How to create a review and approval workflow in Bubble.io: Step-by-Step Guide

Creating a Review and Approval Workflow in Bubble.io

Creating workflows in Bubble.io involves using your application's logic to automate processes, such as a review and approval workflow. This guide breaks down the steps to efficiently set up a review and approval workflow for your application.

 

Prerequisites

 

• A Bubble.io account and a created application where you want to implement the review and approval workflow.
• Basic understanding of Bubble.io, including elements, workflows, and database setup.
• Predefined user roles such as "Reviewer" and "Approver" in your application to manage workflow responsibilities.

 

Understanding the Workflow

 

• The review and approval workflow is a multi-step process where a submission is reviewed by one or more users before final approval.
• This typically includes a draft stage, review stage, feedback mechanism, and final approval.

 

Setting Up Your Database for Workflow

 

• Open the Data tab in Bubble.io and add a new data type, such as "Submission".
• Add required fields to "Submission":
  • Title: The title of the submission.
  • Content: The main content or description of the submission.
  • Status: A text field to track status (e.g., Draft, Under Review, Approved).
  • Reviewer: A field to capture the user assigned to review the submission.
  • Comments: A list field to store review comments.
  • SubmissionDate: Date/Time field to record when submission is made.
• Add the user roles through the User data type or create additional roles using a separate data type like "Roles".

 

Designing Your User Interface

 

• Use the Design tab to create forms for submission creation and editing:
  • Include input elements for Submission Title and Content.
  • Add a submit button that triggers the create workflow.
• Design the review panel:
  • Add repeating groups to list submissions, filtered by roles such as Reviewers.
  • Include buttons for "Approve" and "Ask for Changes" next to each submission.
  • Add input fields for reviewer comments.

 

Configuring Workflows

 

• Workflow for Submission Creation:

  • In the Workflow tab, create a new event for 'Button Submit is clicked'.
  • Add an action to 'Create a new Submission'. Set inputs from the form's fields.
  • Set status to "Draft" by default.
  • Add navigation action to redirect user to the Submission list page.

• Workflow for Review Process:

  • Set up an event for 'Button Approve is clicked'.
  • Add an action to 'Make changes to a thing' and update the submission status to "Approved".
  • Set up another workflow for 'Button Ask for Changes is clicked', updating the status to "Needs Revision".
  • Ensure comments are added to the Comments field in the submission's data type when "Ask for Changes" is pressed.

• Notification and User Communication:

  • Set up email notifications using Bubble's email action after status changes, informing relevant users of the update.
  • Use conditional workflows to send notifications only when certain conditions (such as changes in status) are met.

 

Testing Your Workflow

 

• Use Bubble's preview mode to test the entire workflow from submission to approval.
• Check if users assigned to different roles see appropriate actions and updates.
• Ensure feedback and communication work correctly by testing email notifications.
• Verify transitions in statuses and modifications of data are occurring as expected.

 

Deploying Your Workflow

 

• Once testing confirms workflow functionality, deploy your application to live status.
• Monitor the application's first operational phase closely to catch and adjust any unforeseen issues quickly.
• Regularly update Bubble.io components and logic when needed, based on user feedback or evolving application requirements.

 

By following these steps, you can create a functioning review and approval workflow inside Bubble.io. This ensures efficient management and control over content or data that needs review before public exposure or utilization.