1. Implementing GL, AP and PO Workflow
Max Sheffield, Empire District Electric
Paige Ward, MarketSphere Consulting

2. Agenda Empire District Electric and Project Overhaul
Approval Framework Overview
Configuration Steps
Live Example
Advanced Features

3. Empire district electric
Project Overhaul
Empire district electric

4. Empire District Electric
Founded in 1909, Empire is an investor-owned, regulated utility company
Provides electric, natural gas & water services to customers in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma & Arkansas
Subsidiary of the company provides fiber optic services

5. Project Overhaul
Mission Statement: “Create a fully integrated system that properly feeds the financial statements while providing personnel, in all areas of the Company, the information necessary to perform their jobs in a timely and cost efficient manner.”
Project Information
Implementation of PeopleSoft Financials, PeopleSoft HR, PowerPlan and Maximo
PeopleSoft Financials upgrade from 7.5 to 9.1
The scope of the project included the following modules:
General Ledger
Accounts Payable
Purchasing
Cost Management
Accounts Receivable / Billing
Projects

6. Overview
Approval framework

7. Approval Framework
Specialized application used for defining and configuration approvals
Enables configuration of approval processes using existing components
Does not require code
Allows for the implementation of multiple rules
Can be easily modified to support and accommodate changing business needs
Delivered Application Workflow Engines (AWE’s)
Voucher Approval
Vendor Approval
Requisition Approval
Purchase Order Approval
Journal Approval

8. Approval Framework

9. Why Approval Framework?
Address today’s business needs through flexible approvals, rules and routings
Preview approvals
Parallel approvals
Dynamic or static approval paths
Line level approval
User friendly approval routing display
Justification and approver comments
View printable version
Approve, pushback, deny hold
Adhoc approvers and reviewers
Confirmations and notifications
Reminders, escalations, and delegations
Edit without re-approval
approvals
Approval history

10. Terminology
Transaction Registry: outlines integration between Workflow module and Approval Framework
Transaction Configuration: provides details on how Workflow module integrates with Approval Framework
Approval Process Setup: defines details of application approval rules
Stage: used to contain one or more paths; define if transaction approval is at header or line level
Path: parallel processing of approvals
Static source: set number of steps
Dynamic source: allows for one step only
Step: unit of work that must complete before advancing, based on defined criteria

11. Approval Framework
Configuration steps

12. Configuration Steps Transaction Registry User List Setup
Transaction Configuration
Approval Process Setup

13. Transaction Registry
Interface application used to register the main records and components that make up the transaction
Defines how the system interacts with portions of the application requiring approvals
This page is used to define:
Worklist approvals
Notification options
Adhoc approval class logic
Transaction approval levels
Delivered configuration; typically requires minimal additional configuration

14. User List Setup Defines user sources for steps in the approval process
User list source options:
Role: approval routing based on list of users having specific role
SQL Definition: approval routing based on specific SQL and OPRID
Query: system-determined approval routing based on fields triggering workflow
Application Class: approval routing based on originator of transaction

15. Transaction Configuration
Defines elements that determine what triggers a notification, who receives the notification, and the content of the notification
Events prompting notifications:
Launch of approval process for transaction
Queue of approval step to approver
Queue of review step to reviewer
Denial of line or header
Approval of line or header
Completion of approval process
Recipients of notifications include requesters, approvers and reviewers of a transaction
Notifications can be received through Worklist, or both

16. Approval Process Setup
Defines approval process, which is made up of stages and their paths and steps
Each approval step represents approval level required for transaction
Approval processes can be developed to:
Meet organizational or tiered approval limits
Use parallel processing to allow multiple transaction entities to be processed at the same time
Use staged approvals that require one sequence of processing to complete before another can begin

17. Voucher Workflow
Live example

18. Click on link to access Worklist
Notification
Upon submitting Voucher for approval, assigned approver receives notification requesting action
Click on link to access Worklist

19. Click on link to view Voucher/PO information
Worklist
Transactions awaiting approval can be located in the Approver’s Worklist
Click on link to view Voucher/PO information

20. Inquiry Options

21. Approval Options
Approve: Voucher automatically routes to next Approver (if applicable)
Deny: Voucher sent back to AP department (comments required)
Pushback: Voucher sent back to previous approver (comments required)

22. Approval Options, contd.
Insert Adhoc Approver / Reviewer
Approver: add approver not already included in path (approval action required)
Reviewer: add User to review voucher after approval process is complete (no action required)
Start New Path: create new approval string
Select to start new path
Select to insert Approver/Reviewer

23. Advanced Features Smart Phone Approvals Email Approvals
Customization examples