The workflow for this form is summarized as follows: The
user accesses the form in the Start stage.
When the user submits the form, it goes to the Awaiting
Approval stage, where an approver can either accept or
reject the Expense Report. If the reviewer accepts the Expense Report,
the form goes to the End stage. If the reviewer
rejects the Expense Report, the form goes to the Approval
Request stage so the submitter can make corrections and
resubmit.
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Click the Stages tab.
This
tab is similar to the Forms tab, but the Palette
is replaced by stages for the application. The Start stage
is automatically selected and expanded.
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In the Start stage, the user who enters data into the form does not
need to see the Approval page. To ensure that the user cannot find their way
to that page, hide it from view. In the Outline view, click the Hide icon for
the Approval page.
The Approval page is hidden from view
when the form user first submits the form.
Note: The hidden or read-only
status applies to a form item in a particular stage. If you add another
stage, the hidden or read-only status does not carry forward to the
new stage.
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The user does not need to see the page navigation buttons
to the Approval page. Hide them by clicking
the Expenses page.
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Go to the page navigation buttons. Click the icon for
the Edit Properties icon. Deselect Shown
in this stage.
The page navigation buttons
are now hidden from view when the user submits the form. The page
navigation buttons are only hidden in this stage.
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Create a stage to add the Approval page
that is created in the previous section. Click the Add
a new stage icon while the Start stage
is in focus.
A new stage is inserted after the Start stage
and before the End stages.
Note: The order in
which you create stages is flexible, and you can change the order
of the stages in the Stages list with the Move up and Move
down arrows for the Start stage.
The actual workflow is determined by the Submit buttons
in each stage. When you set the Next stage: property
of the Submit button, you create the workflow.
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Select New Stage Name and then click
the Edit Workflow Properties icon. Change the
name of the stage to Approval Request, and
click OK.
This stage allows users
to open the form again and edit the expense report if it is rejected
by an approver.
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In the Outline view, set the Approval page
to read-only by clicking the Click to make read-only in
this stage icon.
You want the user to see the
comments that are written by the reviewer, but do not want the user
to be able to modify the choices that are set by the reviewer.
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Add another stage, and title it Awaiting Approval.
The form progresses to this stage after the user submits it.
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In the Outline view, set the Basic
Information and Expenses pages
to be read-only.
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At the end of the form, Submit and Cancel buttons
are automatically added. Click the Add Action icon,
and add another Submit button.
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Click the Edit Action Properties icon
for the first Submit button. Change the title
to Accept.
So users know whether
their Expense Reports were accepted or rejected, send them an email.
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In the Action Completion Message: field,
set it to read You have approved the submitter’s
expense report. They are notified by email of the approval.
This message is shown to the approver every time they accept
an expense report.
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Click the Advanced tab.
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In the Activities section, click There
are no activities. Click here to create one. Select Send
an email from the list of options.
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From the To: menu, select Email.
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In the Subject entry field, type Your
Expense Report was accepted.
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In the Contents of the Email: box,
write your email. For example, enter: Thank you for submitting
your expense report. It was accepted, and payment will be made shortly.
To view the approved report, click the following link:
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To insert a link to the form, click the Insert
item: menu that is located in the text editor tools. From
the menu, select Link to this form.
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Click OK twice to save changes
and exit the Edit Properties window.
When the reviewer approves the expense report, the user
receives an email at the address they provided on the Basic
Information page. Now configure the second Submit button
to use if the approver rejects the submitted form.
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Click the Edit Action Properties icon
for the second Submit button. Change the title
to Decline.
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In the Action Completion Message: field
set it to read: You have rejected the submitter’s
request. They are notified to correct errors and resubmit the Expense
Report.
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In the Next Stage: menu, select Approval
Request.
If the Expense Report is rejected,
the user can reopen it to correct errors. Now set the stage to send
an email to notify the submitter of the rejection.
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Click the Advanced tab.
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In the Activities section, click There
are no activities. Click here to create one. Select Send
an email from the list of options.
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From the To: menu, select Email.
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In the Subject: entry field,
type Your Expense Report was rejected.
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In the Contents of the Email: box,
write your email. For example, enter: Your submitted expense
report was rejected.Click the following link to review the report,
make corrections and resubmit:
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To insert a link to the form, click the Insert
item: menu in the text editor tools. From the menu, select Link
to this form.
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Click OK twice to save changes
and exit the Edit Properties window.
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Go to the Approval Request stage.
Set which stage the button activates by either:
- Open the Edit Properties window for the Submit button,
in the Next Stage: menu, select Awaiting
Approval, then click OK.
- Selecting the Awaiting Approval stage
from the menu of options in the Stage list.
When the approver receives the form to review, it is
best if the submitted information is read-only. This way the reviewer
cannot modify any data that the user submitted. When you set pages
and form items as read-only in the Start stage,
and must do so again in Approval Request stage.
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In the Outline view, select Click to make read
only in this stage.
Now that the Approval Request stage
is created, you must modify the Start stage
so the form is routed to the Approval Request stage.
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Expand the Start stage. Click the Edit
Properties icon for Submit.
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Change the Action Completion Message: to
read: Your data was submitted and will be reviewed soon.
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In the Next Stage: menu, select Approval
Request.
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Click OK.
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Save your application.
When the user completes
and submits the form, it is sent to an approver for review.
When the user submits the form, it goes from
the Start to the Awaiting Approval stage.
If the approver accepts, the form is sent to the End stage,
and the workflow is complete. If the approver rejects the Expense
Report, it is sent to the Approval Request stage
so the user can fix errors and resubmit.
If the approver rejects
the Expense Report, the form is sent to this stage so the user can
open the form, change it, and resubmit. When the user submits the
corrected form, it goes to the Awaiting Approval stage
again.