PeopleSoft Enterprise General Ledger 9.1 PeopleBook

Setting Up and Using Configurable Workflow

This chapter provides an overview of configurable workflow for PeopleSoft General Ledger (GL) journal entries and standard budget journal entries based on PeopleSoft Enterprise Components Approval Framework (AF) and discusses how to:

Complete the Approval Transaction Registry and Configuration.
Create or modify notification template definitions.
Define user lists for approval framework.
Set up approval process definitions (rules).
Enable email approval.
Define approval options at the various levels.
Approve journal entries.

Note. PeopleSoft General Ledger provides much of the setup for configurable workflow as demo and sample data that will require varying degrees of modification to meet your particular circumstances. This chapter discusses possible modifications to the delivered setup. Oracle recommends that your implementation group also refer to setup information in the following documentation:

Understanding Configurable Workflow

PeopleSoft Enterprise Components Approval Framework (AF) is a feature that provides a configurable framework and page interface to implement workflow approval. PeopleSoft Enterprise General Ledger uses AF for its header-level actuals journals and standard budget journals approval process.

PeopleSoft General Ledger 9.1 supports both the Virtual Approver (approval method in prior releases) and the Approval Framework (alternative "configurable workflow" approval method). The default is the Virtual Approver method.

For information regarding common workflow setup as well as Virtual Approver setup, see PeopleSoft Enterprise General Ledger 9.1 PeopleBook, Approving Journal Entry.

You select the approval method on the Installation Options - General Ledger page (Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Install, Installation Options, General Ledger).

See Defining General Ledger Installation Options.

Note. PeopleSoft Enterprise General Ledger does not upgrade approval history data from prior functionality to the current AF approval data. Both the Journal Entry Approval Log table (JRNL_APPR_LOG) and the Journal Approval Worklist Record table (JRNL_APPR_WL) in the prior workflow functionality remain as they are. You must post all approved journals already in the old workflow functionality before you upgrade to AF-based workflow approval.

PeopleSoft General Ledger delivers much of the AF setup, either as system data or demo data. However, some changes are necessary to conform to your workflow requirements and are enterable by means of the AF components described in this chapter.

Note. This functionality does not affect the submitting and approving of journals by means of the Journal Entry component. You continue to submit journals for approval using the Journal Entry Lines page and approvers select the approval action (to either approve or deny) using the Journal Entry Approval page. You can also submit journals using the Journal Entry Approval page.

See PeopleSoft Enterprise FSCM 9.1 PeopleBook: Approval Framework

See Enterprise PeopleTools PeopleBook: Workflow Technology

Analyzing the Delivered AF Setup and Changing or Defining Additional Setup

This diagram outlines the steps in the inspection and assessment of the delivered setup and the required considerations to set up and implement workflow using the Approval Framework in your particular environment.

Overall General Ledger Actuals and Standard Budget Journals Approval Setup

Use of the AF requires the inspection of the delivered registration definition, the approval configuration definition, and the approval templates for changes that are necessary for your particular installation.

In addition, you define the GL approval process approval user lists and GL approval process rules and enable the approvals hierarchy for source, ledgers for a unit, and business unit.

Submitting Journals for Approval Using WorkFlow Based on the Approval Framework

The following diagram shows the approval process using AF from submitting a journal entry through the checking of the rules by priority, definition name, and effective date; the checking of criteria for paths and steps; and the routing of approval requests by worklists and email.

Submitting journals to the Approvals process

Approval Using WorkFlow Based on the Approval Framework

The following diagram shows the approval request routed to the approvers by worklist or email using approval framework.

Approval flow using the Journal Entry component or email

Journal Email Approval Process Using Email Collaboration Framework

General Ledger uses the Email Collaboration Framework (EMC) for the Journal Email Approval process, which also involves the use of Integration Broker.

Completing the Approval Transaction Registry and Configuration

This section discusses how to:

Complete the GL approval transaction registry.
Complete the GL approval transaction configuration.

Pages Used to Complete the Approval Transaction Registry and Configuration

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Register Transactions	EOAW_TXN	Enterprise Components, Approvals, Approvals, Transaction Registry, Register Transactions	Defines the integration between General Ledger and the Approval Framework (AF) by process ID and is delivered with system data.
Configure Transactions	EOAW_TXN_NOTIFY	Enterprise Components, Approvals, Approvals, Transaction Configuration, Configure Transactions	Defines the details of the integration between General Ledger and the Approval Framework (AF) by process ID and is delivered with system data.

