Workflow Orchestration
Approval Processes
Configure and manage review and sign-off workflows in your applications
Approvals are a key feature in Elementum that enable structured review and sign-off workflows. Users can request approvals manually, or automations can start approval processes automatically based on specific triggers and conditions.
Delegation Options:
Automation Actions:
Overview
The approval system provides flexible workflow management where:- Users can initiate approval requests for critical decisions
- Automations can automatically trigger approval processes based on data changes or business rules
- App Admins can configure automations to listen for approval events and move processes forward
- Multiple approval types support different business scenarios
How Approvals Work
Users can request approvals directly through the application interface when they need sign-off on:
- Financial transactions above threshold amounts
- Document submissions requiring legal review
- Status changes that affect project timelines
- Resource allocations for team assignments
App Admins can write automations that listen for approval events and
automatically move processes forward when the right people have recorded
approvals or denials.
Common Approval Scenarios
Purchase Order Approval
Scenario: Purchase orders over $1,000 require manager approval Configuration:- Trigger: Amount field > $1,000
- Approver: Direct manager
- Locked fields: Amount, vendor, description
Document Review
Scenario: Legal documents need review before execution Configuration:- Trigger: Document type = “Contract”
- Approver: Legal team group
- Required approvals: 2 of 5 legal team members
Time-Off Requests
Scenario: Employee vacation requests require supervisor approval Configuration:- Trigger: Manual request submission
- Approver: Employee’s supervisor
- Delegate: Department head (when supervisor unavailable)
Budget Changes
Scenario: Budget modifications need finance and department head approval Configuration:- Trigger: Budget variance > 10%
- Approvers: Finance Manager → Department Head
- Sequential approval required
Configuration Guide
Basic Settings
Approval Name
Approval Name
Purpose: Unique identifier for the approval processBest Practice: Use descriptive names that clearly indicate the purposeExamples:
- “Purchase Order Approval - Over $1K”
- “Legal Document Review”
- “Employee Onboarding Sign-off”
Assign to Stage
Assign to Stage
Purpose: Link approval to specific workflow stage Best Practice: Align
approvals with logical business process stages Examples: - “Review” stage
for document approvals - “Pending Approval” stage for purchase orders -
“Manager Review” stage for time-off requests
Locked Fields
Locked Fields
Purpose: Restrict field modifications during the approval processBest Practice: Lock fields that shouldn’t change during reviewExamples:
- Amount and vendor fields for purchase orders
- Contract terms for legal documents
- Request dates for time-off approvals
Approval Types
Sequential approver workflow where each approver must act before the next can proceed.Best for:
- Budget approvals requiring multiple levels
- Document reviews with hierarchical sign-off
- Project milestone approvals
- Direct Manager
- Department Head
- Finance Director
- CFO (for amounts > $10,000)
Button Customization
Customize approval interface to match your business terminology:Financial Approvals
Financial Approvals
Approve Option: “Authorize” (9/20 characters)Deny Option: “Reject” (6/20 characters)
Document Review
Document Review
Approve Option: “Sign Off” (8/20 characters) Deny Option: “Send Back”
(9/20 characters)
Time-Off Requests
Time-Off Requests
Approve Option: “Grant” (5/20 characters)Deny Option: “Decline” (7/20 characters)
Advanced Features
Approval Delegates
Set approval delegates to ensure business continuity when approvers are
unavailable.
- Temporary delegation for planned absences
- Automatic fallback to delegates when approvers don’t respond
- Time-based delegation for specific periods
- Notification management to keep delegates informed
Group Approvals
Groups can participate as approver steps with customizable voting requirements:Configuration: 3 of 5 approvals required from Legal TeamUse Case: Document reviews where majority consensus is sufficientSettings:
- Group: Legal Team (5 members)
- Required approvals: 3
- Denial threshold: 2 (process stops if 2 members deny)
Automation Integration
Automations can automatically manage approval processes based on business
rules and conditions.
Start Approval Process
Start Approval Process
Trigger Examples:
- Purchase order amount exceeds $1,000
- New employee record created
- Contract upload detected
- Budget variance threshold reached
Auto-Approve
Auto-Approve
Trigger Examples:
- Small amounts within delegation authority
- Pre-approved vendor purchases
- Routine maintenance requests
- Employee data updates
Auto-Deny
Auto-Deny
Trigger Examples:
- Requests exceeding budget limits
- Invalid or incomplete data
- Policy violations detected
- Duplicate submissions
Cancel Process
Cancel Process
Trigger Examples:
- Underlying data changes significantly
- Requestor cancels original request
- Deadline passes without action
- Higher priority conflicts arise
Approval Workflow States
Active approval requests requiring action from assigned approvers.Information Displayed:
- Approval summary and context
- Current position in approval chain
- Deadline information (if configured)
- Attached documents and relevant data
- Previous approver comments
Best Practices
Process Design
Clear Approval Names: Use descriptive names that indicate purpose and scope Logical Stage Assignment: Link approvals to appropriate workflow stages Realistic Timelines: Set achievable approval deadlines with buffer timeSecurity & Control
Lock Critical Fields: Prevent data changes during approval processes Appropriate Permissions: Ensure only authorized users can modify approval settings Audit Trails: Maintain complete records of all approval actionsUser Experience
Configure Delegates: Ensure business continuity with proper delegation Clear Instructions: Provide context and guidance for approvers Timely Notifications: Keep stakeholders informed of approval statusAutomation Management
Monitor Performance: Regularly review automated approval triggers and outcomes Test Thoroughly: Validate automation logic before production deployment Document Rules: Maintain clear documentation of approval automation rulesTroubleshooting Common Issues
Approval Process Not Starting
Approval Process Not Starting
Possible Causes:
- Automation trigger conditions not met
- Insufficient user permissions
- Incorrect stage assignment
- Verify trigger conditions and data values
- Check user roles and permissions
- Confirm approval is assigned to correct workflow stage
Approvers Not Receiving Notifications
Approvers Not Receiving Notifications
Possible Causes: - Email notification settings disabled - Approver not
active in system - Delegate settings interfering Solutions: - Enable email
notifications in user settings - Verify approver account status - Review
delegate configuration
Group Approval Thresholds Not Working
Group Approval Thresholds Not Working
Possible Causes:
- Incorrect group membership
- Conflicting approval/denial thresholds
- Group members lacking permissions
- Verify group membership and roles
- Review threshold settings for logical consistency
- Confirm group member permissions