Review a document

Use this feature to review a document in DMS.

Last published at: January 7th, 2026

DMS Review Document Step

Description:

This step routes a document through a document review process within the FlowWright Document Management System (DMS).

The Review Document workflow step identifies a document using its Document ID and creates one or more review tasks for selected users, roles, or external email recipients. Reviewers receive the document together with review instructions and can complete the review before the configured due date.

The step supports configurable review priorities, reminders, expiration behavior, email notifications, acknowledgment links, and optional electronic signatures. It can also wait for all reviewers to respond before continuing the workflow.

This step provides an efficient way to automate controlled document reviews for quality management, policy approvals, engineering change control, compliance documentation, or document lifecycle workflows.

The step supports:

  • Document review task creation
  • Routing reviews to users, roles, and email recipients
  • Review priority assignment
  • Review due dates and expiration handling
  • Review reminders
  • Email notifications
  • Electronic signature support
  • Review acknowledgment links
  • Waiting for all reviewers before continuing
  • Integration with the FlowWright Document Management System

This step can be used for:

  • Quality document reviews
  • Policy reviews
  • Engineering document approvals
  • Compliance documentation
  • Controlled document distribution
  • Regulatory review workflows
  • Business process automation

 

Inputs

  • documentID - Specify the Variable or Global Variable that contains the Document ID of the document to review.
  • taskDesc – Enter the review description or instructions presented to reviewers.
  • revisionNum  – Specify the revision of the document to review. If omitted, the current revision is used.
  • routeTo  – Select one or more FlowWright users to receive the review task.
  • routeToRoles  – Select one or more roles whose members will receive the review task.
  • emailAddresses – Enter one or more email addresses to receive the review notification.
  • priority – Specify the review task priority.
  • daysToComplete – Specify the number of days allowed to complete the review.
  • expireType – Configure how expired review tasks should be handled.
  • includeWeekends – Specify whether weekends should be included when calculating due dates.
  • taskReminder  – Configure one or more reminder notifications for reviewers.
  • waitForAll  – Specify whether the workflow should wait for all reviewers to complete their review.
  • storeRouteToUsers – Store the final routed reviewer list in a Variable or Global Variable.
  • sendEmailNotification – Send email notifications when review tasks are created.
  • sendSeparateEmails – Send individual email notifications instead of a combined notification.
  • emailSubject – Specify the email subject.
  • emailBody – Specify the email body.
  • emailFiles – Attach files to the review notification email.
  • emailCCList – Specify CC recipients for notification emails.
  • sendExpireEmail – Send an email notification when the review expires.
  • sendAckLink – Include an acknowledgment link in review emails.
  • allowESign – Specify whether reviewers must provide an electronic signature.
  • signMeaning – Enter the electronic signature meaning displayed to reviewers.
 

 

Returns

  • Reviewed – The document review was completed successfully.
  • Not Reviewed – The document review was not completed successfully.
  • timeout – The review expired before completion.
 

 

 

Usage:

The Review Document step is typically placed after a document has been created, updated, or revised and must be reviewed before publication or approval.

The workflow creates review tasks for the selected reviewers, monitors completion, and continues based on the configured review outcome.

A typical workflow might look like this:

 

Once the document review has been completed, the later workflow steps can:

  • Publish the approved document
  • Check in a new revision
  • Notify stakeholders
  • Archive previous revisions
  • Generate compliance reports
  • Begin approval workflows
  • Continue document lifecycle management

The document must already exist within the FlowWright Document Management System before this step is executed.

 

Example:

Let’s build and execute the “DMSReviewDocumentDef” example:

  • Create a new process definition named “DMSReviewDocumentDef” and open it in designer mode. 
  • Drag an “updateVariables, DMSCheckOutDocument, DMSReviewDocument, DMSCheckInDocument, DMSUndoCheckOutDocument” step to the canvas.
  • Connect the dots between the “Start” and other steps, as shown above. 
  • Define a variable or global to hold the “Document ID”.
  • On the DMS page, navigate to and select the document shown in this example. Click the ellipsis button for context features. Select the “Get URL” menu. 

 

  • A pop-up window displays the document link. Copy the “docID” value to the clipboard. 

 

  • Click the ellipsis button to access context features. Select the “View History” menu. The page displays the history information as shown in the example below.  

 

  • Click the ellipsis button to access context features. Select the “View Revisions” menu. The page displays the document revision information as shown in the example below.  

 

  • Click the "updateVariables" step to configure its "Required" properties. Provide a name for the step. Click the Save button. Note: Click the "AI Predict" button to have Copilot add new process steps that match your process description. 

 

  • Click the "updateVariables" step to configure its "Optional" properties. Provide a variable reference to hold the “Document ID” value. Copy-paste the value from the clipboard. Click the Save button. 

 

  • Click the "DMSCheckOutDocument" step to configure its "Required" properties. Provide a name for the step. Provide the variable or global reference that contains the “Document ID” value. Provide the variable or global reference that will hold the “Revision Document ID” value. Click the Save button. Note: Click the "AI Predict" button to have Copilot add new process steps that match your process description. 

 

  • Click the "DMSReviewDocument" step to configure its "Required" properties. Provide a name and description for the step. Specify the variable or global reference that contains the “Document ID” value. Select “Yes” if “eSignature” is required. Provide comments for the “eSignature” input. Click the Save button. Note: Click the "AI Predict" button to have Copilot add new process steps that match your process description. 

