Approval Manager

Prerequisites

• Active Assure user account with login credentials
• Role with at least one of the following permissions:
  • Approve permission (to approve records)
  • Reject permission (to reject records)
  • Archive permission (to archive records)
  • View Tasks for Other People permission (to view and manage tasks assigned to other users)
• Access to the Approval Manager module within Assure

Problem/Intent

Users need a centralized location to:

• View all records awaiting approval or already processed
• Take action on submitted records (approve, reject, or archive)
• Monitor approval workflows across the organization
• Filter and search records by status, date, or other criteria
• Understand the current status of each approval record at a glance

The Approval Manager solves this by consolidating approval tasks in one interface, supporting efficient review and decision-making.

Steps

1. Navigate to the Approval Manager

1. Log in to Assure using valid credentials.
2. From the main navigation menu, select Approval Manager.
3. The Approval Manager interface displays a list of all approval records relevant to the logged-in user.

2. View Records in the Approval Manager

1. The Approval Manager displays records in a table format.
2. Each record row shows:
   • Record name or identifier
   • Submitter name
   • Submission date
   • Current record status (In Progress, Submitted, Approved, Rejected, Archived)
   • Color-coded status indicator (see section below)
3. If the user has the "View tasks for other people" permission, records assigned to other users also appear in the list.

3. Filter Records

1. Locate the Filter button or filter bar at the top of the Approval Manager interface.
2. Select filter criteria such as:
   • Record status (In Progress, Submitted, Approved, Rejected, Archived)
   • Date range
   • Submitter name
   • Organisational Unit
3. Click Apply to display filtered results.
4. Click Clear or Reset to remove filters and view all records.

4. Approve a Record

1. Locate the record to approve in the Approval Manager list.
2. Navigate to the cog wheel icon in the last column of the table.
3. Click the Approve button or icon next to the record.
4. Confirm the approval action if prompted.
5. The record status changes to Approved and the row displays a green colour indicator.

Note: The Approve button is only visible if the user has the Approve permission.

5. Reject a Record

1. Locate the record to reject in the Approval Manager list.
2. Navigate to the cog wheel icon in the last column of the table.
3. Click the Reject button or icon next to the record.
4. Enter a reason for rejection in the dialog box (if required).
5. Click Confirm or Submit.
6. The record status changes to Rejected and the row displays a red colour indicator.

Note: The Reject button is only visible if the user has the Reject permission.

6. Go to a Record (Navigate to Full Record Details)

1. Locate the record in the Approval Manager list.
2. Navigate to the cog wheel icon in the last column of the table.
3. Click the Go to Record button, link, or record name.
4. The system navigates to the full record detail page for that record.
5. Users can view all record fields, attachments, history, and related data.

7. Archive a Record

1. Locate the record to archive in the Approval Manager list.
2. Navigate to the cog wheel icon in the last column of the table.
3. Click the Archive button or icon next to the record.
4. Confirm the archive action if prompted.
5. The record status changes to Archived and the row displays a blue colour indicator.

Note: The Archive button is only visible if the user has the Archive permission.

Color-Coded Record Status

Assure uses default colour coding to indicate the current status of each approval record:

Note: Colour coding may be customized by system administrators. Verify colour meanings with the Assure administrator if they differ from the defaults.

Notes & Warnings

Permissions and Visibility

• Approve, Reject, and Archive buttons are only visible if the user has the corresponding permissions.
• Users without the "View tasks for other people" permission can only see records assigned to them.
• Users with the "View tasks for other people" permission can view and act on records assigned to others, depending on their role permissions.

Record Status Workflow

• Records move through the following workflow stages:
  • In Progress → Submitted → Approved or Rejected
  • Records can be Archived at any stage after submission.
• Approved and Rejected records cannot be edited unless reopened or withdrawn (if the system allows).

Filtering Performance

• Applying multiple filters may slow system response for large datasets.
• Use specific filters (e.g., date range, Organisational Unit) to improve performance.

Examples

Example 1: Approve a Submitted Safety Observation

Scenario: A safety manager receives a notification that a safety observation has been submitted and requires approval.

Steps:

1. Log in to Assure and navigate to Approval Manager.
2. Locate the safety observation record with status Submitted (orange colour indicator).
3. Click the Approve button next to the record.
4. Confirm the approval action.
5. The record status changes to Approved (green colour indicator).

Expected Result: The safety observation is approved and visible to other users (depending on their permissions).

Example 2: Reject an Incident Record with a Reason

Scenario: A compliance officer reviews an incident report and identifies missing required information. The officer rejects the record.

