Reports can be saved without making them available until the creator considers them complete (drafts)

Description

This feature allows users to work on complex or lengthy reports without publicizing their intermediate versions and remains hidden until the creator considers them completed. In other words, the tool allows for the creation of drafts that can be launched when desired.

Example Use Case

Scenario: An international firm uses CPM software to manage its financial and operational information. Finance generates reports that need to be reviewed and finalized before they can be made accessible to other staff members or stakeholders.

Solution: With the save draft feature, employees are free to start a report and save their progress without worrying about incomplete or erroneous data being exposed. They can continue to iterate until it is ready to be reviewed or published, at which point they will make it available to the intended audience.

Considerations

Most products offer draft capability. This can be as simple as a button that says “save as draft” which will save the report up until that point and store it in a drafts location where it can be picked back up later. This requirement does not mandate that the system has an approval process for the contents of the report.

Questions to Ask a Vendor

Ease of Use: How simple is it for users to save a report as a draft and subsequently make it available? Does it store drafts in a central location?

Security Controls: What measures are in place to ensure drafts are not accessed before the creator makes them available? Can the administrator or other power user view all drafts?