Selective Approval

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It sounds like there might be a couple of potential issues that need to be addressed to ensure that the custom permission setup works as intended. Here’s a refined approach to ensure that document library owners can bypass the approval process while members still require approval:

Refined Approach

Step 1: Create a Custom Permission Level

1. Navigate to Site Settings:
• Go to your SharePoint site.
• Click on the gear icon (⚙) in the top-right corner.
• Select "Site settings".
2. Create a Custom Permission Level:
• Under the "Users and Permissions" section, click on "Site permissions".
• Click on "Permission Levels".
• Click "Add a Permission Level".
• Name the new permission level, e.g., "Contribute without Approval".
• Start with the "Contribute" permission level by checking all the boxes for the "Contribute" permissions.
• Uncheck the "Approve Items" permission.
• Click "Create".

Step 2: Assign the Custom Permission Level to the Owners Group

1. Go to the Document Library Settings:
• Navigate to the document library where you want to apply these permissions.
• Click on the gear icon (⚙) and select "Library settings".
2. Stop Inheriting Permissions:
• Click on "Permissions for this document library".
• Click on "Stop Inheriting Permissions" to break the inheritance from the parent site.
3. Grant Custom Permissions to Owners:
• Find the Owners group, typically named something like "[Your Site Name] Owners".
• Select the Owners group and click "Edit User Permissions".
• Assign the newly created "Contribute without Approval" permission level to this group.
• Click "OK".

Step 3: Ensure the Approval Workflow is Set for Other Members

1. Set Up the Approval Workflow:
• Ensure that the document library has an approval workflow or content approval enabled.
• Go to the document library settings.
• Under "Versioning settings", ensure that "Require content approval for submitted items" is set to "Yes".
2. Check Permissions for Members:
• Verify that other users (Members and Visitors) have the appropriate permissions. Typically, Members should have the "Contribute" permission level and Visitors should have "Read".

Step 4: Ensure Proper Content Approval Configuration

1. Verify Content Approval Settings:
• Go to the document library settings.
• Under "Versioning settings", ensure that:
• "Require content approval for submitted items" is set to "Yes".
• "Who should see draft items in this document library?" is set to "Only users who can approve items (and the author of the item)".
2. Ensure Correct Permissions for Approvers:
• Ensure that the users who need to approve items have the "Approve" permission level.
• Users with "Full Control" or "Design" permissions should be able to approve items.

Step 5: Test the Configuration

1. Test with an Owner Account:
• Upload a document as a user who is in the Owners group.
• Verify that the document is immediately approved and visible without needing further approval.
2. Test with a Member Account:
• Upload a document as a user who is in the Members group.
• Verify that the document requires approval before it becomes visible to other users.

Troubleshooting

If the owners are still unable to bypass the approval process or are unable to see the approve/reject options, consider the following troubleshooting steps:

1. Check the Permission Levels:
• Ensure that the custom permission level has been correctly assigned to the Owners group.
• Verify that the custom permission level does not include "Approve Items".
2. Review Document Library Settings:
• Double-check the document library settings to ensure that content approval is enabled and configured correctly.
3. Clear Browser Cache:
• Sometimes, changes might not reflect immediately due to cached data. Clear your browser cache or try in a different browser.
4. Reassign Permissions:
• As a last resort, try removing and reassigning the custom permissions to the Owners group to ensure the settings are applied correctly.

By following these steps and ensuring the settings are correctly configured, you should be able to set up a system where document library owners can bypass the approval process while still requiring approval for other members. If issues persist, reviewing each step and configuration might help identify any missed settings or permissions. The text and the steps are the result of various AI's put together.

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Hope this will help you.