Version: Current

FAQ: Can I prevent someone from approving their own submissions?

Yes, Zudello allows you to configure approval steps to prevent users from approving documents they submitted themselves. This is a common internal control requirement to ensure separation of duties.

How it Works:

Self-approval prevention is controlled by the Include Submitter (include_submitter) setting within the "Get Approval" action of an Automation Sentence.
This setting is configured per approval step.

Configuration:

Identify Approval Step: In your Automation Sentence (Settings > Automations), find the specific "Get Approval" action where you want to prevent self-approval.
Set "Include Submitter" to OFF: Edit the action and ensure the Include Submitter toggle is turned OFF (FALSE).
- (Example setting)
Save Sentence.

Outcome When include_submitter = FALSE:

If the user who submitted the document (submitted_by) is assigned as an approver for this step (either directly or as part of an assigned User Group), they will not be able to action the step.
Their Approve and Reject buttons will be disabled for that step.
Their response status in the approval flow display might show as SUBMITTER.
The step will rely on other assigned approvers (if any) to meet the pass/fail criteria.
Caution: If the submitter is the only person assigned to the step (e.g., assigned directly or the only member of the assigned group), the approval step will get stuck because no one can action it. Ensure your workflow has alternative approvers or logic in this scenario.

When include_submitter = TRUE (Default):

The submitter can approve or reject the step if they are assigned as an approver.

By setting Include Submitter to OFF for relevant approval steps (like manager approvals), you can effectively enforce self-approval prevention policies.