This article explains how to initiate approval processes in Plan Management V3, assign reviewers, and manage the status of your plans from "Draft" to final "Release."

1. Fundamentals: Draft vs. Release

Before starting a workflow, it is important to understand the difference between the two main paths for plan submission, as this affects the available functions:

• Draft (Vorabzug): This is intended for plans submitted for preliminary review or as a design draft (e.g., preliminary design).
• Release (Freigabe): This is the process for final plans. Important: A QR code is only automatically generated by the system once a plan is finally moved to the "Release" folder.

2. Starting an Approval Workflow

The process begins in the Submission (Abgabe) area. After you have uploaded a plan and the plan coding has been extracted (automatically or manually), you can define the workflow.

Step 1: Choose Workflow Type

Select the relevant plan and click on the submission options. You have two choices:

1. Distribute without approval: The plan is distributed directly (immediate release without a review loop).
2. Approval workflow: The plan must first be reviewed by an assigned person.

Step 2: Assign Reviewers & Set Deadlines

If you opt for the approval workflow, a configuration window opens:

• Process/Reviewer: Select the person required to approve the plan (e.g., project manager or specialist planner). Alternatively, predefined workflow chains can be used.
• Due Date: The system suggests a date by default. You can customize this due date individually to set specific deadlines.

Step 3: Define Distribution List

Independently of the reviewer, you can set up a distribution list for notifications:

• Automatic Notification: Select individuals who should be informed of status changes via email.
• Important: Individuals in this field only receive a notification. They are not part of the active approval process (this is the sole responsibility of the reviewer selected above).

3. The Review Process (Reviewer's Perspective)

Once the workflow has started, the plan's status changes to "Process started." The assigned person will find the open task in two locations:

1. On the Dashboard under the "Home" tab.
2. In the dedicated Tasks and Processes area.

Reviewer Actions:

• Approve (Zustimmen): The workflow is successfully completed. Depending on the settings, the plan is automatically moved to the target folder (e.g., "Release").
• Reject (Zurückweisen): The plan is declined. It remains in the draft stage or is marked for revision. Often, the planner must then upload a new version with a new index.

4. Overview and Documentation

To maintain an overview when managing many plans, Plan Management V3 offers the following tools:

• Document Delivery List: Here you can see a detailed list of when each plan was delivered, the original deadline, and whether there was a delay (automatic calculation of days overdue).
• Process History: Under "Tasks and Processes," you can view at any time who approved what and when. This ensures absolute transparency.