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How does a route get created?
FTU automatically generates a routing slip for a new form and routes the slip to a predetermined list of people for viewing and taking action. The routing and approval process contains many processes "behind the scenes". In other words, the form initiator is not aware that these processes are taking place. Once the form is submitted, the approval process proceeds independently of the form application.
The following is a simplified version of the Form Approval Process — creating a form and getting it approved:
- The form initiator completes a web-based form (via the form application) and submits it.
- The form application requests ("behind the scenes") that FTU create a new routing slip.
- FTU builds the route and approvals needed by the form from a set of "standard" (predefined) approval steps stored in the FTU database. The route is based on a route-determining "key" value such as organization, Account Number, etc. FTU adds any additional steps requested by the form application (such as additional approvals and CC emails), then creates a routing slip and assigns it a unique Routing Slip ID.
- The form application verifies that the slip has been created and stores the routing slip ID in order to retrieve FTU information later.
- FTU moves the slip along its defined route to potential actors. As each routing action becomes the current action (i.e. is waiting for users to take action), FTU sends each approver and reviewer an email notification (if designed that way for the form application), and puts the routing action in their Pending Actions lists.
- Current routing action Approvers can approve, disapprove, and/or comment, and can add additional approvers or reviewers at the current routing action.
- Current routing action Reviewers can review and/or comment, and can add additional reviewers at the current routing action.
- When the form's route is finished, an email may be sent to the initiator indicating the form's approval outcome.
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What is a "standard route" and who decides what it should be?
A form's "standard route" is the combined steps necessary to electronically circulate a routing slip, allow the appropriate MSU units and departments to take action on it, and perform other automated functions (like email notification and database updating). The form application owner decides how many approvals are needed for a form, whether emails should be sent during or upon completion of the approval process, whether timeouts will be used with any approval steps, and generally which University approvals are required. For example, a form may need unit approval, College Dean approval and the Accounting Office approval. The form owner cannot decide the specific people who are approvers –- that is decided by each unit designated as part of the route.
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How do I get actor and status information about a routing slip, find out who is on the route, who took action, who disapproved, who is holding up the slip?
First find the routing slip for which you would like information:
Locate the slip in one of the Dashboard action lists (Pending, Upcoming, Routing Slips Initiated, Performed, Rear View) on the navigation menu. Click the desired routing slip's ID link to display the Routing Slip Detail page.
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While viewing the Routing Slip Detail page you may:
- Find out who is on the route: In the Routing Process Actions section, click each Person/Group/Script link to see the names of actors on the route.
- Find out who acted on each routing action: The Performed By column indicates who took action (click link for full name).
- See who has disapproved a routing slip: Locate the disapproved routing action (i.e. "Disapproved" in the Outcome column). The disapprover is indicated in the Performed By column (click link for full name).
- See whom the routing slip is currently waiting for approval: For "Open" status routing slips, locate the current routing action or actions (they have one asterisk (*) next to Step number), then click the routing action's Person/Group/Script link to view names of people who are able to take action.
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If FTU finds multiple people that can sign, must they ALL sign?
No, they all have the opportunity to sign, and all get a pending action email notification, but only one actor signs (whoever happens to act on it first).
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I want to set up my own routing list. Is this possible?
Not usually. Your form must be processed with the "standard route" that was set up by the form owner. However, you can add more routing actions to that route. Some form applications allow the initiator to add additional people to the route and send CC: emails during form creation. FTU allows approvers and reviewers to add additional approvers and/or reviewers to any form prior to taking action themselves. Under some circumstances, when your unit's routing needs are consistently different from the default, a consultation between your unit, the form owner and FTU Administrators may result in a customized unit route.
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What is a "step" on the route?
A step is just a numbered routing action in the route (or several routing actions at the same level which are acted upon at the same time). Knowledge of a routing action's step number is not necessary in order to perform actions and view FTU information. FTU uses step number internally to identify the sequence in which routing actions are processed.
