Approving Sections and Controlling Document Configurator Availability

Initially, the system controls the authority to create and modify sections and document configurators through standard page access. If you can access the page, you can create and modify the section or configurator. The system controls who can access pages through Supplier Contract Management application user preferences.

An approval status is available on the Section Definition page, and if you have the authority to use the page, you can create and modify a section. However, only users with section approval authority can mark the section as approved. You do not have to approve a section before you can use it in another section, or reference in a document configurator; however, you must approve the section before using it or any of its structures, such as clauses or subsections, in a generated document.

If you make section changes that require structural changes, such as a recent clause, you must add a new effective-dated row because the system uses the effective date of the section's row to determine what is valid for prompting in the structure grid. For example, if a section you are maintaining is dated 1/1/06, it does not recognize a new clause that is in effect as of 1/15/06 because the clause did not exist on 1/1/06. In addition, the system continues to use the previously approved, effective-dated row for a section until the current row is approved. When the new effective-dated row is approved, it becomes active in the system.

Configurators use an availability status to control their use in creating documents. An availability status is available for providing approval authority on the User Preference page. Only users with change configurator status authority for their user preference can approve a configurator.

Use the User Preferences page (OPR_DEF_TABLE_CS) to set section and configurator user preferences.

Navigation:

Supplier Contracts > Supplier Contracts Setup > Define User Preferences > Supplier Contract Management

Use the Document Authorizations section to indicate if the document manager has the security authority to update section approval statuses and to make document configurators available for use.

Use the Section Definition page (CS_SECTION_DEFN) to define section approvals.

Navigation:

Supplier Contracts > Manage Contract Library > Section Definition

Use the Approval Status field on this page to indicate the status of the section approval. The system uses this setting in addition to the Status field which defines if the section is available for use.

The approval process determines if the section meets the organizational needs of those groups or suppliers using it. Unlike clauses and documents, sections do not use approval framework for approval processes. You can set the approval status as long as you have the authority defined in user preferences. The system has to validate the setting before it changes the section to the Approved status. Statuses are:

Approved: Select to make the section available for use in document structures. If you make changes to a section and click Save, the system automatically sets the status back to Initial and you have to manually select Approved. Also, you can set up section automatic approvals for librarians. You use user preferences to define the librarians who have section automatic approval authority. When automatic approval is set to Approved in user preferences, and the librarian creates a section, the approval default value for the section is Approved. If the librarian checks out an approved section and makes changes, the system does not set the status back to Initial. Rather it leaves the section at Approved.

See Understanding User Preferences.

Use the Document Configurator Definition page (CS_TMPL_TBL) to control document configurator availability.

Navigation:

Supplier Contracts > Manage Contract Library > Document Configurators

Use this page to set the availability of a document configurator. The status is controlled by the Availability Status field.

When you select the user preferences Change Configurator Status check box, the document manager has the authority to determine the current status of the configurator and update its status. This is a method for developing and then placing the configurator in use.

The configurator has three statuses:

• Available: Select to make the document configurator available for use. If the configurator is not available, you cannot use it as a template for creating documents.

• In Progress: Select to remove the configurator from general use in creating documents. You might want to do this if you are redefining the configurator values. This is the default value when you create the configurator.

• Obsolete: Select to indicate this configurator should not be used in the creation of document templates.