O/E Orders Approvals

Overview

A company wants to configure workflow using Orchid Extender to approve orders placed by Retail Customers.

When an order is entered for a Retail customer, the order is immediately placed on hold and the customer service manager receives an email notification. A user in Accounts must approve the order to take it off hold.

When the order is approved, it is taken off hold automatically and the user who entered the order receives an email notification.

When the order is rejected, a comment is entered and the requester receives an email.

The same workflow is required when they need to take off-hold orders put on hold manually.

Sample files

Workflow Template example- You can import the files:

Workflow template to attach to {INSERT} of an O/E Order: OE Order Insert Workflow.xlsx

Template to attach to {ONHOLD} view field: OE Order on hold.xlsx

Go to Extender Setup > Workflow Templates > Import.

Continue the setup as per below.

Requires Extender PU12.00 or above

Extender Setup key steps

This Retail O/E Approval workflow template is designed to be started automatically when a new O/E Order is inserted for a Customer in the Retail (RTL) Customer Group. The workflow will set the order on hold automatically.

A separate workflow to control the process to take orders Off hold starts automatically. This process is also used for orders set on hold outside of the workflow.

In this tutorial, the customer group that requires approval is configured as a Parameter when attaching the workflow to the Sage O/E View.

The Approver who can take the order off hold is also configured when the workflow is attached to the Sage O/E Order view.

Add email templates "Order approved" and "Order rejected"

Configure Workflow colours: Orange to show New On-hold orders and Red for "rejected" orders.

Create a O/E Order approval Workflow and Order On hold workflow in Extender Setup > Workflow Templates.

Workflow template - Step by step guide - OE New Retail orders on hold

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

Workflow Templates - Screen Guide

Template ID - Enter a descriptive name.

The name cannot be updated after it is created

Can start manually: set to No as the workflow will start whenever an O/E order is inserted and will be attached to O/E Order view.

Auto Delete instance when complete: Yes - as the workflow history is available in Extender Inquiries.

You can set it to No while testing to view all Orders workflow on the console.

Can start multiple instances: Yes

Add 3 steps - The detailed actions for each steps will be configured below.

  • Check = Entry Step: If the Customer group = Retail, request approval and set the Order on hold flag to "on hold"
  • Error= If the workflow has a critical error, such as the order cannot be set on hold, the workflow will wait for a manual intervention
  • Complete if the workflow has had an error, can be manually completed.

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.

When the order is on hold, the O/E Offhold approval workflow will be used to manage the approval process.

The O/E Order Insert workflow can be manually progressed if it ends up in the Error step.

  • Select the Error Step, add a step that a user can select: Complete

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

For O/E Order Approval, the workflow will track the Order Number and Customer ID to enable drill down and the Order total amount for reference under "Requested value" in the console.

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

  • OrderAmount: set to the Order Total in the first step

Values are also used as variables in the workflow actions. In this example, we have configured Values to store the App

  • WFCOMMENT : WFCOMMENT is used to set the default On hold reason. Set to "Retail Order set on hold by the workflow". Text can be updated in the Values section of the screen without updating the rest of the workflow actions.

For each step, the template includes a series of actions to match the process flow requirements. In the A/R Customer Credit Limit approval, the most commonly used actions are configured.

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

SetDrilldown: Set the CUSTOMER value to the current customer and the ORDERNO to the current Order to enable drilldown to customer and order from the console.

SetDescription: This will be displayed on the console. Use {CUSTOMER}-{BILNAME}-PO:{PONUMBER} to show the Customer number, name and the PO Number on the order.

Evaluate: Used to check if the order is a "Retail" order. Defined as an order for a customer in the RTL Customer Group. The customer group is configured as a parameter when the workflow is attached to the O/E Order view rather than hard coding it in the workflow.

If the Order customer group is the one configured in parameter 1 ({$1}, then approval is required. If not, the False action is set to another action to update the status and complete the workflow, as no approval is required, so the order is not put on hold.

AssignUser: Select {$2} as the approver is entered as Parameter 2 when the workflow is attached to the OE Order view.

AssignColour: Enter the required colour for the console.

SetField: The Order is set to "On Hold" so that the order can be saved, but not processed further until approved.

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

SetField: {HOLDREASON} is set to the value {WFCOMMENT}. You can update the description in the Values section of the workflow template.

ShowUserMessage: This is used to inform the user that the workflow has started and the order is on hold. Use in conjunction with Evaluate {PROGRAM} to ensure the message box is only displayed if using a Extender screen . If a custom program running on the server inserts order, you do not want any messages to show on the server.

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.

This step has no action, as it is waiting for a User to progress the workflow.

Use Progress To Steps to configure what steps the user can start.

Workflow template - Step by step guide - O/E orders on hold approval

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

Workflow Templates - Screen Guide

Template ID - Enter a descriptive name.

The name cannot be updated after it is created

Can start manually: set to No as the workflow will start whenever the ONHOLD flag is updated and will be attached to O/E Order view, {ONHOLD} field.

