Configuring approvals - Quick start

To get approvals up and running quickly with BMC Change Management, the application administrator must perform the procedure described in this topic. You should review this material before you review the details of how the BMC Remedy Approval Server (Approval Server) works with BMC Change Management.

For more information on the updates that were incorporated as a part of the 8.1.00 release for BMC Change Management approvals, see the section on BMC Change Management Approval process under Version 8.1.00 enhancements.

This section assumes you already know how to log on to the BMC Remedy AR System server, open the IT Home page, create a change request, and so on. This procedure is also applicable for Release Management.

Quick start to approvals in BMC Change Management

To configure BMC Change Management approvals

1. Review the change management process flow. In the Application Administration Console, select Custom Configuration > BMC Change Management > Advanced Options > Process Flow Configuration.
   
   Custom Process Flow

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2. Review the approval process configuration records that are installed by default. In the Application Administration Console, select Custom Configuration > Foundation > Advanced Options > Approval Process Configuration.
   
   Reviewing the approval process configuration records

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   Note

   BMC does not recommend that you modify the Global company record in this form. However, you can create company specific records for the approval process flow.

3. Click the Status Flow tab in the approval process configuration records to review the change states that drive the approval process.
   
   Reviewing the status flow of the approval process configuration record

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   The Change Process Flow drop-down displays the configured change process flows. It displays the standard process and custom processes created. The contents in the Begin, Approved, Rejected, and No approvers fields are displayed based on the Change process selected. This is a mandatory field.
   
   Approval and change request states

   
   

   Approval state field	Change request status	Approval Server action to the change request
   Begin	Request For Authorization	When the Status of the change request is Request For Authorization, the approval process starts.
   Approved	Request For Change	If the change request is approved, its Status becomes Request For Change.
   Rejected	Rejected	If the change request is rejected, its Status changes to Rejected.
   No Approvers	Request for Change	If there are no approvers defined for the change (that is, if no approvers are mapped to this phase), its Status changes to Request For Change.

4. Map your approvers to the approval process configuration records. In the Application Administration Console, select Custom Configuration > Change Management > Approval > Approval Mappings.
   
   Mapping approvers

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   Note

   Enter only the minimum values (shown in the red areas in the figure) that are needed to create the approver mappings. To enter values in the Additional Mappings area, carefully read Approval mappings to understand the purposes of these fields and how they are used.

   1. Enter Mann in the Last Name field and then press Enter.
      Mary Mann is part of the Calbro Service sample data.
   2. Select Global > Review as the Phase Name.
   3. Ignore the remaining fields on the Approver Mappings form.
   4. Save your changes.
      • If you correctly mapped the approvers to the approval process configuration record, you will see the approver in the Approvers tab when the change request reaches the Request For Authorization status, as shown in the figure in step 6.
      • If you correctly mapped the approvers to the approval process configuration record, you will see the approver in the Approvers tab when the change request reaches the Request For Authorization status.

5. Create a change request, and then use the Process Flow Status wizard to work the change request through its approval phases.
   
   Viewing approval information in a change request

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   1. Log on to BMC Change Management.
   2. Create a change request and assign it to a specific support group in your company.
   3. Use the Process Flow Status bar to move the change request to the Request For Authorization status.

6. As Mary Mann, log on to the BMC Remedy AR System server as the approver in a browser or user tool, open Approval Central from the IT Home page, and then approve the change request.
   
   Approving the change request in Approval Central

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7. Return to the change request, and then refresh it.
   
   Flow of change request after approval

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Related topics

Default global approval processes for BMC Change Management
Default global approval processes for Release Management
Creating individual and group approvers
Approval states on the Status Flow tab