Workflow

Basic Concept

What is workflow?

Sitecore’s Workflow feature allows content to pass through an approval process before being published to the Web. Site Contributors, those who create the content, submit their work to a designated Site Manager, who in turn reviews the content, and has the authority to approve it for publication, or send it back for revision. The area of Sitecore that allows users to view and manage the workflow process is called the Workbox.

Roles

Site Contributors

Site Contributors create or add the copy, images, or any of the various other forms of content, such as “See Also” links, that will eventually appear as a web page when published. When ready, they submit their work to a Site Manager, who will approve it or make changes. Site Contributors do not have the ability to publish content directly to the Web.

Site Managers

Site Managers review the content submitted to them by Site Contributors. They can approve the content for publication, make changes and then publish it, or return the content to the Site Contributors for revision.

Vocabulary

Workbox

The Workbox is that area of Sitecore that allows users – both Site Contributors and Site Managers – to view and manage content in workflow. The Workbox displays the current state of the content in the workflow as well as its history.

Draft

When Site Contributors create content in Sitecore, it is automatically assigned the Draft state. When the content is ready for review and possible approval for publication, the Site Contributor moves it to the Awaiting Approval state.

Awaiting Approval

When content has been moved from the Draft state and is ready to be reviewed by a Site Manager, it is in the Awaiting Approval state. The Site Manager has the option of rejecting the content, which sends it back to the Draft state, or approving the content, which pushes it into publication pending validation in Sitecore.