Advanced Approval Strategies in Adobe Journey Optimizer: Bulletproof Campaign and Journey Governance

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Streamline your campaign and journey launches in Adobe Journey Optimizer with integrated approvals that speed up decisions, ensure governance, and boost confidence. Discover three proven strategies to leverage approvals for managing urgent campaigns and journeys, and resolving policy conflicts with ease.

 

Use Case: Ensuring Complete Approval Coverage

Every marketing organization faces the same critical question: How do you guarantee that all campaigns and journeys get proper review before activation or publishing while still enabling fast-track approval for urgent campaigns and journeys?

Adobe Journey Optimizer's approval feature provides the answer through intelligent policy configuration. Once you activate at least one approval policy in your sandbox, the "Request Approval" button automatically appears in your campaign and journey interfaces—no additional setup required.

Critical Note: If you have active policies but none qualify for a specific campaign or journey, the campaign or journey gets auto-approved and bypasses review entirely. This makes comprehensive policy coverage essential.

This guide covers three essential strategies for common approval scenarios:

1. Eliminating bypass risks with comprehensive catch-all policies
2. Fast-tracking urgent campaigns/journeys without compromising governance
3. Resolving policy conflicts through strategic prioritization

Strategy 1: Building Foolproof Safety Nets

To maximize the effectiveness of AJO's approval feature, ensure comprehensive coverage so that all campaigns and journeys receive appropriate review. Here's how to create a robust safety net system.

Use Case: Preventing Approval Bypasses

When you have active approval policies but none match a specific campaign or journey, AJO auto-approves the campaign or journey, creating an unintended bypass. This happens when:

• Your policies are too specific and miss edge cases
• New campaign/journey types are introduced that aren't covered
• User groups or channel changes, but policies are not updated

Generic Solution Steps

1. Create Universal Catch-All Policies: Design policies without "If" conditions (entry conditions) to automatically qualify for all campaigns/journeys as a baseline
2. Implement Layered Defense: Add multiple policy layers with decreasing specificity

AJO Implementation Example: Creating Universal Catch-All Policies

Step 1: Navigate to Policy Creation

1. Go to Administration > Permissions > Policies > Approval Policy
2. Click Create Policy

Step 2: Configure Comprehensive Coverage

Campaign Policy Configuration:

• Policy Name: Universal Safety Net Policy - Campaigns
• Description: Catches all campaigns not matched by specific policies
• Object: Campaigns
• If (Entry Conditions): Leave "If" conditions empty - This automatically qualifies the policy for ALL campaigns
• Then, send approval request to (Reviewer Assignment):
  • Marketing Managers
  • Compliance Team

Journey Policy Configuration:

• Policy Name: Universal Safety Net Policy - Journeys
• Description: Catches all journeys not matched by specific policies
• Object: Journeys
• If (Entry Conditions): Leave "If" conditions empty - This automatically qualifies the policy for ALL journeys
• Then, send approval request to (Reviewer Assignment):
  • Journey Managers
  • Compliance Team

AJO Implementation Example: Implementing Layered Defense

Create multiple policy layers for comprehensive coverage. The specific layers depend on your organization's needs, but here are common examples:

Important Note: Since AJO uses creation/update timestamps for priority, create your policies in reverse order - start with the broadest policies first (oldest timestamps) and create specific policies last (newest timestamps).

Layer 3: Final Safety Nets (CREATE FIRST - Oldest Timestamp)

Campaign Policy Name: Final Campaign Safety NetObject: Campaigns
If (Entry Conditions): [LEAVE EMPTY - Qualifies for ALL campaigns]
Then, send approval request to: Default Campaign Approvers

Journey Policy Name: Final Journey Safety NetObject: Journeys
If (Entry Conditions): [LEAVE EMPTY - Qualifies for ALL journeys]
Then, send approval request to: Default Journey Approvers

Note: Create these first so they have the oldest timestamps and won't overwrite more specific policies.

Layer 2: User-Based Oversight (CREATE SECOND - Example)

Campaign Policy Name: Junior Marketer Campaign OversightObject: Campaigns
If (Entry Conditions):
- Field: IMS Group | Operator: matchAny | Values: Junior_Marketers, Contractors
- AND
- Field: Campaign Type | Operator: matchAny | Values: [All Types]
Then, send approval request to: Marketing Managers

Journey Policy Name: Junior Marketer Journey OversightObject: Journeys
If (Entry Conditions):
- Field: IMS Group | Operator: matchAny | Values: Junior_Marketers, Contractors  
- AND
- Field: Action | Operator: matchAny | Values: [All Types]
Then, send approval request to: Journey Managers

Layer 1: High-Risk Channel Policies (CREATE LAST - Example)

Campaign Policy Name: High-Risk Campaign ChannelsObject: Campaigns
If (Entry Conditions):
- Field: Action | Operator: matchAny | Values: SMS, PUSH
- AND
- Field: Campaign Type | Operator: matchAny | Values: SCHEDULED_MARKETING
Then, send approval request to: Senior Marketing Managers, Compliance Officers

Journey Policy Name: High-Risk Journey ChannelsObject: Journeys  
If (Entry Conditions):
- Field: Action | Operator: matchAny | Values: SMS, PUSH
Then, send approval request to: Senior Journey Managers, Compliance Officers

Customize these layers based on your organization's specific approval requirements and risk tolerance.

