Setting up an Approval Route
How do I turn on Approval Routing?
The Approval Routing feature is a Hive App that can be enabled from the Hive Apps page by toggling on the 'Proofing & Approvals' app.
Do I need to manually move the route from one stage to the next?
No. The approval routes allow routes to be pre-set and route automatically. There is no need to push the route forward—the path is already pre-set.
Can certain routes be saved as templates?
Yes! You can set an approval route in the order that you would like with the actual users or with placeholders and then save it as a template for future use.
You can save any routing order as a template by clicking the More' button at the top of the route and selecting 'Save as template' from the dropdown menu. Routing templates can then be applied in the future by clicking the 'Apply template' option and selecting the appropriate template from the routing template library.
Just remember, these templates are visible to the entire workspace.
Can you edit routing templates once they’re created or do you have to just delete them and start again?
You would need to create a new approval routing template in order to edit it.
A quick way to do this would be to apply the existing template, make the edits and then save it as a new routing template
If you set up an approval route, does that same routing sequence appear in every action card in that section/phase?
No, approval routes are independent to each action card, so they only appear when you add the route.
Can I assign a review to a team?
Yes, you can assign a review to a team. Just make sure the team is a member of the project first.
For a team review, everyone will receive a notification of the route request and see the request listed at the top of their My Actions page. Then one person on the team can take ownership on behalf of the rest of the team. Everyone else will receive a notification that the route was picked up by that user and the request will be removed from their My Actions page.
Where do I put my comment about what I would like each person to review?
We suggest adding a comment in the proof with your instructions if a file is part of the route/review process.
You can use the '@' function to @-mention user to direct their attention to specific comments both in the proof as well as the comments section of the action card.
Can I send a file to an external party (eg., client, vendor)?
Yes, Hive does have the functionality to send a file to an external approver. They do not need a Hive account to receive, open, review, and comment on the file. Their review status will be marked in Hive just as all other reviewers.
External Approvers will receive an email taking them directly to the relevant file they have to review. They will be able to view the previous file versions if they open the Select File dropdown.
If a specific external approver is reviewing a file multiple times, you can now save the approval request as a template.
Conducting an Approval on a Route
Where can I find approval requests when it is my turn?
When it is your turn in an approval route, you can locate the approval request from:
My Actions page > Awaiting your approval section at the top (clicking it takes you to the action card, then navigate to the file thumbnail to open the proofing tool)
*Note - If the Action Card that has the proof is completed, it may be hidden.
If this is the case, you can go to the Filters in My Action View and enable the "Completed actions in approvals"Email notification (clicking it takes to the action card, then navigate to the file thumbnail to open the proofing tool)
Notification bell in Hive (clicking it takes you right into the proofing tool)
Can you see/find a proof within Hive without being sent a notification?
Yes, you can locate the approval route on the action card within the project. You may go to the project from Project Navigator and open the action card step that is currently routing.
What are the decision options for complete a review? Are there any other options?
The 3 decisions options:
Approve
Approve with changes
Request Changes
If needed, can I re-assign the approval review to someone else (i.e., if the wrong person was listed or someone is out sick)?
Yes, you may reassign the action either to someone else.
From the action card or approval review where your name appears in the list, simply click 'Edit stage' and select someone else from the drop-down list.
What if I accidentally mark Approve or Require Changes and I didn’t mean to?
If at least one other approver in the stage has not yet made their approval decision (i.e., the stage is still open), then you can go back and adjust your approval decision.
If the stage is closed, then the approval decision is locked but you could be added back into a future or currently open stage to record another approval decision.
How does a manager see the current status of routing files?
We recommend that anyone who needs to see the status of the routing file use the Approvals View or monitor the route on the action card.
Additionally, the user that set up the route will receive notifications on approvers' decisions as the route progresses.
Routing Permissions
Can anyone start an approval route or just specific people?
Yes, anyone who is a member of the project can set up an approval route as well as make necessary adjustments to it.
Can anyone edit the approval route?
Yes. The route may be edited by the team in case they need to add a new approver, re-assign to someone else, or remove an approver.
Is there a way to lock files so multiple people cannot make changes live?
Yes, there is! Once all comments and feedback have been added, you can lock your proof. All admins as well as the user who uploaded the proof are able to lock it. To do it, you need to click "Lock proof" on the bottom right-hand corner of the image.
Is there a way to see all of the routes across my projects in one place?
Yes, you can see all of the routes across your active projects with Approvals View.
Make sure that there is an action card with an active approval round (where approval is currently requested but not everyone has approved) and this action card has a deadline (due date).