Multi-Level Approval - CI Job

CI Job Approval Workflow

User Guide

Multi-level Deployment and Commit Approval Flow

This guide describes the CI Job approval workflow from approval configuration through build execution, approval processing, deployment and commit execution, and final build review. a

1. Configure Approval Settings

Approval setup defines who can approve deployment and commit requests. The configuration is the foundation for all approval actions shown later in the CI Job workflow.

Approval settings configuration

The approval workflow begins in My Account, where approval settings are maintained for deployment, data deployment, and feature commit activities. The Deployment - Approval Settings, Data Deployment - Approval Settings, and Feature Commit - Approval Settings sections define the Salesforce orgs, repositories, branches, and Level 1 and Level 2 approvers that will be available during CI Job configuration.

2. Associate Approval Levels with the CI Job

After approval levels are configured, they are assigned to a CI Job during destination and commit setup. The selected approvers determine who participates in each approval stage after the build is triggered.

Destination approval fields are available during CI Job setup

During CI Job configuration, the Destination step displays separate approval fields for deployment and commit activities. Selecting the destination org makes the Level 1 approval and Level 2 approval fields available for deployment. The commit section provides the corresponding Commit level 1 approval and Commit level 2 approval fields after repository and branch information is selected.

Level 2 deployment approval selection

The Level 2 approval field provides the list of configured approvers for the selected destination. This selection completes the secondary deployment approval configuration for the job and determines who can review the deployment request at the second approval level.

Commit approval selection after branch selection

After the repository and branch are selected, the commit approval fields become active. The Commit level 1 approval list displays available approvers for the first commit approval stage. The approval selection is linked to the configured repository and branch context.

Commit Level 2 approval selection

The Commit level 2 approval field captures the final commit approver for the job. A note on the page explains that deployment and commit approvals that remain inactive for 14 days from the time of job creation are automatically rejected, ensuring that pending approval requests do not remain open indefinitely.

3. Trigger the Build and Review Initial Status

The build trigger starts the approval-controlled lifecycle. The build status, deployment status, and commit status columns show how the request progresses after submission.

CI Job List with trigger build action

After the CI Job is configured, it appears in the CI Job List. The Trigger build action is available from the Actions column and starts the approval-controlled build workflow for the selected job.

Trigger build panel with approval details

The Trigger build panel summarizes the CI job details, source details, destination details, selected deployment approvers, and selected commit approvers. This review confirms the approval chain before the build is submitted.

CI Job History after build submission

Once the build is submitted, the CI Job History page displays the new build record. The build status begins processing while the deployment and commit approval states are tracked separately in their respective columns.

Deployment status waiting for L1 approval

The Deploy status icon displays the tooltip Waiting for L1 Approval. This indicates that the build has completed the initial stage and the deployment request is pending review by the Level 1 deployment approver.

Commit status waiting for L1 approval

The Commit status icon displays the tooltip Waiting for L1 Approval. This indicates that the commit request is also pending Level 1 approval as part of the same first approval stage.

Build action menu before approval completion

The build action menu provides access to Build list, Build results, Build info, Build changes, Edit approvals, Notify approvals, and Build log download. These actions support build review, approval management, and notification handling while the request is pending approval.

Build list view for the selected job

The Build list option opens the CI Job Builds view for the selected job. The build record shows build number, build name, triggered date, triggered by, build status, deploy status, commit status, and available actions.

Approval status in the build list

Within the build list, the Deploy status and Commit status columns display approval-state icons. Hovering over these icons shows the current approval state, allowing the approval progress to be monitored directly from the build record.

Build action menu in the build list

The Actions menu in the build list provides the same workflow options available from CI Job History. Edit Approvals and Notify Approvals remain available while approvals are pending.

4. Manage Approvers and Notifications

Pending builds provide controls to update approval assignments and resend approval notifications. These actions keep the approval flow manageable without recreating the build.

Edit Approvals panel

The Edit Approvals panel displays the current deployment and commit approval assignments. Deployment approvals and Commit approvals are separated into Level 1 and Level 2 fields, allowing approvers to be reviewed or updated without recreating the build.

