How to Add Approval Workflow
Overview
Create new approval workflows to control authorization for transactions and master data creation. Configure value-based approval chains with single or multi-level hierarchies to match your organization's authorization matrix.
Prerequisites
Before adding an approval workflow:
- User has "Manage Approval Workflows" permission in BizAdmin
- Departments and roles already created in Organization > Departments
- Approval authority matrix defined (who approves what value ranges)
- Understanding of workflow types and their application
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Navigate to Add Approval Workflow
- Login to BizAdmin portal
- Click Access Control from the left sidebar
- Select Approval Workflows
- Click + Add Approval Workflows button (top right)
- Add Approval Workflows form opens
Step 2: Select Workflow Type
Workflow Dropdown (Required)
Click the dropdown to see available workflow types:
Transaction Workflows (Value-based):
- Purchase Order
- Purchase Request
- Sales Order
- Bill
- Goods Receipt Note
- Purchase Return
- Sales Return
- Expense
Master Data Workflows (Department-based):
- Item
- Supplier
- Bill of Material
Selection:
- Search by typing in the dropdown
- Click Clear selection to reset if needed
- Select the workflow you want to configure
Note: You can configure multiple value brackets for the same workflow type but with different departments or value ranges.
Step 3: Select Department
Department Dropdown (Required)
Choose which department this workflow rule applies to:
Available Options:
- All (applies to all departments)
- Admin
- Finance
- Purchase
- Sales
- Custom departments you've created
How Department Selection Works:
| Selection | Applies To | Example Use |
|---|---|---|
| All | Users in any department | Company-wide approval rules regardless of department |
| Specific Department | Only users in that department | Purchase dept POs go through Purchase Manager, Finance dept POs go through Finance Manager |
For Master Data Workflows (Item, Supplier, BOM):
- Department selection determines which department's users trigger this approval
- Only one approval chain can be configured per department per workflow type
Step 4: Configure Value Brackets
For Value-Based Workflows Only
Add one or more value brackets to define approval levels based on transaction amount.
Adding First Value Bracket
Start Amount Field:
- Default: ₹0
- Enter the starting value for this approval bracket
- First bracket typically starts at ₹0
End Amount Field:
- Required
- Enter the maximum value for this approval bracket
- Use very high numbers (e.g., 10,000,000,000) for unlimited upper brackets
Example Configuration:
| Bracket | Start Amount | End Amount | Approval Chain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low Value | ₹0 | ₹10,000 | No Approval Required |
| Medium Value | ₹10,001 | ₹100,000 | L1-Admin |
| High Value | ₹100,001 | ₹10,000,000,000 | L1-Admin → L2-Purchase → L3-Finance |
Step 5: Configure Approval Flow
For Each Value Bracket:
Option 1: No Approval Required
Check the "No Approval Required" checkbox for this bracket.
When to Use:
- Low-value transactions below threshold
- Trusted users with full authority
- Streamlined processes
Result:
- Documents in this value range auto-approved
- Proceed immediately without waiting
- No approvers needed in the flow
Option 2: Single Level Approval
Configure a single approver for this bracket.
Steps:
- Leave "No Approval Required" unchecked
- Click + icon in the Approval Flow column
- System adds numbered circle with dropdown
- Select approver role from dropdown (e.g., L1-Admin, L2-Purchase)
Example:
- Circle labeled "1"
- Dropdown shows: L1-Admin
- Result: All requests in this bracket go to L1-Admin role users
Option 3: Multi-Level Approval
Configure sequential approval chain with multiple approvers.
Steps:
- Add first approver as described above
- Click + icon next to the first approver
- System adds second numbered circle connected by line
- Select second approver role
- Repeat to add third, fourth level as needed
Example Three-Level Chain:
- Circle "1": L2-Admin
- → (connecting line)
- Circle "2": L2-Finance
- → (connecting line)
- Circle "3": L3-Finance
How It Works:
- Document routes to Circle 1 approver first
- After approval, automatically routes to Circle 2
- Then to Circle 3 for final approval
- Document proceeds only after all levels approve
Best Practice: Keep approval chains simple. Maximum 3 levels is recommended to avoid delays.
Step 6: Add Additional Value Brackets (Optional)
To add another value bracket for the same workflow:
- Click + icon (small icon near Start Amount field)
- New row appears with empty fields
- Configure Start Amount, End Amount
- Set up approval flow for this bracket
- Repeat as many times as needed
Important Rules:
- Value ranges should not overlap
- Next bracket Start Amount = Previous bracket End Amount + 1
- System doesn't validate gaps - plan carefully
Step 7: Review Configuration
Before Saving, Verify:
Checklist:
- Correct workflow type selected
- Appropriate department chosen
- All value brackets configured with no gaps
- Each bracket has approval flow or "No Approval" set
- Approval chains use correct department roles
- Multi-level sequences in right order
- No overlapping value ranges
Step 8: Save the Workflow
- Review all configured brackets one final time
- Click Add button (bottom right)
- System validates configuration
- Workflow rule saved and activated immediately
- Form closes automatically
- New workflow appears in the main list
No Confirmation Dialog - workflow is live as soon as you click Add.
