Transaction Approvals and Checklists

Overview

  • Checklists are added to Transactions to ensure all the necessary steps are followed.
  • Checklists consist of one or more items that must be approved manually or automatically using SQL queries.
  • When approved, the transaction is set to an Approved status which ideally should be a read-only status.
  • Checklists work with procurement or purchasing and link the Requestor, Manager and Head to a Transaction. The Head is optional and is only added to the Checklist if the Head is assigned to the Checklist and to the Transaction. The optional Head is useful when various people can approve transactions.
  • A checklist item can be Reset by one of the approved administrators if the Transaction is not in a Complete or Cancelled status.
  • The Approval button on the edit form is disabled it the Transaction is in a Complete or Cancelled Status.
  • Notes can be added to Manual checklist items by right-clicking the items before the transaction is in a Complete or Cancelled Status.
  • When a Transaction is copied, the checklist on the source (from) transaction is updated by default.

Checklist Interface

Navigation Example

Main Menu > Setup > Transactions > Checklist (tab)

Buttons Explained

Button Description
RebuildDoes not apply to checklists.
EditLets you edit the fields.
SaveSaves any changes.
Copy FromWorks with the dropdown list of Transaction Types. Copies the checklist from the selected Transaction Type.
Add ItemAdds a checklist item.

Header Explained

  • Administrators: One or more users can be added to the checklist as Administrators. Administrators can Approve, Decline and Cancel all the Manual and Override Items on a Checklist, but do not receive emailed approval requests.
  • Status: Statuses are selected from dropdown lists and changes transactions' Header Statuses. The various statuses are:
    • Approval: The Status during which the Approval takes place. This status is also used for the automatic Approval Requests which are sent from the server.
    • Approved: The transaction status after it is approved. This status should be a read-only status from which users can only Output (e.g. send invoices) or Copy.
    • Declined: The transaction status if it was not approved.

Fields Explained

Note

Manual (Requestor), Manual (Manager), Manual (Head) fields are enabled only when the following setting is added to the Transaction Type, and the checkbox in the Value column is checked: Transactions > Enable Procurement/Purchasing.

Info

Fields marked in blue (✎) can be edited.

Field Description
Field Chooser (*)Add or remove columns.
IDThe system-generated number for the checklist entry.
OrderThe system-generated number that indicates the order of the checklist entry.
DescriptionThe full description of the checklist item.
CodeThe brief description of the checklist item.
TypeOptions are:
  • Manual: The checklist item must be checked manually.
  • Manual (Requestor): The user selected as the Requestor must approve the item.
  • Manual (Manager): The user selected as the Manager must approve the item.
  • Manual (Head): The user selected as the Head must approve the item.
  • Auto: Uses SQL to test if the Item's conditions are met. The SQL must always return two fields: VALUEID (Integer: 0=False, 1=True) and NOTE (string). A NULL value can be sent to the note field if a note is not required. A parameter: TRANSID can be used in the SQL to reference the transaction values.
  •  Override: Similar to Auto except that approved users can Override these items when the SQL does not approve them. Approved users may also Cancel the overrides.
  • Limit: Similar to a Manual checklist item except that the approval is linked to the VAT exclusive transaction total. Multiple limit items can be added in ascending order and only the required approvals are added to the transaction (e.g. approval is only required if the transaction value exceeds a certain limit).
Limit from / Limit toUsed with the Limit option under Type. Specify the values between which the limit applies.
Users
  • Applicable when the Type is Manual, Override or Limit.
  • Right-click to select which Users can approve the item.
    • Users are added by moving the names from the Available to the Visible sections.
    • Users are removed by moving the names from the Visible to the Available sections.
Dependencies
  • Force a sequence of approvals.
  • Applicable when the Type is Manual, Manual (Requestor), Manual (Manager), Manual (Head) or Limit.
  • Right-click to select which other items need to be checked before this item can be approved.
    • Move the checklist items from the Available to the Visible Items section to add them as dependencies.
    • Move the checklist items from the Visible to the Available Items section to remove them as dependencies.
Updated byThe user who last updated the checklist item.
UpdatedThe date on which the last update was made.
Menu (...)A submenu with the following options:
  • Set Dependencies: Used to select dependencies.
  • Set Users: Used to select administrators.
  • Edit SQL: Used to create the SQL for automatic checklists.
  • Copy Item: Used to copy the checklist item to a new line.
  • Delete Item: Used to delete the checklist item.
  • Move Up: Moves the checklist item one line higher.
  • Move Down: Moves the checklist item one line lower.

Using Checklists on Transactions

Info

When a transaction has a checklist, its header lists the checklist items that must be approved. You can also add the Checklist column to Transaction List View with the Field Chooser (*).

