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Home > Manage Additional Profiles > Configure Approval Processes

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Configure Approval Processes

An approval process is used to define the approval workflows that are leveraged in AvePoint Cloud Governance requests and processes. With approval processes properly configured, the provisioning and management operations can be completed efficiently by standardizing the process, without human error.

There are two types of approval processes:

  • Generic approval process – It can be used in all generic requests and processes.

  • New user approval process – It can only be used in the Change ownership or membership service and used to define the approval process for the generated approval tasks for the newly added owners or members.

NOTE

The approval process can only be configured in the dynamic services and processes in the modern Cloud Governance admin center.

To access Approval processes, click the Approval processes card on the Profiles & templates page.

To create an approval process, click Create on the ribbon and select the type of approval process you are about to create. Refer to the instructions in Configure Generic Approval Processes or Configure New User Approval Processes to configure the approval process.

Configure Generic Approval Processes

In the Create generic approval process or Edit generic approval process panel, complete the following settings to configure a generic approval process:

  1. Approval process name – Enter a name for this approval process.

  2. Description – Enter an optional description for this approval process.

  3. Category – Categories are used to organize your AvePoint Cloud Governance approval processes. Select an existing category from the drop-down list, or create a new category for this approval process by clicking the create button then configuring the new category on the Create category page.

  4. Approval method – Choose one of the following approval methods and configure the settings.

    • Automatically approve – Services using this approval process will be performed automatically upon request.

    • Manually approve – You can configure approval stages and passback settings.

      1. Click Add stage to configure the actions for one stage. Up to 5 stages can be added to an approval process. Refer to the [Add stages](../manage-additional-profiles/configure-approval-processes.md add-stages[0]#manage-additional-profiles/configure-approval-processes.md add-stages[1]) section below for instructions. After adding stages, you can also perform the following actions:

        • Click the link under the Stage name column to view the stage details.

        • Click the [number] assignees link under the Assignees column to view the assignees of the stage.

        • Click the edit button under the Action column to edit the stage.

        • Click the delete button under the Action column to delete the stage.

        • Click the manage button and select Move up, Move down or Move to the top to adjust the order of the stage.

      2. Choose whether to enable Passback settings. With passback settings enabled, once the requests with this approval process applied are rejected, the requests can be passed back to the requesters for resubmission.

        • Choose whether to Notify the requester when the request is rejected and passed back and Cc the rejecter in the notification email. If you choose to notify, select an email template from the drop-down list.

        • Enter a number in the Duration for the requester to resubmit the request text box, and select either Day(s), Week(s) as the time unit for the duration that allows the requester to resubmit the request. If the requester does not resubmit it in time, the request will be automatically canceled.

        • You can select the Send a reminder email to therequester before therequest is automatically canceled to remind the requester. Select a reminder profile from the drop-down list. For more information about configuring a reminder profile, refer to Configure Reminder Profiles.

        • Auto cancel is displayed as the escalation action. If the requester does not resubmit the request within the configured duration, the request will automatically cancel.

  5. Notification – Choose whether to Send a completion emailto specific users or groups. If you choose to send an email, select an email template from the drop-down list. Then, add users or groups (Microsoft 365 Groups, distribution groups, or mail-enabled security groups) in the To, the Cc and Bcc fields as the email notification recipients. You can also enter $ to select from the following user roles. For detailed descriptions of the roles, refer to Appendix F - Supported Variable Roles.

    • $Requester

    • $Manager of requester

    • $Task assignee – who received the approval tasks

    • $Task approver – who approved/rejected the request

    • $Manager of approver – configured in Microsoft Entra

    • $Primary contact

    • $Secondary contact

    • $Object admin – team owner/group owner/community admin/site administrator/Power App owner/Power Automate flow owner/Power BI workspace admin/environment admin/environment system administrator

    • $Power App co-owner

    • $New object metadata (“Metadata name”) – Enter the role in this format. Replace Metadata name with the metadata name in the following types: Person or group, Microsoft Entra property, or Lookup. The Allow a variable role reference to this metadata in the approval process or reminder profile option must be enabled for the metadata. If your Microsoft Entra property metadata is set to get value from the custom Microsoft Entra property, make sure the property value is a user or group.

