Configuring cascading approvals

Receive approval from people on different levels of your organizational chart by configuring a system of cascading approval. For example, you can create a case that requires authorization first from the reporting manager of the worker processing the case, and then from the senior manager.

Before you begin: Add an approval step to your case life cycle. For more information, see Requesting approval from users.
  1. In the navigation pane of Dev Studio, click Case types, and then click the case type that you want to open.
  2. In the Case life cycle section, click the approval step that you want to edit.
  3. In the Step properties panel, on the General tab, in the Approval flow type list, select Cascading.
  4. In the Approval based on list, select Reporting structure.
  5. In the Approval to be completed by list, specify the user who is required to give their approval:
    • To assign the approval to the reporting manager of the user who processes the case, select Reporting manager.
    • To assign the approval to a manager of the work group in which the user who processes the case belongs, select Workgroup manager.
  6. Specify how many levels of approval a case requires:
    Choices Actions
    One level of approval Expand the Approval level section, and then select One.
    Request approval from managers of all levels in the organizational chart Expand the Approval level section, and then select All.
    Create custom approval logic
    1. Expand the Approval level section, and then select Custom.
    2. Click Update custom levels.
    3. In the window that appears, click Add custom approval.
    4. In the When field, enter a when condition.
      The when condition returns a Boolean expression that determines the manager required to approve the case.
    5. In the Levels of approval field, enter how many levels of approval a case requires.
    6. Optional: To add more conditions, repeat steps 6.c through 6.e.
    7. Click Submit.
  7. In the Step properties panel, click the Flow tab, and then define what happens when a user approves the case:
    Choices Actions
    Approve and move case to the next step
    1. In the If APPROVED then list, select Continue.
    2. Optional: To change the case status, in the Set status field, select or enter the status that you want to assign to the case when a user gives their approval.
    Approve and change stage
    1. In the If APPROVED then list, select Change stage.
    2. In the To list, select the stage that you want to assign to the case when a user gives their approval.
    3. Optional: To change the case status, in the Set status field, select or enter the status that you want to assign to the case when a user gives their approval.
  8. Define what happens when a user rejects the case:
    Choices Steps
    Reject and move case to the next step
    1. In the If REJECTED then list, select Continue.
    2. In the Set status field, select or enter the status that you want to assign to the case when a user rejects the case.
    Reject and change stage
    1. In the If REJECTED then list, select Change stage.
    2. In the To list, select the stage that you want to assign to the case when a user rejects the case.
    3. In the Set status field, select or enter the status that you want to assign to the case when a user rejects the case.
    Reject and resolve
    1. In the If REJECTED then list, select Resolve.
    2. In the Set status field, select or enter the status that you want to assign to the case when a user rejects the case.
  9. Click Save.
What to do next: Provide more flexibility for users of your application and accelerate case resolution by enabling approval by email. For more information, see Enabling approval by email.