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Version: Current

Troubleshooting: Wrong Approver Assigned

Problem​

An approval step for a document is assigned to the wrong User or User Group.

Common Causes​

  1. Incorrect Sentence Configuration:
    • "Get approval from User/User Group": The wrong specific User or User Group was selected in the Sentence action configuration.
    • "Get approval from DOA":
      • The wrong DOA Dataset was selected.
      • The DOA Dataset itself contains incorrect User/User Group assignments for the relevant dimension/limit combination.
      • The "Start From" logic (e.g., Submitter, Bottom of Tree) combined with the document data leads to an unexpected user being selected first.
      • The document coding (dimensions used for DOA lookup) is incorrect.
    • "Get approval from Submitter/Creator": The wrong related resource was selected (e.g., targeting the PO submitter instead of the Requisition submitter), or the submitted_by/created_by field on the related resource is incorrect.
    • "Get approval from Assignee": The wrong user was assigned to the document before the approval Sentence ran.
  2. Incorrect User Data:
    • Manager: The manager field on the user profile (used for "Escalate to Manager" or potentially Management Tree approvals) is incorrect.
    • User Group Membership: The intended approver is not a member of the assigned User Group, or the wrong user is a member.
  3. Incorrect Document Data: Fields on the document used as conditions in the Sentence or for DOA lookups (e.g., Department, Total Amount, Project Code) are incorrect, causing the wrong rule or DOA line to be evaluated.
  4. Multiple Conflicting Sentences: More than one Sentence was triggered, and an unintended one assigned the approver. Lack of "And cancel processing" action.

Troubleshooting Steps​

  1. Identify the Sentence: Determine which Sentence assigned the incorrect approver. Check the document's Audit History or Automation Logs (if available) for clues, or review active Sentences based on the trigger event (e.g., status change to APPROVAL).
  2. Review Sentence Configuration:
    • Open the identified Sentence in Settings > Automations.
    • Carefully examine the "Get Approval" action configuration:
      • Is the correct approval type selected (User, Group, DOA, etc.)?
      • Is the correct specific User, User Group, or DOA Dataset selected?
      • For DOA, check the "Start From" logic and the selected Dataset.
      • For Submitter/Creator, check the selected related resource type.
  3. Review DOA Dataset (If Applicable):
    • Go to Settings > Datasets.
    • Open the relevant DOA Dataset.
    • Find the row(s) that should have applied based on the document's coding and amount. Is the correct User/User Group assigned to that row/limit?
  4. Review User Data:
    • Check the User Group membership (Organisation Settings > Group Membership) for the assigned group. Are the members correct?
    • Check the manager field on relevant user profiles (Organisation Settings > Users > Edit User) if manager-based routing is used.
  5. Review Document Data:
    • Open the affected document.
    • Verify the accuracy of all fields used in Sentence conditions or DOA lookups (e.g., Total Amount, Department, Location, Project). Correct any errors.
  6. Check for Conflicting Sentences: Review other active Sentences with the same trigger. Could another Sentence have interfered? Ensure proper use of conditions and the "And cancel processing" action.
  7. Correct and Resubmit/Revert:
    • Correct the underlying issue (Sentence configuration, DOA dataset, user data, or document data).
    • If the document is still pending the incorrect approval, an administrator might need to Change Approver (Change Approvers) or Force Approve/Reject (Force Approve Document, Rejecting Documents) the current step to allow the workflow to re-evaluate with the corrected configuration/data, potentially requiring a Revert (Reverting Documents) and resubmission.

Need Help?​

If you cannot determine why the wrong approver is being assigned, contact Zudello support. Provide:

  • The Document UUID.
  • The name of the incorrect approver and the expected approver.
  • Screenshots of the relevant Sentence configuration and/or DOA Dataset row.