Strategy 2: Fast-Track Approval for Urgent Campaigns and Journeys

Time-sensitive campaigns and journeys need streamlined approval processes without compromising oversight quality.

Use Case: Fast-Tracking Urgent Campaigns and Journeys

Standard approval processes can delay time-sensitive campaigns and journeys due to regular reviewers' unavailability. This affects:

• Holiday promotions with tight deadlines
• Flash sales requiring immediate activation

The delay occurs because standard reviewers may not be monitoring approvals outside business hours or during peak periods when urgent campaigns and journeys need immediate attention.

Generic Solution Steps

1. Identify Urgent Campaign and Journey Types: Define what constitutes urgent campaigns or journeys (like Tags, ObjectName)
2. Create Fast-Track Policies: Design policies that route urgent campaigns and journeys to specialized reviewers
3. Assign Specialized Reviewers: Designate reviewers with faster response times for urgent campaigns and journeys
4. Use Priority Ordering: Ensure urgent policies take precedence over standard policies

AJO Implementation Approach: Using Tags and Object Names

What We are Trying to Achieve: Create policies that automatically route urgent campaigns and journeys to fast-track reviewers based on:

• Tags: Use campaign/journey tags to identify urgent campaigns and journeys (e.g., "urgent-promo", "flash-sale")
• Object Names: Use naming conventions to identify urgent campaigns and journeys (e.g., campaigns starting with "URGENT_")
• Requestor usergroup: Route based on which team created the campaign or journey

AJO Implementation Example: Holiday Campaign Fast-Track Setup

Campaign Policy Name: Holiday Campaign Fast TrackObject: Campaigns
If (Entry Conditions):
- Field: Tags | Operator: matchAny | Values: holiday-campaign, urgent-promo, seasonal-campaign
- OR
- Field: Object Name | Operator: starts with | Values: HOLIDAY_, URGENT_HOLIDAY

Journey Policy Name: Holiday Journey Fast TrackObject: Journeys 
If (Entry Conditions):
- Field: Tags | Operator: matchAny | Values: holiday-journey, urgent-promo, seasonal-journey
- OR
- Field: Object Name | Operator: starts with | Values: HOLIDAY_, URGENT_HOLIDAY

Then, send approval request to (Both Policies): - Holiday Campaign/Journey Specialists
- Marketing Directors
- Enable urgent notifications

Best Practice: Train your teams to consistently tag urgent campaigns and journeys or use naming conventions to ensure automatic fast-track routing.

Strategy 3: Smart Policy Conflict Resolution

When multiple policies match a single campaign or journey, clear prioritization prevents confusion.

Use Case: Resolving Policy Conflicts

Multiple policies can match the same campaign or journey, causing confusion about which approval policy applies.

Generic Solution Steps

1. Design Policy Hierarchy: Establish a clear priority order from general to specific to emergency
2. Use Strategic Timing: Leverage last modified timestamps to control precedence
3. Test Overlapping Scenarios: Identify and resolve policy conflicts before they impact operations
4. Document Priority Logic: Make the intended priority order clear to all stakeholders
5. Regular Priority Audits: Review and adjust policy priorities as business needs change

AJO Implementation Details: Understanding Policy Priority

• Key Rule: AJO selects the most recently created or updated policy when multiple policies match.
• Strategic Approach: Create policies in reverse priority order (lowest to highest priority) for both campaigns and journeys.

