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Implementing GL, AP and PO Workflow

Max Sheffield, Empire District Electric

Paige Ward, MarketSphere Consulting

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Agenda• Empire District Electric and Project Overhaul• Approval Framework Overview• Configuration Steps• Live Example• Advanced Features

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EMPIRE DISTRICT ELECTRICProject Overhaul

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Empire District Electric• Founded in 1909, Empire is an investor-

owned, regulated utility company• Provides electric, natural gas & water

services to customers in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma & Arkansas

• Subsidiary of the company provides fiber optic services

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Project Overhaul• Mission Statement: “Create a fully integrated system that

properly feeds the financial statements while providing personnel, in all areas of the Company, the information necessary to perform their jobs in a timely and cost efficient manner.”

• Project Information– Implementation of PeopleSoft Financials, PeopleSoft HR, PowerPlan

and Maximo– PeopleSoft Financials upgrade from 7.5 to 9.1– The scope of the project included the following modules:

• General Ledger• Accounts Payable• Purchasing• Cost Management• Accounts Receivable / Billing• Projects

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APPROVAL FRAMEWORKOverview

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Approval Framework• Specialized application used for defining and configuration

approvals• Enables configuration of approval processes using existing

components– Does not require code– Allows for the implementation of multiple rules

• Can be easily modified to support and accommodate changing business needs

• Delivered Application Workflow Engines (AWE’s)– Voucher Approval– Vendor Approval– Requisition Approval– Purchase Order Approval– Journal Approval

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Approval Framework

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Why Approval Framework?• Address today’s business needs through flexible approvals, rules and

routings– Preview approvals– Parallel approvals– Dynamic or static approval paths– Line level approval– User friendly approval routing display– Justification and approver comments– View printable version– Approve, pushback, deny hold– Adhoc approvers and reviewers– Confirmations and notifications– Reminders, escalations, and delegations– Edit without re-approval– Email approvals– Approval history

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Terminology• Transaction Registry: outlines integration between

Workflow module and Approval Framework• Transaction Configuration: provides details on how

Workflow module integrates with Approval Framework• Approval Process Setup: defines details of application

approval rules– Stage: used to contain one or more paths; define if

transaction approval is at header or line level– Path: parallel processing of approvals

• Static source: set number of steps• Dynamic source: allows for one step only

– Step: unit of work that must complete before advancing, based on defined criteria

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CONFIGURATION STEPSApproval Framework

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Configuration Steps1. Transaction Registry

2. User List Setup

3. Transaction Configuration

4. Approval Process Setup

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Transaction Registry• Interface application used to

register the main records and components that make up the transaction

• Defines how the system interacts with portions of the application requiring approvals

• This page is used to define:– Worklist approvals– Notification options– Adhoc approval class logic– Transaction approval levels

• Delivered configuration; typically requires minimal additional configuration

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User List Setup• Defines user sources for

steps in the approval process• User list source options:

– Role: approval routing based on list of users having specific role

– SQL Definition: approval routing based on specific SQL and OPRID

– Query: system-determined approval routing based on fields triggering workflow

– Application Class: approval routing based on originator of transaction

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Transaction Configuration• Defines elements that determine

what triggers a notification, who receives the notification, and the content of the notification

• Events prompting notifications:– Launch of approval process for

transaction– Queue of approval step to approver– Queue of review step to reviewer– Denial of line or header– Approval of line or header– Completion of approval process

• Recipients of notifications include requesters, approvers and reviewers of a transaction

• Notifications can be received through Worklist, Email or both

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Approval Process Setup• Defines approval process,

which is made up of stages and their paths and steps

• Each approval step represents approval level required for transaction

• Approval processes can be developed to:

– Meet organizational or tiered approval limits

– Use parallel processing to allow multiple transaction entities to be processed at the same time

– Use staged approvals that require one sequence of processing to complete before another can begin

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LIVE EXAMPLEVoucher Workflow

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Email NotificationUpon submitting Voucher for approval, assigned approver receives email notification requesting action

Click on link to access Worklist

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WorklistTransactions awaiting approval can be located in the Approver’s Worklist

Click on link to view Voucher/PO information

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Inquiry Options

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Approval Options• Approve: Voucher automatically routes to next Approver (if applicable)

• Deny: Voucher sent back to AP department (comments required)

• Pushback: Voucher sent back to previous approver (comments required)

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Approval Options, contd.• Insert Adhoc Approver / Reviewer

– Approver: add approver not already included in path (approval action required)– Reviewer: add User to review voucher after approval process is complete (no

action required)

• Start New Path: create new approval string

Select to insert Approver/Reviewer

Select to start new path

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Advanced Features• Smart Phone Approvals• Email Approvals• Customization examples