Workflow Approval Ideas

Question

Has anyone done a workflow where approvals are given via a logged multiple choice field? My use case:

I have a series of approvals needed. So the flow might be, Scope Writer, to Estimator, to Project Manager, to Program Manager.

Each person can select Approved from multiple choice field (currently only with the choice 'Approved' available). This a a logged field so records who selected approved and the date. Then I have a 'most recent approval' field which is just a text field that extracts the most recent approval. So: [Aug-8-21 John Smith] Approved, becomes simply, 'Approved'.

Another formula field can determine the status. If the most recent estimator approval = Approved, status="Pending Project Manager Approval', and so on.

This works great with one significant draw back. If I want to add a Disapprove, I cannot come up with a way for the status to tell what is happening. For example, the most recent Estimator approval = Approved. The Project Manager dissaproves, so most recent for that person is 'Dissapproved.' Perfect. Except, now how can the Estimator revise and return? I could add a revise and return button, but now what happens if the Manager wants to reject a second time? And so on down the rabbit hole...

Does anyone have a good best practice for accomplishing workflows where we want to log when people approve, but also be abl to approve/dissaprove/correct and return back/dissaprove...etc.?

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Mike Tamoush
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donlarson · Answer

Mike,Here is how I battled it.The Project Status table has all the values in your work flow.&nbsp; Hypothetically for youSales Department RequestRelease to OperationsScope Writer ApprovedScope Writer RejectedEstimator ApprovedEstimator RejectedProject Manager ApprovedProject Manager RejectedProgram Manager Approved Program Manager RejectedCancelledInvoicedEdit permission, dashboards and reports on the Project is now controlled by the Related Project Status which is from a look up relationship between the Project Status Change table and Projects based upon the key field being the Max RID in a summary relationship between Projects and Project Status Change.

The Sales Department can do anything it wants while it is a Sales Department Request or Scope Writer Rejected
Scope Writers do their thing while it is Release to Operations or Estimator Rejected.&nbsp; &nbsp;Their Record Picker only has Scope Writer Approved or Scope Writer Rejected as options.
Estimators work on it while it is Scope Writer Approved or Project Manager Rejected.&nbsp; Their record picker is only Estimator Approved or Estimator Rejected.
...

And so on until it is in the hands of the Accounting Department where they can mark it Invoiced and then absolutely no one can edit the Project.------------------------------Don LarsonPaasporterWestlake OH------------------------------

michaeltamoush · Answer

Ahhh, so having the choices come from a relationship instead. That's pretty slick. Do you log who and when the choice is made somehow? Maybe with dynamic rules? It's easy with a multiple choice field because it can be logged.

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Mike Tamoush
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donlarson · Answer

Mike,There is no log file per se.&nbsp; When the User wants to change the Project Status, they are actually adding a record to the Project Status Change table.&nbsp; The Status of the Project is the value of Related Project Status for the last record added.This more than a log, it is the Project Life Cycle.&nbsp; &nbsp;You can ask all sort of questions like what status had the longest duration, how many times was it rejected by the Project Manager and so on.&nbsp; It can be quite revealing to show that Scope Writers do their job in two days on average but estimating is three weeks.------------------------------Don LarsonPaasporterWestlake OH------------------------------

michaeltamoush · Answer

Oh yes, I see now what you are doing. Good idea I need to think about that, thanks!------------------------------Mike Tamoush------------------------------

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Workflow Approval Ideas