Work Flow Setup Steps -

In order to set up Work Flow and Work Flow Types follow menu path Configuration >> Application Configuration, then select the Work Flow or Work Flow Types buttons as desired.

Work Flow Definition:  The life cycle that each individual posting goes through from its initial creation to its final approval.

Within OnTrax, an organization can have as many work flows defined as required. A small organization typically has 1-4 work flows defined, depending upon how the organization is set up and managed. A larger organization, with 100's of users, may require anywhere from 1 to 20+- work flows based solely on the organizations needs.  

A minimum of 1 work flow is required for OnTrax to operate. Users can not create postings within the system until their associated user ID's have an assigned work flow for the posting type required. To create Time postings within the system, the user ID for the user creating the posting must have a work flow assigned to its 'Time Entry Work Flow' setting. The same is true for User Expenses and General Expenses.  Work flow assignments can be maintained in either the User Maintenance area of the application or for multiple user ID's in the application configuration area using the 'Work Flow User Assignment' button.

Example of a potential work flow:

Step 1. User creates a time posting and sets its status to 'pending' approval.

Step 2. The project manager is required to approve any time posted to their project.

Step 3. The user's manager is required to approve any time posted by his/her subordinates.

Step 4. The accounts receivable representative grants final approval and bills customers for the time if applicable.

The steps required to set up a Work Flow are as follows:

Step 1.  Define exactly what the process is within your organization for approval of time, user expenses, and general/project expenses.

Step 2.  Create one Work Flow Approver Type (basic building block of a work flow) for each step in the approval process.  In the above example, the following three Work Flow Approver Types would be created:

a.  'Project Manager' approver type assigned - users assigned as manager of project posted to can approve this level

b.  'Primary Manager' approver type assigned - user assigned as the primary manager can approve this level

c.  'Unique User ID' approver type assigned - one particular user ID can approve this level

Step 3.  Create one Work Flow, assigning the Work Flow Types to the appropriate levels of approval required.  In the above example, the 'a. Project Manager' would be assigned to level 1 in the work flow, 'b. Primary Manager' would be assigned to level 2 in the work flow, and 'c. Unique user ID' would be assigned to level 3.

Note:  Multiple Work Flow Approver Types can be assigned to one approval level.  This allows the system to be configured so that multiple 'Unique User ID's' could be assigned to level 3, enabling the accounts receivable representative to also have a backup user assigned for when they are absent.

Step 4.  Assign the new Work Flow to the appropriate user ID's so the users can start creating postings within the system.

Within OnTrax, postings automatically display the appropriate status depending upon who is logged into the system.  If I am a project manager in the above work flow example, any posting made to my project will appear to me with a status of pending (yellow) when a user first submits a posting.  After I approve the posting, the status will then display as approved (green) to both me and the user who created the posting.  This posting will next show as pending to the Primary Manager, because he or she is next in line in the work flow to approve the posting.  This process continues until final approval is obtained (top work flow level).