KB User's Guide - Documents Tab - Document Workflow

This document provides a high-level overview of the different workflows you can set up in your KB space based on authoring permissions.

Overview

The KB supports the use of two different document workflows:

  • One that allows an author to create and/or edit a document and immediately publish their changes, and
  • One that requires the author to submit their new or updated document for review and publishing

Which workflow you use depends entirely on whether your authors the Publish permission in your KB group space. A single KB group space may have a number of authors who follow the first workflow outlined above, and others who follow the second. The proportion of authors with Publish rights also affects the processes you need to put in place in your group, e.g.:

  • Having a large number of authors with Publish rights = an open editing environment with low oversight
  • Having a small number of authors with Publish rights = a controlled editing environment with high oversight

Please keep in mind that neither approach is inherently better than the other! What works for one group may not work for another. For example, groups with highly visible public content may need more governance in place to ensure that content meets standards for tone and readability. In contrast, a group that manages an internal KB site for their unit may find that granting publish rights to all of their staff makes it more likely that everyone will contribute.

For a more detailed description of these workflows in practice, including the document statuses that will be used, please see the sections below:

Workflow with Publish Rights

  1. The author creates a new document or opens an existing document to edit. They may periodically use the Save changes button or submit the document as In Progress to save updated versions of their draft as they go.

  2. When they are finished editing and are ready to publish the document, they select the Active status and select the Submit button.

    • Note: A user with publish rights can also submit the document as In Review if they prefer to have a different user review it prior to publishing, but it is not a requirement.

Workflow without Publish Rights

  1. The author creates a new document or opens an existing document to edit. They may periodically use the Save changes button or submit the document as In Progress to save updated versions of their draft as they go.

  2. When they are finished editing and are ready to have the document published, they select the Request activation status and select the Submit button.

    • Note: They can also submit the document with the In Review status, though this may increase the time it takes for the document to be published. In most cases, Request activation is recommended.

  3. On the post-submission screen, an "Request activation" form will appear on the page. We recommend submitting this form, as it will trigger an immediate notification to the group's reviewer(s) letting them know the document is ready to be published. For more information, please see KB User's Guide - Documents Tab - Request Activation / Inactivation.

  4. An author or admin with publish rights will then find the document in the "In Review" queue.

    • If further changes are needed, they can follow up to request additional updates before publishing.
    • If the document passes review, they will publish (aka activate) the document on the original author's behalf. If the "Request activation" form was used, the original author will automatically receive a notification letting them know the document was published.

Deactivating Documents

Many documents that get published may later need to be taken down when they are no longer needed or relevant. This is called deactivation, and it also requires publish rights. The workflow for deactivating documents looks the same as for publishing, i.e.,:

  • An author with publish rights can simply submit the document with the Inactive status to deactivate it.
  • An author who doesn't have publish rights can submit the document with the Request inactivation status. If they then submit the "Request inactivation" form on the following page, the group reviewer(s) will be notified that the document should be taken down, and they will complete the deactivation process.

See Also


Keywords:
kb knowledgebase user guide document flowchart workflow lifecycle life cycle work steps publishing update process 
Doc ID:
8531
Owned by:
Leah S. in KB User's Guide
Created:
2008-11-17
Updated:
2024-09-30
Sites:
KB Demo, KB Demo - Child Demo KB, KB User's Guide