Self Check stage rules

Approval Server uses the Self Check stage of an approval process to prevent unnecessary routing. The rule types that you can use in the Self Check stage include:

Auto Approval
Get Authority or Get Authority Self
Self Approval

Auto Approval rules

The Approval Server first checks for an Auto Approval rule. Automatic approval occurs when any user has the authority to approve a given request, independent of the user's role in the organization or within the AR System server. When an Auto Approval rule condition is met, the request is done and the request moves directly to the Process Done stage. In the Auto Approval rule, the rule condition contains the authority criteria that applies to all users.

For example, if an Auto Approval rule says that everyone in the company can be reimbursed for a business lunch up to $40, and Frank requests approval for a $25 lunch, the Auto Approval condition is met, and the Approval Server uses the Auto Approval rule to automatically approve Frank's request.

The Management Cost Authorization process of the Lunch Scheduler sample application contains an example of an Auto Approval rule. To create an Auto Approval rule, see Defining-Auto-Approval-rules.

Self Approval rule

When a request fails the Auto Approval rule or no Auto Approval rule is present, the Approval Server tests for a self-approval condition. A Self Approval rule runs only when the current user is the owner of the approval request. It uses the Get Authority or Get Authority Self rules together with Self Approval rules.

Get Authority and Get Authority Self rules

These two rule types collect data, such as a monetary amount, that determines the current approver's authority limits. The information collected by either the Get Authority or the Get Authority Self rule is used by any Self Approval rules that exist in the process.

The difference between Get Authority and Get Authority Self rules occurs during the runtime of the approval process. The Approval Server runs Get Authority rules during both the Self Check stage and the Completion Check stage of the approval process. It runs Get Authority Self rules only in the Self Check stage. You determine which rule type to use based on the data you need to gather in each stage of the approval process.

You can use a combination of Get Authority rule types in a process that requires more than one type of authority check. For example, a company's business rules might require one set of self-approval levels for expenses, such as $100 for regular employees, $200 for managers and above. Another set of approval limits might be for major purchases, such as up to $5000 for managers. Lastly, higher expenses might require three approvers including a Vice President. A process to support these business rules would include two different signature authority forms. A Get Authority Self rule would support the Self Approval rule, and a Get Authority rule would support the Get Next Approver rule.

The Cost Get Approval Authority rule in the Lunch Scheduler sample application is an example of a Get Authority rule. To create Get Authority rules, see Defining-all-Get-Authority-rules.

The third type of rule called Get Authority Regular is performed only during completion processing. For more information, see Completion-Check-stage-rules.

Self Approval rules

Self Approval rules test data collected by the Get Authority or the Get Authority Self rules to determine whether the requester has sufficient authority to approve the request. The request is done when a Self Approval rule's conditions are met.

The following example is of a self-approval rule:

If Frank requests approval for a $50 business lunch, the condition of the $40 Auto Approval rule is not met. In this case, the Self Check stage continues with a Get Authority or Get Authority Self rule to collect Frank's employee status. The data gathered shows that Frank has the authority to approve lunches up to $100. The Self Approval rule uses this data to confirm that Frank has the authority to approve his own $50 lunch request, and processes the it.

The Cost Approve for Myself rule in the Lunch Scheduler sample application is an example of a Self Approval rule. To create a Self Approval rule, see Defining-Self-Approval-rules.