Approve a component from a project

When you're working in a project where you've collected components, you easily can let other reviewers know that a component is ready to work on by giving it an approved state.

To approve components:
  • You must have at least one of the following roles or permissions:
    • Be an administrator.
    • Non-admins must be added to the Content Browser's can_approve module property.
    • You must have permissions to update the component.

      Otherwise, the Approve option is greyed out and unavailable.

  • Permissions can't be blocked. A content owner or administrator can set permissions to deny access to components or folders. If your permissions to content has been blocked and you are not an administrator, you cannot use the Approve option in a project's Content pane.
  • The component must be unlocked or have a green Approval lock.
  • Before you approve a component, do all of the following to prevent seeing errors:

  • After you approve a component in Inspire, to help avoid accidental editing of approved content:

    • The approved component may be locked with a green system lock.

      An administrator can control if a system lock is placed on the component after a user approves it. By default, this optional feature is set to false, and a lock is not placed on a component after approval.

    • This action happens regardless of whether the approval requires a signature or not.
    • To edit an approved component, you must unlock it by Unapproving it.

To approve one component

  1. Click Projects_TopMenuOpt Projects.
  2. On the Project Management tab, all projects in your organization are listed.
    To find a specific project, you can:
    • Filter the list of available projects by words in the project name. In the Search text box, enter a keyword, and then click the magnifying glass search_button.
    • Filter the list of available projects to include only those you own or are participating in. In Type, select an option to filter the list by that criteria.
    • To include completed projects in the list, select Include Completed and then click the magnifying glass search_button.
  3. To open one project, select the project and double-click it.
    You can also open a project by:
    • Right-clicking the project and then selecting Open.
    • Clicking Action_Menu the Options menu and then selecting Open.
  4. In the Content pane, click expand all .
  5. In the Content pane, select the component you want to approve.
  6. Click the context menu , or right-click the row, and then select one of the following options:
    • Approve (if an electronic signature is not required)
    • Approve... (if an electronic signature is required)

      a. On the Electronic Signature screen, enter your Full Name and then click Submit.

      • Do not include underscores or email addresses.
      • You must use the name as it appears in your user profile.
      • To see what this is, click the Profile icon.
      • For example: Jane Doe.

      If you click Cancel on this screen, the review is marked as Completed and you cannot return to approve components or attach a signature.

      b. If you are required to authenticate your account, on the log in screen, next to the lock, enter your password.

      Notes:

      • You don't have to re-enter your user name. Inspire displays your account's email address for you.

      • You must use the same password that you log into Inspire with.

      c. Click Login.

      Results:

      • Your signature is attached to the component's history. Even if you or another user then Unapprove the component, it returns to the Draft state but the information about any previously attached e-signatures for approval remains part of the component's history. For more information read: View a component's history.
      • The approved component may be locked with a green system lock. An administrator can control if a system lock is placed on the component after a user approves it. By default, this optional feature is set to false, and a lock is not placed on a component after approval.
    After you approve a component, if your electronic signature was required:
    • If you export a list of components, the exported CSV file includes all e-signatures.
    • To see the name of the user who signed the approval and the date:
      1. Right-click the component and select Details...
      2. On the Component Details screen, select the History tab.
      3. You can see the e-signature details in the two columns: eSigned Bye, and Signed Date.

To approve multiple components

  1. Click Projects_TopMenuOpt Projects.
  2. On the Project Management tab, all projects in your organization are listed.
    To find a specific project, you can:
    • Filter the list of available projects by words in the project name. In the Search text box, enter a keyword, and then click the magnifying glass search_button.
    • Filter the list of available projects to include only those you own or are participating in. In Type, select an option to filter the list by that criteria.
    • To include completed projects in the list, select Include Completed and then click the magnifying glass search_button.
  3. In the Content pane, click expand all .
  4. Select the checkboxes for the components you want to approve.
  5. In the Selected Components pane, click Approve components .
    If an electronic signature is required:

    a. On the Electronic Signature screen, enter your Full Name and click Submit.

    • Do not include underscores or email addresses.
    • You must use the name as it appears in your user profile.
    • To see what this is, click the Profile icon.
    • For example: Jane Doe.
    • You only have to enter your name once to sign all selected components.

    If you click Cancel on this screen, the review is marked as Completed and you cannot return to approve components or attach a signature.

    b. If you are required to authenticate your account, on the log in screen, next to the lock, enter your password.

    Notes:

    • You don't have to re-enter your user name. Inspire displays your account's email address for you.

    • You must use the same password that you log in to Inspire with.

    c. Click Login.

    Results:
    In the Content pane's components list, you see:
    • One of the following approved icons next to the approved component:
      • If no signature is required: a green checkmark .
      • If a signature is required: an e-signature icon .
    • The state of the component is changed to one of the following:
      • If no signature is required: Approved displays if you hover over the green checkmark.
      • If a signature is required: Signed displays if you hover over the e-signature icon.
    • The approved component may be locked with a green system lock. An administrator can control if a system lock is placed on the component after a user approves it. By default, this optional feature is set to false, and a lock is not placed on a component after approval.

    To see the name of the user who signed the approval and the date:

    1. Right-click the component and select Details...
    2. On the Component Details screen, select the History tab.
    3. You can see the e-signature details in the two columns: eSigned Bye, and Signed Date.

      After you approve a component, if your electronic signature was required:
      • Your signature is attached to the component's history. Even if you or another user then Unapprove the component, it returns to the Draft state but the information about any previously attached e-signatures for approval remains part of the component's history. For more information read: View a component's history.
      • If you export a list of components, the exported CSV file includes all e-signatures.
      • If you approve multiple components at once, you only have to complete the e-signature form once and it's applied to all selected components.