How You Manage User-Defined Attributes in Approvals

User-defined attributes can be of two types: currency based, or summation.

How You Define Currency Based Attributes

You can define currency-based attributes to convert transaction amounts into a common currency, then define approval rules for only that specific currency.

For example, requesters in your organization may be creating requisitions in multiple currencies. But, your organization's approval policy requires requisitions with amounts over 500 USD be approved by the requester manager. You can set up this approval routing rule by defining an attribute, Requisition Amount in USD, and using it in a rule condition.

Define the attribute as follows:

• User-Defined Attribute: Requisition Amount in USD

• Type: Currency based

• Attribute to Convert Type: Approval task attribute

• Attribute to Convert: Requisition Amount

• Convert To: USD

• Conversion Rate Type: Corporate

Once you have defined the attribute, then it can be used in the rule condition as follows: Requisition Amount in USD greater than 500

How You Specify a Rule Condition to Use A Summation Data

Summation values are computed based on specific attributes across lines, schedules, and distributions within a document. You can specify a rule condition to use a value based on summation data. For example, you can set up a procurement category hierarchy using the Manage Procurement Category Hierarchy task, where you can define a hierarchy of groupings of purchasing categories.

This figure shows an example of a procurement category hierarchy. The top-level category, Information Technology (IT), includes the next lower-level category Components for Information Technology. The Components for Information Technology category includes two lower-level categories: System Cards, and Computers. Included under each of those two lowest-level categories are, respectively, specific memory module cards and computer servers.

If the approval policy is: If the requisition contains lines from IT where the lines total is greater than 500, then route the requisition to the IT group for approval.

To achieve this, create a user-defined attribute for IT Spend as follows:

• User-Defined Attribute: IT Spend

• Type: Summation

• Attribute: Distribution Amount

• Match Using: Hierarchy

• Category Name Rolls up To: IT

When defining summation attribute, you can use distribution amount or the distribution approval amount. You can also apply up to three filter criteria on the lines or distributions of the transaction using attribute or hierarchy. For match using hierarchy, the following hierarchies can be used:

• Balancing Segment

• Category Name

• Cost Center

• Management Segment

• Natural Account

The following is a sample approval rule using the IT Spend user-defined attribute:

CONDITION

	IT Spend greater than 500

ACTION

	Action Type: Approval Required

	Route Using: Approval Group

	Approval Group: IT Spend Approvers