The app adds flexible approvers, roles, and automatic delegation to the approval workflow.
Current Version: 1.1.11.0as of Business Central 23.
Manual
Creation date: 2024/12/27 The current version of this manual can be found at:
☰ Contents
General
App Extended Approval Workflow The app enhances the approval workflow with added functionalities for managing approval administrators, flexible definition of approvers, and delegation rules. It enables more customized approval processes and automated handling during absences, improving workflow efficiency and flexibility...
Setup
Extended Approval Workflow Setup In this table the standard setup for the Extended Approval Workflow is carried out...
Sales & Receivables Setup On the page Sales & Receivables Setup the following fields and actions were added...
Purchases & Payables Setup On the page Sales Order List the following fields and actions were added...
Approval User Setup In the Approval User Setup a new field Limited Approval Administrator has been added. If this field is active, the user can also track other approval processes on the documents. However, he cannot delegate them...
Approval Role On this page, settings can be made to configure the composition of each role. This ensures that the roles can be individually defined...
Approval Steps The Approval Steps is a dedicated table for defining specific approval steps e.g. the approval chains...
Approval Role Mappings This page will allow setting up which persons (a single user or a group of users) will be the approvers for which role including the definition for which company and furthermore for which record this definition should be valid...
User Absences This page enables the definition of which User is absent in which time frame...
Approval Substitutes This page enables the general definition of which User or Workflow User Group substitutes a specific User, either general or dependent on time frame, Approval Role or Workflow Code...
Tasks
Document specific approval workflows On the page Purchase Invoices the following fields and actions were added...
Deleting Workflow User Groups Once the approval process is completed the assigned Workflow User Group are automatically deleted...
Delegate new/existing approval entries When creating an approval request with the standard function “Send Approval Request”, BC checks if an approval user is absent (due to table “User Absences”) at the time when the approval request is created. If so, the approval request is directly delegated to the substitute(s) due to the definition in table “Approval Substitutes”...
Delegate approval entries back The function delegate back got added to the page Approval Entries...
Date check user absences A check is carried out in the User Absences table to see whether there is a substitute for the selected user in the time period (i.e. at the FIRST day of absence if this day is in the future OR TODAY, if first day of absence is in the past). If a substitute is entered, a check is carried out to see whether this substitute is available or absent in the selected time period. If the user is also absent at the same time, the system checks whether the registered substitute is present...
Creation of approval entries If Approver Type = “User”: User assigned in Purchase/Sales Header field “Approver Code”...
Reject Approval Entry If an Approval Entry is rejected and the field Approval comment is mandatory at reject from the Purchases & Payables Setup is activated an approval comment must be entered...
Approve Approval Entry When an open Approval Entry is approved, the Approval Method is checked...
Send only Notification It is not allowed to approve / reject an Approval Entry with “Only Notification” = YES (thus, it must not be shown on the “Requests to Approve” page)...
Reports and Analysis
Set is absent The report is a processing only report without printout...
Automatically delegate existing Approval Entries The report is a processing only report without printout...
Appendix
Release Notes
Docs / NVXEAW Extended Approval Workflow / General General
The app enhances the approval workflow with added functionalities for managing approval administrators, flexible definition of approvers, and delegation rules. It enables more customized approval processes and automated handling during absences, improving workflow efficiency and flexibility.
In the Approval User Setup a new field Limited Approval Administrator has been added. If this field is active, the user can also track other approval processes on the documents. However, he cannot delegate them.
For more information, see Limited Approval Administrators.
Docs / NVXEAW Extended Approval Workflow / Setup Approval Role
On this page, settings can be made to configure the composition of each role. This ensures that the roles can be individually defined.
Examples for intended roles can be:
Accountant
Controller
Management Board
Etc.
Fields
Company Code
<
Specifies the legal entity involved in the approval process. If the column is empty, then the row applies to all companies. All records with company code have higher priority than a record with empty code.
Code
That is the code that identifies each role.
Description
The description of each role.
Use Assigned User
Specifies if the Assigned User ID of the Purchase / Sales Header is used for this Approval Role.
Approval Method
The Approval Method indicates whether one or all approvers must grant their approval in case if a User Group is assigned to an Approval Role.
Only Notification
This setup defines whether it is an approval or just a notification.
The Approval Steps is a dedicated table for defining specific approval steps e.g. the approval chains.
Fields
Company Code
Specifies the legal entity involved in the approval process. If the column is empty, then the row applies to all companies. All records with company code have higher priority than a record with empty code.
Workflow Code
This field refers to the Workflows (1500) table. Defines the code of the related workflow (e.g., Purchase Order Workflow, Purchase Invoice Workflow).
Stage
Specifies the order of the Approval Steps. Multiple stages can be defined. It is also possible to define Approval Steps with the same Stage for the same Workflow (parallel Stages).
Approval Role Code
Predefined Approval Rolescan be selected. These are the roles involved in the approval process.
