PeopleSoft Approval Framework Processing

This set of topics 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 documentation PeopleSoft : 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

• Invoices

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.