Understanding your workflow type

Learn the difference between sequential and open assignment workflows and which one your organisation uses

Workflow Types

Two types of document workflow can be configured in BetterExaminations. You can choose the option that best suits your organisation's needs.

Open assignment workflow (Parallel Workflow)

In this setup, reviewers can be assigned freely and independently across any review stage at any time. There is no requirement for one stage to be completed before another begins.

This gives administrators full flexibility to manage the review process at their own pace.

In this workflow type, bulk actions are available to manage reviewers, lock documents, and approve documents for printing across the entire document set at once.

Who would use this workflow?

The open assignment workflow is ideal for organisations that need flexibility in how they manage their exam document review process.

It suits teams where:

• Documents are reviewed outside the platform but still stored and managed in BetterExaminations

• Review stages don't need to follow a strict sequence

• Multiple reviewers across different stages need to work simultaneously

• Administrators want to assign and manage reviewers without waiting for previous stages to complete

• The review timeline is driven by availability rather than a fixed process order

What can you do in a parallel workflow?

Once a parallel workflow is set up, administrators can:

• Assign internal, external, and final reviewers to documents at any time

• Have multiple review stages active simultaneously - no need to wait for one stage to finish before starting another

• Use bulk actions to manage the entire document set at once, including:

  • Assigning or removing reviewers across all documents

  • Locking documents to prevent further edits

  • Approving documents for printing

How does it differ from a sequential workflow?

In a sequential workflow, each review stage must be completed before the next one begins. In a parallel workflow, there are no such dependencies - all stages can run at the same time. This makes parallel workflows faster and more flexible, but requires the administrator to take a more active role in coordinating reviewers.

Things to keep in mind

• Assigning reviewers is not mandatory. You may choose to not to assign any reviewers to some documents if this suits your organisation's needs. 

• Because all stages can be active at once, it's important to communicate clearly with reviewers about expectations and deadlines

• Documents can be locked at any point to prevent edits, regardless of review stage

Sequential Workflow

What is a sequential workflow?

In this setup, the review process follows a fixed order. Each stage must be completed before the next one can begin. For example,  internal review comes first, followed by external review, and finally the final review stage.

This gives organisations a structured, controlled approach to document review, ensuring that each stage is signed off before progressing to the next.

Who would use this workflow?

The sequential workflow is ideal for organisations that require a clear audit trail and a defined approval process. It suits teams where:

• Each review stage needs to be formally completed before the next begins

• There is a clear hierarchy of reviewers - for example, internal sign-off is required before external reviewers are involved

• Compliance or governance requirements mean that review stages cannot overlap

• Administrators want the system to enforce the process rather than manage it manually

What can you do in a sequential workflow?

Once a sequential workflow is set up, administrators can:

• Assign reviewers during each stage

• Progress documents through each stage once the current stage is complete

• Track exactly where each document is in the review process at any given time

• Use the structured flow to ensure no stage is skipped

How does it differ from a parallel workflow?

In a parallel workflow, all review stages can be active at the same time. In a sequential workflow, each stage must be fully completed before the next one unlocks. This makes sequential workflows more structured and easier to audit, but less flexible - progress depends on each stage being signed off in order.

Things to keep in mind

• If a reviewer is slow to complete their stage, it will delay all subsequent stages - plan ahead and set clear deadlines

• Documents cannot move to the next stage until the current one is marked complete