Sign-off Overview

Sign-offs are a formal approval mechanism that allows team members to review and approve documents before they're finalized.

What Are Sign-offs?

Sign-offs provide:

• Formal approval process: Structured review workflow
• Accountability: Track who approved what
• Visibility: See approval status at a glance
• Comments: Reviewers can provide feedback

Sign-off Statuses

Each sign-off has one of three statuses:

The Sign-off Workflow

graph TD
    A[Create Document] --> B[Request Sign-offs]
    B --> C{All Approved?}
    C -->|Yes| D[Document Accepted]
    C -->|No - Rejected| E[Make Changes]
    E --> F[Republish]
    F --> C
    C -->|Pending| G[Wait for Reviews]
    G --> C

1. Request Sign-offs

Document author requests sign-offs from specific team members.

2. Review

Requested reviewers examine the document.

3. Respond

Reviewers either:

• Accept: Approve the document
• Reject: Request changes (with comments)

4. Iterate

If rejected, author makes changes and can republish, which resets rejected sign-offs.

5. Complete

When all sign-offs are accepted, the document can be marked as Accepted.

Sign-off Summary

Every document shows a sign-off summary:

Sign-offs: 2/3 approved
├── ✅ Alice (Accepted)
├── ✅ Bob (Accepted)  
└── 🕐 Carol (Pending)

Who Can Request Sign-offs?

Any authenticated user can request sign-offs on documents.

Who Can Sign Off?

Only team members who have been specifically requested can provide sign-offs. You cannot self-sign-off.

Sign-off Requirements by Document Type

While not enforced, here are recommended practices:

Plan Features

Sign-off features by plan:

Getting Started

1. Request sign-offs on your document
2. Respond to sign-offs requested from you
3. Track status of pending approvals

Best Practices

Request from the Right People

• Choose reviewers with relevant expertise
• Include decision-makers
• Don't request from too many people

Provide Context

• Document should be ready for review
• Include all necessary information
• Highlight areas needing attention

Respond Promptly

• Review sign-off requests in a timely manner
• Provide constructive feedback
• Don't block progress unnecessarily

Use Comments Effectively

• Explain rejections clearly
• Suggest specific improvements
• Acknowledge good work when accepting