Setting up Suiteflow Workflow-Based Approvals for Requisitions
You can choose to use SuiteFlow to create your own custom workflow to process approvals for requisitions. Using SuiteFlow for requisitions allows more flexible processes for approvals.
For example, using workflows to process requisitions allows for using a non-sequential approval process or conditionalized routing. You can set up a workflow that requires action from specific employees. A workflow that shows buttons on forms at certain stages, sends email based on actions taken, and much more.
To use SuiteFlow to process requisitions:
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Enable the features:
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Go to Setup > Accounting > Preferences > Accounting Preferences.
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On the Transactions subtab, enable the Requisitions feature.
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On the SuiteCloud subtab, check the SuiteFlow box.
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Click Save.
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On the Employees subtab, check the Approval Routing box.
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Click Save.
This feature must be enabled to use these fields on employee records:
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Purchase Limit
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Purchase Approver
These fields are required for use with the requisitions workflow.
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To enable the preference, on the Approval Routing subtab.
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Check the Requisitions box.
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Use SuiteFlow to create a workflow to apply to your requisition:
For more information, see Creating Your First Workflow.
You can incorporate the following options into your requisitions workflow:
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Hierarchical or custom routing rules
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Email notifications that include links to drill down to records for approval
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Approve and Reject buttons
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Respecting approval limits
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Updating the Approval Status and Next Approver field on records
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Preventing records that are pending approval from being edited
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Designating an alternate approver
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You can manually set a requisition to an approved status for simple approvals.
For approval workflows where a record is processed through multiple levels of approval by different users in a routing loop, note the following. You should use a custom workflow field that refers specifically to the current approver’s approval status. This lets you track the current approver's approval status separately from the overall approval status of the record.
Approval Status field
When you use SuiteFlow for requisition approvals forms include an Approval Status field. The Approval Status field reflects the state of the transaction in the approval process.
Requisitions may have one of the following statuses:
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Pending Approval – The expense is in the approval queue.
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Approved – The expense has been given approval for processing.
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Rejected – The expense has not been approved and will not be processed.
Next Approver Field
When you use SuiteFlow for expense approvals, expense reports include a Next Approver field. This field is populated based on the associated workflow.
For example, in your workflow you may create a state of Pending Approval. In that state you create a formula to set the Next Approver as the employee's supervisor.
Employee Center
When you use SuiteFlow for requisition approvals, the Employee Center is the primary workspace for processing approvals.
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The Employee Center shows the Requisitions to Approve reminder and Approve Expense Reports queue.
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Employees are shown all requisitions for which they are the next approver.
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Users are not required to have the Full permission for the Employee Center to approve and reject requisitions through the Employee Center. They can do so with only the View permission.
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Reminders that show in the Employee Center drill down to the approval queue page for requisitions. You can still click through notification email and use the buttons on the expense form (such as Approve, Reject, etc.)
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An approver that is associated with one subsidiary is able to see records that are associated with another subsidiary to make approvals.
When you use SuiteFlow for requisition approvals, the Employee Center is the primary workspace for processing requisition approvals. The Employee Centers shows the Requisitions to Approve reminder and Approve Requisitions queue. Employees are shown all purchases for which they are the next approver.
You must have the Employee Center role to access the Employee Center. An administrator can add the Employee Center role on your employee record. For more information, see Adding an Employee.
When a supervisor or approver logs in to the Employee Center, approval queues display purchase requests, expense reports, and requisitions. These requisitions are entered by employees associated with all subsidiaries. Role-level subsidiary restrictions that apply to other records and transactions do not apply to approvals of purchase requests, expense reports and requisitions.