Who is this article for?

User who need to understand definition sign-off.

No special access or permissions are required.

The system allows you to configure additional sign-off capabilities through system settings to control the definition approval of each record separately from its execution.

1. Understanding the default sign-off structure

The system default for the structure of sign-offs is very flexible and will satisfy most common workflows. The default life-cycle of each object is typically:

• Open > Complete > (optional Reviews) > Approved (Automatically Reviewed)

2. Understanding the extended life-cycle for definition sign-off

When definition sign-off is enabled, the extended life-cycle follows this structure:

• Open > Prepared > Confirmed > Complete > (optional Reviews) > Approved (Automatically Reviewed)

In the example below, a workplan has had the definition sign-off enabled.

The extended life-cycle for definition sign-off is:

• Open > Prepared > Confirmed > Complete > (optional Reviews) > Approved (Automatically Reviewed)

2.1 Extended life-cycle example

In the example below, a workplan has had the definition sign-off enabled.

The Prepared and Confirmed sign-offs are available where an explicit definition approval cycle is required, while the Complete and Approved sign-offs relate to its execution.

3. Applying life-cycles to system objects

These life-cycles can apply to all objects that have sign-offs within the system, such as:

• Audit level Objectives
• Risks
• Controls
• Tests
• Findings
• Actions

Note: A small number of objects have additional Draft and Closed states, such as the overall Audit, Incidents and Key Issues.

4. Configuring definition sign-off settings

The system recognises that many customers will not require so many levels of sign-off. This enhancement has been implemented via a series of configuration switches in System Settings, so you can determine separately for each object in the system whether definition sign-offs are:

• OFF - do not expose or use the definition sign-off at all (default)
• ON - do expose definition sign-off but allow execution to begin without it
• FORCE - also make execution read-only until confirmation