Introduction

The editorial workflow allows posts in a channel to be reviewed before they go online. A post then goes through the stages Draft → Under review → Approved → Published. This prevents sensitive or organisation-wide communications from appearing on the platform without being checked.

This article explains how the workflow works, how to set up a channel as an administrator, how to submit a post for review as a writer and how to approve or reject posts as a reviewer.

How does the editorial workflow work?

An administrator enables the workflow for each channel and determines who may review posts in that channel. From that moment on, a writer can no longer post directly in that channel. The post is first sent to a reviewer.

A post goes through these statuses:

1. Draft: the writer is working on the post. Only the writer can see it.
2. Under review: the writer has submitted the post. The post is locked and waiting for the reviewer.
3. Approved: the reviewer has approved the post. It is ready to be posted.
4. Published: the post is online and visible in the channel.

There are three roles in the workflow:

• Writer: anyone who is allowed to write in the channel. Submits a post for review and can withdraw it in the meantime.
• Reviewer: approves or rejects posts with feedback. The administrator determines who is a reviewer for each channel. Administrators and super administrators can always review.
• Administrator: enables or disables the workflow for each channel and sets reviewers and rejection reasons.

Who can do what?

The table below shows which actions are available for each role.

Good to know:

• Users with external access, demo accounts and read-only accounts can never be reviewers.
• As long as a post is Under review or Approved, only the assigned reviewer can still edit the content. The writer must withdraw the post first.
• Does the post have a publication date in the future? You can then only choose a content manager, administrator or super administrator as the reviewer. Other users cannot yet see a scheduled post.
• Are you resubmitting an already published post for review? The post will then go offline until it has been approved and posted again.

Set up the workflow for a channel (administrator)

As an administrator, you enable the workflow for each channel and determine who may review posts.

Enable the workflow

1. Go to the Admin panel.
2. Click Channels.
3. Click the pencil icon next to the channel you want to configure, or create a new channel.

4. Scroll to the Editorial workflow section.

   

5. Turn on the Enable editorial workflow toggle. Additional fields now appear.

   

6. Under Which role may review?, choose a role, for example content manager. Everyone with this role may review posts in this channel. This field is optional.
7. Under Which users may review?, choose one or more people. This field is optional. Administrators and super administrators may always review, even if you do not select them here.
8. Under Default reviewer for this channel, choose the person who will be entered as the default reviewer for new posts. You can only choose from users who are allowed to review according to the previous two fields. The writer can choose a different reviewer for each post.
9. Under Rejection reasons, type a reason and press Enter. Repeat this for each reason, for example Factual inaccuracy, Tone or Belongs in another channel. Reviewers can choose these reasons when rejecting a post. This field is optional.
10. Click Save. The workflow is now active for this channel.

Disable the workflow

1. Open the channel in the Admin panel via Channels and the pencil icon.
2. Turn off the Enable editorial workflow toggle.
3. Click Save.

4. Are there posts that are Under review or Approved at that time? You will then see the question Disable editorial workflow? with the number of posts. Click Disable and reset to confirm.

   

Submit a post for review (writer)

In a channel with a workflow, you do not post directly. You submit the post to a reviewer.

1. Click Create post and choose the expanded post editor. You can also open an existing draft.

2. Choose the channel with the workflow as the destination. The Editorial workflow panel now appears on the right with the status Draft.

   

3. Write your post as usual.
4. Under Reviewer, check who will review your post. The channel's default reviewer is already selected. If necessary, choose someone else from the list.

5. At the bottom, click Submit for review. Your post is first saved as a draft and then submitted.

   

6. The status changes to Under review. The reviewer receives a notification. Your post is now locked until the reviewer has made a decision.

Withdraw a submitted post

Have you spotted an error while the post is under review? Withdraw it.

1. Open the post via Posts → Drafts or via the notification.
2. Click Withdraw at the bottom.
3. The status returns to Draft. You can edit the post again and resubmit it. The reviewer receives a notification that you have withdrawn the post.

Process feedback after a rejection

1. You receive a notification: [Name] sent your post back with feedback. Click the notification to open the post.

2. In the Editorial workflow panel, under Latest feedback, read what the reviewer has noted. A selected rejection reason appears as a label above the feedback.

   

3. Make changes to your post.
4. Click Submit for review again.

Post an approved post

1. You receive a notification: [Name] approved your post. Open the post.
2. The panel shows the status Approved and the text This post has been approved and is ready to publish.
3. Click Post at the bottom. Your post is now online in the channel.

Review posts (reviewer)

As a reviewer, you can find all posts waiting for you on the My reviews page.

Open the My reviews page

1. Go to Posts in the menu.

2. Click My reviews in the left-hand bar. You will now see all posts assigned to you, plus posts without a reviewer in channels you are allowed to review.

   

3. Use the channel filter, search field or sorting (oldest or newest first) to find a post.
4. Click a post to open it in the post editor.

Approve a post

1. Read the post. As the assigned reviewer, you may make minor changes to the text. If you do, click Save changes first.

2. Click Approve at the bottom. The post receives the status Approved and the writer receives a notification to post it.

   

3. Do you want to put the post online immediately? Click ⋯ More actions and choose Approve and post. The post is published immediately and the writer is notified.
4. After your decision, you return to My reviews.

Reject a post

1. Click Reject at the bottom.

2. In the Reject post window, optionally choose a Reason. You will only see reasons that the administrator has set for this channel.

   

3. Under Feedback, type what the writer needs to change. This field is required and may contain a maximum of 500 characters.
4. Click Confirm rejection.
5. The post returns to Draft. The writer receives a notification and can read your feedback in the post editor.

Troubleshooting

I cannot see the Post button, only Submit for review

• The editorial workflow is enabled for the channel. Posts in this channel must be reviewed first.
• Only reviewers of the channel can post directly, via ⋯ More actions → Post.
• Do you still want to post without review? Ask an administrator to add you as a reviewer for the channel.

When I quickly post a message, I see a notification saying that posts in this channel must be reviewed

• The quick post box on the home page does not support the workflow.
• Use the expanded post editor via Create post. There you can choose a reviewer and submit the post.

I cannot edit my post

• Is your post Under review? It is locked. Click Withdraw, make changes and resubmit it.
• Is your post Approved? You can only post it now. If you still want to make changes, ask the assigned reviewer to make them, or post the message and edit it afterwards. A published post that you resubmit will go offline until it has been approved again.

I cannot choose a reviewer

• You can only choose from users who are allowed to review according to the channel settings. Ask an administrator to set a role or people under Which role may review? or Which users may review?.
• Does your post have a publication date in the future? You will then only see content managers, administrators and super administrators. Set the publication date to now or choose one of them.
• Do you want a different reviewer while the post is already under review? Withdraw the post first, choose a different reviewer and resubmit it.

I cannot see My reviews in the left-hand bar

• You are not a reviewer. Ask an administrator to add your role or name to the workflow settings for the channel.
• You have an account with external access, a demo account or a read-only account. These accounts cannot review.

I cannot see the Editorial workflow section in the channel settings

• Only administrators and super administrators can see this section. Check your role.
• Are you an administrator and is the section still missing? Contact support.plek@bcs-hr.com.

I receive a notification saying that the post has just been changed by someone else

• Someone else has just approved, rejected or withdrawn the post. Refresh the page and view the new status in the Editorial workflow panel.

My problem is not listed

Contact support if the problem persists. Send an email to support.plek@bcs-hr.com and mention the channel and the title of the post.