Customer

Ariba Buying & Invoicing, Partner Edition

Approval Rules
Joanne Gammon, SAP / Month 04, 2017
Agenda

 Objective
 Approval Processes – Overview
 Types of Approval Rules
 Requisition Approval Rules
 Receipt Approval Rules
 Invoice Approval Rules
 Invoice Reconciliation Approval Rules
 User Profile Approval Rules

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Objective

The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the proposed out-of-the-

box Approval Rules available for the SAP Ariba Buying and Invoicing,
Partner Edition Realm.

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Approval Processes - Overview
About Approval Processes

Approval Processes control the approval flow for Approvable documents

• An “Approvable” document is anything which can have an approval flow, examples:
• Requisitions
• User Profiles
• Receipts
• Invoices
• Invoice Reconciliations

• Only one approval process can be active for a given Approvable at a time

• Approval Processes contain multiple ordered Approval Rules which determine which
approvers, if any, that must be added
• Some rule types can only add one approver while others may add multiple approvers
• The order of the rules determines the order of the approvers

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Types of Approval Rules
Types of Approval Rules

Rule Type Description

Base Approval Rules Generate a basic list of approver and nodes for the approval flow diagram. Rules that use approver
lookup tables are base rules.
Chain Rules Add a management hierarchy. A chain rule is always associated with a single base rule.
The chain rules in an approval process cannot be disabled. They are always enabled.
Filter Rules Eliminate approvers based on exceptions to base rules.
The filter rules in an approval process can be enabled and disabled.
Edit Rules Not strictly part of the approval process, these can prevent users from editing a submitted approvable,
and they can determine what happens when editing occurs (for example, the edited approvable must be
resubmitted).
The edit rules in an approval process can be enabled and disabled.
Validation Rules Not strictly part of the approval process, these determine whether an approver who has permission to
edit an approvable must fill in missing information before approving or rejecting it.
The validation rules in an approval process can be enabled and disabled. Currently only available for
Invoice Reconciliations.
Policy Rules Enforce policy terms for collaborative requisitions (SAP Ariba Buying, SAP Ariba Buying & Invoicing) and
shopping carts (SAP Ariba Procurement Content). The only type of policy currently available is N Bids
and a Buy.
The policy rules in an approval process can be enabled and disabled.

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Requisition Approval Rules
Requisition Approval Flow

Finance Contract

When no Supervisor Exceptions

Requester Supervisor Chain Of Commodity Budget Validation

If On Behalf Approves for > $600 Command Approvers

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Requisition – Base Rules

Rule Name Description

Requester Adds the requester as an optional approver if the preparer is not the same as the requester.
Supervisor Approver Less than $600 - Supervisor just watches
More than $600 - Supervisor must approve
(SupervisorRule.csv)

Chain of command if approval limit is below total of requisition.

No Supervisor Less than $600 - Finance must be notified of all requisitions from users with no supervisors.
More than $600 - Finance must approve all requisitions from users with no supervisors.

(NoSupervisorRule.csv)
Commodity Approvers When items are “non-catalog”, the category managers must approve.

(CommodityApprovers.csv)
Item in requisition causes Adds the contract manager as an approver if the requisition amount (because of any line
blanket purchase order item) exceeds the blanket purchase order limit.
limit to be exceeded

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Requisition – Base Rules, Cont.

Rule Name Description

Item in requisition causes Adds the contract manager as an approver if any item in the requisition exceeds the
contract limit to be contract's maximum limit.
exceeded
Items amount less or more Adds contract approvers to the approval flow if requisition line items breach the contract
than allowed in contract limits.
Requisition exceeds Adds the contract approvers if requisition exceeds contract's maximum limit.
contract's maximum limit
Budget Validation Rule Adds Finance Groups (for budget validation) to the approval flow based on the total cost of
the requisition, as specified in the Approver Lookup Table.
If Budget Check is enabled - remove this rule.