Limit
Limit 0 means that this role must approve INDEPENDENT of amount to approve (e.g. everything above 0). Limit <> 0 (e.g. 50.000) means that this role must approve everything ABOVE this limit. So, Role X must approve, if amount is ABOVE the limit (and Roles with lower limits must approve as well to document that they have checked, too).
Approval Method
The Approval Method indicates whether one or all approvers must grant their approval in case if a User Group is assigned to an Approval Role.
Only Notification
This setup defines whether it is an approval or just a notification.
Actions
Next Stage
The next available stage number is assigned.
Move up
The stage moves up by one, e.g., stage 2 becomes stage 1, and stage 1 automatically receives the new stage number 2.
Move down
The stage moves down by one, e.g., stage 2 becomes stage 3, and stage 3 automatically receives the new stage number 2.
This page will allow setting up which persons (a single user or a group of users) will be the approvers for which role including the definition for which company and furthermore for which record this definition should be valid.
Example:
Company Code (PK)
Role Code (PK)
Table ID (PK)
Table Code (PK)
Type (User, Workflow User Group)
Code
CRONUS
ACC
User
Huber
My Company
ACC
User
Maier
CRONUS
CO
349
Dim. Value I
Workflow User Group
DIM_I_APPR.
CRONUS
CO
349
Dim. Value II
Workflow User Group
DIM_II_APPR.
• Line 1: In company CRONUS, the User “Huber” will be the approver for the Approval Role “Accountant”, independent of the table / record which must be approved.
• Line 2: In company My Company, the User “Maier” will be the approver for the Approval Role “Accountant”, independent of the table / record which must be approved.
• Line 3: In Company CRONUS, the Workflow User Group “DIM_I_APPR.” will be the approvers for the Approval Role “Controller”, but only for the Dimension Value I.
• Line 4: In Company CRONUS, the Workflow User Group “DIM_II_APPR.” will be the approvers for the Approval Role “Controller”, but only for the Dimension Value II.
• Important: For Approval Roles where “Use Assigned User” is set to YES, no “Approval Role Mapping” may be created, because in this case, the Approval User will be fetched directly from the Purchase / Sales Header field “Assigned User ID”.
Fields
Company Code
Specifies the Company involved in the approval process.
Role Code
Specifies the Approval Role involved in the approval process.
Table ID
Determines the table to which the Approval Role Mapping is linked.
Table Code
Determines the record to which the Approval Role Mapping is linked.
Type
Defines if it is one User or a group of Users.
Code
Defines the code of the User or of the Workflow User Group.
Docs / NVXEAW Extended Approval Workflow / Setup User Absences
This page enables the definition of which User is absent in which time frame.
The data is common for all companies.
Fields
User Name
Specifies the User which is absent. Each user may only enter himself, with the exception of the Approval Administrator.
Absent From
Specifies the Date beginning from which this User is absent.
Absent To
Specifies the Date until this User is absent.
Is Absent
Boolean field which defines if a User is currently absent. Non-editable, will be automatically set by a Job Queue Entry.
Actions
Approval Substitutes
Displays Page "Approval Substitutes" filtered on Username.
This page enables the general definition of which User or Workflow User Group substitutes a specific User, either general or dependent on time frame, Approval Role or Workflow Code.
To automatically use the Approval Substitutes its necessary to setup the job queue as described in Automatically delegate existing Approval Entries.
The data is common for all companies.
Fields
Company Code
Specifies the Company involved in the approval process. If the column is empty, then the row applies to all companies. All records with company code have higher priority than a record with empty code.
User Name
Specifies the User which is substituted. Each user may only enter himself, with the exception of the Approval Administrator.
Substitute Type
Specifies if the User is substituted by a User or a Workflow User Group.
Substitute Code
Defines the code of the User or of the Workflow User Group.
Substitute Approval Method
The Substitute Approval Method indicates whether one or all substitutes must grant their approval in case if a Workflow User Group is assigned.
Date From
Specifies the Date beginning from which this substitute is valid.
Date To
Specifies the Date until this substitute is valid.
Approval Role Code
Specifies the Approval Role Code for which this substitute is valid.
Workflow Code
Specifies the Workflow Code for which this substitute is valid.
On the page Purchase Invoices the following fields and actions were added.
Fields
Approver Type
Specifies the Approver Type.
Approver Code
Specifies the Approver Code.
Docs / NVXEAW Extended Approval Workflow / Tasks Deleting Workflow User Groups
Once the approval process is completed the assigned Workflow User Group are automatically deleted.
To enable this function there is a Boolean in the Purchases & Payables Setup / Sales & Receivables Setup.
When creating an approval request with the standard function “Send Approval Request”, BC checks if an approval user is absent (due to table “User Absences”) at the time when the approval request is created. If so, the approval request is directly delegated to the substitute(s) due to the definition in table “Approval Substitutes”.
