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Version: Current

Troubleshooting: Issues with DOA/Management Tree Approvals

Problem​

When using "Get approval from DOA" or "Get approval from Management Tree" actions in Sentences, the approval is not routed correctly:

  1. The wrong user/group is assigned.
  2. No approver is found, and the document gets stuck.
  3. The approval chain stops unexpectedly or includes too many/too few steps.

Common Causes​

DOA Issues​

  1. Incorrect Dataset Selected: The Sentence action points to the wrong DOA Dataset.
  2. Incorrect Dataset Configuration:
    • Missing rows for the specific dimension combination (e.g., Department + Account Code) present on the transaction.
    • Incorrect User or User Group assigned to the relevant row/limit.
    • Limit values are incorrect (e.g., typo, wrong currency amount).
    • Wildcards (blank dimension values) are misconfigured, leading to unintended matches.
  3. Incorrect Document Coding: The transaction lines have the wrong dimension values (e.g., wrong Department), causing the DOA lookup to evaluate the wrong dataset row.
  4. Incorrect Transaction Amount: The transaction total_local or total_exclusive_local (depending on DOA configuration) used for limit checking is incorrect.
  5. Incorrect "Start From" Logic: The chosen starting point (Submitter, Bottom of Tree, User with Limit) combined with the dataset leads to an unexpected first approver or approval chain.
  6. "Include Tax" Mismatch: The include_tax setting in the DOA dataset doesn't match the amount field being evaluated (total_local vs total_exclusive_local).
  7. Approver Invalid/Inactive: The User/Group assigned in the matching DOA row is inactive or lacks permissions.

Management Tree Issues​

  1. Incorrect Manager Hierarchy: The manager field is not set up correctly or is outdated in user profiles (Organisation Settings > Users > Edit User).
  2. Missing User Limit Dataset: Management Tree approvals often rely on a separate "User Limit" dataset to determine if a manager has sufficient authority. This dataset might be missing, misconfigured, or not selected correctly in the Sentence action.
  3. Incorrect "Start From" Logic: Similar to DOA, the starting point affects the chain.
  4. Approver Invalid/Inactive: A manager in the hierarchy is inactive or lacks permissions.
  5. Circular Reference: A loop exists in the manager hierarchy (e.g., A reports to B, B reports to A).

General Issues (Both DOA & Management Tree)​

  1. "Include Submitter" Conflict: The "Include Submitter" setting is FALSE, but the submitter is the only person who meets the criteria at a certain step. See Configure Self-Approval Prevention.
  2. Sentence Logic Errors: Incorrect conditions before the approval action, or issues with subsequent Sentences handling the outcome.

Troubleshooting Steps​

  1. Verify Sentence Configuration:
    • Go to Settings > Automations and edit the relevant Sentence.
    • Check the "Get Approval" action:
      • Is the correct type (DOA/Management Tree) selected?
      • Is the correct Dataset selected?
      • Is the correct Start From option chosen?
      • Is the Include Submitter toggle set appropriately?
      • For DOA, check the Value to check limit against setting.
  2. Verify Dataset Configuration:
    • Go to Settings > Datasets.
    • Open the relevant DOA or User Limit dataset.
    • DOA: Find the row(s) that should match the transaction's coding. Are the dimensions correct? Is the correct User/Group assigned? Are the limits accurate? Check wildcard usage. Is include_tax set correctly?
    • User Limit: Does the dataset contain entries for all relevant users/managers? Are the limits correct?
  3. Verify Document Coding & Amount:
    • Open the affected transaction.
    • Check the coding on all relevant lines. Are the correct Departments, Accounts, Projects, etc., selected?
    • Check the transaction total used for limit checking (total_local or total_exclusive_local). Is it accurate?
  4. Verify User Data:
    • Management Tree: Check the manager field for the submitter and users up the chain in Organisation Settings > Users.
    • All: Ensure assigned users/groups and managers are Active and have necessary permissions (#VIEW) and Data Permissions.
  5. Test with Different Scenarios: Submit test documents with different coding combinations and amounts to isolate where the logic deviates from expectations.
  6. Simplify: Temporarily simplify the Sentence (remove conditions) or the Dataset (reduce rows) to see if a basic case works, then gradually add complexity back.

Need Help?​

DOA and Management Tree approvals can be complex. Contact Zudello support if you cannot resolve the routing issue. Provide:

  • The Document UUID.
  • Screenshots of the Sentence configuration, relevant Dataset rows, and the document coding.
  • Details of the expected vs. actual approver/approval chain.