Approval Workflow Configuration

Design and configure approval workflows for your organization.

Overview

Waqti's workflow engine supports:

• Linear sequential approvals
• Conditional branching
• Parallel approvals
• Dynamic approver assignment
• Visual workflow builder (Enterprise)

Workflow Types

Linear Workflow

Sequential approvals in fixed order:

Step 1 → Step 2 → Step 3 → Approved

Configuration:

1. Define steps in order
2. Assign approvers to each step
3. Set time limits per step
4. Configure escalation

Conditional Workflow

Different paths based on criteria:

Condition: Amount
├── < 10,000: Path A (2 steps)
├── 10,000-50,000: Path B (3 steps)
└── > 50,000: Path C (4 steps)

Available Conditions:

• Amount ranges
• Department
• Vendor category
• Item category
• Project type

Parallel Workflow

Multiple approvers at same step:

Step 1 → [Approver A + Approver B] → Step 3

Approval Rules:

• All must approve
• Any one approves
• Majority approves

Creating Workflows

Step 1: Basic Setup

1. Settings → Workflows → + New Workflow
2. Enter:
   • Name
   • Description
   • Type (PO, Invoice, Vendor)
   • Status (Active/Draft)

Step 2: Define Scope

Set when this workflow applies:

Scope Type	Example
All	All POs use this workflow
Amount Range	POs between 10K-50K
Department	Only Operations dept
Combined	Operations + Amount > 10K

Step 3: Add Steps

For each step, configure:

Setting	Description
Step Name	Descriptive name
Approver Type	Role, user, dynamic
Specific Approver	Named user (optional)
Time Limit	Hours to respond
Escalation	Who gets escalated to
Required	Can be skipped?

Step 4: Configure Actions

Define available actions per step:

Action	Result
Approve	Move to next step
Reject	End workflow, return to creator
Request Changes	Return for modification
Delegate	Assign to another user

Step 5: Test and Activate

1. Save as Draft
2. Create test request
3. Verify routing
4. Activate workflow

Approver Assignment

By Role

Assign to anyone with a role:

• First available approver
• Rotational assignment
• Random assignment

By User

Assign to specific named user:

• John Smith
• With backup: Sarah Jones

Dynamic Assignment

Based on request attributes:

Type	Assigns To
Department Head	Head of requester's department
Budget Owner	Owner of selected budget
Vendor Manager	Manager assigned to vendor
Line Manager	Requester's direct manager

Approval Matrix

Complex rules based on multiple factors:

Amount + Department + Vendor Type = Approver
10K + Operations + Service = Ops Director
50K + Finance + Goods = CFO

Escalation Rules

Time-Based Escalation

Day 0: Request submitted
Day 2: Reminder to approver
Day 5: Escalate to next level
Day 7: Escalate to admin

Configuration

Setting	Description
Initial Wait	Days before first reminder
Reminder	Send reminder notification
Escalate After	Days before escalation
Escalate To	Role or user to escalate to
Max Escalations	Stop after N escalations

Workflow Variables

Use variables in workflow configuration:

Variable	Description
{requester}	User who submitted
{department}	Request department
{amount}	Total amount
{vendor}	Selected vendor
{budget}	Selected budget

Example:

• Approver: {department.head}
• Escalate To: {requester.manager}

Workflow Templates

Standard PO Workflow

name: Standard PO Approval
steps:
  - name: Department Approval
    approver: department_head
    time_limit: 48h
  - name: Finance Review
    approver: role:finance_manager
    time_limit: 24h
  - name: Final Approval
    condition: amount > 50000
    approver: role:cfo
    time_limit: 48h

Invoice Approval Workflow

name: Invoice Approval
steps:
  - name: Match Verification
    approver: system
    auto_approve_if: three_way_match
  - name: Finance Approval
    approver: role:finance_manager
    time_limit: 24h

Visual Workflow Builder

Enterprise feature for complex workflows.

Features

• Drag-and-drop interface
• Visual step connections
• Condition branching
• Preview and simulation
• Export/import

Using the Builder

1. Workflows → Visual Builder
2. Drag steps from toolbox
3. Connect with arrows
4. Configure each step
5. Add conditions on arrows
6. Preview workflow
7. Save and activate

Workflow Reports

Metrics

Metric	Description
Average Cycle Time	Submit to approval time
Step Durations	Time per step
Approval Rate	% approved vs rejected
Escalation Rate	% requiring escalation
Bottleneck Analysis	Slowest steps

Generating Reports

1. Reports → Workflow Performance
2. Select workflow(s)
3. Set date range
4. View metrics
5. Export as needed

Best Practices

Keep It Simple

• Fewer steps = faster approvals
• Only include necessary approvers
• Avoid redundant reviews

Use Conditions Wisely

• Set meaningful thresholds
• Consider business risk
• Balance control with efficiency

Plan for Absence

• Configure escalation
• Enable delegation
• Set backup approvers

Test Thoroughly

• Test all paths
• Verify conditions
• Check edge cases
• Monitor after deployment

Troubleshooting

Request Stuck in Workflow

Check:

1. Is approver active?
2. Has time limit passed?
3. Is escalation configured?
4. Any workflow errors?

Wrong Approver Assigned

Verify:

1. Workflow conditions
2. Department assignments
3. Role assignments
4. Approval matrix

Related Topics

• Approval Workflows
• User Roles
• Delegation