Reviews: Additional permissions and functionality urgently required

Ryan_Holland_LDP · ‎05-14-2024

We have a suggestion for a streamlined way of managing files using the 'review' workflow, which I've set out below:

Standards:

In line with BS EN ISO 19650, we have gateways all information must progress through within the 'Files' module, with each stage being limited to certain groups:

Work in Progress
Shared
Published
Archived

We don't believe it is possible to follow the guidance set out in BS EN 19650 in full, and are concerned this leaves us at risk of not achieving accreditation, as the current way of ensuring only certain members can see information at each review stage causes information to be fragmented in different folders.

The problem:

The Review workflow only allows one 'status' to be given at the end, even if there are multiple steps within the workflow. This isn't much use as we want to be able to reject or approve a plan at each step rather than just at the end. For example, there should be a status given after the initial 'quality control' stage, and then again after the 'designer review' multi-step stage, and so on.
The workflow only allows information to be copied between folders when approved, not moved to the next folder when approved. We therefore have different versions of the same file in multiple folders which is confusing everyone and breaks the 'golden thread'.
We need to set up lots of additional folders, to recreate the folder structure for each area: WIP, Shared, Published and Archived. This creates unnecessary admin and management. Everything should be within the same folder and managed with the 'review status' column instead.
Once a workflow has been completed, the review can not be continued when the drawing has been updated in line with the comments, if originally refused. Every workflow in the list is therefore completely independent from one another, with no way of cross referencing Reviews to each other. The history of previous comments is therefore difficult to track to understand what needs updating.
The file copied into the published folder is just a copy, and has no details about which review it was part of, when it was approved, which version was approved, etc.
If we, the Main Contractor, start a review workflow, there is no way or sending comments directly back to the original designer in the event the file is rejected or approved with comments.

The solution:

Essentially the main idea is to keep the review workflow all within a single folder, and manage access to drawings at particular review stages through the use of permissions.

Enable a new set of permissions within the review workflow settings, so that a single copy of the drawing is used at all stages, so for each review status as set out below, the file is restricted and can only be viewed and interacted with by certain roles.
As the drawing progresses through the approval stages as set out below, a broader range of people are able to see the information, until ultimately when 'approved for construction', everyone on the project is able to see the drawing.
Enable a review status to be given at each step of a review, rather than just at the end of the workflow. Update the 'review status' column in Files with this status as it progresses through the stages.
Allow the person creating a new review the option to add a 'Watcher' from a drop down, so the nominated member/s are kept copied into the status of the workflow, and most importantly know if a file has been rejected or approved w/ comments. Currently if the designer doesn't start the review themselves (which is often the case), they then have no way of knowing if a file has been rejected / approved etc or what they need to do.

So for example, the permission settings would set out various customizable statuses, with different groups of members able to view information at each stage within the 'Files' module: