Create a Document Approval Workflow from Excel

The short version

• New and revised documents can take different review routes.
• Editorial and substantive changes need distinct decisions.
• Resolve comments before final approval and controlled release.

Show which revision needs which review

A document log contains title, version, owner and status. A useful flowchart also asks whether the submission is new or a revision, whether a change is editorial or substantive, and whether the document type requires regulatory review. Put each question in its own Decision row so the required reviewers cannot be skipped by a status edit.

The sample follows reviewer comments, author corrections, final approval and release. Its source spreadsheet records each return route instead of treating all non-approvals alike. The editable chart is /templates/document-approval-workflow; adapt its gates to the document types and approval authority in your own system.

The document approval spreadsheet and resulting flowchart

Open the sheet view to inspect the real document approval rows behind this editable QueryChart visualization.

1. Start with the trigger

   The opening rows classify the submission as new or revised and test whether the change is editorial or substantive.

2. Add the decision routes

   Regulated-document review and reviewer-comment resolution now have explicit owners and return paths.

3. Review the complete process

   The full chart separates final approval, release and rejected or rework outcomes so a draft cannot appear effective early.

How it works

1. Classify the document

   Record document ID, version, owner and submission trigger. Add decisions for new versus revision and editorial versus substantive change.

2. Map reviewers and comments

   Put quality or regulatory review in its own lane when required. Give unresolved comments a return route to the author.

3. Separate approval and release

   Trace the rendered chart to ensure only an approved final draft reaches publication and superseded copies are handled.

Mistakes to avoid

• Equating submitted with effective

  A submitted draft still needs review, final approval and release. Keep those as separate rows and statuses.

Related QueryChart feature

Explore version history and change tracking

Edit the document approval example

Open the source rows, replace the sample steps and verify every path in the rendered chart.

Edit the document approval example

Frequently asked questions

Should an editorial correction use the same route as a major revision?

Only if your policy requires it. The sample separates editorial and substantive changes so the appropriate review path can be assigned.

How are unresolved comments shown?

A decision sends the unresolved branch back to author correction and then to reviewer confirmation.

Where does version control fit?

Keep document version and effective date as source data; the flowchart shows who approves and releases each issue.