AJO Implementation Example: Priority Framework

Create in This Order:

1. General Policies (First - Lowest Priority)

Campaign Policy Name: Standard Campaign Review PolicyIf (Entry Conditions): [LEAVE EMPTY - Qualifies for ALL campaigns]
Then, send approval request to: Marketing Managers

Journey Policy Name: Standard Journey Review PolicyIf (Entry Conditions): [LEAVE EMPTY - Qualifies for ALL journeys]
Then, send approval request to: Journey Managers

2. Compliance Policies (Second - Medium Priority)

Campaign Policy Name: Campaign Compliance Review PolicyIf (Entry Conditions): 
- Action | matchAny | SMS, PUSH
- OR
- IMS Group | matchAny | External_Agencies, Third_Party_Partners
Then, send approval request to: Compliance Officers, Legal Team

Journey Policy Name: Journey Compliance Review PolicyIf (Entry Conditions): 
- Action | matchAny | SMS, PUSH
- OR
- IMS Group | matchAny | External_Agencies, Third_Party_Partners
Then, send approval request to: Compliance Officers, Legal Team

3. Emergency Policies (Last - Highest Priority)

Campaign Policy Name: Emergency Campaign Override PolicyIf (Entry Conditions):
- Campaign Type | matchAny | API_TRIGGERED_TRANSACTIONAL
- AND
- IMS Group | matchAny | Crisis_Team, Emergency_Communications
Then, send approval request to: Emergency Approver 1, Emergency Approver 2

Journey Policy Name: Emergency Journey Override PolicyIf (Entry Conditions):
- Action | matchAny | EMAIL, PUSH, SMS
- AND
- IMS Group | matchAny | Crisis_Team, Emergency_Communications
Then, send approval request to: Emergency Approver 1, Emergency Approver 2

AJO Implementation Tip: Managing Priority Through Policy Updates

To Change Policy Priority:

1. Navigate to the target policy
2. Click Edit Policy
3. Make any minor change (add space to description)
4. Save the policy
5. Activate the policy
6. Last modified timestamp moves it to the highest priority

The image below lists the active policies. The 'Last Modified' column indicates their priority—policies with more recent timestamps have higher priority. 

Real-World Implementation: Retail Black Friday Example

Scenario: Retail company handling regular campaigns and journeys, plus urgent Black Friday promotions and customer journey activations.

Implementation Sequence:

Phase 1: Base Safety Nets (Create First)

Campaign Policy: Retail Campaign Safety Net
If (Entry Conditions): [LEAVE EMPTY - Qualifies for ALL campaigns]
Then, send approval request to: Marketing Managers, Compliance Team

Journey Policy: Retail Journey Safety Net
If (Entry Conditions): [LEAVE EMPTY - Qualifies for ALL journeys]
Then, send approval request to: Journey Managers, Marketing Operations Team

Phase 2: Holiday Policies (Create Second)

Campaign Policy: Holiday Campaign Policy
If (Entry Conditions): 
- Campaign Type | matchAll | SCHEDULED_MARKETING
- AND Action | matchAny | EMAIL
Then, send approval request to: Holiday Reviewers, Marketing Managers

Journey Policy: Holiday Journey Policy
If (Entry Conditions): 
- Action | matchAny | EMAIL, PUSH
Then, send approval request to: Holiday Journey Reviewers, Journey Managers

Phase 3: Emergency Overrides (Create Last)

Campaign Policy: Black Friday Emergency Campaign Policy
If (Entry Conditions):
- Action | matchAny | EMAIL, PUSH, SMS
- AND IMS Group | matchAny | Black_Friday_Team
Then, send approval request to: Black Friday Manager, Marketing Director

Journey Policy: Black Friday Emergency Journey Policy
If (Entry Conditions):
- Action | matchAny | EMAIL, PUSH, SMS
- AND IMS Group | matchAny | Black_Friday_Team
Then, send approval request to: Black Friday Manager, Journey Operations Director

Best Practices Summary

Policy Naming

• Use descriptive names: "High-Risk SMS Campaign Policy"
• Avoid generic names: "Policy 1"

"If" Conditions (Entry Conditions) Strategy

• Start with broad catch-all policies
• Layer specific policies on top
• Always test with sample campaigns

Reviewer Management

• Assign groups over individuals when possible
• Configure backup reviewers for coverage
• Match reviewer expertise to campaign types

Key Takeaways

Adobe Journey Optimizer's approval feature provides robust governance through strategic policy layering for both campaigns and journeys:

1. Safety First: Always implement catch-all policies to prevent bypass of campaigns and journeys
2. Speed When Needed: Create fast-track policies for urgent campaigns and journeys
3. Clear Priority: Use creation order and updates to manage policy precedence across both campaigns and journeys

Next Steps:

1. Access Administration > Permissions > Policies > Approval Policy in your AJO instance
2. Create your first universal catch-all policies for both campaigns and journeys
3. Test with sample campaigns and journeys to verify proper triggering
4. Gradually layer additional policies based on your governance requirements for both campaigns and journeys

With these strategies implemented, you'll have complete confidence in your approval coverage while maintaining the agility needed for time-sensitive campaigns and journeys.

Reference Links

• Overview of Approval Workflow 
• Creating Approval Policies
• Submitting a Journey or Message for Approval
• Review and Approve Requests