Post Approval Workflow

The Post Approval feature allows companies to implement a content review process where designated approvers must review and approve posts before they can be published. This ensures brand consistency and quality control across all social media content.

Overview

The Post Approval workflow provides:


  • Content Quality Control: All posts are reviewed before publishing
  • Brand Consistency: Ensures all content aligns with brand guidelines
  • Team Collaboration: Clear communication between creators and approvers
  • Flexible Permissions: Approvers can publish their own posts directly

Key Points:

  • Only non-approvers need to submit posts for approval
  • Approvers can publish their own posts immediately
  • Multiple approvers can be assigned
  • All approvers receive notifications for pending posts

Setting Up Post Approval

Before posts can go through the approval flow, a company admin must configure two settings:


Step 1: Enable Post Approval (Brand Settings)

  1. Navigate to Brand Settings (or Company Settings)
  2. Find the "Require approval for scheduled posts" option
  3. Check the box to enable post approval
  4. Save your changes

Note: The approval feature only activates when you have at least one approver assigned. If you enable the toggle but haven't assigned any approvers, team members can still publish directly.


Step 2: Assign Approvers (Manage Team)

  1. Navigate to Manage Team (or Team Management)

  1. Find the team member you want to assign as an approver
  2. Check the "Can approve posts" checkbox for that user
  3. Save your changes

Who Can Be an Approver:

  • Brand Manager
  • Account Admin
  • Client
  • Admin
  • Any role can be assigned approval permissions

Multiple Approvers:

  • You can assign multiple team members as approvers
  • All approvers will receive notifications when a post needs approval
  • Any approver can approve or reject a post

How It Works

For Non-Approvers (Content Creators)

When post approval is enabled and you are not an approver:


  1. Creating a Post:
    • You'll see a "Save & Submit for Approval" option
    • The "Schedule" and "Publish Now" options are hidden
    • You can still save posts as "Draft" without submitting for approval
  2. Submitting for Approval:
    • Select "Save & Submit for Approval"
    • Your post status changes to "Pending Approval"
    • All approvers receive a notification
    • You'll receive an email when the post is approved or rejected

  1. After Approval:
    • If approved: You can now schedule or publish the post
    • If rejected: You'll receive feedback notes and can edit and resubmit

For Approvers

When you are assigned as an approver:


  1. Creating Your Own Posts:
    • You can directly schedule or publish your posts
    • The "Save & Submit for Approval" option is hidden for you
    • You have full control over your own content
  2. Approving Others' Posts:
    • You'll receive notifications when posts need approval
    • You can approve or reject posts from:
      • Email notifications
      • The calendar view
      • The posts list

Why This Design?

  • Approvers are trusted team members who can manage content independently
  • This streamlines the workflow while maintaining quality control for other team members
  • It prevents unnecessary approval cycles for experienced content managers

For Content Creators

Creating a Post That Requires Approval

  1. Compose Your Post:
    • Write your content
    • Add images, videos, or attachments
    • Select social media platforms
    • Set your publish time (optional)
  2. Submit for Approval:
    • Click "Save & Submit for Approval"
    • Your post is now in "Pending Approval" status
    • You cannot publish until it's approved
  3. While Waiting:
    • You can edit the post (it will remain pending)
    • You'll receive email notifications about the status
    • Check the calendar to see the post status

After Your Post is Approved

  1. Notification:
    • You'll receive an email: "Your post has been approved!"
    • The post status changes to "Approved"

  1. Next Steps:
    • Open the post to edit it
    • Set your publish time (if not already set)
    • Click "Schedule" or "Publish Now"
    • Your post will publish as scheduled

If Your Post is Rejected

  1. Notification:
    • You'll receive an email with rejection notes
    • The post status changes to "Rejected"
  2. Making Changes:
    • Open the rejected post
    • Review the feedback notes from the approver
    • Make the requested changes
    • Resubmit for approval
  3. Resubmission:
    • The approval cycle repeats until approved
    • You can edit and resubmit as many times as needed

For Approvers


Receiving Approval Requests

When a team member submits a post for approval:


