Approval Workflows

Approval workflows define the sequence of approvers and conditions for routing documents through the approval process. This guide covers creating and managing workflows.

Overview

Workflow management enables you to:

• Design approval chains
• Configure multi-level approvals
• Set up parallel approvals
• Define conditional routing
• Manage workflow versions
• Test and deploy workflows

Accessing Workflows

Navigate to Settings → Approvals → Workflows to manage workflows.

Understanding Workflows

Workflow Components

Component	Description
Trigger	What initiates the workflow
Levels	Sequential approval stages
Approvers	Who approves at each level
Conditions	When rules apply
Actions	What happens after approval

Workflow Types

Type	Description	Use Case
Sequential	One after another	Standard approvals
Parallel	All at same time	Multiple stakeholders
Conditional	Based on criteria	Amount thresholds
Hybrid	Mix of above	Complex processes

Workflow Status

Status	Description
Draft	Being designed
Active	Currently in use
Inactive	Disabled
Archived	Historical

Creating Workflows

Basic Workflow Setup

1. Go to Settings → Approvals → Workflows
2. Click New Workflow
3. Enter details:

Field	Description
Name	Workflow identifier
Document Type	What it applies to
Description	Purpose explanation
Active	Enable/disable

4. Add approval levels
5. Configure conditions
6. Save and activate

Adding Approval Levels

For each level:

1. Click Add Level
2. Configure:
   • Level name
   • Approver type (user/role/manager)
   • Specific approvers
   • Approval mode (any/all)
   • SLA time
3. Set order

How-To Guides

How to Create Approval Workflows

Sequential Workflow

Step-by-step approval:

Level 1: Manager
    ↓
Level 2: Director
    ↓
Level 3: VP

Setup:

1. Create workflow
2. Add Level 1: Manager
3. Add Level 2: Director
4. Add Level 3: VP
5. Each waits for previous

Parallel Workflow

Simultaneous approval:

        ┌→ Finance
Request ├→ Legal
        └→ Operations
        All approve → Complete

Setup:

1. Create workflow
2. Add single level
3. Add multiple approvers
4. Set mode: "All must approve"

Conditional Workflow

Amount-based routing:

< $1,000    → Manager only
$1,000-$10K → Manager + Director
> $10,000   → Manager + Director + VP

Setup:

1. Create workflow
2. Add condition rules
3. Define thresholds
4. Assign approvers per condition

How to Configure Multi-Level Approvals

Level Configuration

For each level define:

Setting	Options
Approver Type	User, Role, Manager, Custom
Selection	Specific or dynamic
Mode	Any one / All required
SLA	Hours to respond
Escalation	If not responded

Dynamic Approvers

Assign based on context:

• Reporting Manager - Submitter's manager
• Department Head - Department leader
• Cost Center Owner - Budget owner
• Custom Field - Based on document data

How to Set Up Conditional Routing

Condition Types

Condition	Example
Amount	> $10,000
Category	= "Capital"
Department	= "IT"
Vendor	= "Preferred"
Custom	Any field

Condition Logic

Combine conditions:

IF Amount > $10,000 AND Category = "Capital"
THEN Route to VP
ELSE Route to Manager

Setting Up Conditions

1. Open workflow
2. Go to Conditions
3. Add rule:
   • Field to evaluate
   • Operator (=, >, <, contains)
   • Value
4. Define resulting route
5. Set priority order

How to Handle Escalations

Escalation Rules

When approver doesn't respond:

1. Reminder - Send reminder at 50% SLA
2. Second Reminder - At 75% SLA
3. Escalate - At 100% SLA
4. Auto-Action - Optional auto-approve/reject

Configuring Escalation

1. Open workflow level
2. Set SLA time
3. Configure escalation:
   • Escalate to (next level, manager, specific user)
   • Action type (notify, reassign, auto-approve)
4. Save settings

How to Test Workflows

Testing Process

Before activation:

1. Create test document
2. Submit through workflow
3. Verify routing
4. Check notifications
5. Test all conditions
6. Confirm escalations

Test Mode

Enable test mode:

• Workflow runs but doesn't execute
• All approvers see test flag
• Actions are simulated
• Results logged for review

How to Manage Workflow Versions

Version Control

Track workflow changes:

• Version number
• Change description
• Modified by/date
• Active version flag

Creating New Version

1. Open workflow
2. Click Create Version
3. Make changes
4. Test new version
5. Activate when ready
6. Previous version archived

Advanced Features

Matrix Approvals

Multiple dimensions:

• Amount threshold
• Department
• Category
• Combination routing

Approval Delegation in Workflow

Built-in delegation:

• Auto-route to delegate
• Maintain audit trail
• Time-limited
• Scope-limited

Workflow Templates

Reusable patterns:

• Standard approval chain
• Quick setup
• Consistent processes
• Easy modification

Workflow Analytics

Monitor performance:

• Average approval time
• Bottleneck identification
• SLA compliance
• Rejection rates

Best Practices

📋 Design

• Keep simple
• Minimize levels
• Clear criteria
• Document purpose

👥 Approvers

• Assign by role
• Backup approvers
• Reasonable workload
• Training provided

⚡ Efficiency

• Appropriate SLAs
• Mobile-friendly
• Batch capabilities
• Clear notifications

🔄 Maintenance

• Regular reviews
• Update as needed
• Archive unused
• Test changes

Configuration

Workflow Settings

Navigate to Settings → Approvals → Workflows:

• Default SLA - Standard response time
• Escalation Rules - Default escalation
• Notification Template - Email format
• Auto-Archive - Old workflow handling

Approver Settings

• Role Mapping - Role to users
• Manager Chain - Hierarchy
• Backup Rules - Fallback approvers

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Workflow not triggering

• Check workflow active
• Verify document type
• Review conditions
• Check trigger criteria

Wrong approver assigned

• Review routing rules
• Check condition order
• Verify role assignments
• Test with sample

Escalation not working

• Check SLA configured
• Verify escalation rules
• Review notification settings
• Check user availability

Cannot modify workflow

• Check permissions
• Verify not locked
• Create new version
• Archive old version

Next Steps

Learn about Approval Rules to define conditions and automation for your workflows.