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J
json1
Level 2
August 26, 2026
Question

Unified Approvals for Linked SharePoint Documents

  • August 26, 2026
  • 4 replies
  • 44 views

I’m exploring options for using Unified Approvals to review Word documents stored in SharePoint. Since Unified Approvals doesn’t create approval workflows from linked documents—and Frame.io doesn’t allow native copyediting for Word files—I’m trying to figure out whether anyone has built a workaround.

The workflow I’m aiming for looks like this:

  1. Author uploads a Word doc to SharePoint.
  2. Author shares the SharePoint link with reviewers/approvers via Workfront (names vary by project).
  3. Reviewers/approvers receive an approval request.
  4. A dashboard displays all pending approvals.
  5. Reviewers/approvers open the link and make edits in Word.
  6. Approvers log their decision in Workfront.

If anyone has tackled something similar—or found a creative solution—I'd appreciate your insights.

4 replies

Lyndsy-Denk
Community Advisor
Lyndsy-DenkCommunity Advisor
Community Advisor
August 26, 2026

Have you tested it out? We’re just diving into Unified Approvals and I’ll be trying this out in the next few weeks, but everything I’ve seen so far indicates that this is totally viable. The difference might be that you generate a standalone approval versus a workflow.

J
json1Author
Level 2
August 27, 2026

Yes, I have been conducting testing. Linked files are not supported. And the experience for approving cloud storage documents varies slightly depending on the approval request notification channel, which may be confusing for approvers.

Madalyn_Destafney
Community Advisor
Madalyn_DestafneyCommunity Advisor
Community Advisor
August 26, 2026

In cloud storage projects, there is a new UI for the docs tab on objects and not all of the functionality is the same as legacy projects. You’re not able to link a asset in WF with onedrive/dropbox/sharepoint yet (send to or upload from), it’s in the backlog but looking like not until maybe January...so perhaps you upload the Word doc as the doc with the approval flow on it, also upload it to Sharepoint and include the Sharepoint link for editing purposes in the custom message for the approval notification and/or as a comment on the asset for the reviewers/approvers to access?

If this helped you, please mark correct to help others : )
J
json1Author
Level 2
August 27, 2026

Thank you! It’s helpful to know that this is in the backlog. We use a similar workaround today--create an approval workflow on a Word document in Workfront with a link to SharePoint, and include the link in the project details--but it is not the most elegant user experience. Requires extra steps for the author and approver. 

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