Overview

Submit an approval request when proposed position information is ready for review. A request preserves the selected Reason, sensitive Justification when provided, requested values, effective dates, impact, files, approval path, approvers, and all information provided at submission.

Each request governs one position. A request can contain changes for several effective dates on that position.

Access needed

You need Submit position requests and access to the affected position. Reviewing exact pay, costs, the completed justification, comments, additional files, and named files labeled Sensitive access required requires both Position access and View sensitive workforce data for every department and date included in the request.

If the submit action is missing, confirm your role, department access, position status, and whether the selected request type has an available approval workflow.

Prepare the position

Before creating the request:

  1. Open the position.
  2. Add or review the proposed values.
  3. Confirm the effective date for every change.
  4. Review draft calculations and cost impact.
  5. Remove any unrelated proposal that should not be submitted.
  6. Gather every document required for the request plus any optional extra files.

For a new position, complete every required initial value. Intermediate approval stages do not apply part of the position.

Create and review the request

  1. Choose Request approval from the position or request area.
  2. Select the request type: New position, Position change, Position replacement, or Position elimination.
  3. Choose the required Reason that best describes the request.
  4. Add Justification when useful or when the selected request type requires it.
  5. Choose Review request so FTE Tree can resolve the approval path and exact named file fields.
  6. Download a blank form when a named field offers one, complete it, and upload one file into each required named box.
  7. Add any extra evidence under Additional protected files.
  8. Review the position, department, Reason, requested values, effective dates, impact, required stage, approvers, and file checklist.
  9. Submit.

Reason choices are configured separately for each request type. The selected Reason is visible to anyone currently allowed to open the request, so choose the closest accurate category and do not put sensitive details in the choice label.

Use Justification for additional business detail reviewers need. It is optional unless your organization requires it for this request type. Justification is always protected and is available only to people with current Position access and View sensitive workforce data for the complete request.

Complete named file fields

Your organization may require a particular document for the selected request type or approval path. Each document appears as its own clearly labeled upload box. A required field must have one file before you can submit; uploading the document as an extra file does not complete the named field.

The field may include instructions, a blank form to download, and an audience label. All request reviewers means anyone who can review the active request can open the completed file, so do not include sensitive details. Sensitive access required limits the file to people with complete current Position access and View sensitive workforce data for the request.

See Set up requester files for how administrators configure these fields.

Add extra protected files

Use Additional protected files for evidence that does not belong in a named field. Additional files always require complete current Position access and View sensitive workforce data. Their filenames, activity, and downloads remain hidden from other reviewers.

The organization’s file count and size limits apply to every named and extra file together. A submitted file remains protected and cannot be changed afterward.

How FTE Tree chooses the approval path

FTE Tree first selects the independent approval workflow for the request type. New position, Position replacement, and Position elimination use only the default route in their own workflow. Position field approval settings do not alter those routes.

Position change uses the later of:

  • Its workflow’s default route.
  • Any later Position change stages assigned to the changed fields.

The request begins at Stage 1 of the selected workflow and includes every stage through the required stage. A field with No field approval requirement does not remove stages included by default. If no applicable setting requires a stage, FTE Tree approves the request automatically after confirming that it can be submitted and every uploaded file passes its safety check. A pending check keeps the request pending until the final file is ready.

For example, a New position may follow Department Sponsor and Finance Review, while Position replacement follows Hiring Manager and People Operations. A Pay rate change may continue to a later Finance Review stage in the separate Position change workflow.

Submission is blocked when a required stage has no eligible approver other than the requester. The requester cannot approve their own request.

What submission preserves

The submitted request does not change when position values or approval settings change later. It keeps the exact:

  • Requested values and effective dates.
  • Impact shown at submission.
  • Approval stages and selected approvers.
  • Selected Reason text, whether Justification was required, any submitted Justification, the exact named file checklist, attached files, and each file’s audience.
  • Comments, decisions, and final outcome.

Calculation updates do not cancel or invalidate a pending request. The submitted field value and Effective date remain the approval decision, and FTE Tree prevents a conflicting change to that field from taking effect before the request is decided.

If submission is blocked

Check the message on the page, then verify:

  • Every required initial value starts by the active date.
  • An available Reason from the selected request type is chosen.
  • Justification is present when the request type requires it.
  • The position has no conflicting active request.
  • Every required stage in the selected request-type workflow has an eligible approver.
  • You are not the only eligible approver.
  • Every required named file field contains its own file and any blank template is ready to use.
  • A new active position has an available paid position place.
  • Your role covers the position’s department.

See Request cannot move forward for a complete checklist.

Common questions

Can one request contain more than one effective date?

Yes, when the proposed changes belong to the same position.

Does submitting change the approved plan?

No. Approved information changes only when the request completes final approval.