Parallel workflow in Process controlled workflow

[Former Member]

Dear experts,

could you please answer -

is it possible to use parallel worklow in the process controlled workflow?

for example, there is a requirement that all the department managers should approve the RFx document or contract.

Is it possible to simulate this process using the process controlled workflow in SRM 7.0?

It seems, that in the standard it is possible only via sequential approval - i.e. the first manager approves

the document, then it goes to the second etc.

Or all the managers receive the work item, but only one manager in fact approves it.

Both variants are not suitable.

Maybe there is another way to simulate the parallel worklow process?

There is an option called decision sets, but it can be used for shopping cart only.

Thanks a lot in advance,

Andrey Averin.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Case1: Do you want the whole document to go for approval to all your department managers at the same time

Case 2: Or is it that managers need to approve their allocated materials like line 1 for manager A, line 2 for manager 3.

Regards

Sam

Edited by: Sam Chacko Ninan on Jul 8, 2009 4:41 PM

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Sam,

my case is Case 1 -

all the managers should approve the whole document.

And they can do this simultaneosly.

For example - security department manager should say OK and juridical department manager should say OK.

And sequential process is not convenient in this case.

Juridicial department should wait until security department decision but they are completely independent on each other.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi,

I am not sure if this helps, you can use this option for the agent determination

RR_ROLE Get all Users of Specified Role for Approval

Regards

Sam

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Sam,

in this case all the users receive the work item,

but only one user will actually approve it.

[masa_139]

Hi,

You can use Application-Controlled Workflow for parallel approval.

Regards,

Masa

[Former Member]

Hi, Masa,

yes, it seems that is the only option.

Cause I don't understand how the process controlled workflow can support this kind

of approval.

[Former Member]

Hi,

Yes- This is possible through Process controlled workflow. I am doing a smiler kind of workflow development. like category approvers .. Category approval will split by category...but you have to build the logic such a way that read all the items and send to all the approvers.. But now i have noticed that even through all approvers will receive parallel workitem but Approver A can't open his/her workitem if Approver B is in the process of approve/reject the workitem( Meaning when he double click the workitem in detail) then Approver A will receive a Error pop up message saying that Approver B is working on this document.

John.

[masa_139]

Hi Andrey,

Header level parallel approval ( the document is approved by multiple person in same time) and

Item level approval ( each item is approved by different responsible person in same time) are different story.

Which one is your scenario?

Regards,

Masa

[Former Member]

Hi Masa,

we want the whole document to be simultaneously approved by several approvers.

Our example is - we have the bid invitation (RFx in terms of SRM 7.0) for the important and expensive equipment.

It should be approved by manager of security department, manager of the juridical department and purshasing department manager.

All the managers should approve the document before it goes to the next level - director of the purchasing of department.

And all the managers should have the possibility to approve the document simultaneously, without waiting for each other.

In SRM 5.0 and application controlled workflow it was possible to setup this kind of workflow.

Best regards,

Andrey.

[masa_139]

I would implement it in Application Controlled Workflow.

There is no problem because SRM70 supports both Application Controlled Workflow and Process Controlled Workflow.

Regards,

Masa