User Access Request Workflow

What does this workflow record at each stage of an access request?

Each access request is a record with a reference number, a status (Submitted, Rejected, Provisioning, Verifying or Completed) and a timeline showing what happened at every step. The record also captures the details submitted on the request form, plus the username granted, access confirmation and grant date entered by IT. Verification responses from the person needing access are recorded when the workflow waits on that step, giving a full history for reporting.

Who is involved in approving an access request?

The requester's manager approves or rejects every request first. If the requested access level is Administrator, a system owner is also asked to approve or reject it before provisioning proceeds. Both approval tasks are assigned to the relevant team member in the workspace, and their decisions are what routes the record forward.

What happens if a manager or system owner rejects the request?

If the manager rejects the request, the record status is set to Rejected and the requester is emailed to let them know. If the request reaches system owner approval for Administrator access and is rejected there, the same happens — status set to Rejected and a notification sent to the requester. In both cases the rejection is captured on the record's timeline for reference.

How does IT provisioning and verification work?

Once approvals are complete, the record status moves to Provisioning and IT is assigned a task to grant the access, recording the username, access granted confirmation and date. The person needing access is then sent a short form asking whether their access is working, and the workflow waits for their reply while the record shows a Verifying status. If they report it isn't working, the workflow loops back to IT to fix and re-verify, up to three times, before moving on to Completed.

Who is involved in the verification step and what do they see?

The person who needs access — not necessarily the requester — receives a form by email asking if their access is working, with an optional comments field. Their response determines whether the record proceeds to completion or loops back to IT for a fix. This keeps confirmation with the person best placed to check the access, while the requester is kept informed at completion.

How do we change this workflow if our approval or provisioning steps differ?

A workflow can be changed by describing the change in plain English or by editing its steps directly in the workflow editor, and earlier versions are kept. This makes it straightforward to adjust who approves what, add extra routing conditions, or change the fields captured on the request or verification forms as organisational requirements evolve.

Can we track the status of all access requests in progress?

Yes, table views and dashboards show records grouped by status, so a workspace can see at a glance which requests are Submitted, Provisioning, Verifying, Rejected or Completed. Workspace activity is also logged, supporting reporting and oversight across all requests handled by the workflow.

Does the requester need an account to submit or track a request?

No account is required. The requester submits the request through a public request form or a form emailed to them, and receives email updates at acknowledgement, rejection and completion stages, each referencing the record's reference number.

What should we consider about record-keeping and compliance for access requests?

The workflow records statuses, approval outcomes, provisioning details entered by IT and verification responses on the record's timeline, giving a documented history of each request. Each business should review this record against its own compliance and audit obligations, as the workflow supports tracking but does not itself determine regulatory compliance.