Introduction to Approval Flow & Routing

Owned by Hammad Shahid
Last updated: Oct 09, 2023
2 min read

This lesson provides a comprehensive understanding of approval workflows in EmpowerID, from the legacy workflow system's limitations to the advanced features and flexibility offered by the Approval Flow Engine. You'll gain insights into designing custom approval flows for different scenarios, improving efficiency, and enhancing security within your organization.

Types of Approval in EmpowerID:

EmpowerID offers two types of approval workflows:

  1. Human approval routing within the workflow (Still use the legacy UI e.g., User Decision Forms.)

  2. Approval Flow Engine.

1) Limitations of Legacy Workflow Approval:

The legacy workflow system in EmpowerID (User Decision Form) had limitations in handling multiple approval steps and complex approval processes, especially for different types of objects or resources.

  • Single Approval Step:

Legacy workflows typically allowed only a single approval step for actions like adding an account to a group. This limited flexibility in handling complex approval scenarios.

2) Introduction to Approval Flow Engine:

The Approval Flow Engine is a more flexible and robust solution for handling approvals. It allows organizations to design custom approval flows for various resources and actions, providing greater control and scalability. Depending on the criticality of the resource you have requested, you can now have different approval flows for the same type of object, which was not possible previously and was very difficult to make dynamic.

Key Features of the Approval Flow Engine:

  • Dynamic Approval Routing.

  • Approval Flow Policies.

  • Approval Flow Engine decouples approval processes from the main workflow, allowing for more flexibility in designing approval flows.

Approval Flow Policies and Rules

Approval Flow Policies play a pivotal role in the Approval Flow Engine. These policies define the sequence of approval steps and criteria for specific authorization processes.

Rule-Based Approver Resolvers:

Empower organizations to dynamically determine approvers based on specific criteria or conditions.

Fallback and Auto-Approval Rules:

Understand the use of fallback rules to ensure approvals don't get stuck and how auto-approval rules can streamline the process for certain cases.

Fulfillment Workflows

Fulfillment workflows are responsible for executing actions once a request is approved. They can include tasks such as granting access, provisioning resources, or notifying stakeholders.

Customizing Fulfillment Workflows for Request Types:

Organizations can customize fulfillment workflows to align with the actions required for specific request types. This customization ensures that the appropriate tasks are executed upon approval.

Handling Decisions and Actions in Fulfillment Workflows:

Fulfillment workflows must be designed to handle different decisions made during the approval process. They determine what actions to take based on these decisions.

Integrating External Systems with Fulfillment Workflows:

Fulfillment workflows can integrate with external systems, such as ticketing systems or other applications, to automate tasks outside the core system.

Managing Time Restrictions and Just-In-Time Access:

Organizations can enforce time restrictions on approvals to ensure that access is granted for a limited duration. Just-in-time access allows users to activate permissions only when needed.