---
title: "Approvals: Supplier Guide"
url: "https://docs.4hse.com/guides/supplier-management/workflow-supplier-supplier"
description: "Operational guide for suppliers: how to understand and manage the approval system."
---

# Approvals: Supplier Guide

The **Approvals** system is a feature designed to ensure maximum control over certifications and documents submitted by parties external to the project.

In **4HSE**, a supplier may be assigned a **Procedure** by the project manager, for example to carry out a technical activity, perform maintenance, or produce specific documentation.

Once the required activity has been completed, the supplier must issue the related **certificate**, associating it with the assigned **Action**. Issuing the certificate does not immediately validate the Action: the system automatically starts an **approval** process, submitting the certificate for review by a project manager (**Admin** or **Manager**). The Action will change to **Valid** status only if the outcome is positive.

## Issuing the Certificate and Submitting an Approval Request

[Section titled “Issuing the Certificate and Submitting an Approval Request”](#issuing-the-certificate-and-submitting-an-approval-request)

To create an approval request, the supplier must access their **supplier profile** from the **Suppliers** list (Desktop icon). Once inside the profile, they can issue the certificate and automatically send the approval request to the project manager.

There are three main scenarios for submitting a request:

### 1\. Certificate from the Supplier’s Schedule

[Section titled “1. Certificate from the Supplier’s Schedule”](#1-certificate-from-the-suppliers-schedule)

-   The supplier selects a certificate directly from their schedule;
-   The association with the Action is automatic;
-   The system immediately generates the approval request;
-   Uploading the certificate file is required to complete the approval request.

![approval request from schedule](/_astro/workflow-supplier-supplier-1.BLmxg6ya_eeP8h.webp)

### 2\. Certificate Created from the “Certificates” Menu

[Section titled “2. Certificate Created from the “Certificates” Menu”](#2-certificate-created-from-the-certificates-menu)

-   The supplier creates a new certificate from the **Certificates** menu;
-   They must select the certificate and associate the assigned preventive Action;
-   Only at this point is the approval request created.

![approval request from certificate](/_astro/workflow-supplier-supplier-2.BaaEDmDZ_Z1bkit.webp)

### 3\. Certificate Without File or Without Association

[Section titled “3. Certificate Without File or Without Association”](#3-certificate-without-file-or-without-association)

-   If the certificate is created from the schedule but the approval submission process is canceled or the required certificate file is not uploaded, the approval request **is not completed**.
-   In this case, the supplier must access the **Certificates** menu, select the certificate that **was created even though the approval request was not sent**, link it to the Action, and follow the guided procedure to complete the request.

### 4\. Waiting for Approval

[Section titled “4. Waiting for Approval”](#4-waiting-for-approval)

After saving the certificate, the Action **is not considered valid** until it has been reviewed by the project manager.

The supplier will receive an automatic notification with the outcome of the approval request.

## Notifications and Communications

[Section titled “Notifications and Communications”](#notifications-and-communications)

Each phase of the approval workflow is supported by an automatic notification system:

-   the **Project Manager** receives a notification when a new approval request is available;
-   the **Supplier** receives a notification with the outcome of the request (Accepted or Rejected), including any notes.

### Setting the Supplier’s Assigned Contact

[Section titled “Setting the Supplier’s Assigned Contact”](#setting-the-suppliers-assigned-contact)

To ensure notifications are received (deadlines, schedules, approval outcomes), it is possible to designate one or more **assigned contacts** for the supplier. These users will receive the notifications.

To set the assigned contact:

1.  Access the **Info** section from the supplier’s main menu;
2.  Enter the designated user’s **email address** in the **“Assigned Contact”** field.

### Registering the User

[Section titled “Registering the User”](#registering-the-user)

If the assigned contact’s email is not yet registered as an active user:

1.  Go to **Administration → Permissions** in the main menu.
2.  Add the user’s email to the **Admin** or **Manager** group.

For more information about permission meanings and access levels, see the document [Supplier Permissions](/guides/permissions/supplier-permissions).

## Managing Approval Requests

[Section titled “Managing Approval Requests”](#managing-approval-requests)

The **Approvals** interface allows involved users to view and manage all approval requests sent or received.

The list shows the **complete history of steps** for each request, ensuring full traceability of the approval process.

![approvals list](/_astro/workflow-supplier-3.nAZb5ag0_Z1UhTSK.webp)

## Search Filters

[Section titled “Search Filters”](#search-filters)

The search panel includes the following filters:

-   **Text search**
    
-   **Status**: filters requests based on the overall process status:
    
-   **In Progress**
    
-   **Completed**
    
-   **Step**: filters individual phases of the approval process:
    
-   **New**
    
-   **Approved**
    
-   **Rejected**
    

It is important to distinguish between **step** and **status**:

-   the **step** represents a single action within the approval process;
-   the **status** indicates the overall condition of the request.

## Approval Details

[Section titled “Approval Details”](#approval-details)

Clicking on a row in the list opens the details section, organized into tabs:

-   **Details**: shows specific information about the approval.
    
-   **Events**: lists all executed steps, indicating who performed the action, the type of step, the date, and any notes.
    
-   **Attachments**: displays files attached to the approval, such as certificates submitted for validation.
    

Each approval corresponds to one row in the list.

When created, the initial **step** is “Creation” and the **status** is “In Progress”.

At the end of the process, for example after approval, the row shows the **step** “Approved” and the **status** “Completed”. All historical details of step changes and attachments are available in the **Events** tab.

### Workflow Example

[Section titled “Workflow Example”](#workflow-example)

1.  The supplier creates an approval request

-   a step with status **New** is generated
-   the request is **In Progress**

2.  The project manager approves the request

-   a new step with status **Approved** is generated
-   the request changes to **Completed**

In case of rejection, a step with status **Rejected** is generated.

### List Columns

[Section titled “List Columns”](#list-columns)

The approvals list includes the following columns:

Column

Description

**Name**

Approval name, generally composed of “Approval” + the Action name.

**Step**

Process phase: **New**, **Approved**, or **Rejected**.

**Status**

Overall request status: **In Progress** or **Completed**.

**Requested by**

Email address of the user who performed the step (creation, approval, or rejection).

**Dates**

Creation and modification dates of the step.

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