Approval Chains Martha Pluemer 2012 User Conference

Approval Chains You can use approval chains to approve:  Purchase orders  Budget requests/transfers  Bids  Advanced purchases  Payroll salary changes  Warehouse orders  Payments

Planning an Approval Chain Prior to setting up an approval chain, you must first identify how you want your approval chain to function There are three ways to set up an approval chain:  By Location  By User  By Account

Location Chain SAMPLE

Approval Chain by Location Enter the approval chain in the Location Master You can key different approval chains depending on transaction type

User Chain Sample forms can be found in the FAS User Guide A user chain overrides a location chain Chain used for every transaction keyed by the user A user chain merges with an account chain Sample

Approval Chain by User Enter the approval chain in the Users Master

 An account approval chain is typically a detour in the chain  A location or user chain is generated, then it detours to a different department Sample Approval Chain by Account

A transaction is entered for an account that contains an approval chain.

Organization Master settings Approve Each Level Approve Stipend Vendors

Organization Master settings Approve each level: Requires each approval code to approve the transaction in sequential order Cannot approve at a higher level to auto approve lower levels Approve Stipend Vendors: Typically vendor or vendor you intend to use only once Requires a user to approve as stipend or approve as vendor before the transaction begins the approval process

Create Approval Codes Once you’ve planned the chains and who will approve each level, it’s time to key that data into alio The first step is to define approval codes & descriptions Include Dollar Minimum amount

Create User Approvers Next, associate an alio user with the Approval Code The user(s) are able to approve the transaction waiting for approval by that Approval Code Select the Active box to allow approval

Create Approval Chains PO level indicates the transaction is fully approved and ready for edit Approval Level indicates the order in which the transaction is approved Final level must be Approval Code PO Leave room between levels for detours by account chains

Create Approval Chains Copy Full Approval Chains: This new feature allows you to copy an existing approval chain to create a new one If the “To” chain already exists, user is asked if they want to overwrite. The existing chain will be deleted before the new one is copied over.

Sample Location Chain Enter a requisition with order location of Birch High to view a location approval chain

Sample Location Chain The account does not contain an approval chain on this transaction

Sample Location Chain Approval chain is properly built Asst. Super and Superintendent will both auto approve since the amount is less than 25,000

Sample Location Chain User ANEAL logs on to approve the requisition

Sample Location Chain The requisition now shows approved with date, time and user and waiting for approval by FIN

Sample Location Chain Finance and Purchasing approve the order and it is ready for edit/print

Sample User Chain User ID has assigned Approval Chain(s)

Sample User Chain You can key different approval chains depending on transaction type The technology chain doesn’t include the principal, for example

Sample User Chain Log on as PLUEMERM user Key a requisition for Birch High

Sample User Chain User chain overrides location chain Again, the transaction will auto approve for ASUP and SUPT levels

Sample Account Chain Detour account chain is attached to an account in the Chart of Accounts

Sample Account Chain Key a requisition for Birch High

Sample Account Chain The account has chain TECH

Sample Account Chain The technology chain merged with the location chain

Sample Account Chain Users approve the requisition Because it is over $25,000, the assistant superintendent must approve the requisition Notice the superintendent Auto approved because the amount is less than $50,000

Multiple Account Chains Chart of accounts has two Approval Chains for requisitions in this sample alio will merge these two (PR & PRTR with the location chain (if exists)

Multiple Account Chains PR is level 20 – PRTR is level 25

Multiple Account Chains Enter a transaction using the travel account

Multiple Account Chains BIRCHHS, PR and PRTR all merged to create the approval chain for this transaction

Auto Approval Chain Assigning an approval chain that contains only “PO” Approval Code would automatically approve any transaction assigned this chain Some of you may find that you already have an auto chain set up, perhaps by the implementer/trainer

Summary A Location chain merges with an account chain A user chain merges with an account chain A user chain overrides the location chain If multiple account chains exist, they will merge together Final level in the chain must be Approval Code PO Recommend you assign the same level each time for said department for best merge results