Defining a chain of approvals for cases and tasks

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 of approval chaining

BMC Helix Business Workflows provides sample processes that you can reuse to create a chain of approvals. The sample processes that are provided out of the box for cases and tasks contain process variables that are automatically copied to the new process when you create a copy of the sample process. 

The following table describes the process variables that are available in the case and task sample processes:

To create a copy of the sample process

1. Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio and navigate to the Workspace tab.
2. To create a copy of the sample case process, select Case Management Service.
3. To create a copy of the sample task process, select Task Management Service.
4. Click Processes.
5. Select the Case - Sample Chaining Approval process, and click Copy.
   In the new process, the process variables are automatically added.
6. For task approval, select the Task - Sample Chaining Approval process, and click Copy.
   In the new process, the process variables are automatically added.
7. 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. For case approval, in Edit Expression, from Process Variables, add Case Record, and click OK.
   3. For task approval, in Edit Expression, from Process Variables, add Task Record, and click OK.
   4. In Flow Group Name, click Select.

   5. In Select From Approval Flows, select the flow group that you want the process to call, and click Use Selected Flow Group.

      Note

      If you use the default case approval process, make sure that you add your approval flows in the out-of-the-box approval flow group BWFA Group.

8. (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 about elements in Process designer elements.

9. Save the process.
   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 of a case or task based on your business logic.
   

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. To create a copy of the sample case process, select Case Management Service.
3. To create a copy of the sample task process, select Task Management Service.
4. Click Processes > New.
   In the new process, the process variables are automatically added.
5. Specify the Name of the process.
6. Click Add/Remove Variables.
7. For case approval, specify Case Record and Approval Status as the Input Variable.
8. For task approval, specify Task Record and Approval Status as the Input Variable.
9. Specify Final Status as the Output Variable.
10. 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. For case approval, in Edit Expression, from Process Variables, add Case Record, and click OK.
    3. For task approval, in Edit Expression, from Process Variables, add Task Record, and click OK.
    4. In Flow Group Name, click Select.
    5. In Select From Approval Flows, select the flow group that you want the process to call, and click Use Selected Flow Group.
11. (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.
12. Provide the appropriate permissions for users.
13. 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

After an approval process is created, a case business analyst must associate it to an approval flow. If required, multiple approval flows can be associated through chaining.

1. Log in to BMC Helix Business Workflows as a case business analyst.
2. Click Application Settings .

1. Click Approvals > Approval Configuration.
2. For case approval, open the Case approval configuration, or open the approval process that you created.
3. For task approval, open the Task approval configuration, or open the approval process that you created.
4. On the Approval Flows tab, complete one of the following steps:
   • To use the default flow group, select BWFA Group.
   • To create a new approval group, click New flow group, specify the name, and click Add. Select the new group.
5. To create a general flow, click New general flow, and 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, for Qualify approvers, click Click to build an expression.
   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. Click Save and Close.
6. To create a level up flow, click New level up flow, and complete the following steps:
   1. Specify the Flow name.
   2. Specify the No. of Levels and Qualification.
   3. To build the Qualification, click Click to build an expression.
      Example: Create an approval flow for cases with Priority = Critical and Category Tier 1 = Compensation and Benefits. When a case with this qualification is created, it goes through the approval process with the level of approvers that you selected.
   4. Add the Foundation entities manually, and click OK.
   5. Select the process to be invoked on approval, rejection, or error.
7. Click Save and Close.

Where to go from here

Defining-approval-notifications