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Multi Person Approval: How to Edit or Delete an Approval Flow

Azumuta Support
Updated

See create an approval flow for background. This article explains how to edit it or delete it.

Note: Currently, there are 2 templates for approval boards and approval flows: single-wave approval and dual-wave approval. Both templates share the same editing settings. The examples in this article use the dual-wave approval template. See both approval flow templates for more details.

To reach any approval flow action: go to Continous Improvement → Settings in the side panel, then click the ⋮ (three-dot) icon next to the flow.

How to get to the approval flow editor

From the ⋮ menu, click Edit flow.

The editor has five tabs: General, Flow Template, Advanced, Docx Reports, and Parameters. Each is covered below.

The Edit Flow interface with the General, Flow Template, Advanced, Docx Reports, and Parameters tabs highlighted.

The General tab

The General tab opens first. Here is what you can edit:

The General tab of the Edit Flow interface with its settings numbered.

  1. Click to open the General tab.
  2. You can edit the approval flow’s name here.
  3. Select whether the user who submits an approval request is automatically subscribed to that approval request. If that person is subscribed, then that person will receive an email notification whenever that approval request changes columns.
  4. Insert the maximum number of days granted to approve an approval request that is listed on this approval flow (if needed).
  5. Insert the problem template (if needed). A problem template is a text that will appear on a work instruction’s approval menu (as shown in the image below). A problem template is generally used to give a certain message to users who create or update work instructions. The Approve Work Instruction interface showing where the problem template appears.
  6. Insert a checklist (if needed). A checklist in an approval request works the same way a checklist in a ticket. See how to add a checklist to a ticket for more details.
  7. Click Save, or Cancel to discard your changes.

The Flow Template Tab

This is where the word “flow” in “approval flow” is derived from. An approval flow consists of several columns. A column represents an action step that needs to be taken in order to approve a work instruction.

The Flow Template tab showing the First Wave, Second Wave, Approved, and Declined columns.

The existing columns will vary depending on the approvement flow template that you’re using. For example, within the dual-wave approval template there are 4 columns, which are:

  • First Wave
  • Second Wave
  • Approved
  • Declined

See how to edit a column’s name on the approval board.

The Flow Template tab with the First Wave column highlighted as an example of a column.

You can add multiple items for each column. We will explain how to add an item and how to edit it in the next guide sections.

How to Add an Item to a Column

To add an item to a column:

  1. Click Add Item in the target column.
  2. Select the item.
  3. Enter the details.
  4. Click Save.

Here are the available item options for each column:

The Add item dropdown in the Flow Template tab showing the available item types.

  1. Click to add a task (you can type the task’s description directly. If the item doesn’t involve asking for a signature or filling a checklist, then we recommend you to choose this item type).
  2. Click to add a signature request for a specific person. (A signature is given to signify approval that an operator has completed all the required items within a column and is ready to move to the next column. Usually, a signature is asked from a supervisor or a manager).
  3. Click to add a signature request to a user group.
  4. Click to add a checklist (a checklist in an approval request works the same way a checklist in a ticket).

How to Edit an Item in a Column

To edit an item:

  1. Click the ⋮ (three-dot) icon next to the item.
  2. Make your edits.
  3. Click Save.

The options differ by item type, as shown below.

Editing a Task

The dropdown menu for editing a task in the Flow Template tab.

  1. Edit the task’s description here.
  2. Click to assign the task to yourself.
  3. Click to assign the task to a specific person.
  4. Click to assign the task to a specific user group.
  5. Click to remove the assigned person/user group (this can only be done if there’s already a person/user group that has been assigned).
  6. Select whether you want the assigned person/user group to receive an automated email from Azumuta that informs them when an approval request eaches this column.
  7. Select whether the person/user group that completes this task will be subscribed to the linked approval request. If someone is subscribed to an approval request, then that person will receive an automated email notification whenever that approval request changes status.
  8. Click to add a condition. With this feature, the task will be automatically created if the approval request involves updating instruction step(s) that contains one of the selected symbols.
  9. Click to remove the task.
  10. Click Save, or Cancel to discard your changes.

Editing a Signature Request to a Person/to a User Group

The dropdown menu for editing a signature request in the Flow Template tab.

  1. If you choose this option, then you’re the only person authorized to sign this signature request.
  2. Select the person who’s authorized to sign this signature request
  3. Select the user group that’s authorized to sign this signature request.
  4. Select whether you want the assigned person/user group to receive an automated email from Azumuta that informs them when an approval request reaches this column.
  5. Select whether the person/user group that gave a signature to be subscribed to the linked approval request. If someone is subscribed to an approval request, then that person will receive an automated email notification whenever that approval request changes status.
  6. Click to add a condition. With this feature, the signature request will be automatically created if the approval request involves updating instruction step(s) that contains one of the selected symbols.
  7. Click to remove the signature request.
  8. Click Save, or Cancel to discard your changes.