Completing the GL Approval Transaction Registry

Access the Register Transactions page (Enterprise Components, Approvals, Approvals, Transaction Registry, Register Transactions).

The Register Transactions page provides the integration between General Ledger and AF, and is delivered with system data. Most of the fields on this page should not to be changed. The exceptions are the following page elements in the notification options that might need changing to fit your notification preferences.

Notification Options

Enable Notifications

Determine what type of notifications your company will use. The options include:

Disable Email and Worklist

Email Notification Only

Enable Email and Worklist

Worklist Notification Only

Notification Strategy

Specify whether to allow email to be processed immediately (Online Processing) or offline (Offline Processing) through NEM (Notification and Escalation Manager.)

Use Email Approvals

Click to use email approvals with workflow.

Completing the GL Approval Transaction Configuration

Access the Configure Transactions page (Enterprise Components, Approvals, Approvals, Transaction Configuration, Configure Transactions).

This definition provides the details of GL integration with AF, and is delivered as system data. However, you can modify certain values on this definition to better meet your approval requirements. For example, you can replace the Approval User Info View, Email Approval User List, and delivery method. You can also add more participants to receive the notification, change the notification channel and priority, replace the template, and add more events to trigger the notification generation.

Approver User Info View

Enter the name of the view that provides the details that the user sees when using the approval monitor.

Note. Data in this view dictates what is displayed in the approver links.

Email Approval User List

Specify which users are to be allowed to do their approval by using email.

Note. If the user receiving the notification also falls into the email approval user list, then he or she receives an email approval rather than a standard email notification.

Note. This field must be populated; otherwise, no one will receive the approval emails.

Delivery Method

Define whether users are to receive their email approvals as text within the email or as attachments.

Use the Notifications section to define whom to notify and how to notify them in addition to the defaults determined in the Events section of this page.

Participant	Define the user who is notified when this event takes place: Admin Approver A-Delegate: Delegate approver to which the approval was originally assigned. R-Delegate: Requestor who created the request for someone else. Dynamic A-Proxy: Approver who performed the actual approval. R-Proxy: The person who requested the transaction be created. Requester Reviewers User List
Channel	Defines how the participant will be notified. Both Email None User Worklist
Priority	Select High, Medium, or Low.
SQL Object Identifier	To support the delivered demo notification templates, the SQL Object GL_JRNL_AF_JRNL_INFO is defined as: SELECT A.BUSINESS_UNIT , A.JOURNAL_ID , %DateOut(A.JOURNAL_DATE) , A.BUSINESS_UNIT_LN FROM PS_JRNL_AF_XREF A WHERE A.BUSINESS_UNIT=:1 AND A.JOURNAL_ID=:2 AND A.JOURNAL_DATE=%DateIn(:3) AND A.BUSINESS_UNIT_LN=:4 You must keep the delivered journal-related template variables, unless you create your own SQL objects that are referenced on the configuration definition.

Creating or Modifying Notification Template Definitions

Template definitions provide the email content for approval notifications, and are delivered in PeopleSoft Enterprise General Ledger as demo data.

You can modify the verbiage or create your own template definitions. However, you must keep the delivered journal-related template variables, unless you create your own SQL objects that are referenced on the configuration definition. Using AF for General Ledger enables you to:

Create or modify the journal approval routing template definition.
Create or modify the journal approved routing template definition.
Create or modify the journal denied routing template definition.

Page Used to Create or Modify Notification Templates

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Generic Template Definition	WL_TEMPLATE_GEN	PeopleTools, Workflow, Notifications, Generic Templates, Generic Template Definition	Define or modify approval notification templates that are used in the Approval Framework (AF) (configurable workflow) process.

Creating or Modifying the Journal Approval Routing Template Definition

Access the Generic Template Definition page - Journal Approval template (PeopleTools, Workflow, Notifications, Generic Templates, Generic Template Definition).

Creating or Modifying the Journal Approved Routing Template Definition

Access the Generic Template Definition page - Journal Approved template (PeopleTools, Workflow, Notifications, Generic Templates, Generic Template Definition).

Creating or Modifying the Journal Denied Routing Template Definition

Access the Generic Template Definition page - Journal Denied template (PeopleTools, Workflow, Notifications, Generic Templates, Generic Template Definition).

Defining User Lists for Approval Framework

This section discusses how to define user lists.

Page Used to Define User Lists

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
User List Definition	EOAW_USER_LIST	Enterprise Components, Approvals, Approvals, User List Setup, User List Definition	Define user sources for use in the AF approval process (rules).

