Modifying the workflow configuration

If the workflow has not been started, you can edit all fields. When the status of the workflow is in progress, some fields remain editable, other fields cannot be modified. For an approved workflow, you cannot make any changes and the workflow configuration is deactivated.

Single approval

This table shows fields for the single approval that are editable and those for which editing is deactivated.

Workflow status Status Description Responsible planner Responsible approver Due date Workbook Depends on Mandatory comments
Not Started The task is not published Editable Editable Editable Editable Editable Editable
Open The task is submitted Editable Editable Editable Deactivated Deactivated Deactivated
In Progress The task is submitted by the planner Editable Editable Editable Deactivated Deactivated Deactivated
Approved The task is approved by the final approver Deactivated Deactivated Deactivated Deactivated Deactivated Deactivated

Hierarchical approval

This table shows fields for the hierarchical approval that are editable and those for which editing is deactivated.

Workflow status Status Description Organization Responsible Due date Enable modification Workbook Depends on Mandatory comments
Not Started The task is not published Editable Editable Editable Editable Editable Editable Editable
Open The task is submitted Deactivated Editable Editable Editable for parent Organizations Deactivated Deactivated Deactivated
In Progress The task is submitted by the planner Deactivated Editable Editable Editable for parent Organizations Deactivated Deactivated Deactivated
Approved The task is approved by the final approver Deactivated Deactivated Deactivated Deactivated Deactivated Deactivated Deactivated

Types of organizational changes for hierarchical approval

This table shows types of organizational change for a workflow that is in progress, their effect on the workflow configuration, and examples.

Type of organizational change Effect on workflow configuration Example
Renaming organization unique names No effect on the workflow Change the element unique name DEP10100 to DEP10200.
Changing, adding, or removing additional attributes of organization No effect on the workflow

Update the translation, change caption, or add a new custom attribute.

Adding a new organization Might affect the workflow.
  • You can add organizations but you cannot remove them.
  • You can add organizations to steps that follow the current workflow step.
Add the DEP10300 element under the DEP10000 group.
Removing an organization Corrupts the workflow.
Caution: 
Deleting organizations corrupts the current workflow data and might cause pending tasks be deleted from the task list and start page.
.
Delete the DEP10100 element from the organization dimension.
Moving an organization element Affects the workflow.
Caution: 
These changes corrupt the current workflow data and cause pending tasks to show incorrect values:
  • Moving a base element to another parent
  • Moving a parent element to another parent
.
Move DEP10100 from DEP10000 group to DEP20000 group.
Changing an organization element type Corrupts the workflow.
Caution: 
Changing an element type from, for example, a base element to a parent element, corrupts the current workflow data and causes pending tasks to show incorrect values.
The DEP10100 element had no children and a new element, DEP10110, is created as a child element of the DEP10100 element.

Adding a parent for an unsubmitted planning task

This table shows that the current workflow step is at the base organization level. The third level of the organization was activated after the workflow started.

Organization level Organization check box Status Structure change
Top Editable Open
3rd Editable Open Activated afterwards
2nd Editable Open
Base Deactivated Active

In this example, every level above the base level is editable.

Adding a parent for a planning task that was submitted

This table shows that the current workflow step is at the second organization level. The third level of the organization was activated after the workflow started.

Organization level Organization check box Status Structure change
Top Editable Open
3rd Editable Open Activated afterwards
2nd Deactivated Active
Base Deactivated Submitted

In this example, every level above the second level is editable.

Workflow reached the top-level approval

This table shows that the current workflow step is at the top organization level. No organization changes are possible at this step.

Organization level Organization check box Status Structure change
Top Deactivated Active
3rd Deactivated Approved
2nd Deactivated Approved
Base Deactivated Submitted

When the Workflow reaches the top-level approval, no modification to the organization elements is possible.

Adding levels in parallel

This table shows that the current workflow step is at the second organization level. Parallel second and base levels were added within the hierarchy after the initial workflow configuration. Other second and base levels were not configured at all.

Organization level Organization check box Status Structure change
Top Editable Open
2nd Editable Open Added afterwards
Base Editable Open Added afterwards
2nd Deactivated Active
Base Deactivated Submitted
2nd Editable Not activated
Base Editable Not activated

In this example, the new levels are parallel to the currently active level and to all levels that are above the current level. Change to the submitted and currently active organization levels cannot be performed.

Adding a base organization element for the previous step

This table shows that the current workflow step is at the second organization level. Parallel second and base levels were added within the hierarchy after the initial workflow configuration. Other second and base levels were not configured at all.

Organization level Organization check box Status Structure change
Top Editable Open
2nd Deactivated Active
Base Deactivated Submitted
2nd Deactivated Active
Base Deactivated Submitted
Base Deactivated Not activated Added afterwards
2nd Editable Open
Base Deactivated Active

In this example, the base organization was added to an already active parent. The newly added base element cannot be activated in the workflow configuration because the related parent element is already under approval.