Setting Up PeopleSoft Services Procurement Workflow

This chapter provides an overview of PeopleSoft Services Procurement workflow and discusses how to:

• Configure the workflow system.

• Define basic workflow settings for Services Procurement.

• Modify workflow settings.

• Reassign workflow tasks.

Understanding PeopleSoft Services Procurement Workflow

Approval workflow management is the process of taking a transaction through the organization until it is accomplished or stopped. PeopleSoft Services Procurement provides two types of workflow. The first type is the PeopleSoft Approval Framework. Services Procurement can use this method for approving requisitions, work orders, timesheets, expenses, and progress logs when you select to require approvals for the transaction using the Services Procurement Bus Unit page. The complete setup and use of the approval framework is described in the PeopleSoft Enterprise FSCM 9.1 PeopleBook: Approval Framework.

The second type of approval is PeopleTools workflow technology. When you do not use the approval framework, Services Procurement transactions, including invoices, uses the workflow notifications that you setup through workflow technology. When you are not using the approval framework, in Service Procurement, the system automatically sets a transaction to the Approved status when a user submits it. Also, the system initiates any workflow notifications defined for the transaction.

See Enterprise PeopleTools PeopleBook: Workflow Technology.

PeopleSoft Services Procurement workflow provides mass approval, denial, and hold capability and reason codes for denying workflow components.

The steps for approving PeopleSoft Services Procurement workflow transactions, such as expenses, requisitions, or work orders, are described in chapters for each transaction.

PeopleTools Workflow Technology

You can use email notifications and worklists for all activities in a transaction's workflow technology process. With workflow notifications, you can:

• Enable or disable notifications on the Workflow Notifications page.

• Define email notifications that are sent as part of workflow process.

• Automate parts of the sourcing process by defining sourcing rules on the Automatic Sourcing page.

Note. To work with multiple approvals, you can select multiple transactions by selecting multiple check boxes and then approve them all at once.

See Also

Enterprise PeopleTools PeopleBook: Workflow Technology

Getting Started With PeopleSoft Enterprise Application Fundamentals

Enterprise PeopleTools PeopleBook: Security Administration

PeopleSoft Approval Framework Processing

This chapter provides a brief overview of setting up each component that uses approval workflow.

The PeopleSoft Approval Framework requires less technical skills than PeopleTools workflow technology. For example, all of the steps in approval workflow are defined using PeopleSoft pages rather than the underlying PeopleSoft PeopleCode, so functional users can design and maintain workflow using these online PeopleSoft pages instead of requiring technical developers to create workflow rules. In addition, the approval workflow framework enables you to approve transactions at the line level and use several additional approval features.

Approvals can be role-based or driven by views. For more information about the detailed process of setting up approval workflow:

See PeopleSoft Enterprise FSCM 9.1 PeopleBook: Approval Framework

The procedures for setting up each workflow transaction in PeopleSoft Services Procurement are basically the same. PeopleSoft Services Procurement delivers standard transaction registries, process definitions, email templates, and user definitions that you can use for approval processes. You can also use them as a template to define a new approval workflow process.

You can set up the approval framework process to streamline the approval of these PeopleSoft Services Procurement components:

• Requisitions

• Work orders

• Timesheets

• Expenses

• Progress logs

Note. Invoice approvals do not use the approval framework to process approvals. Instead, invoice approvals are accomplished using PeopleSoft Services Procurement worklist and notification pages.

After you create a transaction, such as a services work order or requisition, the system routes it to the Manage Approval component. The system also sends a message to the approver's worklist along with the transaction for which the approver must take action. Approvers can take action from the worklist or by using the Monitor Approval feature. In either case, they can preview, in a graphical format, the path a transaction approval will take and who has already approved the transaction, and see any comments previous approvers have entered.

Note. The worklist item is not removed from the reviewer's worklist until it is marked as worked.

While the system awaits approval action, the approval workflow engine maintains the overall state of the transactions approval status, invokes routings, and interacts with the application classes.