Auto Delete instance when complete: Yes - as the workflow history is available in Extender Inquiries.

You can set it to No while testing to view all Orders workflow on the console.

Can start multiple instances: Yes

Add 4 steps - The detailed actions for each steps will be configured below.

  • Check = Entry Step: If the Customer group = Retail, request approval and set the Order on hold flag to "on hold"
  • Wait = Record is waiting for approval.
  • Off-hold = Order is approved and taken off hold
  • Reject = Order remains on hold and requester receives an email.

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.

For O/E Order Approval, the request can be Approved (Order taken off hold) or Rejected (Order remains on hold and can be deleted manually)

  • Select the Wait Step, add 2 steps that a user can select: Off-Hold and Reject

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

For O/E Order Approval, the workflow will track the Order Number and Customer ID to enable drill down and the Order total amount for reference.

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

  • OrderAmount: set to the Order Total in the first step

Values are also used as variables in the workflow actions. In this example, we have configured Values to store the App

  • WFCOMMENT : WFCOMMENT is used to set the default On hold reason. Set to "Retail Order set on hold by the workflow". Text can be updated in the Values section of the screen without updating the rest of the workflow actions.

For each step, the template includes a series of actions to match the process flow requirements. In the A/R Customer Credit Limit approval, the most commonly used actions are configured.

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

SetDescription: This will be displayed on the console. Use {CUSTOMER}-{BILNAME}-PO:{PONUMBER} to show the Customer number, name and the PO Number on the order.

SetDrilldown: Set the CUSTOMER value to the current customer and the ORDERNO to the current Order to enable drilldown to customer and order from the console.

Evaluate: if the user sets the order to "off hold", ({ONHOLD} value = false), go to an action that leaves the order on hold and notifies the user that the field can only be updated through the workflow.

AssignUser: Select {$2} as the approver is entered as Parameter 2 when the workflow is attached to the OE Order view.

AssignColour: Enter the required colour for the console.

SetField : The Order is set to "On Hold" so that the order can be saved, but not processed further until approved.

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

SetField: {HOLDREASON} is set to the value {WFCOMMENT}. You can update the description in the Values section of the workflow template.

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.

This step has no action, as it is waiting for a User to progress the workflow.

Use Progress To Steps to configure what steps the user can start.

SetField: This action will set the ONHOLD flag to 0. The order will not be on hold anymore.

The True action can complete the workflow.

False Action: this means the Credit Limit 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.

Optional, ShowUserMessage if the program is the OE1100 screen to notify the user that the order is off-hold.

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

AddParameter: Add a field: 

  • 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.

Note: You could add another step to "inform customer" and complete the workflow only when this final step is performed.

Attach workflow to OE0520 View

Add OE Order insert workflow to {INSERT} view operation. It will start when a new order is inserted.

Add OE Order on hold workflow to the ONHOLD field. It will start whenever the Order on hold field is updated

Note: The ONHOLD workflow will start when the field is updated on the Sage 300 screen, through other programs using the O/E Order view, including when the field is updated in a separate workflow template.

In Extender Setup > View Events and Scripts, select the workflow and the entry step.

Parameter1 = Customer Group

Parameter2 = Approver User

For detailed steps, refer to View Events, Scripts & WF

Configure Information Manager

If you want to configure icons on Sage 300 screens to progress the workflow and to view workflow history, you need to configure Information Manager.

To view the workflow history and progress active workflow from the O/E Order screen, configure Information Manager , I/M Setup > Options > Notes/DML/Extender hotkey

As the workflow cannot be started manually, do not select an Entry Step.

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

Add orders for Retail Customers

Check that the Order is on Hold and OnHold Comment = Retail order set on hold by workflow

Note:

If you add orders for non Retail Customers, the workflow will also be started on INSERT. The workflow goes to a Complete action, so will not be visible on the console if you select "Auto delete when complete". It will be in the workflow history.

If you only want to start the workflow in some conditions and don't want to see all orders in the workflow history log, you need a custom script that will start the workflow when certain conditions are met.

Go to Extender Console, notice the workflow instance record.

Click on Values Tab to see the details.

Use history to view the steps that the workflow has been following.

 

Log on as a user who can approve,

  • click "Off Hold" on the console to approve the order.
  • Drill down to the O/E Order to check.

Log on as a user who can approve,

  • Find the Order or drill down to the O/E Order from the console
  • Click on the Workflow icon, select Off-Hold or Reject
  • Enter a reason
  • Confirm the email is sent to the user who started the workflow.
Requirement!

This functionality is available in Extender Levels Configurator and Developer.

This functionality requires Extender Developer.

To approve on the Remote form without logging to Sage 300 first, you need an active subscription to the Remote Action Service. You can then configure the workflow template to use Remote Action.

To use the Workflow console, configure the user as a "Workflow User". Refer to Understanding Workflow Users

To use the Tray Icon on the Sage 300 screens, you need to install Information Manager, configure the tray icons and configure the user as a "Workflow User".