Steps:

1. Navigate to Approval Manager.
2. Locate the incident record with status Submitted (orange colour indicator).
3. Click the Reject button.
4. Enter the reason: "Missing witness statement and incident date."
5. Click Confirm.
6. The record status changes to Rejected (red colour indicator).

Expected Result: The submitter receives a notification with the rejection reason and can revise and resubmit the record.

Example 3: Filter and Archive Old Approved Records

Scenario: An administrator wants to archive all approved risk assessments from 2023.

Steps:

1. Navigate to Approval Manager.
2. Click the Filter button.
3. Set filter criteria:
   • Record Type: Risk Assessment
   • Status: Approved
   • Date Range: 01/01/2023 – 31/12/2023
4. Click Apply.
5. Review filtered records.
6. Select individual records and click Archive for each.
7. Confirm the archive action.

Expected Result: Approved risk assessments from 2023 are archived (blue colour indicator) and no longer appear in active approval lists (unless filtered to show archived records).

Troubleshooting

Issue 1: Approve/Reject/Archive Buttons Are Not Visible

Cause: The user does not have the required permissions.

Diagnostic Steps:

1. Verify the user's role and permissions in the system.
2. Confirm whether the user has Approve, Reject, or Archive permissions.

Resolution:

• Contact the system administrator or Customer Success Manager (CSM) to request the required permissions.
• If the user should have these permissions, ask the administrator to review and update the role configuration.

Issue 2: Cannot See Records Assigned to Other Users

Cause: The user does not have the "View tasks for other people" permission.

Diagnostic Steps:

1. Check the user's role permissions in the Admin settings.
2. Verify whether the "View tasks for other people" permission is enabled.

Resolution:

• Contact the system administrator or CSM to request the "View tasks for other people" permission.
• If granted, log out and log back in to refresh permissions.

Issue 3: Record Status Does Not Change After Approval/Rejection

Cause: Possible system delay, network issue, or workflow misconfiguration.

Diagnostic Steps:

1. Refresh the Approval Manager page (F5 or browser refresh button).
2. Check whether the status change appears after refresh.
3. Verify network connectivity.

Resolution:

• If the status does not update after refresh, contact Evotix Technical Support via the Helpdesk.
• Provide the record ID, action taken, and any error messages.

Issue 4: Filter Results Do Not Display Expected Records

Cause: Incorrect filter criteria or missing data.

Diagnostic Steps:

1. Review the selected filter criteria (status, date range, Organisational Unit).
2. Clear all filters and reapply them one at a time.
3. Check whether the expected records exist in the system (navigate to the relevant module).

Resolution:

• Adjust filter criteria to match the records.
• If records are missing, verify whether they were deleted or archived.
• Contact Evotix Technical Support if records are missing unexpectedly.

Issue 5: Colour Coding Does Not Match Expected Status

Cause: Custom colour coding configuration by system administrator.

Diagnostic Steps:

1. Confirm the status of the record by clicking Go to Record and reviewing the record details.
2. Check with the system administrator whether custom colour coding has been applied.

Resolution:

• If colour coding has been customized, request updated documentation from the administrator.
• Use the text-based status labels (In Progress, Submitted, Approved, etc.) instead of relying solely on colour indicators.

Related Articles

• Assure Records Status and Approval Process Overview
• Role Permissions
• Getting Started with Assure: Login, Navigation, and Basic Operations

Cross-Module Relevance

Applicable Modules: The Approval Manager is a cross-module feature in Assure. It applies to:

• Incidents
• Risk Assessments
• Safety Observations
• Audits
• Inspections
• CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Actions)
• Permit to Work (PTW)
• Contractor Management
• Any other module with approval workflows enabled

Dependencies:

• Role Permissions: Approve, Reject, Archive, View Tasks for Other People
• Workflow Configuration: Approval workflows must be configured for each module by the system administrator
• Notifications: Email or in-app notifications may be configured to alert users of pending approvals

Shared Functionality:

• The Approval Manager aggregates approval tasks from all modules into a single interface.
• Users can filter by module or record type to isolate specific approval tasks.

AI Metadata

• Product Area: Assure – Approval Manager, Workflow Management
• User Role: Approver, Manager, Administrator, Compliance Officer, Safety Manager
• Tags: Approval Manager, Approve, Reject, Archive, Record Status, Workflow, Permissions, Filter, Colour Coding, View Tasks for Other People
• Version/Region: Assure (all regions and versions with Approval Manager enabled)
• Important Synonyms: Approval Dashboard, Approval Queue, Approval Workflow, Approvals, Task Manager, Approval Console
• Suggested Embedding Keywords: Assure Approval Manager, approve record, reject record, archive record, approval workflow, view tasks for other people, record status, color-coded status, filter approvals, approval permissions, approval queue, centralized approvals, Assure approvals