Defining a chain of approvals for tasks

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 task. To create an approval chain in BMC Helix Business Workflows, a case business analyst can create a new approval process or reuse the default sample process that is provided in BMC Helix Innovation Studio. A case business analyst can configure chaining for both types of approval flow—level up approval and general approval.

A case business analyst 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.

Sample process for tasks

A sample process called Task - Sample Chaining Approval is provided out of the box to configure a chain of approvals. You cannot modify the sample process.

The following table lists the process variables in the sample process that are used in the approval 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. Open Task Management Service.
3. Click Processes.
4. Select Task - Sample Chaining Approval, 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 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.
6. (Optional) Use any other elements in the process based on how you want to configure the process.
   The following image shows an example of adding an element in which the approval process triggers an approval from a different flow group.
   
   Learn more information about elements in Process designer elements.
7. Click Save.
   After the process is created, an administrator must associate it with an approval expression.

To create a new chain of approval process

If you do not want to use the default approval process, you can create a new process in BMC Helix Innovation Studio.

1. Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio and navigate to the Workspace tab.
2. Select Task Management Service.
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 Case Record 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 information 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 case business analyst.
2. Click Application Settings .
   The Settings page opens in a new browser tab.
3. Click Approvals > Approval Configuration.
4. To open the default approval process, click com.bmc.dsm.task-lib:Task, or open the approval process that you created.
5. Click Approval Flows.
6. To use the default flow group, expand Task Group.
7. To create a new approval group, click Add New Flow Group.
8. Click Add New Flow, and click Level Up Approval Flow or General Approval Flow.
   1. For Level Up Approval Flow, specify the No. of Levels and Qualification.
   2. For General Approval Flow, select the Approvers, and specify the Qualification.
      If you select multiple approvers, select one of the options for If Multiple Approvers.

1. To create an approval chaining, select the status from Outcome, and select the process that should run when the outcome is achieved, and click Add.
   The following image shows an example of approval chaining in which a new process is called when the outcome of the approval flow is Approved.
   

1. Save the approval flow group.

Where to go from here

Mapping-task-status-to-approvals

Related topic

Configuring approval flows