How do I open an approval process for viewing?

To open an approval process for viewing:

1. Choose Manage > Approval Processes.
2. Find the approval process you want to open, and click its title.
   If the approval process is already in Draft state, it opens in Edit mode. Otherwise, it opens in read-only mode, and you must click Edit before you can edit it.

How do I edit an approval process?

To edit an approval process, you must first make sure it is in Edit mode.

To place an approval process in Edit mode:

1. Open the approval process.
2. Click the Edit button.

A draft version of the approval process is created, and you are listed as the editor. The original version stays intact until you check in the draft version. Other users cannot access your draft without forcing a check-in.

Changes are saved automatically.

Each approval process can have only one draft version associated with it. If you are viewing an approval process that is not in edit mode, and there is no Edit button available, it is probably because a draft version already exists for that approval process.

After you make changes to an approval process, you check it in to overwrite the previously checked-in version and to release it from Edit mode so other users can access it.

How do I check in an approval process?

After you make changes to an approval process, you check it in to overwrite the previously checked-in version and to release it from Edit mode so other users can access it.

To check in an approval process:

1. If the approval process is not already open, open it.
2. Click the Check In button.

Note: If you revised an approver lookup table or policy lookup table, when you check in the approval process, the lookup table, comma-separated value (CSV) file remains in a draft state. The system does not use the revised file for approval flows until you activate the approval process.

If an approval process is checked out, and the user who checked it out is not available to check it back in, you can force a check-in. When you force a check-in, any changes made by the user are checked in, and that version of the approval process overwrites the previously checked in version.

To force a check-in:

1. Open the approval process.
2. Click Force Check In.
   The state of the approval process changes to Checked In. On the History tab, the check-in event is listed along with the name of the user who checked in the file.

How do I activate an approval process?

When you activate an approval process, the currently active process for that approvable type is deactivated automatically. For each approvable type, only one approval process can be active at one time.

To activate an approval process:

1. If the approval process is not already open, open it.
2. If the approval process is already checked in, click Activate, and respond to the confirmation prompt.
   If the approval process is in Edit mode, click Check In and Activate, and respond to the confirmation prompt.

For more information on the configurable approval rules user interface, see the Ariba Approval Process Management Guide accessible here.

Catalog Management
Core Procurement > Core Administration > Approval Flows
Core Procurement > Core Administration > Approver lookups
Invoicing