Approving Requests
The system can be set to require request approvals automatically. For this, automatic approvals need to be set for a certain process status. Status-based approvals can be set for all statuses, except for Closed and exceptional statuses.
If the request is in the approving status, or if the transition from the current status to the approving status is possible and the request is not under approval already, the solver/operator can have the request approved using the Have approved command:
Approvers use the following to approve/reject requests:
- the Approve or reject command which displays the approval or rejection form;
- the Approve and Reject (by e-mail) buttons in the e-mail notification of requests received for approval.
Notification: When approving by e-mail, never change the recipient or the subject of the e-mail message. Otherwise the message will not be processed automatically.
Recommended Methods To Approve Requests
We recommend linking approval schemes to the first status that the service uses for initial approvals of requests, typically CHM and RF:
- Modification request (CHM), e.g. request for modification to SAP.
The first status that the service uses is called Approving. This status is set as the approving status with automatic approvals based on the approval scheme. The approval is provided by a key user or head programmer.
- Request fulfillment (RF), e.g. a request to purchase a mobile phone.
The first status that the service uses is called Approving. This status is set as the approving status with automatic approvals based on the approval scheme.
The approval is provided by requester's manager.
When a change is resolved, the requester's consent may be required. If this is the case, disable automatic transition to the Closed status for the Resolved status and set the Resolved status as an approval status with automatic approving according to an approval scheme which contains one single step – requester. If a request is approved, it will be closed; if a request is rejected, it will be returned to one of its previous statuses.
Note: During the approval process, the requester obtains no further permissions for the request except for its approval or rejection.
If there are more steps for approvals or decisions in the request lifecycle, we recommend creating and setting up statuses within your workflow with suitable names, such as e.g. Analysis Approval. These statuses should be set as approval statuses and they should be using suitable final statuses. If this is an approval status with automatic approvals, the approval process will be initiated following the request transition to this status. If the status is set to manual approval initiation, you will be able to use the Have approved function in this status.
Once the approval process has been completed, the request status will automatically switch to the respective final status set in the behavior for the status in which approving was initiated. When the approval status has been switched to the final status, the system will check whether the final status uses automatic approvals. If this is the case, the approval process will be initiated based on the settings for this final status.
If the approver is a person who is not acting as a solver in SD or who shouldn't enter the process directly, we recommend sending a message (e-mail) to the approver and request the approval in the message body. The message body can be made ready for use as a template in the Knowledge Base. You should switch the request to the next status manually only after the approver has answered your e-mail message.
If the approver is a person who is supposed to enter the process directly, we recommend handing the request over to the solver and using a message to request approval or decision. The request will be then switched to the next status by the solver who has approved of the request.
Note: You can write a message to the approver when starting the approving manually using the Have approved command.
Note: If you are using a multi-step approval scheme where the subject of approval is different in every step (for example, the CFO approves the price in one step and the development manager approves the program edits in another), we recommend dividing the approval process into multiple statuses (one status for every subject of approval). In each step, you can describe the approval subject in detail in the message for approver.
Approval notifications
- Notification to approvers about a new request to be approved – After an approval step is initiated, the approvers will receive a notification of a new request.
- Notification to approvers about the completion of an approval step – If one of the approvers approves or rejects the approval step, the remaining approvers will receive a notification about the completion of the approval step. If the approval process is canceled or expires, the notification will be sent to all current approvers.
- Notification to solver about request approval – If a request is approved, the solver will receive a notification about the approval of the request. If the request has no solver, the notification will be sent to the operators of the related service.
- Notification about request rejection – If the request is rejected and resolved, the requester will receive a notification about request rejection. If the request is not resolved, the notification will be sent to the request's solver or (if the request has no solver) to the operators of the related service.
- Notification about approval cancellation/expiration – If the approval process is canceled or expires, a notification about cancellation/expiration will be sent. The recipients are the same as those receiving the notification of request rejection.
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