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Node - Initiate Approval Flow

I. Configure an Approval Flow​

Use Case: When an applicant submits a reimbursement request, for amounts under PMB1000, only the department head's approval is necessary. However, for amounts equal to or exceeding RMB1000, the approval of the general manager is also required. Once the request is approved, a notification is sent to the applicant's direct supervisor.

1. Create a workflow triggered by worksheet

2. Add [Initiate Approval Flow] node

Select [Create new workflow].

[Copy from approval workflow] means copying the already configured approval structure from another workflow, after which you just need to reselect the approval objects and approvers.

添加审批流程后，可以修改流程的名称

3. Basic configuration of the approval flow

It includes:

  • Name of the approval flow.

  • The data object to be approved, that is, which record is to be approved.

  • Who initiates the approval, typically the creator of the record, or the user who triggers the flow.

  • Configure whether to allow the initiator to withdraw the action.

  • 3 scenarios for automatic approval.

The entire [Initiate Approval Flow] node can be regarded as a node block or sub-flow, in which you can add other nodes such as [Approval], [Fill in], [CC], etc. They together form the approval process, and ultimately have an approval result (pass, reject, withdraw, suspend).

4. Add the first approver: the department head

Add an [Approval] node to the flow and configure the approver and related settings for approval.

More details about Approval.

You can also add other nodes in the approval process:

  • Manual processing nodes, such as [Approval], [Fill in], [CC]

  • Conditional branches

  • Nodes for data processing

5. Add a [Branch] node to allow different approvers for different amounts

You need to add the branches since it requires the approval of the general manager when the amount is greater than RMB1000.

6. Configure the approval of the general manager

7. Set different actions based on the approval results

Branches for approval results can only be added and displayed after the [Approval] node.

8. Complete the node/workflow name and publish the workflow

9. Submit a reimbursement record to test

II. How to view and process the approval in worksheet​

The status of the current approval, the approver, and the flowchart can be displayed directly in the view. You can check the flow status, or process the approval when you view the record. As shown in the following:

1) Enable [System Fields] and [Circulation of Approval] in worksheet​

Go to [Form Settings] > [Function Switch] in the worksheet to enable [System Fields] and [Circulation of Approval] for approvals.

The system fields for approval include the workflow name, status, person in charge of the node, node start time, remaining time, initiator, and initiation time displayed on the view.

You can also enable these fields when you first publish an approval workflow.

2) Display system fields for approvals in the grid view​

On the configuration page of the view, enable the system fields for approvals.

Once configured, approvals can be viewed and processed in the worksheet.

These system fields cannot be modified by workflows, nor can they be changed manually; they are only changed automatically with approval operations.

3) What are the statuses in the approval workflow?​

Status includes in progress, pass, reject and suspend.

However, in the view of the worksheet, for the workflow in progress, it displays the name of the current approval node in order to clearly show the progress of workflow.

For example, the name of the first approval node is [Approve by Supervisor], and the name of the second approval node is [Approve by General Manager]. When it is being approved by the supervisor or the general manager, the Status field will show as Approve by Supervisor, or Approve by General Manager, and will not show as In Progress.

Configure the approval workflow:

Workflow status:

III. Configure the [Initiate Approval Flow] node​

1. Modify the node name​

This name is displayed in the approval process list, notification messages, printing, etc.

2. Set up data objects​

Select the record to be approved. You can select the previous node that represents a record.

3. Set up the initiator​

As shown in the figure below, the initiator of the approval process is not necessarily the trigger of the main record, as mentioned earlier, [Initiate Approval Flow] can be considered a sub-flow, so the initiator is the user who triggers the sub-flow.

  • Select the initiator

    You can select one person from the record for approval as the initiator.

  • Allow initiator to withdraw

    If checked, the initiator can withdraw the operation to terminate the approval.

    You can also set it so that withdrawing the operation is not allowed when it is approved by XX. If unchecked, the initiator can withdraw the operation as long as the process is not terminated.

  • Allow initiator to urge

    If checked, the initiator can click the [Reminder] button to remind the current approver to process it as soon as possible.

How to withdraw/reminder

  • The originator can open the record to operate in the approval card.