During the approval process these actions take place:

• The system notifies approvers and reviewers that there is a pending transaction that needs their attention.

• Approvers and reviewers access the transaction details, provide comments, and take action (approve, deny, or hold) for the transaction.

• The system checks for additional routings in the same routing path.

  If all routing paths have been completed for the stage then the next routing path is started in the next stage. If there are multiple routing paths, the system routes them in parallel.

• After all approvers on a transaction have approved, the approval framework notifies the Services Procurement application.

  The system then prepares the transaction for the next stage of its life cycle.

Approval Workflow Setup Steps

Before you can send a transaction approval for review, such as an expense or progress log, you need to set up the transaction for use with approval workflow. The system provides the basic templates and processes for approvals that system administrators can use to set up approval workflows.

Configuring the Workflow System

To set up workflow notifications, use the Workflow Notification (SPB_WF_NOTIFY) component. To set up automatic sourcing, use the Automatic Sourcing (SPF_AUTOSOURCE) component.

This section discuss how to:

• Use the Maintain Workflow page.

• Set up workflow notifications.

• Set up sourcing emails.

• Specify automatic sourcing rules.

Pages Used to Configure PeopleSoft Services Procurement Workflow System

Using the Maintain Workflow Page

Access the Maintain Workflow page (Services Procurement, Define Services Procurement, Workflow Setup, Maintain Workflow).

You begin configuring PeopleSoft Services Procurement workflow options on the Maintain Workflow page. The Maintain Workflow page is the focal point for configuring the PeopleSoft Services Procurement workflow system. Using the page you can access all workflow setup components for Service Procurement. You can also access workflow setup components by selecting: Enterprise Components, Approvals.

Setting Up Workflow Notifications

Access the Workflow Notifications page (Services Procurement, Define Services Procurement, Workflow Setup, Workflow Notifications).

Use this page to define the workflow notifications that you want to use with PeopleSoft Services Procurement. Select the check box for the workflow activity that you want to setup for email or worklist notification.

Note. In PeopleSoft Services Procurement, notification settings can take precedence over other notification settings.

Note. You cannot configure source notification on this page. The system obtains the notification method for sourcing activity from the Sourcing Selection page when a requisition is sourced.

Note. You cannot configure Client Bid Response notification on this page. The notification method for client bid response is the same as the method chosen during sourcing.

A warning appears if both the email and worklist options are disabled for an activity.

Setting Up Sourcing Emails

Use these steps to schedule sourcing emails:

1. Enable the Schedule Sourcing Emails option on the Services Procurement Installation Options page.

2. Add APPLICATION_ENGINE Component Permissions to EPSP4000 Permission List.

   Give Full Access to AE_REQUEST page only.

3. Create a new URL identifier named as SP_SRC_EM.

   Use the URL Maintenance page to create the identifier.

4. Create a generic email template named as SP_SRC_EM.

   Use the Generic Template Definition page to create the template.

   The system provides sample values for the sample template. You can use the value or override them with new values to create a new template of update the sample template. Template values include:

   • Instructional Text: Type names or email addresses in the To, CC, or BCC fields using semi-colons as separators.

   • Sender: User

   • Subject: %5 requisition %2 has been approved and is ready to be filled.

   • Message Text: %5 requisition %2 has been approved and is ready to be filled. To review the requisition and submit candidates click %10.

     Requisition/Line: %2/%3.

     Project: %4.

     Job Title: %5.

     Service Type: %6.

     Role: %7.

     Location: %8.

     Start Date: %9.

   • Set up the Process Scheduler Job.

     Use the Process Scheduler page to schedule a job and source the email notifications.

Specifying Automatic Sourcing Rules

Access the Automatic Sourcing page (Services Procurement, Define Services Procurement, Sourcing Setup, Automatic Sourcing).

Enter a value into the Service Type field to define sourcing rules for specific service types (per business unit), or leave the Service Type field blank to define sourcing rules for all service types.

