• Creating the Workflow Definition entails the setting up of the general workflow parameters.
• Click on New Record and enter the information as prompted.

Workflow Name: Give the Workflow a Name that corresponds with the definition of the workflow that you are building. E.g. If building a workflow for the HR department only, then the Workflow Name can be Leave Workflow_HR

Module: Select Leave from the drop-box.

Country: If setting up a workflow for a company within a specific country, select the applicable country. If the workflow is applicable  across All Countries, select the ‘All Countries’ option.

Division, Department, Section: Similarly, select the Division, Department and Section for which you are building the Workflow. If the Workflow is applicable across all entities, select ‘All Divisions’, ‘All Departments’ and ‘All Sections’

HR Module Type: A list of all leave types built into the application is displayed within the drop-box. Select the leave type to which the workflow will apply.  Alternatively, you can select ‘All Leave Types’ if there are no specific workflow rules for each leave type.

Effective Date: Select the date on which the workflow will become effective. Use the diskette icon to save the record.

Status: Check Active or Inactive to indicate the status of the workflow Note: You cannot use a workflow if it is inactive. Additionally, a workflow that is already in use (with transactions in the workflow process) cannot be made inactive. It is recommended, therefore, that you do not make the workflow Active until all parameters associated with the workflow are setup.

Use the diskette icon to save.

Click on the plus sign to the left of the Workflow Definition record to expand. Next, click on New Stage and enter the information as prompted.

As per the workflow processes, the first stage is ‘Enter Leave Record’ i.e. the employee, via the Self Service Module, can enter a Leave Request.

Stage Number: Enter ‘1’ for the 1st Stage

Process: Select ‘Enter Leave Record’ from the drop-box

Form: Select the ‘Leave Entry Form’ from the drop-box

As this stage does not require a role and does not need auto-escalation, you can simply save by clicking on the diskette icon.

The second stage of the workflow is an approval stage. As such, we will enter the Stage information as follows: 

Stage Number: Enter ‘2’ for the 2nd Stage

Process: Select ‘Approve Leave Record’ from the drop-box

Form: Select either ‘Leave Approval Form’  or ‘Leave Approval Form Detailed’ from the drop-box

In this example, we will not use a role at this stage as we want the application to direct leave requests to employees’ direct supervisors.

We do, however, want the leave request to be auto-escalated should the employee’s Direct Supervisor not receive the request (if on leave etc.)

Auto Escalate Action: Chose the appropriate action as per your company’s leave rules. In this example, we will choose ‘Go to Next Stage’ as we have a second level of approval.

Auto Escalate After (days): Enter the number of days after which the record will be escalated. 

Void After (Tries): Enter the number of auto escalation tries after which the record will be voided.

Note: If the Auto Escalate feature is used, the processor will automatically attempt to process the record on the workflow after the specified number of days using the specified action.  The processor keeps track of the number of attempts made at automatically escalating the record on the workflow.  When this number reaches the specified number of tries after which the record may be voided, the record is automatically voided.

Next, we will enter a third Stage of the workflow. This is the 2nd level of approval. In this example, we have instructed the application to send Leave Requests that have been approved by Direct Supervisors to the HR Manager for final approval. As such, we are utilising the Role option.

Role Name: Select the name of the Role from the drop-box (role definitions previously setup will be displayed in the list.

Auto Escalate Action: Notice that, as this is the last stage that we are setting up, we have instructed the application to send to HR if the 2nd approver does not approve the request.