Configuring Item/Product Approvals

Maintain control over your item catalogue by implementing an approval workflow for new or modified item records. This guide explains how to use Zudello Sentences to route items for review before they become active.

Best practices

• Define a clear process for creating and updating item records.
• Assign item approval responsibilities to appropriate personnel (e.g., category managers, data stewards).
• Use distinct statuses (e.g., DRAFT, PENDING_APPROVAL, ACTIVE) to track the item lifecycle.
• Ensure approvers understand the criteria for approving new or updated items.

Understanding Item Approvals

By default, new items created in Zudello might become ACTIVE immediately. An item approval workflow introduces a control step, ensuring that new or significantly modified items are reviewed and approved before they can be used in transactions.

This is typically achieved using:

1. Item Statuses: Specific statuses to represent the item's stage (e.g., DRAFT, PENDING_APPROVAL, ACTIVE, REJECTED).
2. Sentences: Automation rules triggered by item creation or updates, routing the item to the designated approvers.

Configuration Steps

1. Define Item Statuses

Ensure you have appropriate statuses configured for the Inventory > Items submodule:

• DRAFT (Type: REVIEW) - For newly created or edited items.
• PENDING_APPROVAL (Type: APPROVE) - For items awaiting review.
• ACTIVE (Type: ACTIVE) - For approved items ready for use.
• REJECTED (Type: REJECTED) - For items that failed review.

Configure the Item Document Type (Form) settings so that the Default status for create is DRAFT (or similar initial status) and the Default status for revert is also DRAFT.

2. Configure Item Form

Ensure the Item Document Type (Form) has the Save and submit button enabled in its settings, allowing users to trigger the approval workflow.

3. Create Approval User Group

Create a User Group (e.g., "Item Approvers") and assign the users responsible for reviewing and approving items.

4. Configure Approval Sentence

Create an Automation Sentence to handle the routing:

1. Navigate to Automations: Go to Settings > Automations.
2. Create New Sentence: Click Create.
3. Name: "Route New/Updated Items for Approval".
4. Trigger:
   • Select When a resource is submitted.
   • Module: Inventory
   • Submodule: Item
   • (Optional) Add a condition if only items in DRAFT status should trigger: Status | Is | DRAFT
5. Actions:
   • Action 1: Get Approval
     • Select Action: Get approval from User Group.
     • Milestone Name: "Item Review".
     • Step Name: "Approve Item Details".
     • Approver: Select the "Item Approvers" User Group created earlier.
     • Configure other step options (Notify, Criteria, etc.) as needed.
   • Action 2: (Optional) Add Note
     • Text: "Item submitted for approval."
   • Action 3: And cancel processing
6. Save the Sentence.

5. Configure Post-Approval Sentence

Create another Sentence to activate the item once approved:

1. Navigate to Automations: Go to Settings > Automations.
2. Create New Sentence: Click Create.
3. Name: "Activate Approved Item".
4. Trigger:
   • Select When an approval outcome is received.
   • Outcome: APPROVED.
   • Module: Inventory
   • Submodule: Item
   • (Optional) Add a condition for the specific Milestone Name: Approval Milestone Name | Is | Item Review
5. Actions:
   • Action 1: Set Status
     • Status: ACTIVE
   • Action 2: (Optional) Add Note
     • Text: "Item approved and activated."
   • Action 3: And cancel processing
6. Save the Sentence.

(Optional: Create a similar Sentence triggered by a REJECTED outcome to set the status to REJECTED or back to DRAFT).

User Experience

1. A user creates a new item or edits an existing one, saving it in DRAFT status.
2. When ready, the user clicks Save and submit.
3. The first Sentence triggers, moving the item to PENDING_APPROVAL status and assigning it to the "Item Approvers" group.
4. An approver reviews the item and clicks Approve.
5. The second Sentence triggers, moving the item to ACTIVE status, making it available for use in transactions.

Need help?

Contact your organisation administrator or Zudello support for assistance with configuring item statuses, forms, and approval Sentences.