Approval Workflow

The approval step is where authorized decision-makers review a change request along with its impact assessments and render a formal decision. The approval decision determines whether the change proceeds to implementation, is rejected, or is conditionally approved with additional requirements.

Submitting an Approval Decision

To approve or reject a change request:

1. Navigate to Change Control and open the change request requiring approval
2. Click the Approve action to open the approval form
3. Select your approval level and decision
4. Add any comments or conditions
5. Click Submit Decision

The page header displays the change number and title of the request being evaluated.

Approval Form Fields

Required Fields

Field	Description
Approval Level	Your authority level for this approval. Select from the dropdown.
Decision	Your approval decision. Select one of the available options.

Optional Fields

Field	Description
Comments	Additional comments, conditions, or rationale for your decision. Strongly recommended especially for rejections or conditional approvals.

Approval Levels

Different levels of authority may be required depending on the nature and scope of the change:

Level	Typical Authority
Department Manager	Approves changes within their department’s scope
Quality Assurance	Reviews quality impact and compliance considerations
Regulatory	Evaluates regulatory implications and required submissions
Executive	Final authority for high-impact or cross-functional changes

Note

Some change requests may require approval at multiple levels. For example, a process change affecting product quality may need approval from both the Department Manager and Quality Assurance.

Decision Options

Decision	Effect
Approved	The change is approved and can proceed to implementation
Rejected	The change is not approved. The request status moves to Rejected.
Conditionally Approved	The change is approved subject to conditions specified in the comments. Conditions must be addressed before implementation.

Caution

When selecting “Conditionally Approved,” always include the specific conditions in the Comments field. This ensures the change requestor and implementation team understand what must be addressed.

Status Transitions

The approval decision directly affects the change request lifecycle:

Submitted / Under Review
        │
        ├── Approved ──────────► Approved (ready for implementation)
        │
        ├── Rejected ──────────► Rejected (change is not proceeding)
        │
        └── Conditionally ─────► Approved with conditions
            Approved               (conditions noted in comments)

After approval, the change proceeds through:

1. Implementation — The approved change is put into effect
2. Verification — The implementation is verified against the plan
3. Closure — The change record is formally closed

After Submitting a Decision

After submitting your approval decision:

1. A success message confirms the decision was recorded
2. You are automatically redirected to the change detail page
3. The decision is recorded with your identity, timestamp, and comments
4. The change request status updates based on the decision
5. The requestor and relevant stakeholders can see the decision

Best Practices

• Review all impact assessments before making a decision
• Provide clear comments explaining the rationale for rejections
• For conditional approvals, list specific and measurable conditions
• Verify that the implementation plan and rollback plan are adequate before approving
• Consider whether training requirements have been identified for the change