An approval template can be assigned to a business object, e.g., a document revision or an engineering part revision. This will automatically generate an approval routing list that can be edited either in the object's approval routing window (the Document Revision/Approval tab for document revisions or the Engineering Part Revision/Approval Routing tab for engineering part revisions) or in the Attachment Panel/Approval Process window. Each approval step can have one or more persons/groups registered to approve the step. This means that you can have parallel approval routing with several persons/groups able to approve an object simultaneously. If you want to create parallel routing, insert several lines with the same step number and different persons/groups.
Steps must be approved in sequence. A step cannot be approved if a prior step hasn't been approved. Since the event server sends a notification when a routing step is approved, it is practical to have the person responsible for the document as the first person in the sequence.
The entire approval process for a business object can be maintained in the Attachment Panel/Approval Process window. Some business objects have their own tab for maintaining the same data to ease workflow. An example is Documents where Document Approval Routings can be maintained in the Document Revision Routing tab.
The Approvals window displays only the current approval steps of the logged in user by default. If you have selected the Show Steps For All Users check box the current approval steps connected to all the users will be displayed. It is possible to approve/reject multiple steps using the Approvals window.
Creating: You cannot insert a new step ahead of a step that is approved. There are some limitations regarding who can insert records in the approval routing. These limitations are partly controlled by the user access set for the object. For example, for documents it is not possible to add persons/groups to an approval routing unless you have access to the document.
Modifying, Removing: You cannot modify/remove steps that have already been approved. There are some limitations regarding who can modify/remove records in the approval routing. These limitations are partly controlled by the user access set for the object. For example, you cannot update/remove persons in an approval routing in documents unless you have access to the document.
Approving: Approval can be performed on documents and business objects.
Rejecting: Approval can be rejected.
Routing template: A set of approval steps identified by a routing profile. Routing templates are maintained in basic data.
Approval routing: A set of approval steps tailored to fit the requirements of a document revision.