Title: Theme Submission, Review, Approval, Update, Report Workflow Author: Chip Bennett Published: September 17, 2015 --- [ ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/chipbennett/) [Chip Bennett](https://profiles.wordpress.org/chipbennett/) 2:30 pm _on_ September 17, 2015 Tags: workflow    # Theme Submission, Review, Approval, Update, Report Workflow During [this week’s meeting](https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2015/09/15/theme-review-team-weekly-meeting-notes-the-logs-9/), we discussed modifying our workflows, both to add a “Report Theme” workflow, and to add an auto-approval workflow for updates to approved, live Themes. As adding these elements will essentially require a complete rewrite of the Theme Review process workflows, we decided that now would be a good time to review/discuss both our existing workflow, and the proposed additions. The thinking is that, if we’re going to start from scratch, we might as well make sure that we’re building the best possible workflow, rather than continue to “bolt on” pieces to a system that already resembles something created by Dr. Frankenstein. To that end, I have roughed-out a workflow diagram that shows both our current workflows, and the new/proposed additional workflows. To help make the workflow more understandable, the various actions are sub-divided. At the top are user/developer actions that set things in motion. After that are a series of system actions that lead to the tickets. After that are the actions of the Theme Review Team that process the tickets. And finally, there are the system actions that make Themes live in the directory. Note that the existing workflow is in black-line, and the new/proposed workflows are in red-line. The “Report Theme” button that we discussed during the meeting would fall under the “Live Theme Reported” box in the upper right corner: [⌊Current and proposed workflows for Theme submission, review, approval, update, and reporting⌉⌊Current and proposed workflows for Theme submission, review, approval, update, and reporting⌉[ Current and proposed workflows for Theme submission, review, approval, update, and reporting So, please review and discuss. Do the proposed workflows make sense? Are there ways that we can improve them? While we welcome feedback on our existing workflows (in particular: does the diagram accurately reflect our current workflows), at this point, we are primarily looking for feedback on the proposed workflows for the new functionality: the Theme reporting functionality, and the auto-approval of updates to live Themes.   [#workflow](https://make.wordpress.org/themes/tags/workflow/) ### Share this: * [ Threads ](https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2015/09/17/theme-submission-review-approval-update-report-workflow/?share=threads) * [ Mastodon ](https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2015/09/17/theme-submission-review-approval-update-report-workflow/?share=mastodon) * [ Bluesky ](https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2015/09/17/theme-submission-review-approval-update-report-workflow/?share=bluesky) * [ Facebook ](https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2015/09/17/theme-submission-review-approval-update-report-workflow/?share=facebook) * [ X ](https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2015/09/17/theme-submission-review-approval-update-report-workflow/?share=x) * [ LinkedIn ](https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2015/09/17/theme-submission-review-approval-update-report-workflow/?share=linkedin) * [Login to Reply](https://login.wordpress.org/?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fmake.wordpress.org%2Fthemes%2F2015%2F09%2F17%2Ftheme-submission-review-approval-update-report-workflow%2F%23respond&locale=en_US) 1. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/43e10bdac0c553eccd6b30644312cc245d1d4df3cb04dbc898f44cae8d7d68cf? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 2. [Konstantin Obenland](https://profiles.wordpress.org/obenland/) 2:59 pm _on_ September 17, 2015 3. In case it’s a live theme update, would commenting on the most recent ticket work as well, like we currently do with theme updates that have open tickets? Creating new tickets only to immediately close them again feels odd. 4. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7d256f7b605361e4dc402138e2896ff727d2a13d669f1420a8644d12a90bb7af? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Chip Bennett](https://profiles.wordpress.org/chipbennett/) 3:10 pm _on_ September 17, 2015 * If it’s a live Theme update, there won’t be any open tickets, generally speaking. I’m fine with opening/closing tickets. It creates an audit trail for activity for that Theme. It’s little different from what we do now: ticket is opened, reviewer does a quick diff-review, then closes the ticket as “approved”. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/54ea865129e8b20d03cc2e521e004c79362c79e36d6e9ea7866b1b6d918840ad? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Michael Beil](https://profiles.wordpress.org/michaelbeil/) 10:36 pm _on_ September 21, 2015 * That could be a good way to go with theme updates. 5. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/27c0751de5ed93222d17118b8e8b3ea1f97be0c79dafaa270e454df903f1afd1? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 6. [kevinhaig](https://profiles.wordpress.org/kevinhaig/) 3:41 pm _on_ September 17, 2015 7. Great Job Chip! Brings back memories 🙂 8. I thought that at some point down the road TRT was planning to allow new theme uploads to go live as well. Perhaps this could be accounted for in the workflow and coding now, with a switch to turn it on in the future? 9. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7d256f7b605361e4dc402138e2896ff727d2a13d669f1420a8644d12a90bb7af? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Chip Bennett](https://profiles.wordpress.org/chipbennett/) 5:42 pm _on_ September 17, 2015 * I like the idea, Kevin. However, for now, we’re merely testing/experimenting with the auto-approval, so I don’t think we want to build it in to the workflow yet for New Themes. Perhaps Otto can chime in here, but I’m guessing that, after he rebuilds the workflow, if we later decide to use auto-approval for New Themes, it should be easy enough to add a flag/switch to allow it at that time. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/0c00bc6bb79905cd73ec1cb0f22bf813f7f34f46ee670d018b30b5569b2924dd? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Tammie](https://profiles.wordpress.org/karmatosed/) 7:05 pm _on_ September 17, 2015 * The new side is something we have talked about, but this is going to be our experiment potentially leading to more. There’s a lot more to think about for new themes, that’s why we’re having to take things bit by bit. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/27c0751de5ed93222d17118b8e8b3ea1f97be0c79dafaa270e454df903f1afd1? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [kevinhaig](https://profiles.wordpress.org/kevinhaig/) 2:39 am _on_ September 18, 2015 * Yeah I hear you, as long as Otto knows it is a possibility down the road. 10. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/27c0751de5ed93222d17118b8e8b3ea1f97be0c79dafaa270e454df903f1afd1? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 11. [kevinhaig](https://profiles.wordpress.org/kevinhaig/) 5:19 am _on_ September 19, 2015 12. One last thought, will all themes have a report button, or just the ones updated and set live with no review? 13. * ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7d256f7b605361e4dc402138e2896ff727d2a13d669f1420a8644d12a90bb7af? s=32&d=mm&r=g) * [Chip Bennett](https://profiles.wordpress.org/chipbennett/) 8:49 pm _on_ September 21, 2015 * That’s a detail for the next step of the definition process; but my understanding is that all Themes in the directory will have a “Report” button. 14. ![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/8adb434aa16bebf1ba36e5bcb6971fe0bc056968f6bcdaa274bdc1f5b01a7e19? s=32&d=mm&r=g) 15. [obert](https://profiles.wordpress.org/obert/) 2:51 pm _on_ December 9, 2017 16. I am sorry: I need to change ownership of some of my free themes in wordpress. orgWordPress.org The community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. [https://wordpress.org/](https://wordpress.org/) from me to another username. Is this the right place where to ask support for this, please? Obert ### Leave a Reply 󠀁[Cancel reply](https://make.wordpress.org/themes/2015/09/17/theme-submission-review-approval-update-report-workflow/?output_format=md#respond)󠁿 You must be [logged in](https://login.wordpress.org/?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fmake.wordpress.org%2Fthemes%2F2015%2F09%2F17%2Ftheme-submission-review-approval-update-report-workflow%2F&locale=en_US) to post a comment. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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