Important: as it is possible to define a “Workflow User Group” as substitute for a User (i.e. multiple substitute users), the system must automatically split one existing approval entry into multiple approval entries, one for each substitute user of the Workflow User Group.
Docs / NVXEAW Extended Approval Workflow / Tasks Delegate Back
The function "delegate back" got added to the page Approval Entries.
This function will delegate the approval entry back to the Original Approver if the approver is not absent anymore.
Docs / NVXEAW Extended Approval Workflow / Tasks Date check user absences
A check is carried out in the "User Absences" table to see whether there is a substitute for the selected user in the time period (i.e. at the FIRST day of absence if this day is in the future OR TODAY, if first day of absence is in the past). If a substitute is entered, a check is carried out to see whether this substitute is available or absent in the selected time period. If the user is also absent at the same time, the system checks whether the registered substitute is present.
If the substitute is not available, only a warning will be displayed, but no error message.
If a user group is a substitute and the approval method one has also been selected in this group, then >0 applies, i.e. at least one of this group must be present. If the approval method all has been selected, all users of the substitute user group must be present.
If no substitute can be found in the delegation process, the authorization entry remains with the original authorization user and a warning is displayed.
If "Approver Type" = “User”: User assigned in Purchase/Sales Header field “Approver Code”.
If "Approver Type" = “Workflow User Group”: Workflow User Group Members of assigned Workflow User Group in Purchase/Sales Header field “Approver Code”.
If an Approval Entry is rejected and the field "Approval comment is mandatory at reject" from the "Purchases & Payables Setup" is activated an approval comment must be entered.
When an open Approval Entry is approved, the Approval Method is checked.
If the Approval Method is "One", all associated Approval Entries with the same Sequence No. are automatically approved.
If the Approal Method is "All", all approvers with the same Sequence No. must approve before the Approval Entry is released for the next Sequence No. and the status is set to "Open".
It is not allowed to approve / reject an Approval Entry with “Only Notification” = YES (thus, it must not be shown on the “Requests to Approve” page).
Instead, if an Approval Entry with “Only Notification” gets the Status = OPEN, then the User of this Approval Entry receives an e-mail notification.
Afterwards the Status of the “Approval Entry” is set to a new Status = “Informed” and afterwards the next Approval Entry is set to OPEN.
Docs / NVXEAW Extended Approval Workflow / Reports and Analysis Set is absent
The report is a processing only report without printout.
It can be run automatically in the Job Queue.
Functionality
The report sets the field “Is Absent” within table “User Absence” if current date is between “Absent From” and “Absent To”.
Report ID: 62015
To set up the Job Queue Entry for setting the "Is Absent" checkbox, it must be configured as follows:
In the Job Queue Entry, the Object Type to Run must be set to CodeUnit.
The Object ID to run is 1350.
The Earliest Start Date/Time should be set to the current date.
Once the Recurrence has been set to the desired values, the status of the Job Queue should be set to "Set Status to Ready".
The report is a processing only report without printout.
It can be run automatically in the Job Queue.
Functionality
The report executes the “Delegate Back" function which will delegate open Approval Entries back to the original approver if the original approver is not absent anymore.
if "Delegated Back" does not apply the report executes the “Delegate” function for all existing and open Approval Entries, whose User is currently absent.
Report ID: 62016
Would you like to know what has changed in the extension? Below you'll find an overview of the new features and changes made in the updates.
Build-Overview in DevOps
NVXEAW 1.1.11.0
as of Business Central 23 2024/12/13
Corrections
Correction for automatic approval.
NVXEAW 1.1.10.0
as of Business Central 23 2024/12/05
Corrections
Correction for automatic approval when the workflow is not document-specific.
NVXEAW 1.1.9.0
as of Business Central 23 2024/11/20
Corrections
Correction for automatic approval of all approvals in the first sequence when the sender is one of the approvers.
NVXEAW 1.1.8.0
as of Business Central 23 2024/11/19
Corrections
Correction for automatic approval of all approvals in the first sequence when the sender is one of the approvers.
NVXEAW 1.1.7.0
as of Business Central 23 2024/11/18
Corrections
Correction for automatic approval of all approvals in the first sequence when the sender is one of the approvers.
NVXEAW 1.1.6.0
as of Business Central 23 2024/11/14
Improvements
The data for "Approval Substitute" and "User Absences" is now common for all companies.
The "User Absences" page is filtered by the current user, except when it concerns an approval administrator.
NVXEAW 1.1.5.0
as of Business Central 23 2024/10/31
Corrections
The application does not attempt to create a "workflow user group" if the "workflow" is not active.
Issue resolved when only one approval entry is marked as "only notification".
NVXEAW 1.1.4.0
as of Business Central 23 2024/10/24
Improvements
New events were inserted.
NVXEAW 1.1.3.0
as of Business Central 23 2024/10/17
Improvements
The dimension filters are from now only taken into account for the lines in documents.
Role mappings can now also be filtered by Salesperson/Purchaser.
