To Create an Approval Map for Parallel Approvals

In this activity, you will configure an approval map for parallel approvals by using the Approval Maps (EP205015) form.

Attention:
This activity is based on the U100 dataset. If you are using another dataset, or if any system settings have been changed in U100, these changes can affect the workflow of the activity and the results of the processing. To avoid any issues, restore the U100 dataset to its initial state.

Story

Suppose that according to the internal requirements of SweetLife Fruits & Jams, each cash purchase that has an amount exceeding $5000 (in US dollars) requires approval from both the accountant and the CFO. If a cash purchase meets these conditions, both the accountant and the CFO can approve the purchase interdependently of one another, and the cash purchase is posted after it has been approved by both approvers.

Acting as a system administrator, you need to set up the parallel approval workflow and configure an approval map for this type of purchase and assign Layla Beauvoir, the accountant, and Maxwell Baker, CFO, as the approvers of these purchases.

Process Overview

In this activity, you will first enable the Approval Workflow feature on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form. On the Approval Maps (EP205015) form, you will create an approval map for the parallel approval, specifying the approvers, the conditions for cash purchase, and the actions to be performed on approval of the cash purchase that match those conditions. Finally, on the Accounts Payable Preferences (AP101000) form, you will add the approval map on the Approval tab.

System Preparation

Before you start configuring the parallel approval for cash purchases, launch the MYOB Acumatica website, and sign in to a company with the U100 dataset preloaded. You should sign in as the system administrator with the gibbs username and the 123 password.

Step 1: Enabling the Needed Feature

To enable the Approval Workflow feature, do the following:

  1. On the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form, click Modify on the form toolbar.
  2. Under the Platform group of features, select the Approval Workflow check box.
  3. On the form toolbar, click Enable to enable the feature.

Step 2: Creating an Approval Map for Parallel Approvals

To create and configure an approval map, do the following:

  1. Navigate to the Assignment and Approval Maps (EP205500) form and select Add Approval Map on the form toolbar to open the Approval Maps (EP205015) form.
  2. On the Approval Maps (EP205015) form, specify the following settings in the Summary area:
    • Name: Parallel Approval of Cash Purchases
    • Entity Type: Cash Purchases
  3. On the Steps pane (to the left), click Add Step on the pane toolbar to add the first step—note that the first rule is automatically added.
    • In the Description box, type a description for the approval step (for example, Approval for purchases over $5000).
    • Keep the default values for the rest of the settings on this pane.
  4. Click the Rule node on the Steps pane (to the left) to access the rule summary pane (to the right of the tree pane).
    • In the Description box of the rule summary pane, type a description for the approval rule (for example, Cash Purchases over $5000).
    • Active: Selected
  5. On the Conditions tab, on the table toolbar, click Add Row, and specify the following settings in the added row:
    • Brackets: (
    • Entity: Cash Purchase
    • Field Name: Total Amount
    • Condition: Is Greater Than
    • Value: 5000
    • Brackets: -
  6. On the Rule Actions tab, specify the following settings:
    1. Approver: Employee
    2. In the Approval Settings table, add the first row
    3. In the Employee Name column, select Layla Beauvoir
    4. In the Approval Settings table, add the second row
    5. In the Employee Name column, select Maxwell Baker
  7. In the On Approval box, select Collect All Approvals from This Step.
  8. On the form toolbar, click Save to save your changes.

Step 3: Specifying Approval Settings for Cash Purchases

To specify the settings for the parallel approval of cash purchases, do the following:

  1. Open the Accounts Payable Preferences (AP101000) form.
  2. On the Approval tab, click Add Row on the table toolbar.
  3. In the added row, specify the following settings:
    • Type: Cash Purchase
    • Approval Map: Parallel Approval of Cash Purchases

      This is the approval map that you created in Step 2.

  4. On the form toolbar, click Save to save your settings.