Oracle Applications White Paper

White Paper on Using Parallelization in

Invoice Approval Workflow in R12
Author: Raghavender Vutukuru & Srinivas Nimmalpudi
Reviewed By: Sriram Ramanujam
Creation Date: 01-December-2014
Last Updated: 15- December-2014
Version: 0.1
Status: FINAL

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Contents
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 3
SCOPE/OUT OF SCOPE ...................................................................................................................................................3

TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................... 4

TECHNOLOGY.................................................................................................................................................................4

BUSINESS CASE .............................................................................................................................. 6

METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................................................................................6
BUSINESS SCENARIO ......................................................................................................................................................6

SET UP STEPS ................................................................................................................................ 7

STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO SETUP......................................................................................................................................7

1) PAYABLES OPTION SETUP .................................................................................................................. 7

2) SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR ................................................................................................................. 8
3) APPROVALS MANAGEMENT BUSINESS ANALYST ..................................................................................... 9
3.1) Defining/Using Attributes ..............................................................................................................................9
4.2) Define Conditions .........................................................................................................................................10
4.3) Use Action Types ..........................................................................................................................................11
4.4) Define Approval Groups ...............................................................................................................................12
4.5) Define Rules ..............................................................................................................................................14

TRANSACTIONS ............................................................................................................................. 16
Scenario 1: Voting Regime = First Responder Wins.............................................................................................16
Scenario 2: Voting Regime = Consensus..............................................................................................................22
Scenario 2: Voting Regime = Serial .....................................................................................................................32

REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................ 43

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Introduction
Approval process parallelization shortens a transactions approval process time. The present invoice
approval WF process utilizes the functionality of Oracle Approvals Management (hereafter AME) and
Oracle Workflow, to allow users to define business rules to determine who should approve invoices and
how the same will be routed for approval to different approvers.
Workflow provides various features including sending approval notification in parallel. Payables will now
uptake this functionality. The purpose of this document is to provide a high level overview of the rules
followed for sending parallel approval notification functionality by Payables.
Scope/Out of Scope
This paper will cover the set up side of processing parallel AP invoice approvals along with covering
some scenarios testing.
Business Requirements Addressed
In Enhancement Request 6717382 many customers have raised the requirement to support
parallelization for payables invoice approval. The main objective of parallelization is to shorten a
transactions approval process time. Payables will now uptake this functionality.
Business Requirements Not Addressed
Currently we will not support sending parallel approval notification for line level. As of now parallel
approval works for invoice lines in a way that even now user can send approval notification for all
invoice lines together. We do not believe that it is a common business requirement to need sending
approval notification of one line to more than one approver simultaneously. Hence this will not be a part
of this design document.
Also, currently we will not support sending parallel approval notification for dynamic approval groups.

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Technology Overview
Technology
This solution is comprised of Oracle Workflow, Approvals Management, OA Framework, and forms.
Architecture
Parallelization should support all voting regimes available. (Consensus, First Responder Wins and Serial)
As per current design even if the user selects the voting regime other than serial, the notification still
goes in serial mode. Post implementation of this design, if user selects voting regime other than serial
the notifications will go as per the voting regime selected. For ex Currently, if users select the voting
regime of First Responder Wins and assign order number 1 approver within an approver group, the
notification still goes to approver/approver groups in serial mode. After this design, with the above set
up notification will go to approvers in parallel.
Please note the set up at item class level (Order Number, Parallelization, and Sub list Mode) will not
impact parallelization for Payables.