Defining User Lists

Access the User List Definition page (Enterprise Components, Approvals, Approvals, User List Setup, User List Definition).

The approval user list defines user sources for use with steps in the approval processes (rules). PeopleSoft General Ledger delivers a demo user list that uses a PS Query to combine the route controls on the Administrative Area of the General Ledger and business unit that matches the current delivered General Ledger approval routing rule. You must create your own user lists based on your own business structure.

As an example, the sample query GL_APPROVAL_USERLIST is defined as:

The following example shows the User List Supervisor by User ID that is used in General Ledger demo rule definitions.

In the preceding example, the SQL Object EOAW_SUPERVISOR_BY_OPRID was defined as:

SELECT A.ROLEUSER
  FROM PS_ROLEXLATOPR A
 WHERE A.ROLEUSER = (
SELECT B.ROLEUSER_SUPR
  FROM PS_ROLEXLATOPR B
 WHERE B.ORPID = :1)

Setting Up Approval Process Definitions (Rules)

To set up approval processes, use the Approval Process Setup component.

This section discusses how to:

Define approval processes.
Define approval criteria.
Define paths for approval processes.
Define steps for approval processes.

Pages Used to Define Approval Process Rules

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Setup Process Definitions	EOAW_PRCS_MAIN	Enterprise Components, Approvals, Approvals, Approval Process Setup, Setup Process Definitions	Define the stages, paths and steps of the approval definition process.
Criteria Definition	EOAW_CRITERIA	Enterprise Components, Approvals, Approvals, Approval Process Setup, Setup Process Definitions, Definition Criteria, Criteria Definition	Define field and monetary criteria to be used in the approval process.
Approval Path Definition	EOAW_PATH_SEC	Click the Details link within the Paths group box of the Setup Process Definitions page.	Define approval path details, such as time-related escalation options and reassignment.
Approval Step Definition	EOAW_STEP_SEC	Click the Details icon within the Steps group box of the Setup Process Definitions page.	Define approval step details, such as approvers and approver requirements.

Defining Approval Processes

Access the Setup Process Definitions page (Enterprise Components, Approvals, Approvals, Approval Process Setup, Setup Process Definitions).

Business analysts use this page to define approval definition processes. The process is made up of stages and their paths and steps.

The approval steps that you place on the approval path represent the approval levels that are required for a transaction.

The approval process definition provides the details of application approval rules. General Ledger delivers three demo definitions for:

Actuals
Standard Budget
Default

You can modify the delivered demo definitions, or create your own process definitions.

Note. If a journal meets the definition criteria of more than one approval process, only the first definition selected by AF is used to process this journal. The selection is done using an AF SQL object, EOAWDEFN_SEARCH_SQL, which is ordered by priority, definition ID, and effective date.

Defining Approval Criteria

Access the Criteria Definition page (Enterprise Components, Approvals, Approvals, Approval Process Setup, and click the Definition Criteria link on the Setup Process Definitions page).

Criteria entered on this page determines which definition ID is to be used to process the approval.

Field Criteria

Record

Select the record to be used to define the field criteria. Select from the following:

JRNL_AF_HFLD_VW: use this delivered view to define the criteria for journal header fields.
JRNL_AF_LFLD_VW: use this delivered view to define the criteria for journal line fields.
JRNL_AF_ACCT_VW: use this delivered view to define the criteria on related account property fields, such as Account Type, Open Item Account, Statistical Account, and Balance Sheet Indicator.

Note. To use other journal header, line and account-related fields that are not included in the delivered views (JRNL_AF_HFLD_VW, JRNL_AF_LFLD_VW and JRNL_AF_ACCT_VW), you can add those fields to the corresponding view via Application Designer and rebuild the views.

Note. For line and account field criteria, since the approval was set to the header lever (as long as one line meets the criteria), the whole journal is subject to approve.

Field Name

Select the field from the selected record for which to define the field criteria.

Monetary Criteria

Amount Record

Select the record to be used to define the monetary criteria.

Amount Field

Select the amount field to be used to define the monetary criteria.

Note. The value in the Amount Field is first converted from the currency code in the Currency Field to the currency code that is entered in the Currency Code field by the rate type that is entered. The result is then used to compare with the value entered in the Amount Field. Also, the amount is summarized before the currency conversion, so journal line amount criteria cannot be used there because the majority of GL journals are balanced.

Defining Paths for Approval Processes

Access the Approval Path Definition page (Enterprise Components, Approvals, Approvals, Approval Process Setup, and click the Details link within the Paths group box on the Setup Process Definitions page).