(RequisitionLimit.csv)
Budget Check Failed Budget Check was enabled so in case the check failed, we need to have the Budget
Manager.

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Requisition – Filter Rules

Rule Name Description

Remove duplicates Remove duplicate approvers, preserving only the last occurrence of the approver. Removes duplicate
approvers from the approval flow, retaining only the last instance, regardless of whether it is an approver
or watcher instance
Filter approvers of a pure Remove approvers and auto-approve if all items in the requisition are covered by contract.
contract request
Filter approvers of a blanket Remove approvers and auto-approve if requisition is released against a blanket purchase order.
purchase order request

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Requisition – Edit Rules

Rule Name Description

Preparer Do not allow preparer to edit the requisition.

Total Cost We should have an edit rule that will require a resubmit when an increase in the Total Cost occurs. Might
want to only have this fire if the Total Cost is more than $600.
Commodity change on ad hoc Since we have approvers based on Commodity, perhaps we should have an edit rule that will require a
line. resubmit when the commodity code changes for ad hoc items.

Purchasing Manager Allow purchasing manager to edit the requisition without altering the approval process.

Executive Approver Allow an executive approver to edit the requisition without altering the approval process.

Budget Approver Allow a budget approver to edit the requisition without altering the approval process. (Disabled)

Other Allow requisition to be edited with re-approval.

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Receipt Approval Rules
Receipt Approval Flow

Commodity Contract Manager Requester

Central Receivers

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Receipt – Base Rules

Rule Name Description

Commodity Central Receivers Adds central receivers (by commodity code), as specified in the Approver Lookup Table, to the approval
flow.
Contract Manager If the receipt has a contract, this rule adds the Contract Manager group as an approver to the approval
flow.
Requester Adds the requester (receiver) as an approver to the approval flow.

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Receipt – Filter Rules

Rule Name Description

Remove duplicates Remove duplicate approvers, preserving only the last occurrence of the approver. Removes duplicate
approvers from the approval flow, retaining only the last instance, regardless of whether it is an approver
or watcher instance
Skip Approval for Imported Skip Approval for Imported Receipts
Receipts

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Receipt – Edit Rules

Rule Name Description

All Allowed Allows approvers to edit receipts without altering the approval process.

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Invoice Approval Rules
Invoice – Base Rules

Rule Name Description

Non PO Approver Invoice Agent must approve all Non-PO based Invoices.

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Invoice – Filter Rules

Rule Name Description

None Defined None Defined

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Invoice – Edit Rules

Rule Name Description

All Allowed Allow invoices to be edited without altering the approval process.

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Invoice Reconciliation Approval Rules
Invoice Reconciliation Approval Flow

Invalid Requester

PO Invoice
Requester (Watcher)

Exception Credit Memo Rule Non-PO Invoice Chain of Command Validation &
Handler Rule Requester
Cap Rules

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Invoice Reconciliation – Base Rules

Rule Name Description

Exception Handler Rule Adds the exception handler group defined for the invoice exceptions as approvers to the approval flow.

PO Invoice Requester As IF an invoice exception occurs and the invoice header is matched to an order, THEN add the requester
Watcher Rule as a watcher if 'Requester Allowed' is set to Yes on the invoice exception, else add the Invoice Agent
group.
Invalid Requester Rule IF the requester on the invoice is invalid, THEN add the Invoice Agent group as an approver.

Credit Memo Rule IF the invoice is a credit memo or line-level credit memo, THEN add members of the Invoice Agent group.

Requester Rule IF the requester is valid and is not the same as the preparer on the invoice, OR has originated from Ariba
Network, THEN add the requester as an approver.
Supervisor Rule IF the requester has a supervisor, AND the supervisor’s approval limit is less than the total amount on the
invoice, THEN keep adding the next supervisor in the supervisory chain until a supervisor has the
appropriate approval limit to fully approve the invoice reconciliation.
Validation Rule IF a validation error is detected, THEN add the Invoice Agent group as an approver in the approval flow
to fix the validation errors.

