Considerations for Locked Items

Published Date: July 23, 2026
Audience: Everyone
Products and Versions Covered:

• Jama Connect® - All Versions
  • Cloud/CVC
  • Self-hosted
    • Replicated - KOTS
    • Kubernetes - Native
      • Database
      • OS

Summary

This article explains the considerations for using locked items in Jama Connect® workflows. Locking items helps protect approved content by preventing unauthorized edits after an item reaches a defined workflow state. Understanding when items become locked, who can modify them, and how locking affects reviews and project processes can help teams maintain data integrity while supporting controlled change management.

Resolution

It is recommended to use item locking to protect approved or released content. Use the following recommendations when implementing item locking in Jama Connect®: 

1. Configure item locking as part of your workflow after your approval process has been defined

   NOTE: it can be configured so that Finalized Approval reviews automatically transition items. In the image below (1) the Final Approval review will automatically transition items to Approved and Locked state. 

2. Lock items only after they have reached a control state, such as Approved, Released, or another finalized status)

   

3. Verify which users or roles can transition items into and out of locked workflow states before enabling locking. For example, you may not want all users to transition an item from locked state to unlocked state, so only certain User Groups should be added to transition permissions.

   

4. Consider how locked items will affect your team's change process. Users may need to transition an item back to an editable state before making updates.

5. If multiple items require the same workflow transition, use batch transition capabilities where appropriate to improve efficiency (Use Workflow to Batch Transition Items).

6. Before enabling locking in production, validate the workflow in a test project to confirm that users can complete their expected tasks and that approvals function as intended.

Additional Resources

• Managing Workflows
• Locking Items in a Workflow
• What Changes Are Allowed on Locked Items 
• Success Programs
• Success Catalog
• Datasheets
• Request a Solution Offering or Training from the Success Catalog

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