    If you select Manually approve, you can also enable the following email notifications for this approval process, and select the email template you want to use for each notification from the corresponding drop-down list.

    • Notify all previous approvers when therequest is rejected

    • Notify the requester when the request is rejected and Cc the rejecter in the notification email

    • Notify the assignees and requester when the request is canceled

When you finish, click Save to save all your configurations.

Add Stages

On the Add stage page, complete the following settings:

  1. Stage name – Enter a name for this stage.

  2. Description – Enter an optional description for this stage.

  3. Condition to execute this stage – Select in which conditions this stage will be executed. You can choose to Always execute this stage or Automatically approve this stage in specific conditions.

    If you select to automatically approve this stage in specific conditions, click Add condition. In the Add condition panel, select one of the following condition types:

    • Users or groups – If you select this condition type, complete the following steps:

      1. Microsoft 365 tenant – Select a Microsoft 365 tenant from the drop-down list.

      2. Condition – Choose one of the following conditions:

        • Belong to – With this condition selected, this stage will be automatically approved if the requester is any user or group that you specified in the Users or groups field. Enter names of users or groups (Microsoft 365 Groups, distribution groups, security groups, or mail-enabled security groups) in the Users or groups field. You can also enter $ to select the task assignee role.

        • Do not belong to – With this condition selected, this stage will be automatically approved if the requester is not the user that you specified in the Users field. Enter the names of users in the User field. You can also enter $ to select the task assignee role.

    • Microsoft Entra property – If you select this condition type, complete the following steps:

      1. Microsoft 365 tenant – Select a Microsoft 365 tenant from the drop-down list.

      2. Microsoft Entra property – Select a property from the Built-in properties drop-down list or Custom properties drop-down list.

      3. Condition – Choose one of the following conditions:

        • Matches – With this condition selected, this stage will be automatically approved if the requester’s property value conforms to your specified Property value.

        • Does not match – With this condition selected, this stage will be automatically approved if the requester’s property value does not conform to your specified Property value.

      4. Property value – Choose one of the following options to define the property value for this condition.

        • A user’s property value – Enter a username to specify a user. The specified user’s property value will be retrieved as the condition.

        • A specified property value – Enter the property value in the text box. Note that if you want to add multiple values, separate each value with a semicolon.

    Click Save to save all your configurations, and the condition will be added to the table.

    You can add multiple conditions to the table. If you add multiple conditions, choose one of the following options to define the logical option for these conditions:

    • Match any single condition – If you choose this option, when the requester conforms to any one of the conditions in the table, this stage will be automatically approved.

    • Match all conditions – If you choose this option, when the requester conforms to all of the conditions in the table, this stage will be automatically approved.

  4. Assignees – Specify assignees for this stage. The tasks will be assigned to configured task assignees in parallel. Enter the names of users or groups (Microsoft 365 Groups, distribution groups, security groups, and mail-enabled security groups) in the text box. You can also enter $ to select from the following roles. For detailed descriptions of the roles, refer to Appendix F - Supported Variable Roles.

    • $Requester

    • $Manager of requester

    • $Primary contact

    • $Secondary contact

    • $Object admin – team owner/group owner/community admin/site administrator/Power App owner/Power Automate flow owner/Power BI workspace admin/environment admin/environment system administrator

    • $New contact

    • $Manager of previous stage approver

    • $Power App co-owner

    • $Service metadata ("Metadata name")

    • $Object metadata ("Metadata name")

    • $New object metadata ("Metadata name")

    Choose whether to select Allow the approval stage to complete when one approver approves. If one of the approvers approves it, the stage will complete.

    You can also choose to Allow task assignees to reassign tasks to others. If the checkbox is selected, the assignees can reassign the task to others.

  5. Notification – You can enable the following email notifications for this stage:

    • Notify the assignees when the task is assigned

    • Notify the requester when the request is approved

    • Notify other assignees in the same stage when the request is approved – If you have selected Allow the approval stage to complete when one approver approves, you can select this checkbox to notify other assignees in the same stage when any approver approves the request.

