Stages

Guiding Request Evaluation

Approval stages are critical components within OzyApprovals that guide the evaluation and authorization of a request as it progresses through a defined approval process. Each stage represents a specific step or level of review where the request is thoroughly examined and approved by designated individuals or groups.

Key Features of Approval Stages

Structured Workflow:

Approval stages provide a structured workflow by breaking down the approval process into manageable steps. Each stage has a unique purpose and set of actions.

Sequential Progression:

Stages follow a sequential progression, ensuring that the request moves through the approval process in an organized and controlled manner. The sequence is defined on Zapier, Make o Power Automate.

Preview Fields:

This allows for the admin to determine what columns will be displayed to the users as a table before actioning. The columns available are based on the request fields of the parent approval process as seen below

Defining preview fields

The outcome looks like this:

What users will see at the approval stage view.

The SLA columns are dynamically added if SLAs are activated for that stage.

Approval Form:

Approvers can take actions such as approving, rejecting, or requesting modifications to the request at each stage. These decisions drive the request's journey through the approval process. At OzyApprovals, this is achieved by having a custom form designer for each approval stage.

Assigned Approvers:

Approvers are designated for each stage, responsible for reviewing and authorizing the request. Those team members within the user groups selected have the authority to action the requests.

Service Level Agreements (SLAs):

Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are crucial tools to establish clear expectations, define service parameters, and measure performance within OzyApprovals.

By default SLAs are deactivated on each stage. When activated, you need to specify the following:

• Duration

• Metrix

  • Calendar hours

  • Business hours. This Metrix requires SLAs to be configured for the organization

• When SLA is breached

  What happens when an SLA is breached within that stage. The system has two options

  • Do nothing

  • Send emails. This option would require user groups to be specified that would receive SLA breach alerts.

Stage SLA configurations

SLA breaches can also be handled by triggers on Zapier, Make and Power automate to give flexibility on actions that need to be taken when such an event occurs.

Benefits of Approval Stages

• Efficiency and Accountability:

  • Approval stages ensure a systematic and efficient review process, minimizing delays and promoting accountability at each level.

• Transparency and Oversight:

  • By defining clear stages and approvers, transparency is enhanced, allowing for better oversight and understanding of the request's progress.

• Customization and Flexibility:

  • OzyApprovals allows customization of stages, enabling organizations to tailor the approval workflow to their unique needs and processes.

Best Practices for Utilizing Approval Stages

• Define Clear Objectives for Each Stage:

  • Clearly articulate the purpose and objectives of each stage to guide approvers and ensure a focused evaluation.

• Select Approvers Wisely:

  • Assign approvers based on their expertise and authority, ensuring that each stage is reviewed by the most relevant individuals.

• Regularly Review and Optimize Stages:

  • Periodically evaluate and optimize the approval stages to maintain alignment with organizational changes and evolving workflow requirements.

Understanding and effectively utilizing approval stages in OzyApprovals is key to streamlining the approval process, enabling efficient evaluation of requests, and ensuring compliance with organizational procedures and standards.