Editing a Checklist

The dropdown menu for editing a checklist item in the Flow Template tab.

  1. Click to view the checklist work instruction. A checklist in an approval request works the same way a checklist in a ticket. See how to add a checklist to a ticket for more details.
  2. Click to assign the checklist to yourself.
  3. Click to assign a specific person to fill out the checklist.
  4. Click to assign a user group to fill out the checklist.
  5. Click to remove the assigned person/user group (this can only be done if there’s already a person/user group that has been assigned).
  6. Select whether you want the assigned person/user group to receive an automated email from Azumuta that informs them when an approval request reaches this column.
  7. Select whether the person/user group that fills out the checklist will be subscribed to the linked approval request. If someone is subscribed to an approval request, then that person will receive an automated email notification whenever that approval request changes status.
  8. Click to add a condition. With this feature, the checklist will be automatically added if the approval request involves updating instruction step(s) that contain one of the selected symbols.
  9. Click to remove the checklist.
  10. Click Save, or Cancel to discard your changes.

The Advanced Tab

See columns on an approval flow for background. This article shows how to use these columns in a coordinated way.

The Advanced tab consists of 2 elements: columns and transitions. In the Advanced tab, a column represents an action step that needs to be taken in order to approve a work instruction (just like in the Flow Template tab).

The column names will vary depending on the approval flow template that you’re using. For example, within the dual-wave approval template, there are 4 columns, which are:

  • First Wave
  • Second Wave
  • Approved
  • Declined

Meanwhile, a transition functions as a bridge between columns. A transition leads an item to another column, based on a pre-configured scenario.

The image below shows the distinction between a column and a transition.

The Advanced tab showing a column and its transitions.

  1. Click to open the Advanced tab.
  2. This is a column.
  3. This is the list of transitions for this column.

How to Add an Item to a Column

To add an item to a column:

  1. Click Add Item in the target column.
  2. Select the item.
  3. Enter the details.
  4. Click Save.

Note: If you added an item on the Flow Template tab, then that item will also appear in the same column on the Advanced tab. And conversely, if you added an item on the Advanced tab, then it will also appear on the same column on the Flow Template tab.

Here are the available item options for each column:

The Add item dropdown in the Advanced tab showing the available item types.

  1. Click to add a task (you can type the task’s description directly. If the item doesn’t involve asking for a signature or filling out a checklist, then we recommend you to choose this item type).
  2. Click to add a signature request for a specific person (a signature is given to signify approval that an operator has completed all the required items within a column and is ready to move to the next column. Usually, a signature is asked from a supervisor or a manager).
  3. Click to add a signature request to a user group.
  4. Click to add a checklist. A checklist in an approval request works the same way a checklist in a ticket. See how to add a checklist to a ticket for more details.

How to Edit an Item in a Column

Editing an item on a column in this tab works the same way as in the Flow Template Tab. Check out the links below to see how you can edit an item on a column based on the item type:

Note: If you edited an item on the Flow Template tab, then that item will also be automatically updated on the Advanced tab. And conversely, if you edited an item on the Advanced tab, then the same item will also be automatically updated on the Flow Template tab.

How to Add a Transition

  1. Click Add transition on the target column.
  2. Select an option from the When dropdown.
  3. Select an option from the Then move to dropdown.
  4. Click Save.

The “When” and “Then Move to” dropdown menus have a cause-and-effect relationship.

Whenever the event in the “When” dropdown menu happens, then it will cause the event in the “Then Move to” dropdown menu to occur.

How to Edit a Transition

The Advanced tab showing how to edit a transition between columns.

  1. To add an additional transition to this column, click on “Add transition”.
  2. Click to change the content on the “When” dropdown menu.
  3. Click to change the content on the “Then move to” dropdown menu.
  4. In Azumuta, all approval requests will automatically proceed to the next column if there are no outstanding items remaining (be it because all items in this column have been completed or no items were added to this column in the first place). If you want to prevent an approval flow from automatically proceeding to the next column because no items were added to this column, then tick this option.
  5. Click Save, or Cancel to discard your changes.

The Docx Reports Tab

You can add Docx reports to an approval flow. See docx reporting with ticket information for more details (it works the same way as docx reporting for tickets).

The Parameters Tab

You can add parameters to an approval flow. These parameters will be listed on all approval requests that fall under this approval flow’s umbrella, as well as on all checklists that are linked to those approval flows.

Add a parameter to an approval flow

  1. Click Add field.
  2. Enter the parameter's Key and Value.
  3. Click Save.

Edit a parameter on an approval flow

Edit the parameter's Key or Value, then click Save.

Delete a parameter on an approval flow

  1. Click the parameter you want to delete.
  2. Click the trash can icon.
  3. Click Save.

How to delete an approval flow

From the ⋮ menu, click Delete flow, then confirm with Delete.