    Select the email template you wish to use for each notification from the corresponding drop-down list.

  6. Duration and escalation – Specify a duration for the task assignees to complete this stage before the task is escalated and configure the escalation settings.

    • Duration – Specify a duration for this stage before the task is escalated. Enter a number in the text box and select Days or Weeks as the unit of time.

      You can also choose to Send a reminder email to thetask assignees before the task is escalated, and then select a reminder profile from the drop-down list.

    • Escalation – Choose the action that the escalation will trigger from the drop-down list.

      • Reassign to – The task will be reassigned to the specified user or group when the task is escalated. Enter the name of a user or group (Microsoft 365 Group, distribution group, security group, and mail-enabled security group) in the text box. You can also enter $ to select from the following roles. For detailed descriptions of the roles, refer to Appendix F - Supported Variable Roles.

        • $Manager of requester

        • $Manager of task assignee

        • $Primary contact

        • $Secondary contact

        You can also choose to Notify the new task assignees when the task is reassigned, and then select an email template from the drop-down list. The new assignees will receive a notification email that the task is reassigned to them. If a group is selected here, the task will be completed once any member of the group handles the task.

        Then, you can specify a duration for the task approval after it is reassigned. Enter a number in the text box and select Days or Weeks as the unit of time in the If a task is not completed after the notification is sent for section and select an action:

        • Auto approve – The task will be automatically approved if the approval of the task is not completed in a specific period of time by the new assignees. You can also choose to Notify the task assignees of the current stage who didn't complete the task when the task is automatically approved.

        • Auto reject – The task will be automatically rejected if the approval of the task is not completed in a specific period by the new assignees. You can also choose to Notify the task assignees of the current stage who didn't complete the task when the task is automatically rejected.

      • Auto approve – The task will be automatically approved if the approval of the task is not completed in a specific period. You can also choose to Notify the task assignees of the current stage who didn't complete the task when the task is automatically approved.

      • Auto reject – The task will be automatically rejected if the approval of the task is not completed in a specific period. You can also choose to Notify the task assignees of the current stage who didn't complete the task when the task is automatically rejected.

      • Notify – The specified user or group will be notified when the task is escalated. Enter the name of a user or group (Microsoft 365 Group, distribution group, and mail-enabled security group) in the text box. You can also enter $ to select from the following roles. For detailed descriptions of the roles, refer to Appendix F - Supported Variable Roles.

        • $Manager of requester

        • $Manager of task assignee

        • $Primary contact

        • $Secondary contact

        Select an Email template from the drop-down list for the notification sent when this approval task is escalated.

        Then, you can specify a duration for the task approval after the notification. Enter a number in the text box and select Days or Weeks as the unit of time in the If a task is not completed after the notification is sent for section and select an action:

        • Auto approve – The task will be automatically approved if the approval of the task is not completed in a specific period. You can also choose to Notify the task assignees of the current stage who didn't complete the task when the task is automatically approved.

        • Auto reject – The task will be automatically rejected if the approval of the task is not completed in a specific period. You can also choose to Notify the task assignees of the current stage who didn't complete the task when the task is automatically rejected.

When you finish, click Save to save all your configurations.

Configure New User Approval Processes

In the Create new user approval process or Edit new user approval process panel, complete the following settings to configure a new user approval process:

  1. Approval process name – Enter a name for this approval process.

  2. Description – Enter an optional description for this approval process.

  3. Category – Categories are used to organize your AvePoint Cloud Governance approval processes. Select an existing category from the drop-down list, or create a new category for this approval process by clicking the create button then configuring the new category on the Create category page.

  4. Assignees – Specify assignees for this approval process. The tasks will be assigned to configured task assignees in parallel. Enter the Microsoft Entra property of the user in the text box. AvePoint Cloud Governance will find the approver of newly added users based on that property.

    NOTE

    If the value you entered is not available for the newly added user, the task will be assigned to the administrator contact specified in the service.

    You can also choose to Allow task assignees to reassign tasks to others. If the checkbox is selected, the assignees can reassign the task of new users to others.

