Validation is a process that allows a person or a certain group of people to monitor and approve a document.
This process is optional, and can be carried out as many times as necessary and in any order. For example, a document can be sent to be validated: before signing it, after a negotiation, before and after the negotiation, etc.
Who is involved in a validation process:
- The validation petitioner. It is the person who initiates the process to request validation from a certain person or group of validation.
- The validator. This is the person who will supervise and approve the validation. You can make changes on the document or ask for changes to the validation petitioner.
- A group of validators. A group of people, of which one must validate the document. Learn here how to create groups of validators.
- Validation followers (can be optionally added). These are people who will be aware of the activity that takes place during the validation process.
Types of documents that can be validated:
- Created from templates in Bigle Legal.
- Externally uploaded::
- docx format (Word).
- PDF.
In case of PDF documents, since they are not editable, if changes are requested, you will have to edit the original document and render again the PDF, cancel the validation process and start a new one.
In this article you will learn how to perform the main validation actions, depending on the role you play in the process:
How to request a validation - Petitioner
How to assign and unassign the validation - Petitioner / Validator / Validator Group
How to view the process information and add notes - Petitioner / Validator / Validator Group / Followers
How to make changes on the document - Validator
How to request changes on the document - Validator
How to make the changes that have been requested in a validation process - Petitioner
How to approve the validation - Validator
How to cancel the validation request - Petitioner
The order and presence of these actions will vary with each process. For example, there could be a case in which a validation is requested and it is approved directly by the validator; another in which after the request you have to make changes several times to proceed to the final validation; etc.
How to request a validation
Action to be performed by: Petitioner
Before requesting a validation, make sure that there is no other process in progress for the same document. Whether it is a document created in the platform or uploading an external document, you must access it and, once the information has been reviewed, click on "Finish Draft". This will activate the options on the left side menu of processes.
1. To start, you must go to the Validation section of the left side menu of processes.
2. Then, click on “Create new process”.
3. At this stage, from the editor you can still make changes on the version of the document that will be sent for validation. Track Changes will be enabled by default, recording any changes to the document. If you want to disable it, click on “Track Changes”:
When everything is ready, save the changes with the “Save” button and then hit on “Validate”:
4. To proceed, you must select the validators (you can choose between people or groups of validation) and followers (optionally). To choose a group, you must have previously created it as indicated in this article.
5. Finally, indicate an expiration date (for information only and not linked to any notification system, although it gives some context as to when do you expect an answer from the validation), add the information you consider necessary to the email message (that the validators and followers will receive) and click "Send validation".
From this moment on, the document is no longer editable by the validation petitioner. You will be able to edit it, again, as long as it is requested by the validator in the next steps.
How to assign and unassign the validation
Action to be performed by: Petitioner / Validator / Validator Group
Any validator or member of the validator group can choose to assign the validation to themselves (if only one validator has been chosen, it will be assigned to them automatically), unassign it, or assign it to someone else to review and validate the document.
The petitioner, on the other hand, can unassign it or assign it, but not assign it to himself.
These and other actions are carried out from the tasks section of the top menu of the platform. There you can filter the tasks by their name, depending on whether they are finished or not, depending on who they are assigned to, etc.
The options “Assign task to myself”, “Assign to” and “Unassign” are found by clicking on the three dots on the right side of the process:
The validators can also assign the task to themselves from inside the validation process, in the "Validation" section of the right side menu:
How to view the process information and add notes
Action to be performed by: Petitioner / Validator / Validator Group / Followers
All those involved in the process can access the main validation information by entering the document and navigating through the right side menu:
As you can see in the previous image, it is in the comments section where you have the possibility to leave new notes, see the resolved notes, mentions and add teammates.
Only the validator will be able to access the "Validation" section of the right side menu, where they can request changes and/or approve the validation.
How to make changes on the document
Action to be performed by: Validator
If you have been designated a validator in a validation process, you will receive a notification via email with a link to the document. You can also access the document from the platform, by clicking on its name from the task module.
Once inside the document, you can review and edit it. Track Changes will be enabled by default, recording any edits to the document. If you want to disable it, click on “Track Changes”:
When the changes are finished, click the “Save” button:
How to request changes on the document
Action to be performed by: Validator
If you want to request changes on the document, you must access the document, enter the "Validation" section on the right side menu and click on "Request changes":
A window will open in which you can explain in the email (that the validation petitioner and followers will receive) the modifications that you are suggesting.
How to make the changes that have been requested in a validation process
Action to be performed by: Petitioner
If you are the petitioner of a validation, the validator may ask you to make changes on the document. When that happens, you will be notified with an email from the validator.
To proceed, simply go to the document (either through the link in the email or from the platform) and make the changes to it. Track Changes will be enabled by default, recording any edits to the document. If you want to disable it, click on “Track Changes”:
Do not forget to save the changes by pressing “Save”:
To finish, from the information section on the right side menu, click on "Resend validation" so that the validator can continue with the process.
How to approve the validation
Action to be performed by: Validator
To approve the validation, enter the document, go to the "Validation" section on the right side menu and click "Approve":
For the document to be definitively validated, you will have to add the text that will follow the approval email sent to the petitioner and followers:
How to cancel a validation request
Action to be performed by: Petitioner
If you are the validation petitioner, you can cancel it by entering the process and clicking on "Cancel validation", within the information section of the right side menu:
By canceling the validation, the validators and followers will be notified via email. The process will be finished and, therefore, it will be possible to start any other process.