  1. Notifications:
    • Email: You'll receive an email with:
      • Post details
      • "View Post" button
      • "Approve Post" button
      • "Reject Post" button
  2. In-App: You'll see pending posts in your calendar

  1. Multiple Approvers:
    • All approvers receive notifications
    • Any approver can approve or reject
    • First approver to act completes the process

Approving a Post

  1. Review the Post:
    • Click "View Post" from the email or calendar
    • Review the content, images, and scheduled time
    • Check that it aligns with brand guidelines
  2. Approve:
    • Click "Approve Post" button
    • The post status changes to "Approved"
    • The creator receives a notification
    • The creator can now schedule or publish
  3. What Happens:
    • Post status: Pending Approval → Approved
    • Creator can now schedule or publish
    • Creator receives approval email

Rejecting a Post

  1. Review the Post:
    • Click "View Post" to see the content
    • Identify what needs to be changed
  2. Reject with Feedback:
    • Click "Reject Post" button
    • Provide rejection notes explaining what needs to be changed
    • Submit the rejection

  1. What Happens:
    • Post status: Pending Approval → Rejected
    • Creator receives rejection email with your notes
    • Creator can edit and resubmit

Tips for Rejecting:

  • Be specific about what needs to change
  • Reference brand guidelines if applicable
  • Provide constructive feedback
  • Include examples if helpful

Managing Your Own Posts

As an approver, when you create posts:


  • No Approval Required: Your posts don't need approval
  • Direct Publishing: You can schedule or publish immediately
  • Full Control: You have all publishing options available

This applies to any role marked with approval permissions (Brand Manager, Account Admin, Client, Admin).

Post Statuses

Understanding post statuses in the approval workflow:


Draft

  • Post is saved but not submitted
  • Can be edited freely
  • Not visible to approvers
  • Can be deleted

Pending Approval

  • Post has been submitted for review
  • Waiting for approver action
  • Cannot be published until approved
  • Visible to approvers
  • Creator can still edit

Approved

  • Post has been approved by an approver
  • Creator can now schedule or publish
  • Ready for publication
  • Can be edited before scheduling

Rejected

  • Post was rejected by an approver
  • Contains rejection notes/feedback
  • Creator can edit and resubmit
  • Cannot be published until re-approved

Scheduled

  • Post has been approved and scheduled
  • Will publish at the specified time
  • Can be edited before publish time

Published

  • Post has been published to social media
  • Cannot be edited (can be republished)

Notifications

For Content Creators

When You Submit for Approval:

  • Confirmation that your post is pending
  • Post appears in your calendar with "Pending Approval" status

When Your Post is Approved:

  • Email: "Your post has been approved!"
  • Includes link to edit and schedule the post
  • Shows who approved it

When Your Post is Rejected:

  • Email: "Your post was not approved"
  • Includes rejection notes from the approver
  • Includes link to edit the post
  • Shows who rejected it

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Q: Can I disable post approval after enabling it?

A: Yes, you can uncheck the "Require approval for scheduled posts" option in Brand Settings at any time. Existing pending posts will remain pending, but new posts won't require approval.


Q: What happens to posts that are already scheduled?

A: Posts that are already scheduled or published are not affected when you enable approval. Only new posts created after enabling approval will require review.


Q: Can I have multiple approvers?

A: Yes! You can assign multiple team members as approvers. All approvers will receive notifications, and any approver can approve or reject posts.


Q: What if I enable approval but don't assign any approvers?

A: If no approvers are assigned, team members can still publish directly. The approval feature only activates when you have at least one approver assigned.


For Content Creators

Q: Can I edit a post while it's pending approval?

A: Yes, you can edit posts that are pending approval. The post will remain in pending status until approved.


Q: What if I need to publish urgently?

A: Contact an approver directly, or if you're an approver yourself, you can publish immediately without going through approval.


Q: How long does approval take?

A: Approval time depends on your team's workflow. Approvers receive immediate notifications, so response time varies by team.


Q: Can I see who approved or rejected my post?

