Workflow Processes
For example, a request to post an invoice might automatically route from staff members to a manager, and then to a director for approval, before it is posted to the appropriate budgets. At each stage in the workflow, one or more users are responsible for specific activities.
A workflow process has the following different types of users.
|
Workflow User |
Description of User |
Page with User's Requests |
|---|---|---|
|
Requestor |
Users who submit the request by completing an action that requires an approval. |
Active Requests page of My Requests |
|
Approvers |
Users who approve or reject the request. |
Requests to Approve page of My Approvals |
|
Reviewers |
Users who evaluate the request. |
Requests to Review page of My Approvals |
|
Process Manager |
Users who see all requests in workflowprocesses and have the authority to make workflow decisions. |
All pages of My Workflow Processes |
When your system has workflow processes in place, a user (as the requestor) triggers an approval process by performing an action. Examples of this type of action include posting an invoice, changing the phase of a project, or deleting a record. This trigger creates an approval request, causing the record to become part of a workflow process.
A workflow process can have one or more stops. Each stop consists of one or more users who must approve the approval request. Users may also reassign the request or add additional stops prior to their approval. Workflow routes can also be subject to route conditions or hold conditions set in place.
If the process continues with successful approval and the request does not expire or get rejected, the original action finally executes.
If no active user is part of a stop, the following situations determines the outcome.
|
Situation When No User is Part of the Stop |
Situation Outcome |
|---|---|
|
The stop only requires one member's approval. |
The workflow process skips the stop and continues to the next stop. The skipped stop is not listed on the approval schedule, but you can view the details on the approval history. |
|
The stop requires all members for approval. |
An error message appears. Depending on how the process is defined, if an approver rejects the request anywhere along the approval route, one of the following outcomes occur:
|
In addition to the pages and processes described in this topic, each individual record is associated with a Workflow page. Users with rights to open a record can view the workflow process history. The Workflow page is not editable.