Approve documents with a workflow

A deliverable, a policy or a design document often needs a named person to sign it off. Document approval does that with a workflow: when a document is uploaded or gets a new version, the workflow asks an approver, holds that version still until they decide, and records the decision on the document.

It uses the same workflow builder and approval steps as any other workflow. If you have not built one yet, read Build a workflow and Add approval steps to a workflow first.

Set up a sign-off from a template

Two templates do most of the work. In the workflow builder’s template gallery, look for:

• Deliverable sign-off: when a document gets a new version, asks an approver to sign off that version, then marks the document Approved or Rejected. It runs in one project. Type a folder’s name in its first step to limit it to that folder; left empty, it covers every folder in the project.
• Policy document review: when a document is uploaded, marks it In review and asks every chosen reviewer to approve it. Approved by all, it is marked Approved; one rejection marks it Rejected. It runs org-wide, so documents in the organization’s own folders are covered too.

1. Open Workflows, select New Workflow and pick one of the two templates. Or open a folder’s ⋯ menu and choose Automate: the builder opens on that folder and lists the templates that fit (see Automate from an item’s menu).

2. Open the Approval step and tick the Approvers. The templates leave this empty because approvers are people in your organization.

3. Adjust the rest if you need to, then save and switch the workflow on.

You can also build your own. The two triggers are Document uploaded and New document version, in the Documents group. Each carries the folder, the document, its version and who uploaded it, so a condition can check any of them. After a document trigger the builder offers the action Set document status, which sets Draft, In review, Approved or Rejected.

What the lock blocks

While an approval is open on a document, the version under review is locked. Nobody can add a new version until the approval is decided:

• uploading a file with the same name as a new version is refused (you can still keep both, as a separate document);
• Edit content is disabled, with the reason under it;
• restoring an older version is disabled;
• the Office editor opens the document read-only and says why.

The document’s row and card show Waiting for approval with the version number. Agents connected over MCP are held to the same rule.

The lock does not stop changes that leave the reviewed file as it is. Creating new documents, renaming, moving, editing a document’s details and deleting it all still work.

How the lock ends

The lock ends when:

• an approver decides (approved or rejected);
• someone cancels the workflow run, from the Activity tab on the Workflows page;
• the run fails or finishes, or the workflow is deleted.

Pausing the workflow does not end the lock: a run already waiting still holds the version, and its approval can still be decided. If an approver never decides, cancel the run to free the document.

Where the approval record shows

• On the document. A badge on its row and card shows the status and the version it applies to, for example Approved · v3. Open the document’s version history and the Approvals section lists the status, then each decision: the version, the decision, who made it, when, and which workflow asked.
• For the approver. The request lands in the Approval Inbox on the Workflows page, naming the document and the version they are asked to sign off.
• In Microsoft Teams. If your organization uses Onplana in Teams, the approval card names the document and the version too. See Use Onplana in Microsoft Teams.

Plan and permissions

Document approval is on Business and above. On Pro, the two templates show in the gallery with a lock and the plan named, and the builder does not offer the document triggers or Set document status. Building workflows needs the same role as any other workflow.

Note

A workflow saved on Business keeps its settings if the plan changes, but a workflow on a document trigger does not run on a plan without document approval. Its trigger card says so.

FAQs

Does an approval change the file? No. It records a decision about one version. The file stays as it was uploaded.

What happens to a new version uploaded after approval? It is a new version with no decision yet. If your workflow listens for new versions, it starts a fresh approval for it.

Can I see older decisions? Yes. The Approvals section keeps every decision with its version, so you can see that v2 was rejected and v3 approved.

Related

• Add approval steps to a workflow
• Build a workflow
• Organize document libraries
• Edit Office documents