Understanding the Approval Framework Feature

Many daily tasks are part of a larger process that involves several steps and people working together. The term workflow refers to this process, which could encompass, for example, the approval of a purchase requisition or a job change request form. To facilitate this type of multiuser process, the PeopleSoft product can automatically trigger workflow notifications to inform the next approver in the process of work awaiting them.

A specialized designer is available to address workflow approvals. This designer enables you to configure Approval Frameworks using existing components without writing code.

Three types of users come together to set up approvals. They include application developers, functional business analysts, and users, who include requesters, approvers, and reviewers. Approval Framework brings these roles together to define an approval process workflow.

Application developers set up Approval Framework using a transaction-definition component. Examples of a transaction might include a job change request or leave of absence request. Transactions are made up of an approval process, routing rules and steps, and a set of users who approve and review the transaction.

Using Approval Framework, you can:

  • Approve or deny individual line items in a transaction.

  • Approve and deny multiple transactions one at a time.

  • Include multiple approvers for individual steps.

  • Assign additional approvers and reviewers during the approval process.

  • Escalate approvals.

  • Approve, deny, or push back approvals.

  • Reassign approval tasks to another approver.

  • Use worklist and email notifications.

Note: Oracle PeopleSoft delivers Notification Composer framework to manage the setup and administration of all notifications in one central location. Once you have adopted the Notification Composer feature, you must use it to create new notifications and manage your existing notifications. For more information about Notification Composer, see Understanding Notification Composer.