If you specify a number in the Notify Days field, you postpone automatic sourcing until the specified numbers of days have passed since the approval date. In this case, the PeopleSoft Application Engine process (SP_WF_SRC) checks requisitions that are approved but not yet filled within the notification days. Once the notification days are reached, the system automatically sources the requisition.

If you leave the Notify Days field blank, requisitions are sourced after approval, and you do not need to run the SP_WF_SRC application engine.

After the requisition is approved, the system automatically sources it based on the selections on this page. If you select a source type of Primary and a region code of Bay Area, when the requisition is approved, the system automatically sources the requisition to whichever supplier is listed as a primary source type and from the Bay Area region.

This prevents you from having to source each requisition manually.

• If service type and region code have values, the system looks for suppliers by service type and region and matches the source type.

• If only the service type has a value, the system looks for supplies by service type and source type.

• If only region code has a value, the system looks for supplies by region that also match the source type and requisition business unit.

The system searches for the business unit, then service type, then region, and then finds a supplier with a primary source code to match it; where it looks depends on how much information you included.

Note. If a requisition was sourced in the preceding 24-hours, the Application Engine process does not source it again. If a vendor already submitted a candidate for the requisition, that vendor is excluded from automatic sourcing.

Defining Basic Workflow Settings for Services Procurement

This section discusses how to:

• Set up requisition workflow.

• Set up work order workflow.

• Set up expense workflow.

• Set up progress log workflow.

• Set up timesheet workflow.

Note. Setting up PeopleSoft Services Procurement is similar from component to component. This section provides a high-level overview of setting up each component and any special considerations for each component.

Pages Used to Define Workflow

Setting Up Requisition Workflow

Requisition workflow approval enables you to approve requisition information relating to a service. Requisition approvals are available when you select the Requisition check box on the Services Procurement Bus Definition page.

Note. If you are using both PeopleSoft eProcurement and Services Procurement, this setting is set on the eProcurement Business Unit page and is not editable on the Services Procurement Business Unit page.

Approval definition criteria determines the goods or service requisition through the application class based on the setID and runs the appropriate process definition.

Note. PeopleSoft Services Procurement requisitions use the same workflow setup as the PeopleSoft eProcurement requisition, but if you are using both applications, you can set up different workflow rules for each type of requisition line.

PeopleSoft Services Procurement requisition lines have a category of services, and they route differently than the PeopleSoft eProcurement lines. You can also approve at the line level for requisitions rather than just the requisition header level.

The next table describes the delivered workflow values for requisitions:

See Also

Approving and Denying Requisitions

Setting Up Work Order Workflow

Work order workflow approval enables you to approve work orders, including both the parent and child work orders for multi resource services. Work order approvals are available when you select the Work Order check box on the Services Procurement Bus Definition page.

PeopleSoft Services Procurement delivers a preconfigured work order workflow. You can use the delivered workflow configuration as is or you can make minor adjustments to meet business practices. You should understand the workflow technology before making any changes. For work order approvals, the system checks the work order requester's supervisor ID on the User Profile - Workflow page to send the approval.

The next table describes the delivered workflow values for work orders:

See Also

Submitting and Approving Work Orders

Setting Up Expense Workflow

Expenses workflow approval enables you to approve travel and expense information relating to a work order. Expense approvals are available when you select the Expenses check box on the Services Procurement Bus Definition page.

The next table describes the delivered workflow values for expenses:

Setting Up Progress Log Workflow

Progress log workflow approval enables you to approve progress on deliverable work orders to the project manager. Progress log approvals are available when you select the Progress Log check box on the Services Procurement Bus Definition page.

The next table describes the delivered workflow values for progress logs:

See Also

Viewing and Maintaining Progress Logs

Setting Up Timesheet Workflow

Timesheet workflow approval enables you to submit individual timesheets or incident lines for approval. Approvers can also adjust the timesheet, deny the approval of the timesheet, or place the approval on hold. After the timesheet is approved, you can create an invoice for it.

Timesheet approvals are available when you select the Timesheet check box on the Services Procurement Bus Definition page.

