The Merge Request Approval Process

Merge Requests are essential for tracking changes, updates, and new files in policy documentation. The approval process ensures accuracy, compliance, and alignment with agency policies before changes are merged.

This guide outlines the steps to review and approve modifications associated with a Merge Request in PAMMS.

The updates for this section are currently in progress.

Approval Training Guides

Approval Process

Approval Process Flow

approval workflow image

Groups & Roles

Each Merge Request requires review from specific approval groups based on the type of changes being proposed. Below are the key groups involved:

  • GitLab Quality Control (QC) - Ensures technical quality and compliance with Antora, Asciidoc, and overall PAMMS site build.

  • Policy Section Leadership Review - These Policy Supervisors will review policy content for accuracy, relevance, and provides endorsement of policy change.

  • Division Leadership Review - The Division leadership will review policy content for accuracy, relevance, and provides endorsement of policy change

  • Legal - Two stage process for the legal team to assess legal implications and ensures regulatory compliance.

    • Initial Legal Review:

    • Final Legal Review:

  • DHS Leadership - Final review and approval before publication to the PAMMS Website

The Required Approvals for each section will be defaulted and added automatically as part of the Merge Request creation process.
Not all Departments have a Division Leadership Review or Require Legal Review.

Approval Tracking and Comment Templates

train approval tempalte flow

With in GitLab we are using the comment template functionality to streamline the approval process and ensure better tracking.

Labels:

We are using GitLab Labels to assist in tracking where a Policy is in the Approval Process. The Labels are outlined below and only one of the below labels can exist on the Merge Request at a time.

  • status::qc review

    • Policy is undergoing quality control and technical review by the drafting section.

  • status::policy section leadership review

    • "Policy is awaiting approval from the drafting Policy Section Leadership.

  • status::division leadership review

    • Policy is awaiting approval from the Division-level Leadership.

  • status::initial legal review

    • Policy is with the Legal team for the first time for review of compliance and legality.

  • status::final legal review

    • The Legal team is conducting the final, pre-approval review of all previous changes.

  • status::final dhs leadership review

    • Policy is awaiting final sign-off