Customer On-Hold Alert and Approval

Overview

AR Team users need the ability to put a customer on hold and send an email to the primary sales person for the customer.

The company requires 2 different users to approve sequentially before the customer can be taken off-hold.

Sample files

Workflow Template example- You can import the file: Manual Workflow - Set a Customer On-Hold and email the sales person

Go to Extender Setup > Workflow Templates > Import.

Continue the setup as per below.

Requires Extender PU12.00 or above

Extender Setup key steps

To achieve the requirement, we will create a workflow template that can be manually started and configure an icon on the A/R Customer inquiry screen.

  • Add email templates
  • Create a "Workflow Template" in Extender Setup > Workflow Templates - Set Customer on hold and notify sales person.
  • Add Workflow Users - Understanding Workflow Users
  • Add Information Manager Configuration to start the Extender Workflow.

Workflow template - Step by step guide

Template ID - Enter a descriptive name. The name cannot be updated after it is created

Can start manually: set to Yes

Note: You need to configure what screen the workflow can be started on in I/M Options > Notes/DML/Extender Tray setup.

Auto Delete instance when complete: Yes

Can start multiple instances: No with Message- to ensure the first request is completed before a new one starts.

It is recommended to add the main steps as defined on the process flowchart first, and then configure the detailed actions for each step.

For more details. Workflow Templates - Screen Guide

Add 6 steps - The detailed actions for each steps will be configured below.

  • Set On Hold : Entry Step. Assigns the workflow to Nathalie
  • Wait : Record is waiting for approval.
  • Approve 1 : Assigns the workflow to Anne for second approval.
  • Waiting for 2nd Approval: Record is waiting for final approval
  • Take Off hold : 2nd Approver can take the customer off hold.
  • Reject : Close the workflow and leave the customer on hold.

Progress-to steps are used when a user needs to select the next Step to progress the workflow. Progress-to steps add Controls to the workflow console. If workflow screen icons are configured in Information Manager, Progress-to steps can be run from the configured Sage 300 screen.

In this example,

  • Select the Wait Step, add 2 steps that a user can select: Approve 1 and Reject
  • Select the "Waiting for 2nd approval" step and add 2 steps "Take off hold" and "Reject"

Values are used in the workflow and saved in the workflow history.

For Customer On Hold manual workflow, the workflow will track the Customer ID to enable drill down, custom description fields and Approvers.

  • Customer: to enable drilldown - Set in the first workflow step

For each step, the template includes a series of actions to match the process flow requirements. In the A/R customer on hold manual workflow, some of the key actions are described in this tutorial.

For a list of actions included with ExtenderConfigurator, refer to Configurator Actions

SetValue: {VIEWID} - This is required for a manual workflow to attach the workflow to a Sage 300 View. View fields are now available in the workflow actions and in message templates.

SetDrilldown: Set the CUSTOMER value to the current customer to enable drilldown from the console

AddParameter and AskForParameters: Prompt user for a reason to store in the workflow values.

AssignUser: Enter the appropriate user based on the amount

SetStatus: Set the workflow status to "Customer on Hold"

SetField : Used to Set the customer on hold {SWHOLD} = 1

Tip: Make sure that the False action notifies the user that there was an issue preventing the update.

SetDescription: This will be displayed on the console. Use {NAMECUST}-{IDGRP} to show the Customer name and Group.

SendEmail: Choose a template and the email address to use

GoToStep: Choose Wait step if approval is required so that users can Approve or Reject on the console.

The Wait steps have no action, as it is waiting for a User to progress the workflow.

This step doesn't take the Customer off hold, it stores the User who first approved and assigns to a second user.

SetValue: This action stores the User who approves - Value = APPROVER1, Field = {USER}

AssignUser: Enter the 2nd approver user. Could be a user group.

SetStatus: Enter a status meaningful for Workflow log and reports.

GoToStep: Go back to Wait if the field update has not been successful.

Evaluate: If the logged on user is the same as the first Approver, Display an error and go back to Wait step.

If the logged on user is different from the first Approver, take the customer off hold.

SetField: This action will take the customer off hold. {SWHOLD} = 0

The True action can complete the workflow.

False Action: this means the On Hold Flag {SWHOLD} wasn't updated (for example, the approver doesn't have rights to Sage 300). Make sure this goes back to the Wait step and doesn't complete the workflow.

SendEmailToStarter: Select a template. The action will use the email address in the Sage 300 user profile of the user who started the workflow.

SetStatus: Enter a status meaningful for Workflow log and reports.

GoToStep: Go back to Wait if the field update has not been successful.

SetStatus:  Rejected - Used on console and workflow history.

AddParameter: Add 2 fields: 

  • REJECTREASON: for user to enter a comment / reason for rejection

AskForParameters: always required after AddParameter to display the popup screen and wait for user to enter Input.

SendEmailToStarter: Select a template. The action will use the email address in the Sage 300 user profile of the user who started the workflow.

Complete: Completes the workflow. Will be deleted from the Console if "Auto delete"is set to Yes.

Attach workflow to AR Customer Inquiry screen

To start the workflow manually, you don't need to add it to Extender Setup > View Events and Scripts.

Instead, you add the configuration in I/M Options > Notes/DML/Extender Tray setup.

Requirement! This requires to install and activate Information Manager. If you are only using Extender screen icons functionality, you can install the module without activation code.

Select RotoID AR1700 for Customer Inquiry.

Field Label: Customer No.

Select the workflow template and an Entry Step.

Enter Approver 1 and Approver 2 users in Parameters 1 and 2.

Refresh the Tray icon if you have made any changes on the IM Setup>Options in the current session as the Tray icon reads the current setup when the company is first opened.

Tip: If you have multiple Tray icons, Close the Sage 300 desktop and re-open to refresh the configuration.

Using Extender workflow to set customer on hold

Use Icon on AR Inquiry screen to put on hold

Find a customer with overdue invoices that you want to put on hold. Start the workflow on the Screen icon.

Enter a comment when prompted.

The customer is put on hold and the sales person receives an email with the custom reason.

When the first user has approved, the second user receives a notification and can run the final approval step.

Viewing workflow history and logs

  • When the workflow is complete, you can use Workflow Log to view past instances when the workflow was used to set the customer on hold.
  • View Workflow Logs to see history.
Requirement!

This functionality is available in Extender Levels Configurator, Customizer and Developer.

To use the Workflow console, users need to be configured as a Workflow User.

To configure the Tray Icon on the Sage 300 screens, you need to install Information Manager.

To use the icons, you need to configure the user as a Workflow User