> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://herd-security.gitbook.io/herd-security-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://herd-security.gitbook.io/herd-security-docs/trainings/getting-started-with-trainings/reviews-and-approvals.md).

# Training Reviews & Approvals

## What Are Reviews & Approvals?

Training **Reviews & Approvals** add an editorial step to training creation. When approvals are turned on, trainings created by non-admins stay in review until a designated reviewer signs off — so nothing reaches your team until someone with the right permission has read it.

This is useful when you want a second set of eyes on content, need to keep messaging consistent, or have compliance requirements around who can publish training material.

***

## Turning On Approvals

Approvals are an organization-level setting.

**Step 1:** From the **Trainings Page**, open the **Training settings** (gear) drawer.

**Step 2:** In the **Training Approval** section, pick an approval mode:

* **No reviews** — publishing goes live immediately; submit-for-review is hidden.
* **Optional review** — publishing goes live immediately, but authors can choose to submit a draft for review first.
* **Review required** — every published training lands in the Reviews queue for approval before it goes live.

**Step 3:** Choose who can approve:

* **Admins only** — anyone with the **Training Approve** permission (admins hold this by default).
* **A specific group** — members of the group you select can also approve trainings.
* **Route to the author's manager** (optional toggle) — also let each author's manager review and approve their submissions, in addition to the approvers above. Managers see only their direct reports' submissions and can't approve their own, and authors without a manager on file fall back to the approvers above.

{% hint style="info" %}
When review is required, new trainings created by non-admin users stay unpublished until they're approved. Trainings made by approvers are published as usual.
{% endhint %}

Once reviews are on, a **Reviews** tab appears on the Trainings Page for trainings awaiting sign-off — and whenever a submission lands there, the approvers are notified with a direct message in Slack or Teams (a resubmission pings only the reviewer who requested the changes).

***

## The Review Workflow

### 1. Author submits for review

When approvals are required, a training created by a non-admin is saved in an **in-review** state instead of going live. The author can keep editing and can see any feedback reviewers leave.

### 2. Reviewer reads and comments

Reviewers open the training from the **Reviews** tab and use the **Comments** panel to leave feedback. There are two kinds of comments:

| Comment type       | What it does                                                                          |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Plain comment**  | A note attached to a step (or to the training in general).                            |
| **Suggested edit** | A proposed replacement for the text of a step, which the author can accept or reject. |

Each comment carries a status:

| Status       | Meaning                                                |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Open**     | Active feedback that hasn't been addressed yet.        |
| **Resolved** | The feedback has been handled.                         |
| **Accepted** | A suggested edit was accepted and applied to the step. |
| **Rejected** | A suggested edit was declined.                         |

Use the **Show / Hide resolved** toggle to focus on outstanding items.

### 3. AI review (optional)

Reviewers can click **Run AI review** to have HerdAI read the training and post its own comments — both plain notes and suggested edits — alongside human feedback. Each AI pass replaces its earlier unresolved suggestions so the list stays current. If automatic review is enabled for your organization, HerdAI runs a pass shortly after editing stops.

### 4. Reviewer approves

When the content is ready, a reviewer clicks **Approve**. The training becomes published and is available to assign and send like any other training.

***

## Who Can Approve

Approval is controlled by the **Training Approve** permission. Admins have it by default. If you configured a specific approver group when enabling approvals, members of that group can approve as well.

***

## Tips

* Use **suggested edits** instead of plain comments when you want to propose exact wording — the author can apply your change in one click.
* Run an **AI review** before a human pass to catch obvious issues first and speed up sign-off.
* The **Reviews** tab only appears while reviews are enabled. Switch the mode to **No reviews** to return to direct publishing — if submissions are still awaiting review, Herd warns you first: pending submissions aren't lost, but they stay locked and hidden until reviews are turned back on, so approve or resolve them before switching off.