> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://learn.nextedy.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Configure Approval-Based Reviews
> Set up approval-based reviews in Nextedy RISKSHEET to create formal approval comments on risk items that are distinct from regular Siemens Polarion ALM comments.
export const LastReviewed = ({date}) => {
if (!date) return null;
const formatted = new Date(`${date}T00:00:00Z`).toLocaleDateString("en-US", {
year: "numeric",
month: "long",
day: "numeric",
timeZone: "UTC"
});
return
Last reviewed on {formatted}
;
};
## Prerequisites
* Risksheet installed and configured in your Polarion project
* Access to the sheet configuration for the target document (see [Find Configuration Files](/risksheet/guides/configuration/finding-config-files))
* Users with comment creation permissions on the target work items
## How Approval-Based Reviews Work
Approval-based reviews use Polarion's approval comment system. Each review created through Risksheet is stored as a comment with the fixed title "Approval comment" on the underlying work item. The Reviews column filters to show only these approval-titled comments, separating formal approval feedback from regular discussion comments.
Open the sheet configuration (`risksheet.json`) for your document and add the `reviews` section with `reviewManager` set to `ApprovalBased`. The configuration editor (v25.5.0+) supports YAML editing with syntax highlighting:
```yaml theme={null}
reviews:
reviewManager: ApprovalBased
```
No additional properties are required for the approval-based strategy. The approval-based mechanism reuses Polarion's built-in approval comment system, so reviewer identity, timestamps, and resolution status are all managed by Polarion itself.
Risksheet supports three mutually exclusive review managers: `CommentBased`, `ApprovalBased`, and `WorkItemBased`. If multiple modes are configured, `CommentBased` takes the highest precedence, followed by `WorkItemBased`, then `ApprovalBased`. Ensure you only configure one `reviewManager` value.
After updating the sheet configuration, display the review columns in the grid:
1. Open the Risksheet in your Polarion LiveDoc
2. Use the review toggle command in the toolbar
3. Two system columns appear:
* **Reviews column** (`reviewsRendered`) -- displays existing approval comments
* **Add Review column** (`reviewsAdd`) -- interface for creating new approval reviews
Review columns are off by default to keep the grid compact during routine risk analysis. Toggle them on when you reach the review stage of your workflow.
To add an approval on a risk item:
1. Locate the risk item row in the grid
2. Click the add review control in the **Add Review** column
3. Enter your approval comment text
4. Submit the review
The system creates a Polarion comment with the fixed title "Approval comment" and your text as plain text content. Validation rules are applied before creation -- empty text or content exceeding length limits is rejected.
Only comments titled "Approval comment" appear in the Reviews column. Regular Polarion comments added outside Risksheet are not shown. This separation lets you maintain general discussion comments alongside formal approval records on the same work item.
The Reviews column displays approval comments with the following details:
| Field | Description |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Reviewer name** | Full name from Polarion user profile (falls back to user ID if unavailable) |
| **Timestamp** | Creation date and time in `yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm` format |
| **Content** | Approval comment text rendered as HTML |
The system automatically filters out:
* **Resolved comments** -- approval comments marked as resolved in Polarion
* **Unresolvable comments** -- comments that cannot be loaded
Reviews are wrapped with the `risk_reviews` CSS class for styling customization through [cell styles](/risksheet/guides/styling/cell-styles).
## Comparison with Other Review Managers
Risksheet provides three review managers, each suited to a different audit and process scenario:
| Feature | Comment-Based | Approval-Based | Work Item-Based |
| ------------------------- | ------------------------- | ----------------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| Storage mechanism | Standard comment | Approval comment | Separate work item |
| Comment title | User-defined (optional) | Fixed: "Approval comment" | N/A |
| Filtering | All non-resolved comments | Only approval-titled comments | Linked work items by type |
| Content format | Plain text | Plain text | Rich text (work item fields) |
| Queryable separately | No | No | Yes (via Polarion queries) |
| Required `typeProperties` | None | None | `itemTypes`, `linkRole` |
Risksheet approval review creates approval-tagged comments but does not trigger Polarion's formal approval workflow state transitions (such as draft to reviewed to approved). For full workflow state management, use Polarion's document or work item list views, or use the Work Item-Based review manager and configure a Polarion workflow on the review work item type. Full approval workflow actions within Risksheet are planned for a future release.
## When to Use Approval-Based Reviews
Approval-based reviews are suitable when:
* You need to distinguish formal approval feedback from regular discussion comments
* Your audit process requires a clear trail of approval actions, but does not require a separate linked work item per review
* You want approvals visible in Polarion's standard approval comment views
* Full work item-based traceability and Polarion workflow state transitions are not required
If your process requires a formal Polarion workflow on each review (draft to reviewed to approved), or you need to query reviews as first-class work items, prefer the [Work Item-Based review manager](/risksheet/guides/reviews/workitem-based-reviews) instead.
## Troubleshooting
| Issue | Cause | Solution |
| --------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| No reviews appear despite comments on the work item | Comments do not have the "Approval comment" title | Only comments with the exact title "Approval comment" are displayed in the Reviews column |
| Cannot add approval | Insufficient permissions | Verify the user has comment creation permissions on the work item |
| Reviewer name shows as user ID | Polarion user profile missing full name | Update the reviewer's name in Polarion user administration |
| Review columns not visible | Toggle not activated | Use the toolbar toggle to show review columns |
| Multiple review managers seem active | More than one mode configured | Risksheet selects one manager by precedence (CommentBased > WorkItemBased > ApprovalBased). Set only one `reviewManager` value in the sheet configuration |
## Verification
After completing configuration, you should now see:
1. The review toggle available in the Risksheet toolbar
2. Approval comments created through Risksheet appear with the "Approval comment" title in Polarion
3. Only approval-titled comments display in the Reviews column -- regular comments are filtered out
4. Reviewer names, timestamps, and content render correctly
5. Resolved or unresolvable approval comments are automatically hidden from the Reviews column
## See Also
* [Set Up Review Process](/risksheet/guides/reviews/setup-review-process) -- overview of all review managers
* [Configure Comment-Based Reviews](/risksheet/guides/reviews/comment-based-reviews) -- lightweight review comments without approval distinction
* [Configure Work Item-Based Reviews](/risksheet/guides/reviews/workitem-based-reviews) -- reviews stored as separate linked work items, with Polarion workflow support
* [Manage Cross-Project Reviews](/risksheet/guides/reviews/cross-project-reviews) -- reviews spanning multiple Polarion projects