A: Yes, approval and rejection emails include the approver's name.


Q: What if my post is rejected multiple times?

A: You can edit and resubmit as many times as needed. Review the feedback notes carefully to address all concerns.


For Approvers

Q: Do I need to approve my own posts?

A: No, if you're marked as an approver, you can publish your own posts directly without going through approval.


Q: What if multiple approvers try to approve the same post?

A: The first approver to act completes the process. Other approvers will see the post is already approved/rejected.


Q: Can I provide feedback when approving?

A: Currently, feedback notes are only available when rejecting. Approved posts don't include notes, but you can communicate with the creator separately if needed.


Q: What if I accidentally approve or reject a post?

A: Contact the creator to discuss. If rejected, they can edit and resubmit. If approved, they can still edit before publishing.


Technical Questions

Q: Which roles can be approvers?

A: Any role can be assigned approval permissions. Common approver roles include Brand Manager, Account Admin, Client, and Admin.


Q: Can I set different approval rules for different brands?

A: Yes, approval settings are configured per brand/company. Each brand can have its own approval workflow.


Q: Are draft posts affected by approval?

A: No, draft posts are not affected. You can save drafts without submitting for approval. Only when you choose "Save & Submit for Approval" does the approval process begin.


Q: What happens if an approver leaves the company?

A: Remove their approval permissions in Manage Team. Assign new approvers as needed. Pending posts will still be visible to remaining approvers.


Best Practices

For Company Admins

  1. Assign Multiple Approvers: Having multiple approvers ensures faster response times and coverage when someone is unavailable.
  2. Clear Guidelines: Provide your team with clear brand guidelines so creators know what to expect.
  3. Regular Review: Periodically review who has approval permissions to ensure it's still appropriate.
  4. Communication: Encourage approvers to provide constructive feedback when rejecting posts.

For Content Creators

  1. Review Before Submitting: Double-check your content before submitting for approval to reduce rejection cycles.
  2. Follow Brand Guidelines: Familiarize yourself with brand guidelines to create content that's more likely to be approved.
  3. Respond to Feedback: When a post is rejected, carefully review the feedback and make the requested changes.
  4. Plan Ahead: Submit posts with enough time for the approval process before your desired publish time.

For Approvers

  1. Timely Response: Review and respond to approval requests promptly to keep content flowing.
  2. Clear Feedback: When rejecting, provide specific, actionable feedback that helps creators improve.
  3. Consistency: Apply brand guidelines consistently across all posts.
  4. Communication: If you have questions about a post, communicate with the creator before rejecting.

Troubleshooting

"Save & Submit for Approval" Option Not Showing

Possible Causes:

  • Approval toggle is not enabled in Brand Settings
  • No approvers are assigned
  • You are an approver (approvers don't see this option)

Solution:

  • Check Brand Settings to ensure approval is enabled
  • Assign at least one approver in Manage Team
  • If you're an approver, you can publish directly

Not Receiving Approval Notifications

Possible Causes:

  • Email notifications are disabled
  • Email is going to spam
  • No approvers are assigned

Solution:

  • Check your email spam folder
  • Verify your email settings in account preferences
  • Ensure at least one approver is assigned

Post Stuck in "Pending Approval"

Possible Causes:

  • No approvers are assigned
  • Approvers haven't reviewed yet
  • Approval feature was disabled

Solution:

  • Contact an approver directly
  • Check that approvers are still assigned
  • Verify approval is still enabled in settings

Summary

The Post Approval workflow in RobinReach provides a streamlined way to ensure content quality and brand consistency:


Easy Setup: Enable in Brand Settings and assign approvers

Smart Workflow: Approvers can publish directly, others need approval

Clear Communication: Email notifications keep everyone informed

Flexible: Edit and resubmit rejected posts as needed

Efficient: Multiple approvers ensure fast response times


Remember:

  • Approvers can publish their own posts immediately
  • Non-approvers must submit posts for review
  • All approvers receive notifications
  • Clear feedback helps improve content quality

For additional support, contact your account admin or visit the RobinReach support center.

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