Workflows and Approvals

Workflows extend SetGet automations beyond simple trigger-action rules. A workflow is a multi-step process where work items move through defined stages, with optional approval gates that require human review before proceeding. Workflows are ideal for processes that cannot be fully automated — where human judgment is needed at key decision points.

What is a workflow?

A workflow consists of:

• Stages — A sequence of steps that a work item or process must pass through.
• Approval gates — Points in the sequence where a designated approver must review and approve before the item advances.
• Actions — Automated steps that execute when an item enters or exits a stage.
• Notifications — Alerts sent to relevant people at each stage.

Unlike simple automation rules that fire once on a single trigger, workflows model an entire process lifecycle from start to finish.

Workflow stages

A workflow is built from ordered stages. Each stage represents a phase in the process.

Stage properties

Property	Description
Name	Display name of the stage (e.g., "Technical Review")
Type	Automatic or Approval
Assignee/Approver	Who is responsible for this stage
Duration limit	Optional maximum time an item can spend in this stage
Entry actions	Actions that execute when an item enters the stage
Exit actions	Actions that execute when an item leaves the stage

Stage types

Automatic stages

Automatic stages do not require human intervention. When an item enters an automatic stage, the entry actions execute immediately, and the item advances to the next stage once exit conditions are met.

Example: An automatic "Notify Stakeholders" stage that sends a notification and then moves the item forward.

Approval stages

Approval stages pause the workflow until a designated approver takes action. The approver can:

• Approve — The item advances to the next stage.
• Reject — The item is sent back to a previous stage or marked as rejected.
• Request changes — The item is returned to the submitter with comments.

Example: A "Manager Approval" stage where the engineering lead must approve before a release proceeds.

Approval gates

Approval gates are the core differentiator between workflows and simple rules. They introduce human decision points into an otherwise automated process.

How approval gates work

1. An item reaches an approval stage in the workflow.
2. The designated approver receives a notification.
3. The item's status shows "Awaiting Approval" with the approver's name.
4. The approver reviews the item and any attached context (comments, linked items, documents).
5. The approver selects Approve, Reject, or Request Changes.
6. The workflow proceeds based on the decision.

Approval decision outcomes

Decision	Result
Approve	Item advances to the next stage in the workflow
Reject	Item moves to a designated rejection stage or is marked closed
Request changes	Item returns to the previous stage with reviewer comments

Multiple approvers

For stages that require consensus or multiple sign-offs, you can configure:

Mode	Behavior
Any one	Any single approver can approve or reject
All required	Every listed approver must approve before the item advances
Majority	More than half of the approvers must approve

TIP

Use "All required" mode for critical decisions like production releases. Use "Any one" mode for lighter reviews where any team lead can sign off.

Workflow status tracking

Every item in a workflow has a visible workflow status that shows where it currently is in the process.

Status indicators

Indicator	Meaning
In Stage: [name]	The item is currently in the named stage
Awaiting Approval	The item is paused at an approval gate
Approved	The item has been approved at the current stage
Rejected	The item was rejected and the workflow is halted
Changes Requested	The item was returned for revisions
Completed	The item has passed through all workflow stages
Timed Out	The item exceeded the duration limit at a stage

Tracking in the interface

Workflow status is visible in several places:

• Work item detail — A workflow progress bar shows the current stage.
• List and board views — Workflow status appears as a badge on the item.
• Workflow dashboard — A dedicated view showing all items currently in any workflow, grouped by stage.

Workflow notifications

Workflows generate notifications at key points to keep everyone informed:

Event	Who is notified
Item enters a new stage	Stage assignee or approver
Approval requested	Designated approver(s)
Item approved	Item creator, item assignee
Item rejected	Item creator, item assignee
Changes requested	Item creator, item assignee
Duration limit approaching	Stage assignee, workflow admin
Duration limit exceeded	Stage assignee, workflow admin, item creator
Workflow completed	Item creator, all stage assignees

WARNING

Notification delivery depends on each member's notification preferences. Ensure approvers have not muted the relevant notification channels, or they may miss approval requests.

Creating a workflow

Step 1: Open workflow settings

1. Navigate to your project.
2. Go to Settings > Automations > Workflows.
3. Click Create Workflow.

Step 2: Define the stages

Add stages in order. For each stage, configure:

1. Name — A clear name for the stage.
2. Type — Automatic or Approval.
3. Assignee/Approver — Who handles this stage.
4. Duration limit — Optional time limit.
5. Entry actions — Actions to run when an item enters (e.g., add label, send notification).
6. Exit actions — Actions to run when an item leaves (e.g., remove label, update state).

Step 3: Configure transitions

Define how items move between stages:

• Happy path — The default forward progression through all stages.
• Rejection path — Where rejected items go (back to a specific stage or out of the workflow).
• Revision path — Where items go when changes are requested.

Step 4: Set entry criteria

Define what triggers an item to enter the workflow:

• A specific state change
• A specific label being added
• Manual enrollment by a team member

Step 5: Activate the workflow

Toggle the workflow to Active. Items matching the entry criteria will begin moving through the stages.

Use cases

Release approval

A workflow for approving production releases:

Stage	Type	Assignee	Actions
1. Code Complete	Automatic	Developer	Add "release-candidate" label
2. QA Review	Approval	QA Lead	Assign to QA, notify QA channel
3. Security Review	Approval	Security Lead	Notify security team
4. PM Sign-off	Approval	Product Manager	Notify PM with release notes
5. Deploy	Automatic	DevOps	Change state to "Released", notify all

Design review

A workflow for design deliverables:

Stage	Type	Assignee	Actions
1. Design Draft	Automatic	Designer	Add "in-design" label
2. Peer Review	Approval	Design Lead	Request feedback from design team
3. Stakeholder Review	Approval	Product Manager	Share mockups with stakeholders
4. Approved	Automatic	Designer	Change state to "Ready for Dev"

Content publishing

A workflow for blog posts, documentation, or marketing content:

Stage	Type	Assignee	Actions
1. Draft	Automatic	Writer	Add "draft" label
2. Editorial Review	Approval	Editor	Assign to editor, notify
3. Legal Review	Approval	Legal team	Notify legal, add "pending-legal"
4. Final Approval	Approval	Content Lead	Final sign-off before publishing
5. Published	Automatic	Writer	Remove draft label, notify team

Managing workflows

Editing a workflow

You can modify a workflow's stages, approvers, and actions at any time. Changes apply to new items entering the workflow. Items already in progress continue with the configuration that was active when they entered.

Pausing a workflow

Pause a workflow to temporarily stop new items from entering. Items already in the workflow continue through their remaining stages.

Archiving a workflow

Archive a workflow when it is no longer needed. Archived workflows are hidden from the active list but can be restored.

Best practices

1. Keep workflows short — Aim for 3-5 stages. Long workflows with many gates slow down delivery.
2. Set duration limits — Prevent items from getting stuck at approval stages by setting reasonable time limits.
3. Assign backup approvers — Use "Any one" mode with multiple approvers so that absences do not block the process.
4. Use entry actions for context — Add comments or labels at each stage so anyone viewing the item understands where it is and why.
5. Monitor the workflow dashboard — Regularly check for items stuck at approval gates.

Related pages

• Automations Overview — Introduction to the automation system
• Automation Rules — Simple trigger-action rules
• Automation Templates — Pre-built automation configurations
• Execution History — Monitor and debug automation runs
• Work Items — The entities that flow through workflows