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Version: Current

FAQ: Can I approve documents via email/Slack/Teams?

Yes, Zudello supports approving or rejecting documents directly from external notifications under certain conditions.

How it Works:

  1. Configuration: The specific approval step within the Automation Sentence must have the Approve externally (approval_external) toggle turned ON.
    • (Example setting in Sentence action)
  2. Notification: When an approval request for such a step is sent via a supported channel (currently primarily Email), the notification will include interactive elements:
    • Email: Typically includes distinct "Approve" and "Reject" buttons or links directly within the email body.
  3. Action: Clicking the "Approve" or "Reject" button/link in the notification sends a secure response back to Zudello.
  4. Processing: Zudello receives the response and updates the corresponding approval step status (APPROVED or REJECTED) for the user who clicked the link. If the response meets the step's pass/fail criteria, the workflow proceeds accordingly.

Limitations & Considerations:

  • Configuration Required: External approvals only work if the specific approval step is configured with approval_external = TRUE. If it's false, notifications will likely only contain a link to view the document in Zudello itself.
  • Channel Support: While email is the primary channel, support for direct actions within Slack or Teams notifications may vary or require specific integration setups. Check with your administrator.
  • Security: The links used for external approvals contain secure tokens to authenticate the action and link it to the correct user and document.
  • Reason for Rejection: Rejecting via external notification typically requires an additional step. Clicking "Reject" often directs the user to Zudello to provide a mandatory rejection reason before the rejection is finalised. Approving usually does not require logging in.
  • No Document Review: Approving externally means you are making a decision without necessarily reviewing the full document details within the Zudello interface at that moment. Ensure you have sufficient context from the notification itself or company policy allows external approval for that step.

If the "Approve externally" option is enabled for an approval step, it provides a convenient way to action requests quickly directly from your notification tool.