Updating deployment Level 1 approvers

The Level 1 dropdown under Deployment approvals displays available approvers. Updating this list changes who can act on the first deployment approval stage for the current build.

Saving updated approval assignments

After approval assignments are reviewed or updated, the Save action stores the changes. Updated approvers are used for the remaining approval actions in the workflow.

Deploy Approval and Commit Approval actions

The action menu now exposes Deploy approval and Commit approval. These actions open the approval decision panels for the pending deployment and commit requests.

Notify Approvals action

The Notify approvals action sends or resends approval notifications to the configured approvers. This is useful when pending approval requests need to be brought back to the attention of the assigned approvers.

5. Complete Level 1 Approvals

The first approval stage consists of Deployment L1 approval followed by Commit L1 approval. Both Level 1 approvals must be completed before the workflow moves to Level 2.

Deployment L1 approval panel

The Deployment L1 Approvals panel opens from the Deploy approval action. The approver selects an approval action, either Approve or Reject, and provides comments before submitting the decision.

Deployment L1 approval action selected

After Approve is selected, the comments field remains required. The Submit action is available, but the approval cannot be completed until comments are provided.

Deployment L1 comment validation

If the approval decision is submitted without comments, the system displays the warning Please enter a comment. This validation ensures that each approval decision includes an audit comment.

Deployment L1 approval submitted with comments

After comments are entered, the approver submits the Deployment L1 approval. The workflow records the approval decision and progresses to the next approval activity in the sequence.

Workflow moves to Commit L1 approval

After Deployment L1 approval is completed, the Commit status displays Waiting for L1 Approval. This confirms that the first-level commit approval is the next pending action in the same approval stage.

Commit L1 status remains pending

The build remains available in the CI Job Builds view while the commit approval awaits action. The Deploy status reflects the completed deployment approval stage, and the Commit status continues to indicate the pending Level 1 commit approval.

Commit Approval action selected

The Commit approval action is selected from the build action menu to open the approval panel for the pending Commit L1 approval request.

Commit L1 approval panel

The Commit L1 Approvals panel presents the same approval decision model as deployment approvals. The approver selects Approve or Reject and provides comments before submission.

Commit L1 approval submitted with comments

The Commit L1 approval decision is submitted with comments. Once accepted, the first approval stage is completed for both deployment and commit activities.

6. Complete Level 2 Approvals

The second approval stage consists of Deployment L2 approval followed by Commit L2 approval. Completion of these approvals makes the deployment and commit execution actions available.

Deployment status waiting for L2 approval

After both Level 1 approvals are completed, the workflow advances to the second approval level. The Deploy status icon displays Waiting for L2 Approval, indicating that Deployment L2 approval is pending.

Commit status waiting for L2 approval

The Commit status icon also displays Waiting for L2 Approval. This confirms that the second approval level is active for both deployment and commit approval paths.

Second-level approval actions available

The action menu continues to provide Deploy approval and Commit approval while the Level 2 approvals are pending. Each action opens the corresponding Level 2 approval decision panel.

Deployment L2 approval panel

The Deployment L2 Approvals panel is used by the second-level deployment approver to review the request and select the required approval action.

Deployment L2 approval action selected

After Approve is selected for Deployment L2, comments are still required before submission. The system applies the same approval-comment rule across all approval levels.

Deployment L2 comment validation

Submitting Deployment L2 approval without comments displays the warning Please enter a comment. This keeps approval history complete and consistent.

Deployment L2 approval submitted with comments

After comments are entered, the Deployment L2 approval is submitted. The deployment approval path is completed after this final deployment approval decision.

Commit status waiting for L2 approval after Deployment L2 completion

After Deployment L2 approval is completed, the Commit status remains Waiting for L2 Approval. This confirms that the final pending approval action is the second-level commit approval.

Deployment approval completed while commit approval continues

The build list reflects that deployment approval has progressed while commit approval remains pending. The workflow continues until the Commit L2 approval is completed.

