Sending files with Risk Reviews for Approval

This guide explains how to send documents for approval after completing the risk review process in Marketing Compliance.

Approvals may not appear if it is not enabled for that Database. 

When to Request Approval

You should request approval for your document when:

• All critical compliance risks have been addressed
• Revisions have been completed and reviewed
• The document is ready for final sign-off before distribution

Preparing for Approval

Before requesting approval, ensure:

1. You've reviewed all identified risks
2. Critical issues have been resolved or properly dismissed
3. Any necessary revisions have been uploaded and reviewed
4. You have notes about any exceptional cases or specific decisions made during the review process

Requesting Approval

1. Navigate to the record where your document is 
2. Click the Request Approval button on the file
3. Select appropriate approvers based on your workflow if applicable 
4. Add any additional comments explaining:
   • Changes made to address risks
   • Any risks that were dismissed and why
   • Special considerations for this document
5. Submit the approval request

Understanding Approval Status

After requesting approval, the file will appear in your and the approvers Approvals area, you'll see status indicators on the file:

• Pending Approval: The approval request has been sent but not yet completed
• Approved: All approvers have signed off on the document
• Declined: One or more approvers has rejected the document
• Cancelled: The approval process was canceled

Working in the Approvals Area

When a document is sent for approval:

• The file moves to the Approvals area for both requestor and approvers
• Previous Risk Reviews are visible to all parties in the Approvals area
• Requestors and approvers can continue to add comments and revisions in the Markup Tab of the Approval
• You can perform the same feedback loop as in the initial review, although likely with fewer risks to review and fix
• Important: New Risk Reviews and comments made in the Approvals area are not visible back in the Record's General Markup Comments on the file
• Within the Comment Thread dropdown you will see GMC for Risk Reviews triggered in General Markup Comments before Approvals and Approval for any revisions or new Risk Reviews while in approvals. 
• You can use the Compare feature to review two Revisions side by side and compare risks and changes

Responding to Approval Feedback

While a document is in the approval process and has not been declined:

1. Approvers can provide feedback through comments
2. You can add revisions directly in the Approvals area
3. These revisions will trigger new Risk Reviews
4. All parties can continue to discuss and refine the document
5. Once all concerns are addressed, approvers can approve the document

If your document is declined during the approval process:

1. Review the comments provided by the approver
2. Make the requested changes to your document
3. You'll need to upload the new document in the database again
4. Submit a new approval request with notes about how you've addressed the feedback

Important: You cannot add a revision to a declined approval workflow. A new document must be uploaded to the database again. 

After Approval

Once your document is approved:

1. The status will change to "Approved" in the Record File List View
2. If enabled you can Publish to a Folder