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Configuring a workflow stage to automatically submit a form for approval in Assurance
Who is this article for?Administrators who want guidance on setting up an 'automatically submit for approval when the form enters this stage' rule in Assurance.
Administration access is required.
A register template can be configured with workflow stages that automatically submits a form for approval when it enters the stage. This article provides an overview on configuring and understanding the 'automatically submit for approval' rule in Assurance.
1. How to submit a form for approval?
When an approver approves a form, it advances to the next stage. However, it does not automatically trigger the workflow for that stage.
If you do not have the 'automatically submit for approval' rule on your workflow, you will need to select the next stage from stage dropdown menu.
Alternatively, you can select Submit for Approval from the More Actions ellipsis icon (the same dropdown menu to close a form). Refer to the Managing forms on a register in Assurance article to learn more on how to submit forms for approval.
2. How to set up a workflow stage to automatically submit a form for approval?
An Administrator may set up an 'automatically submit for approval' workflow rule, so that Full users do not have to submit the form for approval to move it to the next stage by themselves.
This means that when the form enters this stage, it will automatically be submitted for approval to advance to the next stage, without needing a Full user to select the Submit for Approval button.
The 'automatically submit for approval' rule will appear in the workflow with an aeroplane icon when you select View Workflow from the More Actions ellipsis icon (the same dropdown menu to close a form). Refer to the Managing forms on a register in Assurance article to learn more on how to view workflow on a form.
Public link forms
Forms submitted via the public link (as denoted by the green P icon in stage one) will automatically submit for approval to move into the stage two.
2.1. How does an automatically submit for approval rule work?
Please note: The following scenario is based off the workflow screenshot above.
Stage 1 - Public Link: As the Public Link has been enabled for this register template, any public link submissions will be automatically submitted for approval to move to the next stage (Management).
Stage 2 - Management: Once the form enters this stage, it will automatically be submitted for approval to move to the stage (Review). This is because the 'automatically submit for approval' rule has been enabled as denoted by the aeroplane icon in stage 2.
Stage 3 - Final Review: Once the form enters this final stage, no approval is required before the form can be closed off, in this scenario.
2.2. How does consecutive automatically submit for approval rule work?
Please note: The following scenario is based off the workflow screenshot above.
When a form is submitted, the approver 'Ideagen Policy Logic Admin' approves the form in stage one. A pop-up will immediately appear, informing the approver in the first stage that selecting the confirm button will submit the form for the next approval stage.
Please note
Even though the pop-up says Approval: Services (stage three) which comes after the second 'Head of School Approval' stage, this does not mean that workflow has skipped a stage. It means that the form will be submitted to Lydia and Claudia who are the approvers for the third stage.
When it is their turn to approve, they will be approving the form to move into the third 'Services' stage.
You can select the Cancel button, if you are not ready for the form to move into the new stage. If you close out of the window, you will need to manually submit the form for approval to move the form to the next stage.
Once the approvers approve the form, it moves into stage two. With the 'automatically submit for approval' rule enabled in stage two, a request is sent immediately to the approvers, who must approve it before it can advance into stage three.
Please note
In this scenario, an 'All to approve' rule (as denoted by '0/2') requires both approvers to approve the form before it can advance into the next stage.
Have the same approvers in consecutive 'automatically submit for approvers' rules?
It is best to avoid having the same approvers in consecutive stages with the 'automatically submit for approval' rule enabled. This is because, once approved, the workflow will bypass the next approval stage (which is automatically submitted for approval). The system recognises that the approver has already given their approval in the previous stage and determines that a second approval is not needed.