How to set up an approval workflow in jira work management (business project)?
Asked by Ed Parry:

Hello

We are evaluating whether Jira Work Management will be a suitable tool for our non software projects.

One of the interesting features referenced on the features page [Jira Work Management - Features \| Atlassian](https://www.atlassian.com/software/jira/work-management/features) is approvals.

I've set up a Business Project which has a very simple To Do - In Progress - Done workflow.

Reading the various help files it looks like I should be able to amend the workflow so there's an approval status before Done but I can't see how to do it.

When I edit the workflow there isn't an approval, review status or similar in the drop down. The first is backlog.

This [Use Jira Work Management for process management \| Jira Work Management Cloud \| Atlassian Support](https://support.atlassian.com/jira-work-management/docs/use-jira-work-management-for-process-management/) sort of thing is what I want but I don't see how I can change from the basic one I have to that more complex one.

I guess this [Add an approval to a workflow \| Jira Service Management Cloud \| Atlassian Support](https://support.atlassian.com/jira-service-management-cloud/docs/add-an-approval-to-a-workflow/) isn't quite the same thing in Jira Work Management Business Projects.

All very confusing.

If you can shed some light on the subject I'd appreciate it.

Thanks in advance

Ed


Answers:
author: Julia Shcherbyna _SaaSJet_
body: Hello [@Ed Parry](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/4554537)

You should have a similar workflow to the following.  
Simply add "Confirm" status and change the connections between statuses. Click on the transition from In Progress -\> Done, drag it, and move to Confirm. Then from Confirm to Done.  
Delete all connections to Done except Confirm-\>Done.

![image_2021_09_14T12_04_19_615Z.png](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/160185iEFD6C6A2E30D6A77/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "image_2021_09_14T12_04_19_615Z.png")  
You can also review our Add-on [Business Process Manager for Jira Cloud](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1225573/business-process-manager?hosting=cloud&tab=overview?utm_source=Atlassian_Community&utm_medium=refferal&utm_campaign=Comment_Approval-workflow_20210914).  
It can help you in the building's most frequently used processes via checklists and forms.

comments: author: Ed Parry
body: Hi Julia

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

Unfortunately I don't have option to add a "confirm" status to the workflow

My list of available status is shown below ?

The fact that very similar Jira products have very similar but significant enough differences is extremely confusing and frustrating.

It looks like you should be able to do things but then they aren't available in the particular version you are working in.

![Status list.PNG](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/160570i24771D9FF6A3D265/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "Status list.PNG")


author: Daniel Ebers
body: Hi [@BG Pantaleon](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/4952870)

it looks there is no in-built approval workflow option. What you could do is to work with validators/conditions in the workflow to let only users that are allowed to transition an issue (a field could be named "Approver" for that.

In your workflow the specific step \*could\* be "Awaiting Approval" --\> "Approved".

More about conditions and validators you can learn here:

* **Configure advanced issue workflows** <https://support.atlassian.com/jira-cloud-administration/docs/configure-advanced-issue-workflows/>

Cheers,  
Daniel


author: John Funk
body: Hi Ed - Welcome to the Atlassian Community!

You don't really need to add an approval status to your workflow if you don't want. You can place the approval directly on the In Progress status in your workflow.

Click on that status while editing your workflow and you should see a popup box on the right hand side. Check the box for Add approval. and then click on the Configure button.

Populate those fields and you should be good to test it out.

comments: author: Ed Parry
body: Hi John,

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

I don't have the Add Approval option just the "Allow all statuses to transition to this one" option

The pop up box I get is in the image below

I'm working in Jira Work Management in a business project. Could that explain the difference?

![In Progress.PNG](https://community.atlassian.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/160047i61EDDFE93D1248CB/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999 "In Progress.PNG")


author: John Funk
body: Hi Ed,

Sorry, I also have Jira Service Management installed on y instance so I suspect that is why mine is showing up differently.

I am not sure what the documentation was getting at with approvals using automation, but I suspect that it would involve adding an additional status as you alluded to.

Then you can set values for a custom field of User Picker (multiple users) type (maybe even call it Approvers).

Then set a condition on the transition to your new status that only someone in the field can see.

Of course, you can send them an email through automation as well when the issue moves into the In Progress status.


author: BG Pantaleon
body: Any update with this issue? I am encountering the same. I can't find where I can setup the approval in the workflow for Jira Workflow Management.


Tags: cloud