How Approval Workflow Works

How Reach templates move from draft to approved and live, who does what at each stage, and what to do when something gets stuck.

Overview

Every template in Reach goes through an approval workflow before it can be used in a campaign. A template starts as a Draft, gets submitted for review, and is approved by an Administrator before it goes Live. This article explains each stage and who does what.

Why approval exists

The approval workflow ensures that message content is reviewed by someone with authority before it reaches subscribers. It is a safeguard against sending incorrect or unreviewed content.

The Four Stages

Stage	Status label	Who acts	What it means
1. Draft	Saved	Author (Admin or Dept Admin)	Template is written and saved but not yet submitted. It can be edited freely.
2. Submitted	Waiting for Approval	Author submits, Admin reviews	Template has been sent to an approver. The author can no longer edit it in this state.
3. Approved	Approved	Approving Admin	Template is live and ready to use in campaign launches.
4. Rejected (if applicable)	Saved (reverted)	Approving Admin	Approver rejects the draft. It returns to editable draft state for rework.

Step-by-Step: Submitting for Approval

1. Write and test your template draft. See KB-032 for testing guidance.
2. Click Save Draft to confirm the final content.
3. Click Send to Approver. The template status changes to Waiting for Approval.
4. A yellow star appears next to the channel folder in the campaign tree to indicate a template is pending review.
5. Wait for an Administrator to review and approve.

Step-by-Step: Approving a Template (Administrators Only)

1. Navigate to the template in the campaign tree. The yellow star shows which folder contains a pending template.
2. Click on the draft in the list. The editor opens showing the current content and the status as Waiting for Approval.
3. Review the content carefully.
4. If the template is correct, click Approve. The status changes to Approved and the template moves to the Live folder.
5. If the template needs changes, click Save Draft (which reverts it to editable state) and communicate the required changes to the author.

After Approval

Once approved, the template appears in the Live folder (e.g., SMS-Live) and its status shows as Approved. It is now available to select when launching a campaign. The template cannot be edited while it is live. To update it, create a new draft, submit it for approval, and once approved, it replaces the previous live version.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can the same person write and approve a template?

A: Yes, if they hold Administrator access. There is no technical restriction preventing it, but having a second set of eyes review content is strongly recommended.

Q: Can I cancel a submission after clicking Send to Approver?

A: You can save it back to draft state from the approver view by clicking Save Draft. This returns the template to editable status.

Q: What happens to active campaigns if I approve a new template version?

A: The new template becomes the active live version. Future launches use the new version. Campaigns already in progress are not affected.

Q: Can Department Staff submit templates for approval?

A: No. Only Reach Administrators and Department Administrators can create and submit templates.

Q: Is there a notification sent to the approver when a template is submitted?

A: There is no automatic email notification. The yellow star in the campaign tree is the visual indicator. Coordinate with your approval workflow through your normal team communication.

Need More Help?

If you have followed the steps above and still require assistance, please refer to the relevant articles listed below for additional guidance.

• How Live Templates WorkWhat happens after a template is approved.
• How to Test TemplatesTesting your template before submitting for approval.