Overview

As a global or space admin in Approval Path for Jira, it's important to understand how the app works, including admin privileges, managing approval processes, and following best practices.

This guide highlights tips and precautions, covering details that are often overlooked when using approval features.

We have also provided clear answers regarding how we handle security and user privacy. You’ll find useful links and blog posts at the end of this guide for further reading.

 

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Privileges of Global Admins

Global Admins have extensive privileges and control over the configuration and management of approval workflows. Here's a summary table of global admins' key capabilities.

Best Practices & Tips for Global Admins

We would like to show important features in Approval Path for Jira and introduce some benefits, precautions, and important tips for global admins.

Approval Overview

Global admin can view all approvals within an instance and filter them by name, status, space names, or work item searches. Custom filters can also be created, enabling filtering by step status, step type, or work item field. Each approval can be viewed in detail by opening it and finalizing it using the quick action button.

Additionally, with JQL search now available, admins can filter based on their needs (e.g., pending approvals).

Quick Action Buttons

Once enabled, the "Approve," "Reject," and "Abstain" buttons will appear in the approvals list ( ), allowing users to take action directly without needing to enter each approval's detail view. You can also view activity entries for a specific approval directly from the approval list.

Activity Tracking

As a global admin, you can monitor approval activities. Here, you can filter by the spaces and sort by the dates of the activities marked. If you need more details on the activities information, find the article in the Global View documentation.

Creating Definitions

Only global admins can create and manage global-level definitions that apply across all spaces. Even if certain definitions are space-specific, global admins can still edit and manage them. They also have the ability to convert a global definition to a space-specific one and vice versa, saving time by eliminating the need to create separate definitions for each space. https://docs.warsawdynamics.com/content/51604/approval_path_for_jira_documentation/16646179/16744476/302645250

Working with Jira Service Management (JSM)

As a global admin, you can enable/disable the following options.

• JSM customers can view the progress of ongoing approvals for visibility.

• JSM customers can initiate approval processes. It can be used when a case requires input from the client.

Conditions

By using Jira expressions to set conditions, global admins can create more dynamic approval paths, allowing a single definition to adapt to specific scenarios and support multiple use cases.

Conditions can be applied at two levels: the definition level and the step level.

• Definition Level: Conditions set here prevent the approval from starting if the specified criteria are not met, ensuring the process is only triggered under the right conditions.

• Step Level: Conditions at this level allow steps within a definition to be skipped if the specific criteria for including that step are not met.

Example Scenario:
Suppose a definition has two steps and should run on Space X, but only for a specific work item type (Task). Additionally, the definition requires a two-step approval if the priority is set to "High" and only a one-step approval if the priority is "Low." You can create two conditions to handle these requirements:

• Condition 1: issue.issueType.name == "Task"

  • Application: Applied at the definition level

  • Result: The approval process will only start if the work item type is "Task."

• Condition 2: issue.priority.name == "Low"

  • Application: Applied to step number 2

  • Result: If the priority is "High," this step will be skipped, as the condition is not met.

This approach enables a single definition to adjust automatically to various approval needs, eliminating the need to create separate definitions for different priority levels. It also ensures the definition cannot be mistakenly applied to an unintended work item type. Conditions in Approval Path

Here are some key reasons to prioritize using the Conditions feature:

• Allows for tailoring the approval process to meet specific space requirements.

• Minimizes the number of definitions needed, keeping the system organized.

• Reduces the risk of errors, such as unnecessary approvals or missed steps.

Delegation

Delegation allows a delegatee to act on behalf of the primary approver (the delegator).

Global admins can set up delegations across spaces, selecting who will approve in place of the primary approver.

This feature is crucial for maintaining continuity in the approval process, especially when primary approvers are unavailable for work items with tight deadlines. With a designated delegate responsible for approvals, workflow delays are prevented, and transparency is maintained, as both the delegator and delegatee are visible in the system.

If you want to learn about Delegation, please check our documentation: Delegating Approval Steps

In what situations would it be helpful to use Delegation?

• When the approver is not available.

• When an approver is responsible for multiple spaces, and when the distribution of workload is needed.

• When there is an urgent work item that requires immediate approval, but the approver is not reachable.

Find our blog post about introducing the Delegation feature: Delegate your approval steps in Approval Path

Abstain Option

The global admin has the authority to enable or disable the "Abstain" option in global settings.
This option allows an approver to express neutrality or provide silent approval.

For more details, you can check the process and tips at our Abstain Option documentation.

Notification Settings

• Enable action buttons in notification emails
  This setting allows users to take action (Approve/Reject/Abstain) by directing them to the approval page from the notification email. Once enabled, the email includes a link to the approval, making it easier for users to respond with their login.

• Enable actions without login
  This option allows users to approve directly from received emails (links are active for 24 hours).

• Allow sending email approval reminders
  When this option is enabled, an action button will appear next to each active approval, allowing reminder emails to be sent to users in the current step who have not yet responded.

