workflow · how to

Configure workflow rules and routing

Follow the configure workflow rules and routing workflow in Slack.

Goal

Route drafts to the right reviewers, channels, and departments using assignment rules, review reasons, and review-channel configuration. Well-configured routing sends new work to the correct people automatically and gives creators consistent feedback when reviewers reject or request changes.

When to use this

Use this workflow when:

  • You are a brand admin setting up how approval work is assigned.
  • Your team structure changed and routing rules need to be created, edited, or deactivated.
  • Approvers need a consistent list of review reasons for rejections.
  • You want approval cards and review traffic to land in specific Slack channels.
  • Inbox items arrive with department routing and teammates need to claim or reroute them.

Assignment rules require the Team plan or higher.

Before you begin

Confirm the following:

  • You have admin access to the brand.
  • Your organization is on the Team plan or higher if you plan to use assignment rules.
  • You know which conditions should trigger each rule, such as pillar, platform, or priority.
  • You know where approval notifications should appear before you configure review channels.

Steps

Open workflow routing settings

  1. Type /social and switch to Settings.
  2. Open Automation.
  3. Choose Workflow Rules to see routing, assignment, and review configuration entry points.

Settings Hub and workflow delegate actions open the management surfaces for rules, assignment, and review channels from this area. You can return to Workflow Rules any time to adjust routing without changing unrelated automation settings.

Configure assignment rules

  1. Open Assignment rules from the automation settings area.
  2. Create a rule with conditions that should match incoming work, such as pillar, platform, or priority.
  3. Set the target reviewers or routing destination for matching items.
  4. Save the rule, then toggle it active when you are ready to enforce it.
  5. Edit or delete rules when your team structure changes.

When more than one rule matches the same item, higher-priority rules win. Set priority deliberately so overlapping conditions resolve predictably. Toggle a rule inactive instead of deleting it when you want to pause routing temporarily during a team change.

Configure review reasons and channels

  1. Open Review reasons to edit the labels approvers pick when they reject or request changes.
  2. Save the list so creators get consistent feedback.
  3. Open Configure review channels to set where approval cards and review traffic should land for the brand.

Handle department routing in the inbox

When department routing is enabled for inbox items:

  1. Claim an item routed to your department when you take ownership.
  2. Use Reroute when the item belongs to another team. Pick the correct destination and confirm.

Confirm it worked

You know the configuration is working when:

  • New drafts that match an active assignment rule route to the configured reviewers or channel.
  • Rejections show the review reasons you saved.
  • Approval cards and review traffic appear in the channels you configured.
  • Department-routed inbox items show the correct destination after claim or reroute.
  • Inactive rules no longer affect new work.

Troubleshooting

Assignment rules option unavailable

Assignment rules require the Team plan or higher. Confirm your plan before creating rules.

Work routes to the wrong reviewer

Check rule priority when multiple rules could match. Higher-priority rules win. Deactivate outdated rules or adjust conditions so only the intended rule matches.

Review reasons do not appear on rejection

Open Review reasons, confirm the list is saved, and try a test rejection. Creators only see reasons that are configured for the brand.

Approval cards land in the wrong channel

Reopen Configure review channels and save the correct channel for the brand. New traffic uses the updated setting.

Cannot claim or reroute a department-routed item

Confirm department routing is enabled for the item type. Use Reroute to send the item to the correct team when it was routed to the wrong department.

Read Approvals and review governance for how approvals fit the content lifecycle. For override behavior across scopes, see Configuration inheritance.