<ckanext-approvalworkflow v2.0>
For those CKAN admins still wrestling with dataset governance and wondering who just published that dataset, we’ve got some good news! We’re excited to introduce a revamped and improved version of ckanext-approvalworkflow, an extension that adds a simple but powerful dataset approval workflow to CKAN. Many CKAN portals have multiple contributors creating and updating datasets, and while that’s great for collaboration, it also creates challenges around quality control and governance. The approval workflow extension helps solve that by introducing a clear moderation process before datasets become publicly visible.
The extension is flexible, offering three configuration modes: the dataset approval workflow can be disabled entirely, enabled globally for all organizations, or activated selectively on a per-organization basis depending on how your portal is managed.
With the extension enabled, users who are not administrators can create and edit datasets as usual, but they cannot directly publish them. If a non-admin tries to make a dataset public, the extension automatically switches it back to private and shows a notification explaining that the dataset still needs approval. When a dataset is ready, anyone with permission to modify it can click Request Review, which triggers an email notification to all administrators of the organization with a direct link to the dataset waiting for review. From there, organization admins can quickly review the dataset and either approve or reject it, optionally adding notes to provide feedback.
Datasets that are pending approval or rejected are still easy to find through the standard dataset search interface using the “Order By” filter for approval status.
Another helpful safeguard is that if a non-admin user updates a dataset after it has been approved, the dataset automatically returns to a private state so it can be reviewed again, while administrators can still publish directly when needed.
Every decision is recorded in a dedicated approval stream, similar to CKAN’s activity stream, logging who performed the action, when it happened, and any review comments. This creates a transparent and auditable trail of dataset publishing decisions.
Overall, the refreshed version of ckanext-approvalworkflow makes it much easier for CKAN portals to maintain consistent publishing standards while still keeping the dataset contribution process smooth for users. If you’re running a CKAN instance where datasets should be reviewed before going public, this extension provides a straightforward way to manage that process. You can check it out and try it yourself on GitHub: https://github.com/keitaroinc/ckanext-approvalworkflow.