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Invoice Reconciliation – Base Rules, Cont.

Rule Name Description

PO Invoice Cap Rule IF it is a PO-based invoice, AND the invoice total is greater than what is specified in InvoiceLimit.csv,
THEN add members of the specified group.
Non-PO Invoice Cap Rule IF it is a non-PO invoice, AND the invoice total is greater than what is specified in the file
InvoiceNonPOLimit.csv, THEN add members of the specified group.

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Invoice Reconciliation – Filter Rules

Rule Name Description

None Defined None Defined

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Invoice Reconciliation – Edit Rules

Rule Name Description

Executive Approver Allow an executive approver to edit invoice reconciliations without altering the approval process.

Invoice Manager Allow an invoice manager to edit invoice reconciliations without altering the approval process.

Other Allow invoice reconciliations to be edited with re-approval.

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User Profile Approval Rules
User Profile Approval Flow

Current Supervisor New Supervisor

Requester Customer
(if not Preparer) Administrator

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User Profile – Base Rules

Rule Name Description

Current Supervisor Adds the supervisor to the approval flow, if the requester has a supervisor.

Requester Adds the requester as an optional approver if the requester is not the same as the preparer.

New Supervisor Adds the new supervisor to the approval flow, if the supervisor has changed.

Customer Administrator Adds the customer administrator to the approval flow.

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User Profile – Filter Rules

Rule Name Description

None Defined None Defined

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User Profile – Edit Rules

Rule Name Description

All Allowed Allow user profiles to be edited without altering the approval process.

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Thank you
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No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or for any purpose without the express permission of SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company.

SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE (or an SAP affiliate
company) in Germany and other countries. Please see http://global12.sap.com/corporate-en/legal/copyright/index.epx for additional trademark information and notices.

Some software products marketed by SAP SE and its distributors contain proprietary software components of other software vendors.

National product specifications may vary.

These materials are provided by SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company for informational purposes only, without representation or warranty of any kind, and SAP SE or its
affiliated companies shall not be liable for errors or omissions with respect to the materials. The only warranties for SAP SE or SAP affiliate company products and
services are those that are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services, if any. Nothing herein should be construed as
constituting an additional warranty.

In particular, SAP SE or its affiliated companies have no obligation to pursue any course of business outlined in this document or any related presentation, or to develop
or release any functionality mentioned therein. This document, or any related presentation, and SAP SE’s or its affiliated companies’ strategy and possible future
developments, products, and/or platform directions and functionality are all subject to change and may be changed by SAP SE or its affiliated companies at any time
for any reason without notice. The information in this document is not a commitment, promise, or legal obligation to deliver any material, code, or functionality. All forward-
looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. Readers are cautioned not to place
undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates, and they should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions.

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© 2016 SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or for any purpose without the express permission of SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company.

SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE (or an SAP affiliate
company) in Germany and other countries. Please see http://global12.sap.com/corporate-en/legal/copyright/index.epx for additional trademark information and notices.

Some software products marketed by SAP SE and its distributors contain proprietary software components of other software vendors.

National product specifications may vary.

These materials are provided by SAP SE or an SAP affiliate company for informational purposes only, without representation or warranty of any kind, and SAP SE or its
affiliated companies shall not be liable for errors or omissions with respect to the materials. The only warranties for SAP SE or SAP affiliate company products and
services are those that are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services, if any. Nothing herein should be construed as
constituting an additional warranty.

In particular, SAP SE or its affiliated companies have no obligation to pursue any course of business outlined in this document or any related presentation, or to develop
or release any functionality mentioned therein. This document, or any related presentation, and SAP SE’s or its affiliated companies’ strategy and possible future
developments, products, and/or platform directions and functionality are all subject to change and may be changed by SAP SE or its affiliated companies at any time
for any reason without notice. The information in this document is not a commitment, promise, or legal obligation to deliver any material, code, or functionality. All forward-
looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. Readers are cautioned not to place
undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates, and they should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions.

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