When a checklist is linked to a Transaction, an Approve button appears at the top of the transaction and approves the items you have access to. The Approve button also has a dropdown menu with the following items:

Field Description
DeclineThe Transaction Status is set to the default Declined Status as set in the checklist. Checklist Administrator rights are required.
Update Checklist (Auto and Override)
  • Updates the Auto items on the Checklist without requiring the Transaction to be in an editable status.
  • All users can access this function, but it can only be executed on Pending or Active Transactions.
Reset Checklist
  • All approvals or declines are cancelled.
  • The Transaction Status is set to the default Awaiting Approval Status.
  • Checklist Administrator rights are required.
Email Approval RequestChanges the Status to the Approval status and sends an email to the Users who must approve the checklist.

Checklist statuses are colour-coded as follows:

  • Red: Indicates an Auto Item that is not yet approved or a Manual Item that is not yet ready for Approval because the dependent items are not yet approved.
  • Yellow: The Item is ready for Approval and has no outstanding dependencies. Any user who is selected as an administrator can approve the transaction.
  • Green - Approved: The User and the Date/Time the item was approved are listed in the grid on the right.
  • Black - Declined: The User and Date/Time the item was declined are listed in the grid on the right. Ideally, a Note should be added to explain why it was declined.

Letter icons indicate the Item Type:

  • M: Manual
  • A: Auto
  • O: Auto – Override

Context Menu

Info

Right-click a checklist item or click the menu (…) button on the right to open the context menu which includes:

Field Description
Add NoteAdds a timestamped note to a Manual item.
Approve (List of Users)Enabled when the item is ready for approval and you are one of the item's authorised users. (You can also double-click an Item to Approve it)
Decline (List of Users)Enabled unless the item is already declined.
ResetReset an Approved or Declined item back to the default status and is allowed if you are an Administrator. Applicable to Manual and Override.

Approvals Module

Info

The Approvals module provides a unified interface that can be used to approve outstanding Checklists on all Transactions.

Approvals can be added to any Menu Group (Fixed (radio button) > Approvals).

Navigation Example

Main Menu > Office > Approvals

Settings: User Access

Navigation Example

Main Menu > Setup > Settings > Users (tab)

Note

The defaults are the values for new databases, new users and new Transaction Types. Your database may have different values.

Setting Description Default
General > Approvals - Access AllowedSelect None, View Only or Full Access.None

Buttons Explained

Button Description
ViewGenerates a list of transactions based on the selected filters.
Menu

Filters Explained

Filter Description
TransactionDefault = All. Lists all the transactions with checklists to select one or all.
UserDefault = Active User. Lists all users to select a specific user or all.
Radio buttons
  • Outstanding: Default = Checked. Displays all the transactions in the default Approval Status.
  • Declined: Displays all the transactions in the default Declined Status.

Fields explained

Info

Any approval notes appear in blue under the relevant items.

Field Description
Field Chooser (*)Add or remove columns.
IconGreen, Yellow, Red or Grey to indicate the checklist Item Status.
IconM, O, A to indicate the approval type: Manual, Override, Automatic.
StatusThe transaction's status.
TransA code indicating the Transaction Type.
No.The transaction number.
DateThe transaction date.
Due DateThe due date as per the transaction. The Due Date caption may vary on the Transaction interface because it can be changed by a setting.
CompanyThe name of the Customer or Supplier.
ReferenceThe transaction's reference.
CodeA description of the checklist item (e.g. Quantity Match) or person (e.g. Buyer, Manager) that must approve the checklist.
RequestorThe user selected as the Requestor.
ManagerThe user selected as the Manager.
HeadThe user selected as the Head.
DescriptionA description of what must be approved (e.g. Quantity matches the Delivery Note quantity).
UsersA list of Users that have access rights to approve the item.
ProgressLists the entire Checklist, colour-coded according to Status. The active item appears in bold. (Only appears when the radio button next to Outstanding is selected).
Total CURThe total transaction amount in the local currency.
Total (exc)The VAT exclusive transaction total.
VATThe VAT amount on the transaction.
Total (inc)The VAT inclusive transaction total.
CURThe transaction's currency.
Last (Hr/s)The number of hours since the transaction was last looked at.
Open (Hr/s)The number of hours that the transaction has been open.
Updated byThe user who last updated the transaction.
UpdateThe date on which the transaction was last updated.
PriorityA checkbox. Checked if the transaction is a priority.
Menu (...)A submenu with the following options:
Open TransactionOpens the selected Transaction.
Open Notes and AttachmentsOpens the notes and attachments panel.
Actions
  • Add Note: Adds a timestamped note to a Manual item.
  • Approve: Approves the item. This function is only enabled when the item is ready for approval and the user viewing the list is one of the item's authorised users.
  • Decline: Declines to approve the item.
  • Reset: Resets the checklist. All items must be approved again.

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