Joomla Workflow provides a configurable content approval pipeline. Instead of authors publishing directly, content moves through defined Stages (e.g. Draft → Review → Published) via Transitions. Each transition can require specific permissions and trigger automated actions such as sending notification emails.
Enabling Workflow
Go to Admin → Content → Workflows and create a workflow, or enable the default workflow. Then assign the workflow to a category in the category's Publishing tab under Workflow.
Stages
A stage represents a point in the content lifecycle. Each workflow must have exactly one Default stage (where new articles start) and at least one stage that marks content as published.
Example stages for a news site:
- Draft — author is working on the content (default)
- Sub-Editor Review — awaiting first review
- Editor Approval — awaiting final sign-off
- Published — live on the site
- Archived — no longer current, retained for reference
Transitions
A transition moves content from one stage to another. Each transition has:
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| From Stage | The stage the article must currently be in |
| To Stage | The stage it moves to after the transition |
| Permission | Which user group can execute this transition |
| Condition | Optional: set a publish/unpublish state on the article when the transition fires |
Notification Plugins
Enable the Workflow Notification plugin to send email alerts when a transition is executed. Configure per-transition: who receives the notification (stage owners, specific groups, or the article author) and what the email says.
Using Workflow as an Author
When workflow is enabled on a category, authors see a Transition button instead of a Publish button in the article toolbar. Clicking it shows the available transitions for the current stage. Transitions the user doesn't have permission to execute are hidden.