SharePoint · Retail and consumer goods

Multi-region approval workflow where the route is set by request type and amount

A SharePoint approval system for a consumer products group with units in several regions. The approver route is built from the unit, the request type and the amount, and approvers act from an email or a dashboard.

Client: A global consumer products group with business units across several regions and approval levels
Industry: Retail and consumer goods
Platform: SharePoint
Started from: Approval Workflow product

01The challenge

Requests for spend and policy approval travelled by email. Who had to approve depended on the unit, the type of request and the amount, so people guessed the route and requests stalled. Nobody could see where a request was waiting, and approvers away on leave left it stuck.

02The solution

We built a request and approval system on SharePoint Online from our Approval Workflow product. The initiator fills one form with the unit, request type, amount and currency, and the system builds the approver route from admin matrices. Approvers act from an email or a pending dashboard, ask for more information, or delegate while away. Admins maintain the masters and can correct a route from the settings lists.

How a request moves from entry to final approval

Raise a requestThe initiator picks the unit, the request type and the unit type, enters the amount in a chosen currency, and adds a title, a reason and attachments up to 15 MB. The USD amount is calculated from the exchange rate.
Route is builtThe approvers come from the request type matrix and the approver route master, using the unit, the request type and the amount. The initiator can add one more approver at the top of the route.
Approver is notifiedThe next approver gets an email with the request details, the route and three actions: approve, reject or need more information. The request also shows on the approver's pending dashboard.
Review and commentThe request details page shows the form, attachments, comments, the route with each status and a communication box between the initiator and approvers.
Ask for more informationA need more information action returns the request to the initiator. After the reply it goes straight back to the approver who asked.
Delegate when awayThe delegation master sends an approver's requests to another user for a date range, so nothing waits for someone on leave.
Final approvalWhen the last approver signs off the request is completed and the initiator is told. The full comment and status history stays on the request.
Admin controlAdmins search any request with many filters, maintain the masters and matrices, and move a request forward or backward from the advanced settings lists.

Screens from the system

Sample data only. These screens show the layout and flow, not real records.

Screen 1 of 11Built for this client

Approval dashboard

My requests, pending requests and completed requests in one view.

What we built

One request formUnit, type, amount, currency, reason and attachments in a single form.
Rule based routeApprovers chosen from matrices by unit, request type and amount.
Email approvalsApprove, reject or ask for more information from the email.
Pending dashboardEach approver sees what is waiting for them.
Currency handlingAmount in any currency with the exchange rate and a USD value.
DelegationDate bound hand over of approvals to another user.
Admin mastersRegions, countries, levels, unit types, matrices and user codes.
Admin search and fixesSearch every request and correct the route from settings lists.