Workflow 1: Board Approval Context

This workflow series follows one continuous story. Acme Inc. is preparing a release that requires formal Board of Directors approval. The company wants the final governance document to be both readable as ProtoML and verifiable as a signed file.

The story

The board secretariat authors the document. The board chair signs it. Employees in Release Operations and Compliance later verify it before using it. The trust source is an author-only registry reviewed internally by the company.

Step 1: Write the governance document

@protocol "Board Release Approval - Q2"

@author:Board Secretariat
@version:1.0.0
@status:approved
@record_id:BOD-2026-0419
@confidentiality:internal
@effective_date:19.04.2026
@review_date:19.10.2026

@signatures
=chair:Jane Director,Board Chair,19.04.2026,Signed after board vote

@approvals
=release:Release Approval,approved,Jane Director,19.04.2026,Approved for distribution

@meeting "Resolution"
# Release approval
The Board of Directors approves Release 2026.04 for distribution.

@@signature=chair
@@approval=release
@@ref=meta:record_id

The ProtoML content still carries the normal governance meaning for readers. The detached signature added later will protect the file as an artifact.

Why this document shape matters

• the governance fields support register-style portfolio reporting
• the embedded approvals and signatures remain readable in rendered output
• the document is ready for detached file signing in the next workflow step

Continue with

Next, the board secretariat publishes the trusted signer list in Workflow 2: Build An Author-Only Registry.