CabNet: How to upload appointments papers

Appointment process guidance#

Guidance on the appointment process can be found on this CabGuide page.

The upload process in CabNet#

The upload process for appointment papers involves completing a series of fields in several screens.

1. Select the file.
   1. ​Select the paper from a local drive to upload. Refer to this page for information on formatting papers for CabNet upload.
   2. Refer below for the list of file types that can be uploaded into CabNet.
2. Title, Owning portfolios/agencies.
   1. ​Edit the title of the Submission to conform to the submission title conventions in CabNet - the title will appear on the meeting view, the agenda, and the summary.
   2. For multiple portfolio papers, generally the primary agency will upload the paper in a Final Draft state. In these cases, add additional portfolios as appropriate. In the case of multiple agencies co-drafting a paper to a single Minister or single portfolio, use the add portfolio function to record all co-drafting agencies.
   3. In the contact name fields enter the names of the individuals that external parties should contact in the first instance if they have enquiries about the paper.
3. Security classifications and endorsements.
   1. Select the security classification and endorsement/s in accordance with the handling Cabinet material guidelines and the Protective Security Requirements.
   2. Submissions with a classification of Confidential and higher cannot be uploaded into CabNet. Appointment papers are generally classified “In confidence”.
4. Meeting type and intended meeting.
   1. ​Nominate an intended meeting type and date. Generally the Cabinet Appointments and Honours Committee considers appointments papers.
   2. The meeting type and date for consideration of the paper can be updated by authorised users as the submission moves through the Final Draft, Lodged and Confirmed on Committee Agenda states.
5. Nominations and agency consultation.
   1. Record any agencies from which nominations have been sought. Seeking nominations from agencies is not consultation.
   2. Appointments submissions generally do not require inter-agency consultation. Record the consultation that has occurred with agencies. Record informed agencies. Record consultation that has occurred with non-government interest groups or other organisations.
   3. If consultation has occurred, the selection of agencies includes nominating the individual APG within that agency. APGs reflect the individual portfolios that the agency supports.
6. Adding attachments.
   1. ​Compile the Organisation form and all the Candidate CV form(s) in one attachment per organisation referred to in the paper. The Organisation Form is required for existing and new organisations. The title of the attachment document should be the name of the organisation, so that the document can be easily identified in CabNet, for example: "Auckland District Health Board Org Form and CVs".
   2. Refer to this page for more advice on uploading attachments into CabNet.
7. Review and confirm.
   1. ​At the completion of the process the paper is uploaded into CabNet. The presence of a paper in CabNet with a Final Draft status is confirmation that it is an approved paper - separate confirmation within CabNet that the paper has been approved by an agency is not required.
   2. At the completion of the process, the owning Ministers’ offices will have access to the appointment submission.
   3. Other members of the uploader’s APG will not have access at the completion of the upload process. Access will need to be provided on an individual or group basis using the manage access screen in the submission preview.
   4. At the point that the Final Draft paper is uploaded, authorised staff in the owning Ministers’ offices are notified, and will have access to the paper.

Uploaded file types#

Uploaded Cabinet papers should be in Microsoft Word format, and attachments should be in PDF format. Powerpoint files can also be uploaded if required but can be saved to PDF format.

These are the file types that can be uploaded into CabNet:

• Word 2003 .doc
• Word 2007-2013 .docx
• Powerpoint 2003 .ppt
• Powerpoint 2007-2013 .pptx
• PDF Document .pdf (preferred)

If the source file is not Word or PowerPoint, it should be converted into a PDF.

Uploaded file size limit#

Documents over 10MB cannot be uploaded into CabNet. This size limit avoids large files failing to display in the system. The limit also avoids large files affecting the overall operation of the system.

If an individual document intended for upload is over 5MB consider using the image-compressing functionality in Microsoft Word. For further advice on reducing file sizes for individual documents contact IT support within your agency.

Ministerial approval#

At the completion of the upload process, the submission will have the status of final draft.

Following Ministerial consultation processes and Ministerial approval the paper can be lodged by the Minister’s office (the submission will then have the status of Lodged). This completes the lodgement workflow. This page on Ministerial approval of final draft papers covers the lodgement process. 

The presence of a paper in CabNet with a Lodged status is confirmation that the Minister has approved it for lodgement - separate confirmation within CabNet that the paper has been approved by a Minister is not required.