121 CRM working template · Workflow-approval record

Workflow-approval record: structure the work before configuring it.

Record why an automation is safe to activate. This template provides a compact working structure, prompts for the information that matters and shows how Field & Form might complete it. It is guidance, not proof of legal, commercial or operational sufficiency.

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Customer Thread

Workflow-approval record at a glance

Illustrative example

Trigger and population
State the fact or decision in plain English.
Action and timing
Add enough evidence for another person to understand the record.
Exception and stop rule
Add enough evidence for another person to understand the record.
Approver and review date
Name who checks it and what happens next.
Human decision

Fictional completed example for Field & Form, a landscaping business.

Fictional completed extract

See the workflow-approval record in use

The interface illustrates a working decision record, with ownership and review visible.

121 CRM · Control responsibilities

Control questionOwnerNext check

Who can export customer data?CustomerConfirm

Who changes workflow permissions?Agreed scopeRecord

What happens at account closure?SharedDefine

Which suppliers process data?SharedCheck

Illustrative exampleIllustrative governance pattern. It does not assert that a specific technical control or certification is in place.

Inside the working system

See what each part contributes.

The CRM is easier to plan when contacts, conversations, work, access and automation are treated as separate capabilities with clear responsibilities.

Capability 01

Triggers

Starts a workflow after configured contact, event, appointment, opportunity, course or other supported activity.

How it works: Runs an ordered sequence only after its configured trigger and conditions are met.
Why use it: Lets follow-up begin from a business event instead of waiting for someone to remember.
Plan for: Automation follows its configuration; it cannot repair poor data, unclear rules or an unavailable external service.
Your team owns: A process owner must approve, test, monitor and pause or correct faulty automation.

Capability 02

Actions

Performs supported steps such as sending a message, updating a record, assigning work or calling a connected service.

How it works: Runs an ordered sequence only after its configured trigger and conditions are met.
Why use it: Coordinates routine execution across the customer journey.
Plan for: Automation follows its configuration; it cannot repair poor data, unclear rules or an unavailable external service.
Your team owns: A process owner must approve, test, monitor and pause or correct faulty automation.

Capability 03

Conditions and branches

Routes a record through different configured steps when relevant data or events differ.

How it works: Runs an ordered sequence only after its configured trigger and conditions are met.
Why use it: Lets one process handle common variations without pretending every customer is the same.
Plan for: Automation follows its configuration; it cannot repair poor data, unclear rules or an unavailable external service.
Your team owns: A process owner must approve, test, monitor and pause or correct faulty automation.

Capability 04

Testing and execution logs

Supports test runs and operational evidence used to diagnose why a record did or did not follow a path.

How it works: Runs an ordered sequence only after its configured trigger and conditions are met.
Why use it: Gives a human a way to verify automation and investigate exceptions.
Plan for: Automation follows its configuration; it cannot repair poor data, unclear rules or an unavailable external service.
Your team owns: A process owner must approve, test, monitor and pause or correct faulty automation.

How to use it

Complete the workflow-approval record in a short working session

Bring the people who understand the source work and the people who will own the result. Complete the first version with evidence to hand, then test it rather than polishing it in isolation.

Set a narrow scope

Name the process, team, data population and decision covered by this workflow-approval record. Create another record when the owner, purpose or risk is materially different.

Use observable wording

Write facts, rules and expected results that another person can inspect. Replace words such as “quick”, “complete” or “automatic” with a time, population, event or named responsibility.

Human review point

Record uncertainty

Mark missing evidence and unresolved decisions openly. Do not turn an unknown entitlement, data condition or approval into a positive answer simply to complete the sheet.

Fields to complete

The four parts of this workflow-approval record

The prompts are deliberately small. Add a field only when it changes configuration, testing, ownership or a later decision.

1. Trigger and population

Describe trigger and population for the exact scope being reviewed. Include the source of the information, the person responsible for keeping it current and the evidence that would show the entry is wrong or incomplete.

2. Action and timing

Describe action and timing for the exact scope being reviewed. Include the source of the information, the person responsible for keeping it current and the evidence that would show the entry is wrong or incomplete.

3. Exception and stop rule

Describe exception and stop rule for the exact scope being reviewed. Include the source of the information, the person responsible for keeping it current and the evidence that would show the entry is wrong or incomplete.

4. Approver and review date

Describe approver and review date for the exact scope being reviewed. Include the source of the information, the person responsible for keeping it current and the evidence that would show the entry is wrong or incomplete.

From record to action

Check the handover before approval

A second view shows how the recorded decision should connect to testing, exceptions and accountable human review.

121 CRM · Connected operations

Book discovery

October · illustrative availability

MTWTFSS1234567891011121314

11:3014:00

Appointment sequence

Booked

Calendar entry created

1 day before

Reminder scheduled

Exception

Owner reviews a reply

Journey summary

New

Illustrative

Owned

Illustrative

Due

Illustrative

Website

Referral

Direct

Illustrative exampleAll dates, counts and workflow states are fictional. Availability and behaviour depend on the agreed setup.

Fictional example

A completed extract for Field & Form

Field & Form uses the template for one bounded CRM change. The example is intentionally modest: it shows the quality of a useful entry without suggesting a universal answer.

Trigger and population

The team wants one agreed record and owner for website enquiries received during working hours. Success means each valid enquiry has a source, owner and dated next action.

Action and timing

Amina owns the working definition; Sam covers absence. The office team can edit the record, while managers can review exceptions and results.

Exception and stop rule

The team tests five ordinary examples plus a duplicate, an opt-out, missing information and an unassigned record. Every mismatch is logged for correction.

Approver and review date

A person reviews the result after two weeks. Activation or wider use proceeds only if the sample reconciles and staff can handle exceptions without a private workaround.

Review before use

Treat the template as a decision record, not a certificate

A completed worksheet helps people inspect their reasoning. It does not itself establish compliance, product availability or a successful implementation.

Check the evidence

Ask whether every important statement has an identifiable source and whether that source covers the current scope. Recheck vendor capability and account configuration separately.

Test the handover

Give the record to someone who did not write it. If they cannot explain the owner, rule, exception and next action, revise the wording before relying on it.

Set a review trigger

Review after a failed test, material process change, supplier change, new channel, altered responsibility or evidence that staff are bypassing the agreed method.

Questions about this page

Useful answers, without the sales fog.

1. Can we use this workflow-approval record without changing it?

Use the structure as a starting point, but adapt the scope, fields, evidence and approvals to the real process. Delete prompts that do not affect a decision and add only those you can maintain.

2. Is the workflow-approval record a legal or compliance template?

No. It is an operational planning aid. Obtain appropriate professional advice where the work involves legal, regulatory, contractual, clinical or other specialist obligations.

3. Does completing the workflow-approval record confirm a 121 CRM entitlement?

No. Product features and account availability must be checked against the live configuration and agreed commercial scope before implementation.

4. Who should approve the completed workflow-approval record?

The person accountable for the affected process should review it with the people responsible for data, configuration, customer communication and exception handling.

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