Step 9: Verify Workflow Creation
Check the Workflow List:
- Main Approval Workflows page displays
- Find your new workflow in the table
- Verify columns show:
- Department: Correct department selected
- Workflow: Workflow type you configured
- Start value: First bracket start amount
- End Value: Last bracket end amount
- Action: Edit and Delete icons available
Test the Workflow:
- Create a test transaction of the type you configured
- Verify it routes to correct approver
- Check approval chain works as expected
Common Configuration Scenarios
Scenario 1: Simple Two-Tier Purchase Order Approval
Requirement:
- POs up to ₹50,000: Purchase Manager approval
- POs above ₹50,000: Purchase Manager → Finance Head
Configuration:
Bracket 1:
- Start: ₹0
- End: ₹50,000
- Approval: L2-Purchase (single level)
Bracket 2:
- Start: ₹50,001
- End: ₹10,000,000,000
- Approval: L2-Purchase → L3-Finance (two levels)
Scenario 2: Department-Specific Purchase Approvals
Requirement:
- Purchase dept POs: Through Purchase Manager
- Admin dept POs: Through Admin Head
- All POs above ₹100,000: Add Finance approval
Configuration:
Workflow 1: Purchase Order, Purchase Department
- Bracket: ₹0 - ₹100,000 → L2-Purchase
- Bracket: ₹100,001 - ₹10,000,000,000 → L2-Purchase → L3-Finance
Workflow 2: Purchase Order, Admin Department
- Bracket: ₹0 - ₹100,000 → L2-Admin
- Bracket: ₹100,001 - ₹10,000,000,000 → L2-Admin → L3-Finance
Scenario 3: No Approval for Low-Value Sales
Requirement:
- Sales Orders up to ₹25,000: Auto-approved
- Sales Orders ₹25,001-₹200,000: Sales Manager
- Sales Orders above ₹200,000: Sales Manager → Finance Head
Configuration:
Bracket 1:
- Start: ₹0
- End: ₹25,000
- Check "No Approval Required"
Bracket 2:
- Start: ₹25,001
- End: ₹200,000
- Approval: L2-Sales
Bracket 3:
- Start: ₹200,001
- End: ₹10,000,000,000
- Approval: L2-Sales → L3-Finance
Scenario 4: Item Master Approval (Non-Value Based)
Requirement:
- All new items must be approved by Admin before use
Configuration:
Workflow: Item Department: All No value brackets (not applicable for Item workflow) Approval Flow: L1-Admin (single level)
Result: Any user creating a new item triggers approval request to all users with L1-Admin role.
Validation & Error Handling
Common Issues During Setup
Issue: "Workflow already exists for this department"
- Cause: Trying to add duplicate workflow for same type and department
- Solution: Edit existing workflow instead, or delete and recreate
Issue: Value brackets not appearing
- Cause: Selected non-value workflow type (Item, Supplier, BOM)
- Solution: These workflows don't use value brackets - configure approval flow directly
Issue: Cannot select multiple departments
- Cause: Each workflow rule applies to one department at a time
- Solution: Create separate workflow rules for each department, or use "All" departments option
Issue: Approver roles from wrong department appearing
- Cause: All department roles are available in dropdown
- Solution: Select roles that match your intended approval hierarchy - system doesn't restrict cross-department approvers
Understanding Workflow Priority
When multiple workflows could apply:
The system matches workflows based on:
- Department match - Specific department takes priority over "All"
- Value range - System finds bracket containing transaction amount
- First match wins - If multiple brackets overlap (not recommended), first matching rule applies
Best Practice: Avoid overlapping configurations by careful planning.
Post-Configuration Steps
After adding workflow:
Communicate to Users:
- Inform relevant staff about new approval requirements
- Share approval authority limits with managers
- Document the workflow for reference
Assign Approvers:
- Ensure users are assigned to approver roles in Manage Users
- Verify each role in the chain has at least one active user
- Test with those users logged in
Monitor Performance:
- Check approval turnaround times
- Watch for bottlenecks at specific levels
- Adjust value brackets if needed based on actual usage
Related Actions
- Edit Approval Workflow - Modify existing workflow rules
- View Workflow Details - See configured approval chains
- Manage Users - Assign users to approver roles
- Departments - Create departments and roles
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I have different approval chains for different business units?
A: Currently, approval workflows are configured at the organization level and apply to all business units. Department-based segregation is available.
Q: What happens if no user is assigned to an approver role?
A: The approval request will be pending with no one to action it. Always ensure at least one user is assigned to each role in the approval chain.
Q: Can I skip an approval level if the approver is unavailable?
A: No, approvals must follow the configured sequence. Consider delegation features or temporary role assignment for such cases.
Q: How do I know if my workflow is working?
A: Create a test transaction matching the workflow criteria and verify it appears in the approver's Approvals inbox with correct routing.
Q: Can the same person approve multiple levels?
A: Yes, if a user has multiple roles (e.g., L2-Purchase and L3-Finance), they may see the same request at different approval stages.
Q: What if transaction amount changes after approval starts?
A: The workflow locked at submission time continues. Amount changes may require cancellation and resubmission with new workflow routing.
Q: Can I configure parallel approvals instead of sequential?
A: Currently, only sequential (one after another) approvals are supported. Parallel approval features are on the roadmap.
Q: How many value brackets can I create?
A: No system limit, but practical limit is 3-5 brackets for maintainability. Too many brackets create complexity and confusion.
Need help? Contact support at support@bizconnekt.com