Plan approval

Audience: Administrator and read/write users Edition: Pro

Overview

The plan approval feature allows users to submit workforce plans through a controlled review and approval process with multiple approvers, status tracking, and automated notifications.

The following article provides information on:

• Enabling plan approval
• Navigating the plan explorer with plan approvals enabled
• Submitting plans for approval
• Reviewing plans
• Withdrawing plans

Enabling plan approval

1. Open Plan settings, and then click on the Approvals tab.

   

2. Select the base chart for which you would like to enable plan approval. Plans created using that base chart can be submitted for approval.
    
3. Toggle Enable plan approvals ON to enable the ability for plan owners and collaborators to submit plans for approval. 
    
4. Click on Save. Repeat this process for each base chart from which you will create plans that you would like to go through an approval process.

Navigating the plan explorer with plan approvals enabled

When plan approval is enabled, the plan explorer contains two additional columns:

Approval status

The approval status column indicates in which stage of the approval process the current plan is. The following options are available:

Draft - The default status, which indicates the plan has not been submitted or is still being worked on. When withdrawing a plan, the approval status will automatically reset to 'draft,' however the submission history is preserved.

In Review - Plan has been submitted for review. Approvers have either not yet approved or rejected the plan, or the plan has received mixed approval (rejected and approved, but not all approvers are aligned).

Approved - The plan has been approved by all approvers.

Rejected - The plan has been rejected by all approvers.

Approvers

The approvers column allows users to see which approvers are associated with that plan, as well as the approval status from each of the approvers. For additional information about the approvers and their feedback, you can click on an approver's avatar.

Submitting plans for approval

Plan owners and collaborators can submit plans for approval. To submit a plan for approval:

1. Ensure plan approval is enabled for the base chart used to create the plan.
    
2. Create a new plan or open a plan that is in draft status.
    
3. Click on the Submit plan button in the top right corner.
    

4. Click on the Select approver(s) for the plan search bar, and then search for the user you'd like to approve the plan.

   Note

   You can add up to three approvers at a time. Approvers must have at least viewer access to the plan, and thus must have a read/write or admin role in the application to have access to Planning.

5. Optionally, enter a submission message, and then click on Submit plan.

   

   6. The plan is submitted and locked, so it can no longer be edited. The submission is recorded in the Approvals tab of the Changes panel. The submitter will receive an email confirming that the plan was submitted. Approvers will receive an email letting them know they have a plan to review. 
   
   

Reviewing plans

Plan approvers will receive an email indicating that they have a plan ready for review. To review a plan as an approver:

1. Click on the link provided in the email, or open the plan explorer and filter for plans needing your approval.

   Note

   Using this filter displays any plan on which you are an approver. Plans that you have already approved or rejected may be shown.

   

2. Open the Changes panel to review the plan changes.
    
3. Click on the Approve or Reject buttons at the bottom of the Changes panel, on the submission card within the Approvals tab, or click on the Review plan button in the top toolbar, and then select Approve or Reject.
   
   
    
4. Optionally, enter an approval or rejection message, and then click on Approve plan or Reject plan.
   
   
    
5. The plan is approved or rejected and the plan submitter is automatically notified via email. The approver receives a confirmation email, and if there are additional approvers on this plan, they are also automatically notified via email. The plan remains locked, and the approval status updates if all approvers are aligned.

Withdrawing plans

Plan submitters can withdraw a plan after submitting it. You may want to withdraw a plan, if you need to make additional changes before resubmitting it. To withdraw a plan:

1. Click on the Withdraw plan button in the top right corner after having submitted a plan. Plans can be withdrawn at any time after submission, even if they've already been approved.
    

   

2. Optionally, enter a withdraw message, and then click on Withdraw plan.
    

   

3. The plan is withdrawn and the approval status is automatically reset to Draft. The person withdrawing the plan, as well as the plan approvers, are automatically notified via email. The withdrawal is recorded on the submission card. The planner will need to resubmit the plan for approval.