The Voting method and order numbers set at action type level will override the set up done at approver
group level

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Uptake
This functionality is made available as a one off patch rather than as a general release.
This enhancement is available through:
R12.1.x : Patch 19608529:R12.AP.B
R12.2.x : Patch 19608529:R12.AP.C

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Business Case
Methodology
We will take a business scenario and show the working product with each of the voting methods
available. We will define expected AME conditions, Action types and create Rules as per test scenario
requirement. Configure Approval Groups according to these requirements and show working product.
Business Scenario
If Supplier invoice amount is greater than or equal to $1000, it should be approved by three of the
Payables Managers viz.,
Raghavender Vutukuru
Srinivas Nimmalapudi
Sriram Ramanujam

The covered scenarios are:

1: Voting Regime = First Responder Wins
2: Voting Regime = Consensus
3: Voting Regime = Serial

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Set Up Steps
Step By Step Guide to Setup
This document covers the basic step by step guide to complete the Payables Invoice Approval setup.
1) Payables Option Setup
Check the Use Invoice Approval Workflow Payables option
Navigation: Payables Responsibility>Setup>Options> Payables Options

For Payables application to use Approvals Management Engine, Use Invoice Approval Workflow
Payables option should be checked. The Invoice Approval Workflow automates your invoice approval
process. Based on rules you define, the workflow determines if an invoice need approval or not and if
yes, in what order the approvers should approve the invoice.
If you use Invoice Approval Workflow, then every invoice and invoice line that requires approval must be
approved before you can pay it. Payables indicate that an invoice require approval by setting the value
in the Approval status field in the Invoices window to Required. The approval status is derived from the
approval status of the document maintained at the invoice header and the approval status of the invoice
lines.
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When you use this feature, all invoices require approval, with the following exceptions.
Expense reports imported through the Payables Expense Report Export Program (because these
expense reports have already been through an approval process)
Recurring invoices if the recurring invoice template did not have the Approval Workflow Required
option enabled (because recurring invoices are often approved in advance)
Invoices that existed before you enabled the feature
Invoices that completed the Invoice Approval Workflow process and the Invoice Approval Workflow
process determined that according to the rules set up in Oracle Approvals Management that no one
needs to approve the invoice.
Approvers can approve or reject the invoice document or invoice line.
2) System Administrator
Define User
This is required to access the approval notifications to process Invoice approval request.
Navigation: System Administrator>Security>User>Define

Note: Ensure all the approvers for Invoices are defined as users in the application.
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Note: All other approvers user details are created like this one.
3) Approvals Management Business Analyst
Navigation: Approvals Management Business Analyst > Business Analyst Dashboard
This is the place where you define Custom Attributes (if needed), Conditions, Approval Groups and AME
Rules to get the invoices approved in system.
3.1) Defining/Using Attributes

Navigation: Approvals Management Administrator> Admin Dashboard

Look for Transaction type: Payables Invoice Approval

Click on Attributes link under Define the components section or click on Setup Icon (I) for the transaction
type.
Under Attributes tab, you can look for seeded attributes or create a new one on need basis.
Here for this test case, we are using below seeded attributes:
1. TRANSACTION_ORG_ID

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2. SUPPLIER_INVOICE _AMOUNT

Note: This is a pre-requisite before proceeding to next step.

4.2) Define Conditions

You create Conditions based on the Attributes defined earlier.

Navigation: Approvals Management Administrator> Admin Dashboard> Setup > Conditions (T)

To meet the business requirement here, we created below conditions.

a. TRANSACTION_ORG_ID = 204

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b. SUPPLIER_INVOICE_AMOUNT >= $1000

4.3) Use Action Types

The action type used for this test case is Approval-Group Chain of Authority. The Ordering Mode and
Voting Method set here are the deciding setups in this regard.
Navigation: Approvals Management Administrator> Admin Dashboard> Setup > Action Types (T)

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Parallelization should support all voting regimes available. (Serial, consensus, first-responder-wins and
order number)
The serial regime assigns group-or-chain-member order numbers in ascending order of the
member order numbers, breaking ties arbitrarily. All group members must approve.
The consensus regime assigns group-or-chain-member order number one to all members. All
group members must approve.
The first-responder-wins regime assigns group-or-chain-member order number one to all
members. In this case, only the first responder must approve; all other members responses are
recorded but ignored.
4.4) Define Approval Groups

In this step we define the list of approvers in the needed order so that the workflow sends notification
to get the invoices approved. For this test case, we created an Approval Group based on approver type
HR People.
Navigation: Approvals Management Administrator> Admin Dashboard> Setup > Approval Groups (T)
a. Invoice Header Approval for Amount >= $1000
This is to reiterate that the Voting method and order numbers set at action type level will override the
set up done at approver group level. Hence the voting method selected here has NO significance.

