Order approval

In the web shop, customer users can now submit orders for approval. Other customer users can approve and place the orders. Use this feature if your customers have policies that require approval of orders over that exceed a monetary limit.

When you activate this feature, you designate two types of users: requestors and approvers.

The requestor creates an order by adding items to the shopping cart and beginning the checkout process. After specifying shipping and delivery information, the requestor is notified that the order requires approval. The requestor then skips the payment step and submits the order for approval. An email is sent to the individual who is responsible for approving the order.

Approvers can approve or reject orders. If the order is approved, then the approver completes the checkout process and places the order. Both the approver and requestor are notified that the order is confirmed, approved, and placed.

The approvers for a requestor should be associated with the same customer as the requestor.

If approvers are also set up as requestors, then the approvers cannot approve their own orders.

Requestors and Approvers use the new Dashboard Orders for Approval Portlet widget to manage requests. Requestors can view the orders that they have submitted for approval in the My Orders tab. Approvers can view order requests in the For Approvals tab and use the widget to approve or reject orders.

Activation

Use the Business Center, the web shop, and Rhythm Services to set up order approval.
  1. In the Application Properties form in the Business Center, specify true in the Ordering.Order Approval Flow Enabled application property.
  2. In the Roles form in the Business Center, set up a role that you assign to approvers. Ensure that the Order Approver feature element is selected for the role.
  3. In the Users form in the Business Center, assign the role to users who can approve orders.
  4. In the Users form in the Business Center, set up requestors. Set up this information in the Order Approval Limit section:
    • Approval limit. Specify one order limit for the user. If an order exceeds the limit, the user must submit the order for approval. Otherwise, the user can place the order without approval. Specify 0 if all of the user's orders must be approved.
    • Order Approvers. Select the approvers who can reject or approve the requestor's order. Ensure that the approvers that you select are assigned to the same customer as the requestor user. You can select more than one approver.
  5. In the web shop, add the Dashboard Orders for Approval Portlet widget to the dashboard. A user with site editor credentials can complete this step.
  6. Use Rhythm Services to customize the notifications that are sent during the order approval process. Notifications are sent when orders are submitted for approval and when orders are rejected. This step is optional.
  7. In the Business Center, ensure that approvers and requestors are assigned to role with the Send Mail On Order feature element.
  8. On the Market Details page in the Business Center, specify the page to open when a user clicks the View Order Details link in the order approval notification.
  9. On the Application Details page in the Business Center, specify a link to a default item image in the DefaultItemImageThumbURL parameter. This image is used in the notification when an item image is unavailable.

Limitations

The Delivery method must be selected during checkout. The use of the Pickup method is not yet supported. This limitation is resolved in the March 2021 Production Update.

The invoice payment method must be selected during checkout. Payment by credit card is not yet supported. This limitation is resolved in the March 2021 Production Update.

A requestor can have only one order approval limit. Each requestor can have multiple approvers.

A requestor can be associated with only one customer. You cannot set up approval limits for multi-customer users.