Process Server and action requests overview
Users initiate action requests as they are performing tasks in a Landmark application. The request is created and parameters are saved that represent the user input, keys to data, and other information the request will need to process. In addition, a request is sent to the Lawson Process Server, which then creates a work unit in Lawson Process Server. Lawson Process Server uses the work unit to route the action and gather information.
Action requests are set up within a Landmark application in Lawson Pattern Language (LPL). A business class contains the definition of the action request. An action request triggers an action to be taken on the specific business class. Any number of action requests can be created to serve different business needs. In fact, requests can be created for any business class.
Requests can include an action reason and effective date for the request. They follow a routing and approval process, indicating who needs to review the request and approve it. The request is sent to the appropriate approvers by Lawson Process Server.
You access your action requests in a Landmark application based on your role. After submitting a request requiring approval, the approver goes to the Inbasket to view the request and take action on it.
For each request the following displays:
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Title of the action request
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Lawson Process Server work unit involved
The affected records are not actually updated in the Landmark application until the request has been approved by the designated approver.
How Lawson Process Server fits in
The Lawson Process Server application sends the request to the appropriate people set up to approve the request. Requests can be approved, rejected, or returned.
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Approve - the request is sent on to the next approver.
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Reject - the request is never approved.
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Return - the request is returned to the initiator, to be corrected and resubmitted.
The Lawson Process Server application sends requests via a predetermined path to the other users (roles) for approval.
After a request has been started, the role who initiated the request can withdraw it. Administrators, on the other hand, can bypass Lawson Process Server to manually complete the action or cancel it.
Certain roles are used by predefined action requests, and in some requests, roles can be the initiator, approver, or final approver. Security overlays the action request definition - it is used to decide if the role is to have access to the action.
The processes require at least a minimal amount of setup or modification. For example, all templates require a valid e-mail address in SMTP format for your mail server in the Mail From address. For more information about designing flows and using Lawson Process Server, see the Lawson Process Automation Administration Guide.