  • The initiator can also go to [To-do] > [I triggered].

4. When the initiator is empty​

As for the initiator, you can choose a member field, or the initiator may also be empty, in which case you can set up a way for the process to continue or end.

  • Automatically go to the next node

  • Agent by the workflow owner

  • Agent by the specified user

  • The end

5. When the approver/filler is empty​

Here, set a default processing method for the specific [Approval] node or [Fill in] node in the approval process,. If in the [Approval] or [Fill in] node, you also set the processing method where the approver or filler is empty, the setting in these two nodes will prevail, and if it is not set in the node, the setting here will prevail.

6. Owner of the approval process​

As mentioned earlier, [Initiate Approval Flow] is a standalone process, and you can configure the owner of the process.

The process owner can be assigned to process when the initiator, approver, or filler is empty.

7. Automatic approval​

  • 1) Automatically pass when the approver is the initiator

    It can be automatically passed if the initiator and approver are the same user. If it is not checked, it needs to be approved by the initiator.

  • 2) Automatically pass when the approver has approved once in previous process

    If there are multiple nodes in the process, and the approver in approval node 1 and approval node 4 is the same user, after it is passed in approval node 3, it can be automatically approved in approval node 4.

  • 3) Validate required fields

    This is mainly for the above two scenarios. If you configure the approval to require certain fields to be required, can it still be auto-passed. If it is checked, it will not be passed automatically and must be approved again. If unchecked, it is automatically passed.

IV. Automatic status update when returned to the initiator​

When approving, the approver can return it to the initiator or to one of the previous approvers, and if it is returned to the initiator, the content of some fields can be automatically modified, such as the status is changed to "Returned".

If the data is to be modified when it is returned to the approver, you need to configure in the approval node.

V. How to get the operation details of the approver​

If you need to display the approval details in the fields of the worksheet, in [Initiate Approval Flow], it supports to get the approval details and write them to the subform or associated worksheet.

1. Create a subform/related worksheet in worksheet​

2. Configure field mapping in [Initiate Approval Flow] node​

The operation details for approvals include the following fields:

  • Node name: custom name of each approval node
  • Operation object ID: record ID of the approved record
  • Operator: current approver
  • Entry time:time to enter the approval node
  • Operation time: approval time of the current approver
  • Operation: approval result (pass/reject)
  • Note: comments
  • Signature

For approval processes configured via [Initiate Approval Flow], there is no need to obtain operation details separately for each approval node.

3. Effect​

• Free approval: Only the actual executor's operation details are recorded (note: if you select free approval, you can add approvers, so there may be more than 1 record when added).

• Joint approval: Operation details are recorded for all approvers, including those who do not need to approve (in the case of prorated approval)。

• Level by level: Add operation details when each level of approval is complete.

VI. How to use the approval results in the workflow​

Approval results include Pass, Reject, Recall and Terminate.

After the approval process is completed, you can set branches based on the results of the approval, if needed.

You want to add branches outside of the [Initiate Approval Flow] node.

VII. How to configure a parallel approval flow​

In the approval process, you can add two types of branching processes, exclusive branch and parallel branch.

Exclusive branch： Execute only the first matching branch in left-to-right order.

Parallel branch： Execute all branches that satisfy the conditions simultaneously, and continue to execute subsequent nodes when all branches are finished. When any branch is rejected, the entire process is rejected.

For example, after a contract is submitted, it needs to be approved by finance, legal and administrative staff at the same time, you can choose the parallel branch at this point.

The newly created branch is exclusive by default, click to change to parallel branch.

For parallel approvals, the corresponding approval card appears at the same time when viewing the process.

VIII. Management of approval process​

Processes configured through the [Initiate Approval Flow] node in an application are also categorized in the Approval Flow, where you can see the details and execution history of the approval process.

IX. How to copy the existing approval process​

Sometimes, for different business approvals, the approver and approval process may also be the same, so if there is an approval process with the same structure that has been configured, you can just copy and use it.

  • The copied process is a new approval process.

  • To copy the process does not copy the data of the approved record, it needs to be reconfigured, such as the selected members fields.

  • You can copy workflows from other applications.

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