upload a new revision: Document → Actions → Upload New Revision. The revision increments (A → B).
  4. Depending on your Reset Review on Supersede project setting:
    • On: the workflow resets to Step 1. All previous reviewer responses are preserved in the audit trail for the earlier revision.
    • Off: the workflow continues from the point it left off; only steps after the rejection are re-run.
  5. If needed, adjust step assignees or due dates before re-submitting.

Step 7 — Complete all steps​

As steps are completed by each assignee, the workflow automatically advances:

  • For sequential workflows: Step 2 activates only when Step 1 is completed.
  • For parallel workflows: all parallel steps are active simultaneously; the next sequential step activates only when all parallel steps are completed.
  • For conditional workflows: the next step is determined by the response from the preceding step.

Monitor the workflow’s step progress bar to track completion. Notify any overdue assignees using the Resend Notification button on the step panel.

Step 8 — Closeout the workflow​

When all steps are completed:

  1. The workflow status changes to Completed.
  2. The document status updates automatically to the configured final status (typically Approved or Approved with Comments).
  3. If the final step is an Acknowledge step for the document controller:
    • Open the step, review the decision chain.
    • Click Acknowledge to formally close.
  4. Review the full audit trail from the document’s Activity tab to confirm:
    • All required steps completed
    • No gaps in the response chain
    • Final status is correct

Step 9 — Post-review actions​

After a successful review:

  • Issue a transmittal if the approved document needs formal distribution to external parties.
  • Export the audit trail if governance evidence is required (document → Activity → Export).
  • Supersede old revisions from the register if the review closed a revision cycle.
  • Update the work package status if this document was the final item blocking package submission.

Closeout checklist​

Before archiving or distributing:

  • All required reviewers submitted a response.
  • No steps marked No Response unless auto-close was intentional.
  • All Approve with Comments steps have comments captured.
  • Any revision requests led to an uploaded new revision.
  • Document status in the register reflects the final decision.
  • Audit trail is clean and complete.

Troubleshooting​

ProblemLikely causeFix
Step stuck on “Pending”Waiting for a prior parallel stepCheck all parallel steps; send reminders
Reviewer says they did not get emailEmail not in workspace / email in spamAdmin resends invite; reviewer checks spam
Wrong assignee on a stepTemplate default not matching current teamEdit the in-flight step assignee from the workflow detail
Document status did not change after approvalStatus update rule not set on template’s final stepAdmin checks template step configuration