Download approval process management

Overall description of the download approval process

This process allows an extra step in the freeing up of assets required for download by front-end website users. It is set on a per-company basis, and ensures chosen organisations go through an approval step, interacting with site administrators, before they can proceed to access the assets they have collected in a lightbox (assuming approval is granted). During this process, usage details are harvested.

Essentially, on the front-end, these users see an option to 'Request approval' when they collate a lightbox of assets. Clicking this prompts the entry of some simple details - when this is submitted the process is triggered, and a back-office administrator then steps in to take the request forward.

The Request approval button appears on the Lightbox Manager screen above, and also the Lightbox screen.

Usage start and end are optionally displayed.

The button label and description of details the client is required to submit is configurable per system.

Once the download approval process is in train, the lightbox is locked and the content in it cannot be edited (although its name can be amended if required).

When a decision is made, it is communicated to the end-user via the lightbox (see below), and also in an email. If approved, the assets can then be downloaded.

Administering download approval requests

The back-office interface where these requests are handled is reached via Media > Workflow > Download approvals. Note, it is only available through the New Generation Capture Beta One screens.

A request appears in the list (and email notification will also have been sent as an additional alert to the back-office administrator).

The columns record: The name of the download request; the owner of the request; the date it was made; the number of assets in the request; (optionally) the start and end dates of the request; the requested usage - and the status. 

The requests appear in the Download Approvals list in sequential order - but can be sorted in a different order by clicking on a column header.

Reviewing requests

View (and action) details of the request by clicking on one of the 'eye' symbols in the right column. The example below shows how the back-office administrator would respond to the request in the text box provided - and then go on to click one of the three buttons below.

Reject - approval is not granted so no download facility for these assets appears for this user on the front-end website, and the back-office request will also be closed, with no further editing possible. An email to this effect is also sent to the front-end user including the message entered by the back-office administrator in the message box provided.

Acknowledge - this informs the end-user that the request has been seen, and they can read the accompanying message. At this point they cannot yet download from the front-end - but the back-office user can go back into the record and Approve or Reject the request. If approved, the end-user receives  an email in the usual way, and can then proceed to download the assets through the lightbox or the My details part of Capture front-end website. 

This workflow can be useful if the end-user has to do some sort of action in order for the back-office administrator to release the assets. This could, for instance, be pay for them if it is a commercial transaction that is being sought. Or it could be around providing more details or assurances regarding end use. 

If rejected the end-user also receives an email containing the explanatory message.

An email reflecting the comments entered is sent to the end-user - so it is important to remember to update the message box before clicking Approve or Reject, as you cannot later edit the message.

Approve - by clicking this, and adding a comment, the end user can access the requested assets via the lightbox and their My details part of the front-end system. The request in the back-office is now closed from further access as the job is completed.

An email reflecting the comments entered is sent to the end-user - including a link to the lightbox, enabling a smooth client workflow.

This interface also lists the assets in the request, informing the back-office administrator of the total.

Actioning requests

Click on the 'eye' icon to open the request. Enter your message in the Response text box.

If you close the panel, without clicking any of the buttons, your text is auto-saved. 

You then have three choices of buttons: Reject, Acknowledge, Approve

Rejecting requests

A request that has been rejected is shown below. No further action is needed from this screen. The lightbox is disabled on the front-end with the message: "Download request of this lightbox has been rejected for use."

Approving requests

The screen shot below shows a request that has been approved. No further action in this screen is required. The end-user also gets at email alert with a link in it that takes them to the lightbox. They can then select the asset, and choose the Download option.

Acknowledging requests

Meanwhile, if you wish to acknowledge a request, enter a response in the text box, and click the Acknowledge button. The message will be sent via email to the requester. If you close the panel down (using the 'x' at top right of the panel) you are able to re-open it and add to the message at a later date if required. 

Clicking Acknowledge again will send another email with the updated message.

If you close the panel, without clicking any of the buttons, your text is auto-saved.

Tip. If you acknowledged the assets initially and send an accompanying message - and then go back to approve or reject the assets, don't forget to update the initial message.

Setting download approval preferences

By clicking on the 'cogwheel' symbol at top right of the screen, the back-office administrator can customise the front-end messaging for the request (the button text and the description of the request details required), and which fields appear on the form that the end-user is prompted to complete.

Importantly the 'Default (download approval) policy' can also be selected - either each request will require manual approval, or the system can also act automatically when the right circumstances occur. 

Each time a user record is created, either manually by a back-office administrator in the CRM, or automatically via a web registration, the policy set in this system configuration area will kick in.

Selecting 'Manual approval' means that contacts in this company will need to go through the full download approvals process in order to find out whether they can use requested assets. If access is granted they can then access the assets via the approved lightbox, or their 'My details' Downloads section of the Capture front-end website.

Selecting 'Automatic approval' means that when a front-end user wishes to download assets, they must fill in details of the intended use. This is captured in Capture in the normal way - but approval is automatically granted so they can go on and use the assets immediately. This is useful for sites where clients operate on an account basis - they are allowed to download assets and use them and are then invoiced later according to the usage they report - and yet the site owner doesn't want to hold up their clients' workflows. Or sites where administrators just want to collect broad details of intended usage without slowing down the workflows.

Note these preferences can also be set up in Website > Preferences > System (Classic Capture) or Settings > Preferences (Beta One) and scroll right to the bottom to the section entitled 'Lightbox Download Approvals'. Neither screen holds greater authority than the other - the last setting, wherever it is made, wins.