Approval in a Workflow system describes the acceptance by different users, usually different Roles, that allows the work to move to the next Role in the Business Process.

For example, writers may submit a story or article, an editor may then approve it, or send it back to the writer for more work, or off to a copy editor for proofing and fact checking. The editor may then send it to a graphics editor for layout, to the legal department for their approval, and eventually on to the publisher who allows the Content to move onto the website or to the printer.