After adding a path (or paths) on the Setup Process Definitions page, use this page to set up additional parameters that determine how the system processes this approval path. Use the Escalate Options to define time elements to be used when an approver requires too much time to approve or deny a pending request.

See For the usage details, see PeopleSoft Enterprise FSCM PeopleBook: Approval Framework

Defining Steps for Approval Processes

Access the Approval Step Definition page (Enterprise Components, Approvals, Approvals, Approval Process Setup, and click the Details icon within the Steps group box on the Setup Process Definitions page).

After adding a step (or steps) on the Setup Process Definitions page, use this page to set up additional parameters that determine how the system processes this approval step.

See PeopleSoft Enterprise Components 9.1 PeopleBook, Approval Framework.

Enabling Email Approval

PeopleSoft General Ledger uses Enterprise Components email collaboration framework for journal email approval. For you to use this feature, the PeopleSoft Integration Broker must be configured to run, the email collaboration framework must be configured, and all the following General Ledger-related Integration Broker objects must be activated:

Service operation JRNL_AF_EM_APPROVAL
Service operation JRNL_AF_EM_APPROVAL handler
Service operation JRNL_AF_EM_APPROVAL routing

Perform the following setup steps to enable email approval:

Activate the aforementioned service operations (PeopleTools, Integration Broker, Integration Setup, Service Operations).
Set the Integration Broker queue, GL_EM_APPROVAL, to run (PeopleTools, Integration Broker, Integration Setup, Queues).
Select the Use Email Approvals check box on the Register Transactions page.
Provide the Email Approval User List on the Configure Transaction page.

See PeopleSoft Enterprise Components PeopleBook, Email Collaboration Framework.

The following is an example of an approval request email:

Defining Approval Options at the Various Levels

When you define approval options at the source level, they override any approval handling that you specify at the ledger-group and business-unit levels. Any rules specified at the ledger level override those at the business-unit level.

You can define approval options at the:

Source level using the SOURCE component.
Ledger level using the BUSINESS_UNIT_LED component.
Business unit level using the BUS_UNIT_TBL_GL component.

See Specifying Approval Options for the Journal Source.

See Defining Journal Approval Options for a Ledger.

See Defining Approval Options for a Business Unit.

Approving Journal Entries

In PeopleSoft Enterprise General Ledger, an approved journal is one that is marked to post (the approval process automatically marks the journal for posting upon approval). You cannot post a journal that still requires approval.

Specifying Journal Entry Approval Actions

The following examples show an interunit journal as it progresses thorough the approval process involving two business units, US007 and CAN02, with the approvals required by each business unit. The examples assume prior workflow setup, which will require the journal to be submitted for approvals. Such journals, which have not yet been approved, cannot be posted.

Access the Journal Entry - Approval page (General Ledger, Journals, Journal Entry, Create/Update Journal Entries, Approval).

The preceding example shows the journal involving business units US007 and CAN02, which are subject to different approval rules.

The following examples show the sequence of approvals for the interunit journal and the two business units:

Business unit US007 had a similar approval history, but it bypasses an optional alternate additional approver (GLS3) in the business units US007 approval path. Because both GLS2 and GLS3 are granted the ability to approve the journal, however, the approval rule is set to require only one approver for this step (so that whoever approves the journal first stamped while other approvers bypassed).

Approval Status

The Approval Check Active field indicates, by displaying the value Y, that an approval workflow process is required for the business unit in the journal. If no approval workflow is required for the business unit in the journal, the value displayed is N and no steps or history are displayed.

If approval check is active and displaying Y, the current approval status for the journal is shown by these values:

Denied	Journal approval is denied.
Pending Approval	Journal is waiting for approval.
Approved to Post	Journal is approved. When part of an interunit journal (a business unit) reaches the Approved to Post status, all the worklist items related to that part are marked worked.
None	Not applicable.

In the Approval Action list box, the current approver selects the appropriate action for this journal:

Approve	Journal is approved for posting. If you have the authority to approve the journal, the system saves it as usual. If you don't have the authority, nothing happens to the journal.
Deny	Journal is not approved for posting. If you change the action to deny, the system sends an email (when email notification is set up) to the previous user with a list of the journal identifiers.

Approval History

The Approval History grid lists the step and path, with the status and applicable date-time stamp and user ID for the various activities in the approval process.

See Enterprise PeopleTools PeopleBook: Security Administration, "Understanding PeopleSoft Security"