> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.cortex.aic.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.cortex.aic.io/menu-areas/people-and-settings/formal-appointments.md).

# Formal Appointments

**Open this area:** In the CORTEX menu, select **People & settings → Formal appointments**.

Propose an analytical, assurance or security appointment with actual authority, evidence, scope and dates for independent owner approval.

**Who uses this:** Administrator.\
**Open in CORTEX:** `/administration/appointments`.\
**In-app guide:** `/help?topic=formal-appointments`.

**Expected result:** The appointing owner records an evidenced decision while earlier revisions and technical access grants remain unchanged.

## Before you start

* Obtain explicit appointment read and write/approve capability, professional read and corpus read in the correct workspace. Selected screening evidence additionally requires private screening read access.
* Have the actual appointing authority, independent owner, purpose/limits, scope and dates, plus current professional and any required screening evidence against the same exact UK profile.

## What to do

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Select the exact professional basis

Open Administration, Formal appointments, Propose appointment.

The page shows appointment authority, current professional evidence, actual screening when required and matching approved profile as prerequisites with links to their registers.

Complete its validated Professional basis, Authority and dates, Scope and screening, and Review proposal steps.

Search and choose the person's current evidence revision; changing it clears screening links for fresh review. A profile and any selected attestations must match the exact person and current professional evidence.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Record actual authority and scope

Choose analytical, assurance or security, and record the title, actual authority reference, purpose and limits.

Set UTC effective, review and expiry dates; review must be after the effective date and no later than expiry.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Protect supporting evidence

Private appointment handling must cover the intended decision scope and all professional/screening evidence.

Select up to four current attestations required by the actual authority; BPSS is distinct from clearance. No permission is granted by selecting them.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Obtain independent owner approval

Select the appointing owner and same exact approved UK profile, then retain the proposal.

The owner records actual approval evidence and a reason.

The subject, any proposal author and an assessor of the selected competence evidence cannot approve.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Review changes or revoke

An amendment retains earlier history and resets approval.

The owner can revoke after expiry or evidence/profile change without erasing history; a revoked appointment needs a separately authorised replacement.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## Check the result

* Does the evidence cover the same person and exact profile?
* Is the appointing owner independent of the subject, proposal and competence assessment?
* Are scope, effective period and all evidence review dates still current?

## If you get stuck

<details>

<summary>Why is approval blocked?</summary>

Review current profile, professional framework, exact evidence revisions and dates, and use the named independent owner.

Renew expired or changed evidence and amend the proposal for a fresh decision; do not substitute a technical grant.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Why did my decision conflict?</summary>

Another decision changed the appointment. Refresh and compare while retaining your entered proposal.

An unchanged retry recovers its own event; changed reuse is rejected. A revoked appointment cannot be reactivated.

</details>

<details>

<summary>Why was the page cleared?</summary>

Current appointment or supporting-evidence access, organisation, workspace or handling changed. Private records and notes are cleared.

Ask the appropriate owner or access manager to review your legitimate scope.

</details>

## Responsibility and limits

* The effective evidence deadline is the earliest appointment review, competence review or selected screening recheck. A past approval remains historical evidence, not proof of current eligibility.
* Appointments never grant access. An independently enabled workspace personnel policy enforces current appointment and evidence eligibility at selected commissioner, release, UK package and marking decisions.
* Records retain up to 32 revisions/two MiB. Preserve earlier decisions and use the approved replacement and retention process at capacity.

**Reference and scope:** F21-R02 appointment records and F21-R05 readiness: actual authority, acceptable evidence and approved deployment policy remain distinct from technical grants.

## Related workflows

* [Enable reviewed personnel eligibility](broken://pages/59b6d474874739236ead2fadcb61a0a9479b1abd)
* [Review professional competence and development](broken://pages/6df735255f56e27da202d1bb6b5d4080b857dd2a)
* [Retain private personnel screening attestations](broken://pages/e07c48ddd8130309eed87b99d3170964bf33a58a)
* [Manage accounts, grants and workspace membership](broken://pages/99c8701bc497eefb32769b668198b1f9f5fc6a93)
* [Plan analytical assurance and obtain separate sign-off](file:///7397340/analyse/analytical-assurance.md)