Content Approval workflows in AEM 6.4

There are 3 major steps involved in AEM content approval,
1. Creating a simple workflow model
2. Creating a content approval workflow based on the model created
3. Verify the workflow
User Creation
Before we start, we need a set of users to understand our Workflow process. For this , we will create 3 users called author, editor, legal.

Go to tools> Security > Users and create 3 users author, editor, legal. This is quite simple and direct step.

Steps for workflow creation
1) Creating a simple workflow model
- Go to Tools, Workflow, Models
- Select 'Create', then 'Create Model'.
- Then Add Workflow Model dialog appears. Enter the Title and Name, then select Done.

The newly created model is listed in the Workflow Models console.

- Select your new workflow, then click on Edit to open it for modification:
The new workflow will contain:
· Flow Start
· Step 1
· Flow End

- Delete Step 1
- From the Workflow selection of the steps browser, drag a Participant Step onto the workflow and position it between Flow Start and Flow End.

- Open the properties by clicking on configure option
- In the Common tab enter Validate Content - for both the Title and Description.
- Open the User/Group tab:
- Select Editor for the User/Group field.
- Confirm the updates by selecting the tick mark.
- Drag an Or Split onto the workflow and position it between Validate Content and Flow End.
- Open the Or Split for configuration.
Configure:
· Common: select 2 Branches
· Branch 1: select Default Route. - This option will be selected by default when the user reviews the content.
· Branch 2: ensure Default Route is not selected.
· Confirm your updates to the OR Split.
- Drag a Participant Step to the left-hand branch, open the properties, specify the following values, then confirm the changes:

Title: Reject Publish Request
User/Group: Author - (Editor will reject the publish and notify the author).

Now,

- Drag a Participant Step to the right-hand branch,
- In the properties section, specify the following values, then confirm the changes:

Title: Approve for Legal review
User/Group: legal - (If the editor is fine with the content, he asks the legal person to review for legal adherence).

- Drag an Or Split onto the workflow and position it between Validate Content and Flow End.

- Open the Or Split and make configurations as below.
· Common: select 2 Branches
· Branch 1: select Default Route.
· Branch 2: ensure Default Route is not selected.
· Confirm your updates to the OR Split.
- Drag a Participant Step to the left-hand branch, open the properties, specify the following values, then confirm the changes:

Title: Reject Publish Request
User/Group: Author - We will reject the publish and notify the author.

- Drag a Participant Step to the right-hand branch, open the properties, specify the following values, then confirm the changes:

Title: Publish Page as Requested
Process: select Activate Page. This process publishes the selected page to the publisher instances.

Now the workflow model looks like this.


Note: Remember to sync the workflow so that the latest changes will be always updated in run time.

2) Creating a content approval workflow based on the model created

- Now login as user 'author'

We have two options to trigger the content approval workflow.

a) Go to workflow model (http://localhost:(port)/libs/cq/workflow/admin/console/content/models.html) select, click on start workflow and specify the payload.

b) Go to sites> a project-specific page. Select the page and click on 'Create workflow' from top left menu. Then in new window select the workflow model and provide a title. In next window click on 'create' so that the workflow will start.

3) Verify the workflow

- Now login as user 'editor' and go to inbox and open the message and complete the workflow. An editor will have options Approve for Legal review, Reject Publish Request

Now the workflow will be moved to legal person as per our workflow model definition,

- Login as legal, and from inbox he will have options like 'Reject Publish Request', 'Publish Page as Requested'. Complete the review and approve it. So that the page gets activated.

If any of the editor or legal person rejects, the payload goes back to the author and asks for re-verification.