Defining a chain of approvals for knowledge articles

A chain of approvals or chaining refers to a series of approvals. In chaining, an approval is run based on the outcome of a previous approval. Chaining is required when multiple approvers must approve a knowledge article. To create an approval chain in BMC Helix Business Workflows, a Knowledge Coach can create a new approval process or reuse the default sample process that is provided in BMC Helix Innovation Studio. A Knowledge Coach can configure chaining for both types of approval flow—level up approval and general approval.

A Knowledge Coach can create a chain of approvals for publishing, retiring, or canceling knowledge articles.

A Knowledge Coach must complete the following steps to configure a chain of approvals:

1. Define a process for a flow group.
2. In an approval flow, associate the process with an approval flow.
   When the outcome of the process is achieved, the selected approval process is run.

Process variables in the sample process

BMC Helix Business Workflows provides a sample process called Knowledge Management - Sample Chain Approval to create a chain of approvals. You cannot modify the sample process. To configure a chain of approvals for knowledge articles, a Knowledge Coach must create a copy of the sample process.

The sample process contains process variables. The following table describes the process variables in the sample process:

To create a copy of the sample process

1. Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio as a case business analyst, and navigate to the Workspace tab.
2. Select Knowledge Management.
3. Click Processes.
4. Select the Knowledge Management - Sample Chain Approval process, and click Copy.
   In the new process, the process variables are automatically added.
5. From Palette, drag the Approval Process element to the canvas, and complete the following steps in Element Properties:
   1. Under Record, click Click to build an expression.
   2. In Edit Expression, from Process Variables, add Knowledge Article Template, and click OK.
   3. In Flow Group Name, click Select.
   4. In Select From Approval Flows, select the flow group that you want the process to call, and click Use Selected Flow Group.
   The following image shows the selected options:
   
6. (Optional) Use any other elements in the process based on how you want to configure the process.
   Learn more about elements in Process designer elements .

7. Click Save.
   After the process is created, an administrator must associate it with an approval flow.
   

   Important

   While configuring an approval flow, in the expression of approval flow execution, you can use the Approver List field to compute an approver based on your business logic. The options for the number of approvers to approve the article are One Must Approve, All Must Approve, or N% Must Approve.
   

To create a new chain of approval

1. Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio and navigate to the Workspace tab.
2. Select Knowledge Management.
3. Click Processes.
4. Click New.
   In the new process, the process variables are automatically added.
5. Specify the Name of the process.
6. Click Add/Remove Variables.
7. Specify Knowledge Article and Approval Status as the Input Variable.
8. Specify Final Status as the Output Variable.
9. From Palette, drag the Approval Process element to the canvas, and perform the following steps in Element Properties:
   1. Under Record, click Click to build an expression.
   2. In Edit Expression, from Process Variables, add Case Record, and click OK.
   3. In Flow Group Name, click Select.
   4. In Select From Approval Flows, select the flow group that you want the process to call, and click Use Selected Flow Group.
10. (Optional) Use any other elements in the process based on how you want to configure the process.
    Learn more about elements in Process designer elements .
11. Provide the appropriate permissions for users.
12. Save the process.
    After the process is created, an administrator must associate it with an approval flow.

Associating the approval process with an approval flow

1. Log in to BMC Helix Business Workflows as a Knowledge Coach.
2. Click Application Settings .
3. Click Approvals > Approval Configuration.
4. To open the default approval process, click com.bmc.dsm.knowledge:Knowledge Article Template, or open the approval process that you created.
5. Click Approval Flows, and select one of the following options:
   • To use the default flow group, expand Default Article Approval Flow Group.
   • To create a new approval group, click New Flow Group.
6. Specify the Flow group name, and click Add.
7. Click New general flow or New level up flow.
8. If you choose to create a general flow, complete the following steps:
   1. Specify the Flow name.
   2. To build the Qualification, click Click to build an expression.
   3. Add the Foundation entities manually, and click OK.
   4. To add Approvers, click Edit.
   5. Select the approvers, and click Save.
   6. To add conditions for approvers, click Click to build an expression for Qualify approvers.
   7. If you select multiple approvers, select one of the options for If Multiple Approvers.
   8. Select the process to be invoked on approval, rejection, or error.
9. If you choose to create a level up flow, complete the following steps:
   1. Specify the Flow name.
   2. Specify the No. of Levels and Qualification.
   3. For General Approval Flow, select the Approvers.
   4. To build the Qualification, click Click to build an expression.
   5. Add the Foundation entities manually, and click OK.
   6. To add conditions for approvers, click Click to build an expression for Qualify approvers.
   7. Select the process to be invoked on approval, rejection, or error.
10. Click Save and Close.
    

Where to go from here

Mapping knowledge article status to approvals

Related topic

Knowledge article approvals

Configuring approval flows