HighQ's native approvals capabilities allow you to configure approval workflows using a combination of approval templates and the workflow rule builder to trigger a single or multiple approvals driven off a number of triggers. This includes any relevant contract/file metadata, whilst providing you with a full audit trail.
This article assumes some prior level of knowledge of the HighQ system.
Approval templates are available at no additional cost but the premium module, Workflow, is required in order to be able to set up data driven approvals
Use cases
- Contract Lifecycle Management
- Document Management
- Transaction Management
- Legal Intake/Self Serve
Benefits
- Security - be sure any File and associated metadata are approved before users are able to take further action
- Visibility - system level audit trail
- Time saving - workflow process automation
- Flexibility - approvals are agnostic of document type, metadata and who submitted it - even anonymous users outside of the HighQ platform
- Adapts to your business - configurable approval workflows to fit your organisation's people and processes
How do Approvals in HighQ work?
There are different options depending on what type of Approvals you require:
- 'Flat' approvals - any new File that enters a site needs to go through an Approval. For this you will need one Approval Template configured, which you can apply via site admin > Files
- 'Data driven' approvals - a File may need to go through an Approval depending on certain metadata associated with it. This could be output (Contract Express) metadata or custom File metadata etc.
- 'Ad hoc' on demand approvals - a user manually sends a File for Approval
Configuring and using Approvals
Open site Admin then Approvals > Approval templates. In the Approval templates screen, click Add template and set up your Approval Template:
Next, enable approvals in site Admin > Files:
If all files added to the site require approval, you must also select the applicable Approval template from the drop-down list.
Use the Workflow rule builder to set up a data-driven approval workflow. Select the relevant trigger (i.e. the triggering iSheet) and apply conditions as necessary. Nested logic in workflow trigger enhancements allows complex conditions to be set up, including combining Contract Express output metadata with custom file metadata.
In the Actions tab, click Send for Approval and select the relevant Approval template:
If you need to trigger an approval template upon the completion of another approval template (i.e. 'chaining' approvals), this is also set up in the Workflow rule builder.
Your condition needs to check the status of the previous approval:
It may be that approvals further down the line have additional conditions. E.g. a finance team should only approve IF the same conditionality as step 1 Legal approval PLUS if the contract value is greater than [X]. In this case, add conditions as required:
There are no limits as to how many approvals you can chain together in this way.
You can track and visualise Approvals with the 'Approvals' data visualisation, or the File Status for iSheet charts configured it use a File metadata iSheet.
Example of an Approval workflow - Contract Express data-driven approval
A new Contract Express NDA is generated via the Contract Express questionnaire.
IF the disclosing period is 1 year or more (output metadata) OR the reason for disclosure is 'other purpose' (output metadata) AND contract value is greater than [X] (custom file metadata)
THEN trigger 3-step Approval: step 1 = Legal team
Below is an example of how this would be built in the Workflow Engine:
Rule 1 - Triggers tab
Rule 1 - Actions tab
However, if your organisation's entity is, for example, North America, the approval then needs to go to Finance and General Counsel. This cannot be achieved simply by using steps in one Approval template, so Workflow conditions are required here.
Rule 2 - Triggers tab
Rule 2 - Actions tab
Rule 3 - Triggers tab (final step approval)
Rule 3 - Actions tab
Best practice guidance/top tips
Below is a list of best practice guidance and some top tips