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The order number here also has no significance in case of Parallel approval as there is no voting regimes
called order number is available at Action Type level for now.

Approval group is created now.

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4.5) Define Rules

Navigation: Approvals Management Administrator> Admin Dashboard> Setup > Rules (T)
Invoice Header Approval Rule >= $1000
While defining header rule, we will select item class as Header.

The two conditions defined earlier are added while creating this rule.

The action type and the approval group defined are selected.

The review page shows the summary of the rule header, conditions and actions.

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Upon click on Finish (B), the rule gets saved and confirmation message will be shown.

As noted above, the header rule is created successfully.

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Transactions
Scenario 1: Voting Regime = First Responder Wins

Create a Payables Invoice (AD1100) and Complete the AME Approval Cycle.
Navigation: Payables Responsibility> Invoices> Entry> Invoices/Invoice Batches
Process an Invoice with an amount of $1200.

Note that the default approval status on the invoice is Required as we enabled Use Invoices Workflow
Payables option.
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One can initiate such invoice for approval using either of the methods viz.,
i.

Using Actions button of Invoice workbench

ii.

Or using concurrent program

Having initiated the invoice for approval, the status of the invoice changed to Initiated.
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To check the Invoice Header approval list/status, keep the cursor in any of the Invoice Header fields and
click on (M) Reports > View Invoice Approval History.

The approval history shows that all the three approvers are notified for this invoice approval.
The status of such invoice changes to Initiated from Required and the same can be seen from the table
level also as shown below.

The notifications are sent to all the approvers simultaneously and can be seen from the table level also
as shown below.

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The notifications are in open status now as the approvers are yet to action on such request.

From each of the approvers log on, you can see the notification for approval.

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In this case, lets open the approval notification from any one of the approvers worklist and approve the
same.

Now the invoice approval status has changed to Workflow Approved merely after approval by one of the
approvers as the voting method is set to First Responder Wins.

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The approval history page shows that the invoice is approved by Approver, Ramanujam, Sriram and the
other two notifications with two other approvers are cancelled by system.
As you note, the status of such invoice changed to WFAPPROVED as seen from the table level.

The invoice approval history shows, the other two sent approval notifications are canceled after the
other approvers approval action.

As noted from the below result, the notification pertaining to the approver is in closed status and other
notifications are canceled.

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Scenario 2: Voting Regime = Consensus

Create a Payables Invoice and Complete the AME Approval Cycle.

Navigation: Payables Responsibility> Invoices> Entry> Invoices/Invoice Batches
Process an Invoice (AD1200) with an amount of $1200 and initiate for approval.

Having initiated the invoice for approval, the invoice approval history shows that all the approvers are
notified.

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The status of such invoice changes to Initiated from Required and the same can be seen from the table
level also as shown below.

The notifications are sent to all the approvers simultaneously and can be seen from the table level also
as shown below.

The notifications are in open status now as the approvers are yet to action on such request.

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From each of the approvers log on, you can see the notification for approval.

In this case, lets open the approval notification from one of the approvers worklist and process.

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Now the invoice approval status is still Initiated status as only one approver approved this payable
document. Note the voting method is set to Consensus.

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The approval history page shows that the invoice is approved by Approver, Ramanujam, Sriram and the
other two notifications with two other approvers are still to be acted on.

As you note, the status of such invoice is still initiated as seen from the table level.

The invoice approval history shows that the invoice is approved by approver, Ramanujam Sriram and the
other two approval notifications are yet to be acted on.