  5. Notification – You can enable the following email notifications for this approval process:

    • Notify the assignees when the task is assigned

    • Notify the requester when the request is approved

    • Notify the requester when the request is rejected and Cc the rejecter in the notification email

    • Notify the assignees and requester when the request is canceled

    • Send a completion email to specific users or groups – If you choose to send an email to specific users or groups when the request is completed, add users or groups (Microsoft 365 Groups, distribution groups, or mail-enabled security groups) in the To, the Cc and Bcc fields as the email notification recipients. You can also enter $ to select from the following user roles. For detailed descriptions of the roles, refer to Appendix F - Supported Variable Roles.

      • $Requester

      • $Manager of requester

      • $Task approver – who approved/rejected the request

      • $Manager of task approver – configured in Microsoft Entra

      • $Primary contact

      • $Secondary contact

      • $Object admin – team owner/group owner/community admin/site administrator/Power App owner/Power Automate flow owner/Power BI workspace admin/environment admin/environment system administrator

    Select the email template you wish to use for each notification from the corresponding drop-down list.

  6. Duration and escalation – Specify a duration for the task assignees to complete this task before it is escalated and configure the escalation settings.

    • Duration – Specify a duration before the task is escalated. Enter a number in the text box and select Days or Weeks as the unit of time.

      You can also choose to Send a reminder email to thetask assignees before the task is escalated, and then select a reminder profile from the drop-down list.

    • Escalation – Choose the action that the escalation will trigger from the drop-down list.

      • Reassign to – The task will be reassigned to the specified user or group when the task is escalated. Enter the name of a user or group (Microsoft 365 Group, distribution group, security group, and mail-enabled security group) in the text box. You can also enter $ to select from the following roles. For detailed descriptions of the roles, refer to Appendix F - Supported Variable Roles.

        • $Manager of requester

        • $Manager of task assignee

        • $Primary contact

        • $Secondary contact

        You can also choose to Notify the new task assignees when the task is reassigned, and then select an email template from the drop-down list. Once the amount of time specified as the duration passes, the user or group will receive a notification email that the task is reassigned to them. If a group is selected here, the task will be completed once any member of the group handles the task.

        Then, you can specify a duration for the task approval after it is reassigned. Enter a number in the text box and select Days or Weeks as the unit of time in the If a task is not completed after the notification is sent for section and select an action:

        • Auto approve – The task will be automatically approved if the approval of the task is not completed in a specific period by the new assignees. You can also choose to Notify the task assignees of the current stage who didn't complete the task when the task is automatically approved.

        • Auto reject – The task will be automatically rejected if the approval of the task is not completed in a specific period by the new assignees. You can also choose to Notify the task assignees of the current stage who didn't complete the task when the task is automatically rejected.

      • Auto approve – The task will be automatically approved if the approval of the task is not completed in a specific period. When the task is automatically approved. You can also choose to Notify the task assignees of the current stage who didn't complete the task when the task is automatically approved.

      • Auto reject – The task will be automatically rejected if the approval of the task is not completed in a specific period. You can also choose to Notify the task assignees of the current stage who didn't complete the task when the task is automatically rejected.

      • Notify – The specified user or group will be notified when the task is escalated. Enter the name of a user or group (Microsoft 365 Group, distribution group, and mail-enabled security group) in the text box. You can also enter $ to select from the following roles. For detailed descriptions of the roles, refer to Appendix F - Supported Variable Roles.

        • $Manager of requester

        • $Manager of task assignee

        • $Primary contact

        • $Secondary contact

        Select an Email template from the drop-down list for the notification sent when this approval task is escalated.

        Then, you can specify a duration for the task approval. Enter a number in the text box and select Days or Weeks as the unit of time in the If a task is not completed after the notification is sent for section and select an action:

        • Auto approve – The request will be automatically rejected if the approval of the task is not completed in a specific period by the new assignees. You can also choose to Notify the task assignees of the current stage who didn't complete the task when the task is automatically approved.

        • Auto reject – The task will be automatically rejected if the approval of the task is not completed in a specific period by the new assignees. You can also choose to Notify the task assignees of the current stage who didn't complete the task when the task is automatically rejected.

When you finish, click Save to save all your configurations.