---
title: "Documenting processes with working agreements"
description: "Documented processes live in the Structure module as working agreements. Each document type either publishes directly or goes through a governance proposal, and every document moves from draft to published."
category: structure-governance
section: policies-and-publications
type: Reference
lastUpdated: 2026-08-26
locale: en
canonical: https://support.talkspirit.com/en/structure-governance/publications-processes
---

# Documenting processes with working agreements


## Documenting processes with working agreements

Your documented processes live in the **Structure** app, under **Working agreements**. Each document belongs to a circle or a role, carries a document type, and moves from draft to published. Whether publishing it needs a decision from the circle is settled by the document type, not by the document itself.

Your organisation can rename these documents, so the words on your screen may differ. [Publications Overview](../structure-governance/publications-overview) covers the vocabulary and the views; this article covers what a document goes through once it exists.

## Why write a process down

- **Consistency**: a written process is one you can compare against reality, and improve on purpose rather than by accident.
- **Continuity**: a process known to two people leaves with those two people. A written one stays.
- **Onboarding**: new joiners find out how the work is done without having to ask someone who is busy.

## Before you write

Involve the people who actually do the work: they know which steps are real. A useful first draft settles four things.

- The purpose of the process, and where it starts and ends.
- The steps in order, and what marks each one finished.
- The role or circle answerable for each step.
- How you will know it is working, and when you will look at it again.

## Where your documents live

Open **Structure** in the navigation rail, then **Working agreements**.

![The Working agreements list in the Structure module, showing six documents with their type, owning circle or role, and publish date](/images/structure-governance/publications-processes/02-working-agreements-list.png)

Each row shows the document type, the circle or role the document belongs to, and its publish date. **Not published yet** means it is still a draft. **Pending changes** means it is published and someone has an unpublished draft on top of it. **Filter**, **Group** and search narrow the list; grouping is available by status, circle, role and type.

## The two routes to publication

Every document type carries a workflow, and the type decides the route.

- **Direct**: you write the document and click **Publish**. It goes live straight away.
- **Governance**: you write the document and click **Submit for governance**. The document moves to **In review**, editing locks, and a proposal goes to the circle. Adopted, the document is published. Rejected or withdrawn, it returns to **Draft** so you can revise it and submit again.

An administrator sets this per type in **Structure settings** > **Working agreements**, using the **Require proposal workflow** switch. The **Workflow** column shows the route each type takes.

![The Document Types table in Working agreements settings, with a Workflow column reading Direct on two types and Governance on a third](/images/structure-governance/publications-processes/01-document-type-workflow.png)

Which types exist, what they are called and which route they take are your organisation's choices, so read the **Workflow** column rather than assuming. Editing follows the same rule: on a governance type, **Edit** on a published document starts a fresh draft that goes through the proposal round again.

Attach a governance-type document to the circle that will decide on it, using **Belongs to** in the document's properties. A document attached only to a role has no circle to send its proposal to, and **Submit for governance** will not go anywhere.

## The three states

| Status | What it means | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| **Draft** | Written but never published. The list shows **Not published yet**. | Edit it, then publish it or submit it for governance. |
| **In review** | A governance proposal is in progress. A banner reads **Under governance review**. | Read it and open the proposal. Editing is locked until the vote ends. |
| **Published** | Live for everyone who can see the document. | Edit it, which creates a pending draft, and consult its version history. |

## Who can do what

- **Create and edit**: the person who created the document, members of the circle or role it belongs to, anyone granted explicit access, and administrators.
- **Submit for governance**: only a decision maker of the circle the document belongs to. Administrator rights alone are not enough here.
- **Publish directly**: not possible on a governance type. The request is refused and sent back to the governance route.
- **Create and edit document types**: administrators only.

## Keeping documents current

Documentation is only worth the time it took if it stays true.

- Set a **Review date** in the document's properties so the next look is on the record rather than in someone's memory.
- Open **Version history** from the document menu to see earlier versions and **Restore** one.
- Use the **Comments** and **Activity** tabs in the right-hand panel, so a question about a step stays attached to the step.

## What's Next?

- [Publications Overview](../structure-governance/publications-overview)
- [Adding and publishing a publication](../structure-governance/how-to-add-and-publish-a-publication)
- [Managing Publication Types](../structure-governance/manage-publications-types)
- [Using Publications version history](../structure-governance/publications-version-history)