Issue:
- Transactions were imported with the standard approval status set to “Approved,” but the custom approval status is empty.
- The imported transactions incorrectly show a Submit for Approval button even though they are already approved.
- The user cannot readily identify which transactions are showing these discrepancies.
Solution:
To resolve the issue of transactions showing unwanted approval buttons after being imported, follow these steps to create a Saved Search that identifies affected transactions, and then take corrective action:
Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Create a Saved Search:
Navigate to the Custom Search feature by clicking on Customise View under Active Workflows in the System Information subtab.
2. Customize the Search:
To identify the discrepancies, add the following key fields:
- Transaction ID: Helps identify each transaction.
- Standard Approval Status: To verify if the transaction is marked as “Approved.”
- Custom Approval Status: To check if the custom approval status is blank.
- Workflow State: This field will indicate whether any unwanted buttons (like “Submit for Approval”) are visible despite the transaction being approved.
3. Set Criteria:
- Standard Approval Status = Approved
- Custom Approval Status = Empty/Blank
- Workflow State = Pending Approval (or) Other Non-Approved States
This will help filter transactions where the standard status is “Approved,” but the custom workflow status and button visibility are mismatched.
4. Identify the Discrepancies:
Once the saved search is executed, it will show a list of transactions with:
- Standard approval marked as “Approved.”
- Custom approval status left blank.
- The presence of unnecessary buttons like Submit for Approval.
5. Review and Correct:
Based on the saved search results:
- Manually update the custom approval status for transactions if necessary.
- Use bulk updates to align both statuses (Standard and Custom).
- Push these transactions through the correct approval workflow based on the current status and workflow configurations.
Key Considerations:
- Workflow Activation Post-Import: Since the approval workflow was enabled after transactions were imported, the system may not apply the custom approval status automatically. Therefore, these transactions might need manual correction.
- Workflow State Triggers: Ensure that the workflow configuration is correct and applicable to the imported transactions. Some workflows may need manual triggers or custom scripting to ensure correct status alignment.