Use the following steps to add an approval process to a workflow.

1. In the Workflow: <Workflow Name>form, click the Detailstab.

2. Click the top node in the Workflow elementsbox.

3. Click Addand then select the approval process that you want to add.

   The approval process will be added to the tree view. You can move the approval process up or down, as necessary.

   Notice that several tabs now appear in the lower part of the form. You will use these tabs to complete the following procedures.

Use the following steps to enter a name for the approval process.

1. Click the Overviewtab.

2. In the Approval namefield, enter a unique name for the approval process.

Use the following steps to specify when this approval process (and all of its steps) must be completed.

Note
The options that you select here will override the options that you select on the Assignmentand Escalationtabs of each approval step.

1. Click the Overviewtab.

2. Expand the Set a time limit for the approval processarea.

3. Specify when this approval process (and all of its steps) must be completed. Select one of the following options:

   • Hours— If you select this option, enter the number of hours in which this approval process must be completed, and then select the calendar that your organization uses.

   • Days— If you select this option, enter the number of days in which this approval process must be completed, and then select the calendar that your organization uses.

   • Weeks— If you select this option, enter the number of weeks in which this approval process must be completed.

   • Months— If you select this option, select the day and week in which this approval process must be completed. For example, you may want this approval process completed by Friday of the third week of the month.

   • Years— If you select this option, select the day, week, and month in which this approval process must be completed. For example, you may want this approval process completed by Friday of the third week of December.

4. If the time limit is exceeded, the system will automatically act on the document that was submitted. Specify the action that the system should take. You may need to select a time and time zone, as well.

You can configure the system to automatically act on documents that meet specific conditions. For example, you can configure the system to automatically approve purchase requisitions that are less than $100.

Use the following steps to configure the system to act on documents that meet specific conditions.

1. Click the Automatic actionstab.

2. Expand the Enable automatic actionsarea.

3. Click Add condition.

4. Enter a condition.

5. Enter additional conditions, if necessary.

6. To verify that the conditions you entered are set correctly, click Test condition. The Workflow condition editorform is displayed.

   Select a record in the Validate conditionarea of the form. Click Test. The system will evaluate the record to determine if it meets the conditions that you specified.

   For example, continuing with the example mentioned, suppose that you want the system to automatically approve purchase requisitions less than $100. The Validate conditionarea of the form will display a list of purchase requisitions. When you click Test, the system will evaluate the selected purchase requisition to determine if approval amount < 100.

7. Click OK. The Workflow: <Workflow Name>form is displayed.

8. From the Actionlist, select the action that the system should take.

You can send notifications to users when a document—submitted to this approval process—has been approved, delegated, escalated, rejected, or when a change has been requested.

Use the following steps to specify when notifications should be sent.

1. Click the Notificationstab.

2. Select the check box next to an event:

   • Approve— Select this check box to send notifications when a document has been approved.

   • Delegate— Select this check box to send notifications when a document has been assigned to another user for approval.

   • Escalate— Select this check box to send notifications when a user has failed to act on a document.

   • Reject—Select this check box to send notifications when a document has been rejected.

   • Request change— Select this check box to send notifications when a user has requested a change to a document.

3. For each event that you selected, specify who should receive notifications. Do the following:

   • Select the event.

   • Click Choose. The Assignmentform is displayed.

   • If you want notifications sent to all users in a specific user group, click the Role basedoption and select the appropriate user group.

   • If you want notifications sent to specific users, click the User basedoption and select the appropriate users.

   • Click OKto close the Assignmentform.

4. To enter the text of the notification, click Define.

   The Edit messageform is displayed.

5. In the Languages configuredlist, select the language you will use when entering the text.

6. In the Message textbox, enter the text.

   If you want to personalize the notification, you can insert placeholders. Placeholders will be replaced with the appropriate data when displayed to users.

   To insert a placeholder:

   • Click in the text to specify where the placeholder should appear.

   • From the Available placeholderslist, select the placeholder that you want to insert.

   • Click Insert.

7. Complete steps 5-6 for each language in the Languages configuredlist.

   If you do not enter text for one of the languages listed—and a user has configured the Microsoft Dynamics AX client to use that language—the user will see the text in the default language.

8. Click OK. The Workflow: <Workflow Name>form is displayed.

If there is only one approver in this approval process, you may want to designate a final approver. The final approver will be required to approve documents submitted by the approver.

Use the following steps to specify who the final approver is.

1. Click the Advancedtab.

2. Select the Require final approvercheck box.

3. From the list, select the user who will be the final approver.

When a document is assigned to a user for approval, the user must act on the document. Select which actions that you want to be available to users.

1. Click the Advancedtab.

2. Select the Approvecheck box if you want users to be able to approve documents.

3. Select the Rejectcheck box if you want users to be able to reject documents.

4. Select the Request changecheck box if you want users to be able to request changes to documents.

5. Select the Delegatecheck box if you want users to be able to assign documents to other users for approval.

For step-by-step instructions about how to add and configure approval steps, see Configure an approval step.