How to set Cost Plan to "Submitted" Status using a Process?

[Matthew Guercio]

Hello - 

 

Thank you in advance for your time and effort.

 

I'm working on a process that replaces the OOTB "Submit Plan of Record for Approval" workflow, as the latter requires the approver to have a Full user license (and we're keeping those individuals as View Only licenses).

 

The obstacle I'm trying to overcome is setting the cost plan to "Submitted" status.  Using the "Approve or Reject Cost Plan" option in System Action (AI), and selecting "Submitted" status, I receive an error when running the process that basically says, "Cost plan must be in Submitted status for approval or rejection."

 

Fundamentally speaking, it seems the system does not recognize the AI step that sets the status to "Submitted."   Am I doing something wrong, or is there a different way to set the status to "Submitted" using an automated system event within an action item?

 

Appreciate any and all information.

 

Thanks,

Matt

[Matthew Guercio]

I figured out a workaround that retains View Only licenses.

[Roland Parrotte]

Would you like to share your workaround, so if anyone else looks at this topic, they will have the solution?

[Matthew Guercio]

1. Use the "Submit Plan for Approval" option for the Actions menu when viewing a Cost Plan, submit the plan for approval.

 

2. Create a boolean attribute on the cost plan and corresponding process that starts when checkbox = true.

 

3. Process triggers action item to Approver with "Approved" or "Rejected" options

 

4. If approver selects "Approved," process sets Status = Approved

 

5. If approver selects "Rejected," process sets Status = Rejected

[Roland Parrotte]

Thank for you sharing.  Have you considered having the process start on Status = 'Submitted' or similar.    It would save having that extra boolean attribute, and cater for when the user forgets to 'tick' the boolean after submitting the cost plan?

 

Either way, glad you found a solution.

[Matthew Guercio]

Yes, this is the approach I first attempted. However, the process would error out with a message such as "Cost Plan must be in Submitted status..."

 

Basically, the system wasn't allowing the process to set the status to "Submitted" and the reason was that it must be in submitted status.

[Matthew Guercio]

roland.parrotte correction - the above reply describes inserting the "Approve or Reject Budget Plan" option on the Start Step, which doesn't work per the above error message.

 

Last night, I tried setting the Start Option to "Status Code = Submitted," but the process never starts as if it doesn't recognize the change in value to Submitted.  Maybe I'm missing something?

 

Matt

[Roland Parrotte]

What is your start condition for the process, it must be on 'Create' as when you submit a cost plan, it takes a copy of the cost plan, to form the 'budget plan'.  The process will then run on the new 'cost plan - which is the submitted cost plan', not the original cost plan.

 

I also added in logic in the test process which just set it to be approved, which also worked, the submitted cost plan, created the budget plan which was automatically approved.  Hopefully the above approach will work when you add in the routing to the Action Items to Reject/Approve the submitted plan.

[Matthew Guercio]

Thanks roland.parrotte. This works for me using Create - start option.

 

Appreciate your help.

 

 

Matt