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Why do some steps on a route have more than one routing action?
A routing slip consists of one or more routing actions that people must approve or disapprove. If several approvals can be performed independently of one another, they are placed in the same step and routed at the same time. Use of concurrent (parallel) approvals speeds up the route because several groups of people can perform approvals simultaneously. Parallel approvals are frequently used when multiple account numbers on a form require different sets of approvers. All routing actions for a step must be acted upon before FTU moves to the next step on the route.
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Can FTU add/skip a routing step if a particular person approves or disapproves a previous routing action?
No.
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On average, how long does a form take to travel the route and be completed?
Forms with no special routing (for example, many added approvers) and that are not "stalled" usually complete in 1-2 business days.
It all depends on the number of routing steps (approvals) and how many groups (signers). A route with one step will likely be completed faster than a route with four steps. A group with two members may not act as quickly as a group with ten members. And a "stalled" slip stops the route until the problem is resolved (see next question).
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How does a routing slip become "stalled"?
When someone initiates a form using a specific route-determining "key" value (such as organization or Account number), FTU creates the standard route and looks for people who are authorized to approve each routing action for its key value. If no approvers have been set up for a unit that is responsible for a specific key value (e.g. Org Unit 10012345), a routing action is created with no approvers and the routing action cannot be acted upon. This is a stalled slip. Usually all that is required to get the slip moving again is to authorize one or more people as approvers for the route-determining key value.
The FTU Support team monitors FTU for stalled slips and helps to get them moving as quickly as possible.
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The terms "form" and "slip" seem to be used interchangeably. What is the difference?
The form is what is being routed by the routing slip. One form equals one routing slip.
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Can I designate that someone receive a CC: copy of the form?
No, not in FTU, but possibly in the form application.
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What are the possible statuses for an FTU routing slip?
Open, Approved, Disapproved, Void, Cancelled.
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What are the possible actions that I can take on an FTU routing action?
Approve, Review, Disapprove, Comment Only.
(You can also add additional approvers and reviewers before taking action.)
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Can I delete a form or routing slip so that it never appears in the Dashboard or form application any more?
No, for auditing purposes all forms and routing slips are retained.
Instead of disapproving a form which has an error in the form data, can I just make a correction on the form itself in the Dashboard?
Depends on the form application.
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Can I change the form data once the slip has been completed?
Depends on the application.
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How can I look at actions that have taken place on previously routed forms?
If you are an actor on the routing slip, use your Rear View to find the routing slip and view FTU and form information.
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Can actors continue to take action on a routing slip in the Dashboard once the slip has been completed?
No.
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How long is the route and approval information stored and available through the Dashboard?
Each application has its own retention rules. FTU will retain routing data for the period of time defined by form-owning units for each form. Currently FTU data is retained indefinitely.
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What is the FTU auto-approval feature?
An automatic function performed by FTU designed to speed up the approval process. When an actor approves one routing action on a slip, FTU automatically marks as "Approved" all other Approval actions on that same step for that same group. All auto-approved routing actions are then removed from the user's Pending Actions page and appear on the Performed Actions page. Review actions on the current step and all other routing steps remain unchanged. The concept is that since the user reviewed the entire form when they approved the first action, they would not need to review the same form again for other actions on the routing slip. If the user disapproves the current action, processing stops for the routing slip and auto-approvals do not take place for the other routing actions.
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What is the red highlighted "EJBException... Application Error" message that I sometimes get, and what should I do if it occurs?
This error message is usually the result of "clicking" too quickly in the FTU Dashboard. That rather unfriendly server-provided error message is telling you that FTU was in the middle of doing something (usually building a list) when you clicked again to request the same thing. During slow network times you are more likely to see the error. If you navigate to a new web page and return to the task you were trying to accomplish, the error should be cleared. The best way to avoid this error is to wait until the results of your first request are displayed before clicking again. In the meantime, we are working with the server vendor to intercept the message and provide a more friendly one.
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