 

  • Click the "DMSReviewDocument" step to configure its "Optional" properties. Enter a revision number. Click the button to select users to route to. Click the button to choose the application roles to route to. Enter the email addresses to which to route the review document. Select the review priority from the drop-down list. Configure the review activity's completion time by specifying the time value and expiry type (days, months, hours, minutes).  Select “On” to consider the review time during Weekends. Click the button to configure the “Review Reminders” duration and message.  Select “Yes” to wait for all routed users to respond. Provide a variable or global reference to store the list of routed users. Select “Yes” to send email notifications. Select “Yes” to send separate emails to the users. Provide the email subject. Click the button to configure the “Email Body.” Click the button to select files to be attached to the email. Provide the email CC list. Select “Yes” to send expired email notifications. Select “Yes” to send an acknowledgment link. Click the Save button. 

 

  • Click the button to select the users to route to. A pop-up window opens for configuration. Use the navigation arrow keys to search for and select the users. Alternatively, you can provide a variable or a global reference containing the user's GUID. Click the Save button. 

 

  • Click the button to select the application roles to route to. A pop-up window opens for configuration. Use the navigation arrow keys to select the roles. Alternatively, you can provide a variable or a global reference containing the role's GUID. Click the Save button. 

 

  • Click the "DMSCheckINDocument" step to configure its "Optional" properties. Provide a variable or global reference that holds the “Document ID”. Click the Save button. Note: Click the "AI Predict" button to have Copilot add new process steps that match your process description.

 

  • Click the "DMSCheckINDocument" step to configure its "Optional" properties. Provide the comments. Click the Save button. 

 

  • Configure the connection between the “DMSReviewDocument” and “DMSUndoDocument” steps as “Not Reviewed”, and between the “DMSReviewDocument” and the other “DMSUndoDocument” as “Timeout”. Click the Save button. 

 

  • Click the "DMSUndoDocument" step to configure its "Required" properties. Provide a step name and a variable or global reference that stores the Document ID. Click the Save button. Configure the other “DMSUndoDocument” steps similarly. Note: Click the "AI Predict" button to have Copilot add new process steps that match your process description. 

 

  • The “Logging” setting configuration is necessary for documentation and also for measuring workflow progress and completion percentage. This is achieved by configuring the step state and percent fields individually, as shown in the images below. Configure the “Logging” using the following properties.

 

  • Save the Process Definition. Create a new Process Instance and execute it. When the workflow reaches the Review Document step, FlowWright creates review tasks for the configured reviewers and sends notifications based on the selected options. If the review completes successfully, the workflow follows the Reviewed return path. If the review is rejected, canceled, or cannot be completed, the workflow follows the Not Reviewed return path. If the review period expires before the required responses are received, the workflow follows the timeout return path. Click the process step to view its properties. The step should successfully create and manage the document review process. Verify that review tasks have been assigned, notifications have been delivered, and the workflow follows the appropriate return path based on the review outcome.

 

  • Hover the mouse over the “Task” status to view it and confirm that 1 Task is assigned to the user who initiated this process instance. Click the “View All Tasks” button to navigate to the Task page. 

 

  • The “Task: Review Document” page is displayed as shown in the example below. Provide the comments and the digital signature, then click the “Submit Review” button. 

 

  • The process instance status is now “Completed”. 

 

  • On the DMS page, select the folder to view the document you have checked in. Click the ellipsis button to access context features. Click the “View Revisions” option. 

 

  • The document revision information is displayed as shown in the example below, and the document has been reviewed and checked against the latest version. 

 

Tips:

  • Verify that the specified Document ID references an existing document.
  • Provide clear review instructions so reviewers understand the expected outcome.
  • Route reviews to users or roles responsible for the document.
  • Configure reminders and expiration settings for time-sensitive reviews.
  • Enable Wait for all to respond so that every reviewer must complete the review before the workflow continues.
  • Enable electronic signatures for documents requiring regulatory or compliance acknowledgment.
  • Use the Reviewed, Not Reviewed, and timeout return paths to implement appropriate workflow branching.
  • Combine this step with Update Document, Check In Document, Publish Document, Set Document Permissions, or Email workflow steps to automate complete controlled document review and approval workflows.

 

Notes:

  • The specified document must already exist in the FlowWright Document Management System.
  • The executing user must have sufficient permissions to initiate document reviews.
  • Review tasks may be assigned to individual users, roles, or external email recipients.
  • Electronic signatures can be required when organizational or regulatory policies mandate reviewer acknowledgment.
  • Expiration settings determine how overdue reviews are handled.
  • Notification emails and reminders depend on the configured email settings.
  • The workflow should include appropriate handling for the Reviewed, Not Reviewed, and timeout return paths.
  • Review activity should be retained as part of the organization's document governance and audit history.

 

Definition Sample:

You may download the sample definition(s) from the link provided and later import them (drag-and-drop) into your FlowWright Process Definition (XML file) or Form Definition (HTML file) page.

Note: Verify and complete any missing configuration after importing the sample, including:

  • Document ID mapping
  • Reviewer configuration
  • Review description
  • Review deadlines and reminders
  • Email notification settings
  • Electronic signature configuration
  • Workflow variable mappings
  • DMS security permissions
  • Environment-specific settings

After verifying the configuration, save the Process Definition before execution.

Click here to download the sample file.