--- title: Approve Submitted Records in the Web Portal description: This topic describes how to open records that need approval. It also describes the different statuses of a record as it goes through an Approval Workflow and the actions you can take at each stage. meta_tier: Add On (Enterprise) meta_component: WebPortal meta_feature: Approval Workflows source_file: ApprovalWorkflows/ManageApprovals.htm url: https://docs.truecontext.com/1374411/Content/ApprovalWorkflows/ManageApprovals.htm last_updated: '2026-03-18' word_count: 960 --- # Approve Submitted Records in the Web Portal An Approval Workflow is a process that enforces a review of submitted data records. You set this up at the form level. Approvers must review each data record and either approve it or request changes. This topic describes how to open records that need approval. It also describes the different statuses of a record as it goes through an Approval Workflow and the actions you can take at each stage. Available on the Intelligent and Elite tiers: —Digital Intelligent Elite [?](https://truecontext.com/pricing/) ## Video demo ## Open records that require approval You must have **Can Approve** FormSpace permissions to open records that need approval. You can open records that require approval in two ways: - Select a link from a notification email. The link opens in the Web Portal the record that needs approval. - Use the Web Portal to show a list of records that need approval. ### Open a record from an email notification When form designers set up forms to require approval, they can choose to email approvers each time a user submits a record. These email notifications include a link to the record that needs approval. Select the link to open the record in the Web Portal, and decide if you want to claim it for review. ### Open a list of records that need approval If your team Admin user didn’t set up email notifications or you want to open a full list of records pending approval, in the Web Portal, go to **Data & Analytics** > **All Form Activity**. The **All Form Activity** page opens and shows a list of dispatched and submitted records from the past 30 days. #### Filter records Use **Search Options** to filter the list of records. The following table describes how to filter records in a way that helps you manage approvals. | To show records that... | Set the following filters... | | --- | --- | | Require approval and haven’t been claimed for review. | Workflow State — Pending Approval Assignment — Unassigned | | Have been claimed by you and require approval. | Submitter/Assignee - User —Select your username. Workflow State — Pending Approval | The topic [View All Form Activity](../Published/115005447106.md#Availabl) describes filters in more detail. #### Save filters Once you set your filters, you can quickly use them again if you save them or bookmark them. - [Create a Saved Filter](../Published/115005447106.md#Save)—On the **All Form Activity page**, select the arrow next to **Form Submissions**. Then, go to **List Form Submission Filters** > **Create a Form Submission Filter** to set your filters. Select **Create** to save your changes. Access the list of filters to open your saved filters and apply them. - Bookmark the page—The URL includes the filters you applied. Bookmark the URL for easy access. ## Review and approve records The **All Form Activity** page displays a record’s status represented by an icon. Submitted records that are part of an Approval Workflow have specific statuses. The following table lists each status, the icon that represents it, and the actions you can take on a record at each stage. If you’re only in groups that have **Can Approve** FormSpace permissions, you can only access records that have one of the following approval statuses. You can’t access any other types of records, just those in an Approval Workflow. The assignee in an Approval Workflow can be an approver or a field user, depending on the status.
Icon Status Actions you can take Result
Pending Approval

Assignment—Unassigned

If you want to review the record, select CLAIM FOR REVIEW.

The record becomes unavailable for other approvers to claim.

The Assignment state changes to Assigned.
Pending Approval

Assignment—Assigned

If you want to approve the record, select Approve.

Optionally, add notes.

The record is approved.

The status changes to Completed (Approved).

You can use the following DREL expressions to access information that’s specific to approvals:
  • %d[approval]
  • %h[approved][notes]
  • %t[approval]
  • %u[approver]

If the record requires changes, Select Request Changes.

Select the field user to assign the changes to. By default, the system selects the user that submitted the record. Optionally, add notes for the user.

The systems sends the record to the field user for changes.

The status changes to Changes Requested, and the record is Assigned to the user you selected.
Select Cancel Review if you want to release the record for other reviewers to claim. The Assignment state changes to Unassigned.
Changes Requested

Assignment—Assigned

None

The field user assigned to the record must make any required changes.

 When the field user submits the record, the status changes to Pending Approval with an Assignment state of Unassigned.

Completed (Approved)

You can choose to Withdraw Approval if required.

Approval Workflows are not compatible with corrections. If you need a field user to correct the record, Withdraw Approval and request changes.

 The status changes to Pending Approval with an Assignment state of Assigned, and the record is assigned to you.
../markdown/ApprovalWorkflows/ManageApprovals.md