Commit Approval action for L2 review

The Commit approval action opens the Commit L2 approval workflow. This action is used to complete the final approval stage before commit execution becomes available.

Commit L2 approval panel

The Commit L2 Approvals panel presents the final commit approval decision. The approver selects Approve or Reject and provides comments to complete the review.

Commit L2 approval submitted with comments

After comments are added, the Commit L2 approval is submitted. This completes the Level 2 approval stage for the commit workflow.

7. Review Approved States and Available Actions

After approval completion, the status icons change to Approved and execution actions become available from the build row.

Deployment approval approved

The Deploy status icon displays Approved after all deployment approval stages are completed. This status confirms that deployment governance requirements are satisfied.

Deploy action becomes available

After deployment approval is completed, the Deploy action becomes available in the Actions column. This action starts deployment processing for the approved build.

Commit approval approved

The Commit status icon displays Approved after the Commit L2 approval is completed. This confirms that all configured commit approvals are complete.

Commit action becomes available

The Commit action becomes available after commit approvals are completed. This action starts commit execution for the approved changes.

Deploy and Commit actions available

When both deployment and commit approvals are completed, the build provides execution actions for Deploy, Commit, and Deploy & Commit depending on the configured operation.

8. Execute Deploy and Commit Operations

Approved builds can be deployed, committed, or executed using the combined Deploy & Commit action. The system displays processing and success indicators during execution.

Deploy execution starts

Selecting Deploy triggers deployment execution. The system displays Please wait... Triggering deploy... while the deployment request is submitted.

Deployment trigger success message

After the deployment request is submitted successfully, a Success notification appears. The deployment status then moves into processing until execution completes.

Deploy action after approval completion

The Deploy action remains visible from the build record when deployment can be executed independently. The tooltip confirms the action label as Deploy.

Commit execution starts

Selecting Commit triggers commit execution. The system displays Please wait... Triggering commit... while the commit request is submitted.

Commit trigger success and processing status

After commit execution is submitted, a Success notification appears. Deploy and Commit status icons display processing indicators while the operations complete.

Post-execution action menu with commit artifacts

After commit execution begins, the action menu includes commit-related artifacts such as Commit log, Commit revision log, and Commit file diff in addition to build results and build information.

Build completes with commit ID and successful statuses

When processing completes, the build record displays the generated Commit ID and successful status indicators for Build status, Deploy status, and Commit status. This confirms that the approval-controlled workflow has completed successfully.

9. Review Completed Build Details

After execution, the completed build can be reviewed through history, action menus, and the Build Information panel, which provides approval and execution traceability.

CI Job History after completion

The completed build is also visible from CI Job History. The status indicators allow completed approval-controlled builds to be reviewed alongside other CI Job runs.

Build list refresh or processing state

The build list may briefly display a processing overlay while status updates are refreshed. This indicates that the system is updating the build record after execution.

Build Info action

The Build info option is available from the action menu after workflow completion. This option opens a consolidated panel containing build, deployment, commit, and approval information.

Build Information panel

The Build Information panel provides a centralized audit view of the completed build. It displays job details, build number, build name, build status, deploy status, commit status, deployed Salesforce org, trigger information, Level 1 and Level 2 approvers, and the comments captured during deployment and commit approvals.

Key System Behaviors

Approval inactivity handling: Deployment and commit approvals that remain inactive for 14 days from the time of job creation are automatically rejected.

Mandatory comments: Comments are required for every approval decision. The system displays Please enter a comment when an approval is submitted without comments.

Status visibility: The icons identify current states such as Waiting for L1 Approval, Waiting for L2 Approval, Approved, Deploy, Commit, and Deploy & Commit.

Approval sequencing: Deployment L1 and Commit L1 are completed before the workflow proceeds to Deployment L2 and Commit L2.

Execution gating: Deploy, Commit, and Deploy & Commit actions become available only after the required approval stages are completed.

Auditability: Build Information, approval comments, commit logs, revision logs, and file diffs provide traceability after the workflow completes.