Processing workflow

This article describes the processing workflow, from drafting to validation.

• one or more drafters

• one or more validators.

Each type of actor will play a specific role in the processing workflow.

Permissions

The following permissions are required to be a drafter or a validator.

Workflow

Each processing activity must go through a number of stages, or statuses, in order to be validated.

This section describes:

• all the processing statuses

• the actions that each type of actor can perform in each status.

Being drafted

When a processing activity is created or activated, its status is Being drafted.

In this status, only a Drafter can edit it.

Once the drafter has finished editing the processing activity, they click the Submit for validation button: the status switches to Being validated.

Being validated

In this status, only a Validator can edit a processing activity. They have two choices:

• They consider that the Drafter needs to make changes. In this case they click the Reject button, the status switches back to Being drafted, and the Drafter can do the edits.

• They consider that the processing activity is satisfactory. In this case they click the Validate button, and the status switches to Validated.

Validated

When the status is Validated, neither the Drafter nor the Validator can edit the processing activity. However, if at some point changes are made to the way the data is processed, or if regulations change, the processing activity needs to be reviewed.

A review can be requested by either a Validator or a Drafter by clicking the Review button, in which case the status switches to Being reviewed.

Being reviewed

In this status, the workflow depends on the actor involved:

• If it’s a Drafter, they can make the necessary changes and submit them by clicking the Submit pending review button. The status switches to Review pending validation.

• If it’s a Validator, they can make the necessary changes and validate them by clicking the Validate review button. The status switches back to Validated.

Review pending validation

In this status, only a Validator can edit a processing activity. When they have finished making their edits, they have two options:

• They consider that the processing activity is satisfactory: they click the Validate review button, and the status switches to Validated.

• They want another actor to review the processing activity: they click the Reject button, and the status switches to Being reviewed. A Validator or a Drafter can edit the processing activity.

Archived

Only validators can archive processing activities. The Archive button is available in the following statuses:

• Validated

• Being reviewed

• Review pending validation

Summary table

The following table summarizes the rights described above. The right-hand column lists the buttons that are available for each actor and the new status once the button is clicked.

About the statuses

Viewing the status

You can view the current processing status:

• on the Processing page

• at the top of the processing page, and in the Status and documentation section

Changing statuses

In a processing activity, clicking one of the green buttons located at the top right of the page changes its status. The buttons available depend on whether you are a Drafter or a Validator, and on the current status.

Status change notifications

Each time a processing activity changes status, the actor(s) that can edit it receive an email and a notification in the GDPR software.

The actor that triggered the status change does not receive a notification. For example, if a Drafter submits a processing activity for validation, they do not receive an email or a notification. Only Validator(s) receive them.