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As noted from the below result, the notification pertaining to the approver is in closed status and other
two notifications are still open.

Now, lets get this invoice processed from the other approvers worklist. As seen below, another
approver (in NO set order) approved the invoice from the worklist.

Even now the invoice approval status is still Initiated status as only two approvers approved the payable
document.

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The approval history page shows that the invoice is approved by two of the Approvers viz., Ramanujam,
Sriram and Nimmalapudi, Srinivas.

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As you note, the status of such invoice is still initiated as seen from the table level.

The invoice approval history shows that the invoice is approved by two of the approvers and there is yet
another approval notification that is to be acted on.

As noted from the below result, the notifications pertaining to the two approvers are in closed status
and only one notification is open.

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Now, lets get this invoice processed from the remaining approvers worklist.

Having approved by all the approvers (in no specific order), now the invoice approval status has changed
to Workflow Approved.

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The approval history page shows that the invoice is approved by all the Approvers.

As you note, the status of such invoice changed to WFAPPROVED as seen from the table level.

The invoice approval history shows that all the approval notifications are approved now.

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As noted from the below result, all the invoice approval notifications are in closed status.

Scenario 3: Voting Regime = Serial

Note: Even if the order number for approvers with in an Approval Group is set as same, system will sent
notifications serially.
Create a Payables Invoice and Complete the AME Approval Cycle.
Navigation: Payables Responsibility> Invoices> Entry> Invoices/Invoice Batches
Process an Invoice (AD1300) with an amount of $1200 and initiate for approval.

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Having initiated the invoice for approval, the invoice approval history shows that all the approvers are
notified.

The status of such invoice changes to Initiated from Required and the same can be seen from the table
level also as shown below.

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The notification is sent to ONLY one approver like in serial Ordering mode as the Voting method is Serial.
The same can be seen from the table level also as shown below.

Only one notification is triggered in system as noted below.

As noted below, there is NO notification from the other two approvers logon for this invoice approval.

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As noted below, the approval notification is pending in RVUTUKURs worklist.

In this case, lets open the approval notification from the approvers worklist and process.

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Now the invoice approval status is still Initiated status as only one approver approved the payable
document. Note the voting method is set to Serial.

The approval history page shows that the invoice is approved by Approver, Vutukuru, Raghavender and
a new notification is sent to next approver, Nimmalapudi, Srinivas that needs to be acted on.

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As you note, the status of such invoice is still initiated as seen from the table level.

The invoice approval history shows that the invoice is approved by approver, Vutukuru, Raghavender
and the second notification is sent for approval to next approver.

As noted from the below result, the notification pertaining to the first approver is in closed status and
the second notification is in open status.

Now, such invoice approval notification can be seen in the worklist of second approver.

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Lets get this invoice processed from the second approvers worklist.

Even now the invoice approval status is still Initiated status as only two approvers approved the payable
document. The approval history page shows that the invoice is approved by two of the Approvers viz.,
Raghavender, Vutukuru and Nimmalapudi, Srinivas.

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As you note, the status of such invoice is still initiated as seen from the table level.

The invoice approval history shows that the invoice is approved by two of the approvers and there is yet
another approval notification that is to be acted on.

As noted from the below result, the notifications pertaining to the two approvers are in closed status
and a new notification is open and sent to the last approver.

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Now, lets get this invoice processed from the final approvers worklist.

Having approved by all the approvers, now the invoice approval status has changed to Workflow
Approved.

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The approval history page shows that the invoice is approved by all the Approvers.

As you note, the status of such invoice changed to WFAPPROVED as seen from the table level.

The invoice approval history shows that all the approval notifications are approved now.

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As noted from the below result, all the invoice approval notifications are in closed status.

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References
Refer to the following documentation for more information on the Invoice Approval Workflow feature:
Oracle Payables User Guide Release 12
Oracle Approvals Management Implementation Guide Release 12

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