What are Approval Pools?
Approval Pools are a feature in Procurify designed to streamline the approval process. Instead of a request going to a single approver at each level, Approval Pools sends the request to all designated approvers within a level simultaneously. By automating the assignment of approvers, Approval Pools ensure that the system pre-selects designated approvers for every stage of the workflow. This eliminates the need for manual selection and helps streamline approval processes.
The first person in the pool to take action—either approve or deny—finalizes the decision for that level. This immediate action allows the request to move to the next level or be resolved, eliminating delays caused by a single person's unavailability. Pre-determined approvers significantly reduce the risk of bottlenecks, as they ensure that decisions can proceed without requiring additional manual intervention.
Configuring Approval Pools: A Step-by-Step Guide
Prerequisites: You must have the appropriate administrative permissions to manage Approval Groups.
Approval Pools can be configured on the web app. Once enabled, the approval logic will apply to both web and mobile approvals.
Step 1: Navigate to Approval Groups
From the left-hand navigation bar, click on SETTINGS.
Select Manage Approval Routing.
Step 2: Select or Create an Approval Group
You can either modify an existing Approval Group or create a new one. Click on the name of the group you wish to edit.
Step 3: Confirm Request Type
In the Approval Group's settings, ensure that Request for Order is selected under the Request Type section.
Note: The Approval Pools option is only available for Request for Order groups.
Step 4: Enable Approval Pools
Look for the new checkbox labeled Approval Pools.
Check this box to activate the feature for this specific Approval Group.
A confirmation notification will appear.
The Approval Group overview screen will now display that Pools are 'On' for that group.
Important: All new requests that are routed to this Approval Group will now use the new pool logic. This change will not affect requests that are already in progress.
When importing new approval groups, you can enter the value Yes or No under Approval Pools column.
Best Practices for Configuring Approval Workflows
Planning and Mapping: Develop approvals aligned with specific departmental or programmatic needs to avoid potential misconfigurations.
Standardized Roles: Maintain consistent role assignments across all teams to ease the setup and management of approver workflows.
Periodic Reviews: Regularly audit workflow settings to ensure alignment with organizational updates and changes.
Utilize Approval Pools: Leverage Approval Pools to simplify workflows involving multiple approvers.
Common Questions & Troubleshooting
Can I enable Approval Pools for other request types (e.g., Expense Reports)?Currently, Approval Pools are only available for Request for Order. We are exploring the possibility of expanding this feature to other request types in future updates.
What happens if multiple people approve at the same time?
The system will register the very first action it receives. Any subsequent approvals or denials from other members of the pool will be disregarded, and the request will move forward.
Will this feature change my existing approval workflows?
It will only change the workflow for the specific Approval Groups where you have enabled the Approval Pools feature. All other groups will continue to function as before.
Troubleshooting Missing Approvers at Submission
Sometimes, users may find that no approver appears when a request is submitted. This can occur due to workflow misconfigurations. Suggested resolutions include:
Verify Approval Routing Setup: Ensure proper configurations are in place for the relevant department or program. Missing or incorrect settings can disrupt automatic approver assignment.
Check Approver Roles: Confirm all required roles and permissions are assigned within the workflow.
Update Workflow Configurations: Adjust and reconfigure workflow settings to address gaps in approver assignment, then retry the submission.