Approval Process

The following simple process model covers the most useful functionalities with only three activities, and should inspire you to build your own models. Let's have a closer look at the details.

Process Model Overview

The model is internationalized. EN and DE are supported.

After import, the user 'root' gets the start action 'Approve document' for each object type.

Changes needed:

• Configure the desired initiators and other responsible persons for the process model.
• Set the desired preset user/group field 'Reader' in the start form script
• To have sharing execute correctly after approval, set the property 'Sharing allowed' in the object type the process is started for.
• The selected approver must have the edit right on this object instance.

Import this process model (below) and feel free to use it for your purposes.
In the 'approval' activity, the forwarding action code is read for sharing the object with the selected 'Reader' group. It is also used by the transition condition.

Delivered as project file:

Process Start

After calling 'Approve document', the start form is opened as shown below. The following information has to be set:

1. Approver: select the user who should approve the document.
2. Read group: select an org-object (user or group), which can read the document after approval.
   This field can be filtered, so that only users or groups are suggested in respect to the corresponding checked box.
3. Request: A short text for the approval request. This text is internationalized in respect to the user's 'Language' setting.
4. Deadline: This deadline is set after process start. If this deadline is overdue, the approver will get an e-mail as a reminder. This deadline is part of the task element in the inbox list.
5. The 'Should the process be monitored?' flag controls whether the activity 'Monitor process' should be present in the creator's inbox.
6. After start, the process subject shows the title and description of the object used for start followed by the deadline.

When the requester clicks 'OK', the 'Approve document' activity is sent to the approver's inbox, and the 'Monitor process' activity is sent to the requester.

You can make the following modifications:

• Configure the process initiators and people responsible
• Limit the available object types for the process start
• Configure the filter on the user/group fields 'Approver' and 'Read group (Readers)
• Configure the deadline showing first tomorrow or ...

Activity 'Monitor process' (optional)

If the process creator set the 'Monitor process' activity, the requester can monitor the progress of his request. 

Activity 'Approve document'

The approver can now review the document. If he needs help from another user, he can write a question and select the desired user.

The approver can change the reader group.

The approver can include a comment regarding his decision.

The forward action options are 'Ask for help', 'Approve' and 'Reject' (open: use this selected action for the transition condition and this history entry).

After the approver forwards the activity, an entry is written to the process history (open: to the document object as well), and information is appended to the request text. In addition, if the document is approved, the read permission is set for the reader group.

Hint: the flag 'Ask for help' is no longer needed, because the action code is used for the transition condition to the 'AnswerRequest' acitivity.

You can make the following modification:

• Configure the filter on the user/group fields 'helper' and  'Read group (Readers)'.

Activity 'Answer question'

The 'Helper' receives this activity, which includes the requester's question and additional information about the request. The helper can review the document, answer the question, and click 'Send Response' to send the task back to 'Approve document'.

After the task has been forwarded, an entry with the answer is written to the process history.

Activity 'Notice about approval'

This activity informs the requester about the approver's decision.

To Dos:

• During process start, check whether the object type used has the property 'Sharing allowed' and throw a toast notification.
• Forward the activity 'Monitor process' to finish the complete process.
• Add an activity for noticing the members of the 'Reader' group.
• If available, set the deadline as a period and configure an action for the case that the end of the period is reached.

Process Model Version History