Configure and Use the Commenter Role in Workflows For Project

The Commenter role allows you to provide feedback, attachments, and markups on a workflow step without selecting a formal decision status (such as Approve or Reject). This ensures critical advisory input is captured directly inside the Procore workflow without assigning decision-making liability to advisory reviewers.

• For Template Administration: 'Admin' level permissions on the Project level Workflows tool.

• For In-Flight Workflow Editing: 'Admin' level permissions on the parent tool or designated Workflow Manager rights.

• Role Requirements: Every workflow step must have at least one assigned Responder. A step cannot consist entirely of Commenters.

• Workflow Progression:

  • On Multiple Responders Decide steps, required Commenters must submit their input before the step can advance, though their feedback does not affect directional routing.

  • On First Responder Decides steps, Commenters are optional by definition, and the step advances as soon as the first Responder submits a decision.

• Dual-Role Assignment: If you are assigned to a step as both a Responder and a Commenter across different roles, the Responder assignment takes precedence. Submitting a single response satisfies both assignments.

• Task Tracking: Required Commenters see pending workflow tasks in their web My Open Items list. Optional Commenters do not see pending tasks in My Open Items.

• Supported Tools: Payments, Budget, Document Management, Invoicing, Prime Contracts, Commitments (Single Tier Change Orders, Potential Change Orders), and Direct Cost.

Add a Commenter Role to a Workflow Template

1. Navigate to the tool with Platform Workflows at the project level.
   Note: At the project level, Workflows does not have a standalone tool. Instead, Workflows is nested within a tool.

2. Click the gear (settings) icon beside the tool name. This opens the tool settings page.

3. Select the Workflow Settings tab.
   Note: If a tool has a workflow, it will have a Workflow Settings section within the tool settings.

4. You will see the company and project templates.

   • Company templates: Templates that you have created for this tool and assigned to this project. You are not able to modify the response type (commenter or responder) for a step assignee on company templates.

   • Project templates: If the tool allows you to build a project template or clone a company level template for modification at the project level, you can see them here. Project templates allow for assignees and their response types (commenter or responder) to be managed.

5. Click the “Edit” (pencil) icon in the actions row for a project  the template. This opens the workflow builder screen.
   Note:

   • You can only add a commenter role at the project level to a project-level template.

   • When you configure a company  template at the project level, there is no way to modify the response type (commenter or responder) for a step assignee.

   • You will be able to add additional members to custom roles, but their response type is already set and unchangeable.

6. Click any step. This opens the step details panel.

7. From the Decision type dropdown, select First responder decides or Multiple responders decide.

First responder decides

1. Click Manage assignees.

2. Select the assignee role and select the Comment Only checkbox next to the assignee role. The selected role is updated to designate its members as commenters.

3. You can also click + Assignee to add a new assignee.

4. Click Save Changes. The window closes, and your updates apply to the visual canvas.

5. Click Save & Publish.

Multiple responders decide

1. Click Manage assignees.

2. Select the assignee role and type (Responder or Commenter).

3. Click Save Changes. The window closes, and your updates apply to the visual canvas.

4. Click Save & Publish.

Note: Workflow history displays a separate icon for responders and a distinct label for commenters. Depending on the response requirements, Workflow history visibility changes. For example, whether all members or at least one member must respond as commenters.

Manage Commenters on an In-Flight Workflow

1. Navigate to the active workflow.

2. Open the 'Workflow' side panel and click on the vertical ellipses. 

3. Select Manage Assignees. The Manage Assignees window opens.

4. Complete any of the following actions as needed:

   • Change an existing role's type between Responder and Commenter.

   • Add individual users as Commenters under the 'Additional Assignees' section. The updated user or role assignments are listed in the window.

5. Click Save Changes. The window closes, and a notification email automatically sends to any newly assigned Commenters. 

Submit Feedback as a Commenter on Web

1. Navigate to the item or open the task from My Open Items. The item details and workflow response form appear. The Status / Response decision drop-down menu is hidden.

2. Enter your feedback in the 'Comments' field. Your text appears in the comment entry box.

3. Optional: Upload files or add markups using the 'Attach File' area. The attached files or marked-up documents appear listed under the attachments section.

4. Click Submit. A new entry labeled with your role appears in the workflow history panel, and required Commenters will see the item cleared from their My Open Items list.