Explaining the role of the gatekeeper
Gatekeepers are like approvers in the start or middle of your workflow. They are someone who must review the proof and decide if it continues on through the workflow, or it is returned with a to-do list to the proof owner.
This role is sparingly used and typically used by advertising agencies for their creative director or an internal approver in the first step in a workflow.
Features of the gatekeeper role
Can stop a workflow by sending back the to-dos to the proof owner for actioning
Can lock a proof during review that disables the red pen from the other reviewers in the workflow
Gatekeepers are essentially an approver placed at the start or the middle of a workflow
A proof can go back and forth with the proof owner and gatekeeper and the rest of the reviewers after the gatekeeper's step will not see this
The proof will wait for the gatekeeper to press the green approve & send on button before it flows to the rest of the workflow.
Best practice
Only assign a gatekeeper to someone who you think must review the proof and may need to send back changes that must be actioned before it gets to the approver.
Put a gatekeeper in a step by themselves (no other reviewers in that step), or if multiple gatekeepers are in the same step set the number of decisions required before the proof moves on if you like.