Summary of the PO Document Approval Reminder Process

To view the properties of the PO Document Approval Reminder process, select the process in the navigator tree, then choose Properties from the Edit menu. The PO Document Approval Reminder process has a result type of None, indicating that when the process completes, it doesn't end with any particular result, such as End (Approved) or End (Rejected). Instead, its subprocesses end with specific results.

This process activity is also runnable, indicating that it can be initiated as a top-level process to run by making calls to the Workflow Engine CreateProcess and StartProcess APIs.

The workflow begins at node 1.

At node 2, this workflow branches differently depending on whether the document is a quotation, RFQ, requisition, purchase order, purchase agreement, or release; or a buyer's recording of a supplier's acceptance of a purchase order or release.

Then, at nodes 3, 7,11, and 15, the workflow uses the standard Workflow comparison activity to determine how to branch next. The comparison activities provide a standard way to compare two numbers, dates, or text strings. Node 3 checks whether the quotation requires completion or is near expiration. Node 7 checks the same for an RFQ. Node 11 checks whether release acceptance is required or past due. Node 15 checks the same for a purchase order.

Nodes 19, 23, and 27 send approval reminder notifications for documents that have not been submitted for approval, such as incomplete documents. These documents are detected by the Send Notifications for Purchasing Documents process.

If the person receiving the reminder notification responds with Ignore, Purchasing dismisses the notification from the person's notification queue until the next time the Send Notifications for Purchasing Documents process runs. The workflow then ends at node 22 or 26.

If the person receiving the reminder notification responds with Approve, the activity at node 20, 24, or 26 makes sure that the forward-to person specified is a valid forward-to approver. If not, the standard Workflow activity at node 21, 25, or 29 directs the workflow to resend the reminder notification.

Node 30 launches the appropriate approval workflow if the notification is answered with Approve and the forward-to approver (if any) is valid.