• Enable automatic reminders
  This feature sends automatic reminders at a specified interval to users who haven’t responded yet. Reminders can be customized at the definition or approval level, with a maximum of three reminder notifications allowed. The default interval is set to 7 days but can be adjusted based on space needs.

• Choose Notification Mechanism
  Global admins can select the preferred notification mechanism:

  1. Jira Notifications – Sends emails through Jira's notification system.

  2. Direct Email – Sends emails directly from the Approval Path system.

• Enable notifications on Approval Path workflow trigger failure
  When approval workflow fails, with this option enabled, an email is sent.

Preferences Settings

From Settings → Preferences, it is possible to select how the Approval Path displays in the work item window.

Permission Schemes

Global admin can access the Permission schemes.

Global admin can control which users can view, edit, create, start, parametrize, delete, and archive approvals on the space and work item levels. If you need a step-by-step guide, you can refer to our documentation: Permission schemes.

When do you need to use permission schemes?

• Complex Environments and Approval Hierarchies: If your team operates in a complex environment or uses layered approval hierarchies, permission schemes can help you manage access and approval roles effectively.

• Private Spaces: For private spaces, you may need to control or restrict access for certain users, ensuring that only authorized personnel can view or act on specific approvals.

• Large Spaces with Extensive Work Item Tracking: In large spaces with numerous work items, you may want to grant specific permissions, such as allowing a user to delete approvals or modify parameters when starting a new approval. This ensures tasks move smoothly and efficiently.

• Organizational Compliance and Control Needs: Depending on your organization’s structure, you may need strict access control to meet compliance standards. Permission schemes provide the necessary control to support these requirements.

However, if you are unsure about customization, Approval Path’s default permission scheme is still reliable. It provides a safe and balanced set of permissions that work well for most users.

API

Global admins have ability to create API keys in global settings. Once the API key is generated by the global admin, any users with access to the API key can perform API operations. These actions include listing approval definitions, deleting approvals, and customizing performer origins for all types of actions.

Refer to our API documentation for more detailed API settings and endpoints explained with several functions. If you are interested in use cases, click our blog post about API Capabilities for Approval Path.

Jira Workflow

Approval Path integrates with Jira Workflow. It allows global admins to manage approval processes by configuring Approval Conditions and Post-Functions in workflows.

Workflow Condition

In Jira Workflow, it is notable that the Approval Condition prevents work items from transitioning to the next workflow status unless they have been approved. It means that whenever it’s needed, work items will go through the approval process before the next step.

As a global admin, carefully apply approval conditions to key transitions (e.g., from "In Progress" to "Done"). Make sure that the correct approval path definition is selected to avoid confusion in the approval process.

Workflow Post-Function

Approval Post-Function automates routine tasks like starting, deleting, and archiving approvals after a transition without manual effort.

Use the "Start Approval" post-function to automatically trigger the approval process after key status transitions. For example, adding it after a transition to "In Progress" will start approvals as soon as the status changes. Find out more about Approval Post-Function here.

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Privileges of Space Admins

While global admins can configure a wide range of settings, space admins have a more limited scope, focusing on specific spaces.

Best Practices/ & Tips for Space Admins

As a space admin, the role focuses on managing approvals within the space scope. Below are best practices and tips to help you use the Approval Path for Jira.

Approval Overview

Space admin can view all approvals from a space with the ability to filter them by approval name, status, and work item search. Custom filters can also be created, enabling filtering by step status, step type, or work item field. Each approval can be viewed in detail by opening it and finalizing it using the quick action button.

With JQL search now available, admins can filter based on their needs (e.g., pending approvals).

Activity Tracking

As a space admin, you can view and monitor all list of activities of the approvals within the space. You have the ability to sort by the dates of the activities marked. If you need more information, please check the Space View documentation.

Creating Definitions

Space admins have the ability to create space-level definitions and manage them within their spaces. By clicking the checkbox “Show global definitions”, you can also view global definitions. In this Create Space Approval Definitions documentation, you will find a step-by-step guide to help you create and manage definitions.

Conditions

Space admins can create and manage conditions at the space level. If you want to see a step-by-step guide, check Conditions in Approval Path.

Delegation

Space admins can configure delegation at the space level. While the scope is limited to your space, the delegation functionality operates similarly to global delegation settings.

Jira Workflow

Space admins have the privilege to manage workflows. Space admins can access Jira Workflow features for their spaces only, including configuring approval conditions and post-functions.

To learn more about managing workflows as a space admin, refer to the Managing your workflows documentation.

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Privacy & Security

Warsaw Dynamics adheres to strict privacy standards to protect user data. We are saving approval definitions and configuration information, which includes user and group IDs, and external email addresses for notification purposes. All other data remains within Jira, ensuring minimal data retention and secure processing. The company maintains transparency and strict compliance with relevant privacy laws, providing clear policies on data retention, international data transfers, and user rights.

 

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Additional information

Warsaw Dynamics Official Website
Warsaw Dynamics Official Support

Warsaw Dynamics YouTube Channel