Processing Rejected or Stopped Routes

If a task is rejected, the system stops the route and notifies the route owner via email and IconMail. The system does not activate the remaining tasks in the route unless the route owner restarts or resumes the route.

Routes enter the Stopped state when any of these events occur:


  • Route owner manually stops it
  • The object is demoted (for state-based routes)
  • An approver rejects a task

If the route's Auto Stop on Rejection setting is Immediate, then the route is stopped as soon as a task is rejected. If the route's Auto Stop on Rejection setting is Deferred and there are other tasks of the same sequence order as the rejected task, the task assignees can complete the remaining tasks for that level before the route is stopped.

Before restarting or resuming the route, you can edit the route as needed. For example, you can add, remove, and edit content; define new tasks; and edit task definitions.

Before you begin: Locate the route you want to work with. See Routes Page.

  1. From the Routes page, click the Name of the stopped route.

  2. From the page toolbar for the route, click Categories > Tasks.

  3. Review the comment entered by the person who rejected the route.

  4. If needed, review the route content by clicking Categories > Content from the route.

  5. For instructions on viewing content, see Documents and Content.

  6. Based on the comments, approval statuses, and content, decide how you want to process the rejected route:


    • Resume the route and have the system activate the remaining tasks in the route as it normally would, beginning with the tasks in the sequence order where the route was stopped. See 7.
    • Restart the route from its initial task. See 7.
    • Delete the route. You can create a new route when you are ready. See Deleting a Route.
    • Leave the route in the Stopped state. You can restart it or delete it at a later date.

  7. To resume or restart a route:

    1. View the properties page for the route. See Route Properties Page.
    2. From the page Actions menu or toolbar, click Resume Route or Restart Route. If the route was stopped because someone rejected a task, you can only restart the route; you cannot resume it from the stopped location.