Example: Using Hierarchical and Alternate Management Approval Processing

In the following example, first-level managers have authority to approve expense amounts up to 1000 USD, but amounts above that have to be routed to the next manager up for approvals as well. You set up the threshold amounts for each manager in the distribution list. You also set up time limit escalations so that unopened messages are forwarded to another manager on the distribution list. Select the First Response option so that only one approver on each group level has to respond before the approval message is sent to the next group level.

For this example, use the following distribution list records:

Group	Address Number	Threshold	Escalation Hours
1	5600398 (Employee)	0	00
2	8444 (Manager)	0	72
2	2006 (Alternate Manager)	0	72
3	2345 (Department Manger)	1,000	72
3	2346 (Alternate Department Manager	1,000	72
4	2347 (Area Manager)	5,000	24
4	2348 (Alternate Area Manager)	5,000	24

When employee 5600398 submits an expense report in the amount of 1,500 USD, the following sequence of events occurs:

1. An approval request is sent to the members of group two because their threshold values are below 1,500 USD. If one of them rejects the request, the task is complete and the message is not sent to higher-level groups.

2. If one of the managers in group two approves the expense report within 72 hours, the approval request is sent to the two managers in group three because they are in the next-highest group in the distribution list and have threshold values below 1,500 USD.

3. If either of the two managers in group two does not respond within 72 hours, the approval message is escalated automatically the managers in group three by the workflow scheduler.

4. When either of the two managers in group three approves the expense report, it moves to the next status.

   Note: The managers in group four do not receive the approval request at all because their threshold values are higher than the export report amount.