Approval Templates help automate approval workflows by defining the sequence of approvers for agenda items. They make it easier to apply consistent approval processes across meetings while allowing approvers to review and update items or supporting documents as needed.
After an Approval Template is created, it must be assigned to one or more Meeting Types before it will appear in the Approval Template dropdown when adding item approvals.
This article explains how to create, edit, reorder, and delete Approval Templates, as well as how to make them available for specific Meeting Types.
Important Notes
Approvals can be based on 3 factors, in this order of priority:
First the Item Category,
then the Department,
and lastly, the Meeting Type
If your item approvals are not pulling in properly, it may be due to the approval hierarchy. For instructions on how to update the default aApproval Templates for item categories, departments, and meeting types, view the relevant articles below:
If an Approval Template does not appear in Approval Template dropdowns, verify that it has been assigned to the appropriate Meeting Type.
Marking a user as inactive does not remove them from Approval Templates or from items where they are already assigned as an approver. The “Hide from Approvers List” option must be selected when removing user access to prevent the user from appearing in approval selections. Additionally, users already assigned to agendas or items will remain in those workflows, and templates applied before a user is removed will still include them.
Create an Approval Template
Sign in to the system if you have not already
Navigate to the User Menu, then select the Settings option:
Click the Meetings tile:
Click the Approval Templates tile:
Click the New Approval Template button:
Fill in the Add Approval Template fields:
Approval Template Name (required): Enter a name for the Template
Approval Template Notes: Add any internal notes that may be helpful
Approvers: Click the Select Approver(s) dropdown and select individual approvers in the order you would like them to approve the item
Notes:
If "Department Approvers" is selected as an approver, the system will add anyone assigned as a Department Approver within the system's Global Settings to the approval workflow:
After approvers have been added, you can drag and drop user names to reorder the approver list:
To remove an approver, click the red X icon to the right of the approver name:
Click the Create Approval Template button to save the template and close the Add Approval Template dialog, or click the Create and Add New button to save the template and automatically start work on another Approval Template:
The approval template has been created
Edit an Approval Template
Important Note
Users who are already assigned to approve existing agendas or items will stay assigned, even if they are removed from the associated Approval Template. Changes to an Approval Template only apply going forward and do not affect existing agendas or items. Approval Templates applied before a user is removed will still include them.
Sign in to the system if you have not already
Navigate to the User Menu, then select the Settings option:
Click the Meetings tile:
Click the Approval Templates tile:
Click the Edit button (purple pencil icon) to the right of the Approval Template you wish to edit:
Update the Edit Approval Template fields as desired:
Approval Template Name (required): Enter a name for the Template
Approval Template Notes: Add any internal notes that may be helpful
Approvers: Click the Select Approver(s) dropdown and select individual approvers in the order you would like them to approve the item
Notes:
If "Department Approvers" is selected as an approver, the system will add anyone assigned as a Department Approver within the system's Global Settings to the approval workflow:
After approvers have been added, you can drag and drop user names to reorder the approver list:
To remove an approver, click the red X icon to the right of the approver name:
Click the Save Changes button:
The Approval Template has been edited
Reorder Approval Templates
Sign in to the system if you have not already
Navigate to the User Menu, then select the Settings option:
Click the Meetings tile:
Click the Approval Templates tile:
Click the Edit Order button:
Click and hold the grid icon next to the Approval Templates you wish to move, then drag and drop them into the desired order:
Click the Save Changes button:
The Approval Templates have been reordered
Delete an Approval Template
Sign in to the system if you have not already
Navigate to the User Menu, then select the Settings option:
Click the Meetings tile:
Click the Approval Templates tile:
Click the Delete button (red trash can icon) to the right of the Approval Template you wish to delete:
Click the Delete Approval Template button on the Delete Approval Template pop-up that appears:
The Approval Template has been deleted
Modify the Approval Templates Available for a Meeting Type
Sign in to the system if you have not already
Navigate to the User Menu, then select the Settings option:
Click the Meetings tile:
Click the Meeting Types tile:
Click the Edit button (purple pencil icon) next to the Meeting Type with the recommended actions you wish to modify:
Navigate to the View menu and select Options in the dropdown list:
Navigate to the Approvals section:
Check or uncheck the checkboxes for the recommended actions that you wish to make available or unavailable for this Meeting Type:
Click a save option:
Save Changes: Save all changes and remain on the Options page
Save and Exit: Save all changes and return to the Meeting Types page
Approval templates for the chosen Meeting Type have been modified; selected Approval Templates will appear in Approval Template dropdowns for items associated with the Meeting Type