Content Moderation and Workflows

Varbase 11.0.x provides editorial workflow capabilities through the Varbase Workflow Base recipe, which configures Drupal's built-in Content Moderation system along with Scheduler for timed publishing and unpublishing of content.

Overview

Content moderation allows editorial teams to manage content through a defined workflow with distinct states and transitions. Instead of content being simply "published" or "unpublished," editors can move content through stages such as Draft, Published, and Archived, with configurable permissions controlling who can perform each transition.

Moderation States

The Varbase Workflow Base recipe configures the following default moderation states:

Draft

Content is in progress and not visible to site visitors. Authors and editors can continue editing draft content without affecting the live site.

Published

Content is live and visible to site visitors. Publishing requires appropriate permissions, typically granted to editors and administrators.

Archived

Content has been removed from the live site but is retained in the system for reference. Archived content can be restored to Draft or Published status if needed.

Workflow Transitions

Transitions define the allowed paths between moderation states. The default configuration includes:

Transition	From	To	Description
Create New Draft	Draft	Draft	Save changes to a draft without changing its state
Publish	Draft	Published	Make content visible on the live site
Archive	Published	Archived	Remove content from the live site while retaining it
Restore to Draft	Archived	Draft	Move archived content back to draft for re-editing
Unpublish	Published	Draft	Revert published content to draft state

Configuring Workflows

Accessing Workflow Configuration

Navigate to Configuration > Workflow > Workflows, or go to:

/admin/config/workflow/workflows

Editing a Workflow

1. Navigate to the Workflows configuration page.

2. Click Edit on the workflow you want to modify.

3. From the workflow edit page, you can:

   • Add or remove states.

   • Add or remove transitions.

   • Configure which entity types and bundles use this workflow.

4. Save the workflow.

Assigning Permissions

Transition permissions are managed through Drupal's permissions system. Navigate to People > Permissions and look for the "Content Moderation" section to configure which roles can perform which transitions.

For example, you might allow:

• Content Editor role: Create drafts and publish content

• Content Author role: Create drafts only

• Administrator role: All transitions including archive and restore

Scheduler Integration

The Scheduler module integrates with content moderation to enable scheduled publishing and unpublishing of content. This allows editorial teams to prepare content in advance and have it automatically go live at a specified date and time.

Scheduling Content for Publishing

1. Edit a content node.

2. In the Scheduling options section (typically in the sidebar), set the Publish on date and time.

3. Save the content as Draft.

4. At the specified date and time, the content will automatically transition from Draft to Published.

Scheduling Content for Unpublishing

1. Edit a published content node.

2. In the Scheduling options section, set the Unpublish on date and time.

3. Save the content.

4. At the specified date and time, the content will automatically transition from Published to Draft or Archived (depending on your workflow configuration).

Scheduler Configuration

Navigate to Configuration > Content authoring > Scheduler, or go to:

/admin/config/content/scheduler

From this page you can configure:

• Which content types support scheduling.

• Date format for the scheduling fields.

• Cron-based processing interval for scheduled transitions.

Scheduled transitions are processed during cron runs. Ensure that cron is running frequently enough (for example, every 5-15 minutes) to process scheduled content promptly.

Content Moderation Dashboard

Varbase provides views and dashboard elements that help editorial teams manage moderated content:

• Content overview: The admin content listing at /admin/content shows the current moderation state for each content item.

• My drafts: Users can filter content to see their own draft content awaiting review or publication.

• Recent activity: Track recent moderation state changes across the site.