The next table describes the delivered workflow values for timesheets:

See Also

Submitting and Approving Timesheets

Setting Up Invoice Approval Workflow

Invoice approval enables you to approve invoice line details, make adjustments to time line amounts, expenses, tax percentages, and enter comments before approving or rejecting invoice lines on a work order.

Note. Invoice approvals do not use the approval framework to process approvals. Instead, invoice approvals are accomplished using PeopleSoft Services Procurement worklist and notification pages.

Supplier approvers and internal approvers are defined on the work order and both can approve or reject an invoice. The value for the internal invoice approver appears by default from the requester or service coordinator defaults. The internal invoice approver must be specified in order to save the work order. The lookup contains all users with the role action of SP_INVOICE_APPROVER. The supplier invoice approver is only specified on the work order if the service supplier setup has been defined to require it. When applicable, the lookup contains all users with the role action SP_SPLR_INV_APPROVER who are associated to the supplier on the work order.

To set up invoice approval:

1. Assign user IDs to roles for use with invoices.

   The system provides the SP_INV_APPROVER roles.

2. Assign user IDs to role actions for use with invoices.

   The system provides the SP_INVOICE APPROVER role actions.

3. Define the notification template for use with notifications.

   You use the notification template SPF_INV_APPROVE.

4. Set up supplier-side approvals.

   The system routes a submitted invoice to the supplier invoice approver only if the Include Supplier in Invoice Approval check box is selected on the Services Supplier Info page.

See Also

Approving Invoices

Modifying Services Procurement Workflow Settings

This section describes how to:

• Change approval criteria.

• Change approvers.

• Change workflow templates.

Changing Approval Criteria

To change workflow approval criteria:

1. Access the Approval Process Definition page using the process ID value that you want to change.

2. Click Criteria to access the Criteria Definition page.

   For each path and step, you can set up criteria that the system uses to determine whether you go down that path or perform that step.

   For example, if you have an approval path that requires approval for work orders over 10,000 USD, the system looks at submitted work order, and compares the amount to the criteria on the Criteria page. If it is under 10,000, the system automatically approves it. If it is over 10,000, the system determines which step to perform.

3. Access the Approval Step Definition - Step page.

   Set the number of approvers needed. This determines how many levels or approval or number of approvers are required for the approval.

Changing Approvers

To update approvers:

1. Access the User List Definition page using the user list value that you want to update.

2. The system is set up to use the value for the Supervisor field that appears on the User Profile - Workflow page.

   If you want the workflow to select an approver by role, you can change the User List Source to Role, and select a role from the prompt table.

Changing Workflow Templates

To change a delivered workflow template:

1. Access the Generic Templates page.

   You can modify existing templates or create new ones using this page.

2. Add the new or revised template to the appropriate workflow action on the Approval Transaction Registry page using the Template Name field in the Notifications group box.

Reassigning Workflow Tasks

You can reassign tasks along the workflow process to other users, either temporarily or indefinitely. This enables a requester, approver or service coordinator to reassign a single task or all tasks during a specific date range. The system administrator can also assign user tasks either during a specific date range or indefinitely to another user.

This section discusses how to:

• Reassign tasks temporarily.

• Reassign tasks indefinitely.

• Reassign specific tasks.

Note. The user who assigns the task and the user who is assigned the task must have the same user role. For example, if a requester wants to assign worklist entries, then the user to whom the worklist entries are assigned must also be a requester.

Pages Used to Reassign Tasks

Reassigning Tasks Temporarily

Access the General Profile Information page (My System Profile).

Select the alternate user ID for the individual to whom you want to reassign your tasks during a specified duration of time.

Reassigning Tasks Indefinitely

Access the User Profile - Workflow page (PeopleTools, Security, User Profiles, User Profiles, Workflow).

Use this page to reassign tasks to another user for an indefinite period of time.

Reassigning Specific Tasks

Access the Worklist page (Worklist, Worklist Details, Reassign, and click the Reassign button).

.