Introduction

Approval requests are the core mechanism through which changes to your position control are reviewed and authorized. When a user needs to create a new position, modify an existing one, or request a replacement, they submit an approval request that is routed through your organization's configured approval workflow.

Submitting an Approval Request

To create a new approval request, select one or more positions and the type of change being requested. All selected positions are routed as a group through the workflow assigned to the relevant department. The request type determines which approval workflow is used:

  • Position Change: For new positions or changes to FTE, job code, adjustments, or wage rate.
  • Replacement Position: For replacing a currently approved position without changing its FTE, job code, or cost.

If your approval workflow includes required file attachments, you will be prompted to upload them when creating the request.

The Approval Process

Once submitted, an approval request progresses through the steps defined in the assigned workflow:

  1. Pending: The request has been created and is awaiting the first approver.
  2. In Process: One or more steps have been reviewed and the request is progressing through the workflow.
  3. Approved: All required approval steps have been completed and the request is approved.
  4. Denied: An approver has denied the request.
  5. Cancelled: The request has been cancelled by the submitter or an administrator.

At each step, the assigned approver receives an email notification prompting them to review the request. Reminder emails are sent based on your organization's approval settings.

Pre-Approval

If your organization has enabled pre-approvals, an approver may approve a request for a step that has not yet been reached in the workflow. This allows approvers who know they will need to sign off to do so ahead of time, speeding up the process.

Reassignment and Delegation

If an approver is unavailable, the request can be reassigned to another user. This ensures that approval requests are not held up by a single individual's absence.

Overrides

In certain situations, an administrator may override a step in the approval workflow. This allows the request to proceed without waiting for a specific approver, while still maintaining a full audit trail of the action.

Adding Notes and Comments

Approvers can add comments when approving or denying a request. Depending on your organization's settings, comments may be required for approvals, denials, or both. All comments are recorded as part of the request's audit trail.

Cancelling a Request

The submitter or an administrator may cancel an approval request at any time before it is fully approved. Depending on your organization's settings, a comment may be required when cancelling.

Tracking Your Requests

Your dashboard provides quick access to:

  • Requests you have submitted and their current status.
  • Requests that are awaiting your approval.
  • The number of active and upcoming approval tasks assigned to you.

Every interaction in the approval process is timestamped and documented, providing a complete audit trail of who took what action and when.

Need Help?

If you have questions about the approval process, please contact us or email us at support@ftetree.com.