Approval Workflows

Configure how requests are routed for approval within your organization.

How Workflows Work

When an employee submits a request, the system determines the approval path:

1. Check for matching workflow — Does a workflow exist for this request type and department?
2. If yes — Route through the configured stages
3. If no — Route to the direct manager and HR

Viewing Workflows

1. Go to Administration → Workflows
2. See all configured workflows with their stages and assignments

Creating a Workflow

1. Click Add Workflow
2. Configure the workflow:

Field	Required	Description
Name	Yes	Descriptive name (e.g., "Leave Approval - Engineering")
Request Type	Yes	Which request type this workflow handles
Department	No	Limit to a specific department, or leave blank for all
Active	Yes	Enable/disable the workflow

3. Click Next to add stages

Adding Stages

Each stage represents an approval step:

Field	Description
Stage Name	E.g., "Manager Approval", "HR Review"
Order	Stage sequence (1 = first, 2 = second, etc.)
Approver Type	Direct Manager, Specific Employee, Role-based (HR/Admin)
Approver	Specific person (if not role-based)
Required	Whether this stage must approve for the request to proceed

Example: Two-Stage Leave Approval

Stage 1: Direct Manager (Required)
    ↓ (on approve)
Stage 2: HR Review (Required)
    ↓ (on approve)
Request Approved ✓

Example: Three-Stage Expense Approval

Stage 1: Direct Manager (Required)
    ↓ (on approve)
Stage 2: Department Head (Required)
    ↓ (on approve)
Stage 3: Finance (Required)
    ↓ (on approve)
Request Approved ✓

Workflow Types

Sequential

Approvers act in order. Stage 2 doesn't see the request until Stage 1 approves.

Parallel

All stages can act simultaneously. Request is approved when all required stages approve.

Default Behavior (No Workflow)

If no workflow matches a request:

1. Request goes to the employee's direct manager
2. Request also goes to all HR employees
3. Either can approve or reject

Editing Workflows

1. Click on a workflow to open it
2. Modify stages, approvers, or settings
3. Save

note

Changes to workflows only affect new requests. Existing in-progress requests continue using the workflow that was active when they were submitted.

Workflow Tips

• Start simple — Begin with one or two stages
• Test thoroughly — Submit test requests to verify routing
• Document — Keep a record of which workflows apply to which departments
• Review regularly — Update workflows when team structures change