Implementing GL, AP and PO
Workflow
Max Sheffield, Empire District Electric
Paige Ward, MarketSphere Consulting
QuestDirect.org
Agenda
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Empire District Electric and Project Overhaul
Approval Framework Overview
Configuration Steps
Live Example
Advanced Features
QuestDirect.org
Project Overhaul
EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRIC
QuestDirect.org
Empire District Electric
• Founded in 1909, Empire is an investorowned, regulated utility company
• Provides electric, natural gas & water
services to customers in Missouri, Kansas,
Oklahoma & Arkansas
• Subsidiary of the company provides fiber
optic services
QuestDirect.org
Project Overhaul
• Mission Statement: “Create a fully integrated system that
properly feeds the financial statements while providing
personnel, in all areas of the Company, the information
necessary to perform their jobs in a timely and cost efficient
manner.”
• Project Information
– Implementation of PeopleSoft Financials, PeopleSoft HR,
PowerPlan and Maximo
– PeopleSoft Financials upgrade from 7.5 to 9.1
– The scope of the project included the following modules:
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General Ledger
Accounts Payable
Purchasing
Cost Management
Accounts Receivable / Billing
Projects
QuestDirect.org
Overview
APPROVAL FRAMEWORK
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Approval Framework
• Specialized application used for defining and
configuration approvals
• Enables configuration of approval processes using
existing components
– Does not require code
– Allows for the implementation of multiple rules
• Can be easily modified to support and accommodate
changing business needs
• Delivered Application Workflow Engines (AWE’s)
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Voucher Approval
Vendor Approval
Requisition Approval
Purchase Order Approval
Journal Approval
QuestDirect.org
Approval Framework
QuestDirect.org
Why Approval Framework?
• Address today’s business needs through flexible approvals, rules
and routings
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Preview approvals
Parallel approvals
Dynamic or static approval paths
Line level approval
User friendly approval routing display
Justification and approver comments
View printable version
Approve, pushback, deny hold
Adhoc approvers and reviewers
Confirmations and notifications
Reminders, escalations, and delegations
Edit without re-approval
Email approvals
Approval history
QuestDirect.org
Terminology
• Transaction Registry: outlines integration between
Workflow module and Approval Framework
• Transaction Configuration: provides details on how
Workflow module integrates with Approval Framework
• Approval Process Setup: defines details of application
approval rules
– Stage: used to contain one or more paths; define if
transaction approval is at header or line level
– Path: parallel processing of approvals
• Static source: set number of steps
• Dynamic source: allows for one step only
– Step: unit of work that must complete before advancing,
based on defined criteria
QuestDirect.org
Approval Framework
CONFIGURATION STEPS
QuestDirect.org
Configuration Steps
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Transaction Registry
User List Setup
Transaction Configuration
Approval Process Setup
QuestDirect.org
Transaction Registry
• Interface application used to
register the main records and
components that make up the
transaction
• Defines how the system
interacts with portions of the
application requiring approvals
• This page is used to define:
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Worklist approvals
Notification options
Adhoc approval class logic
Transaction approval levels
• Delivered configuration;
typically requires minimal
additional configuration
QuestDirect.org
User List Setup
• Defines user sources for
steps in the approval
process
• User list source options:
– Role: approval routing
based on list of users
having specific role
– SQL Definition: approval
routing based on specific
SQL and OPRID
– Query: system-determined
approval routing based on
fields triggering workflow
– Application Class: approval
routing based on originator
of transaction
QuestDirect.org
Transaction Configuration
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Defines elements that determine
what triggers a notification, who
receives the notification, and the
content of the notification
Events prompting notifications:
– Launch of approval process for
transaction
– Queue of approval step to
approver
– Queue of review step to reviewer
– Denial of line or header
– Approval of line or header
– Completion of approval process
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Recipients of notifications
include requesters, approvers
and reviewers of a transaction
Notifications can be received
through Worklist, Email or both
QuestDirect.org
Approval Process Setup
• Defines approval process,
which is made up of stages
and their paths and steps
• Each approval step
represents approval level
required for transaction
• Approval processes can be
developed to:
– Meet organizational or tiered
approval limits
– Use parallel processing to allow
multiple transaction entities to be
processed at the same time
– Use staged approvals that require
one sequence of processing to
complete before another can
begin
QuestDirect.org
Voucher Workflow
LIVE EXAMPLE
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Email Notification
Upon submitting Voucher for approval, assigned approver
receives email notification requesting action
Click on link to access Worklist
QuestDirect.org
Worklist
Transactions awaiting approval can be located in the Approver’s
Worklist
Click on link to view Voucher/PO
information
QuestDirect.org
Inquiry Options
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Approval Options
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Approve: Voucher automatically routes to next Approver (if applicable)
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Deny: Voucher sent back to AP department (comments required)
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Pushback: Voucher sent back to previous approver (comments required)
QuestDirect.org
Approval Options, contd.
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Insert Adhoc Approver / Reviewer
– Approver: add approver not already included in path (approval action
required)
– Reviewer: add User to review voucher after approval process is complete
(no action required)
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Start New Path: create new approval string
Select to start new path
Select to insert Approver/Reviewer
QuestDirect.org
Advanced Features
• Smart Phone Approvals
• Email Approvals
• Customization examples
QuestDirect.org