Workflow Sample: Episode 474: Decision-making Flow that Never Allows "Deputy-approval" upon "Over 500 Million JPY"

In the first place, what is "Deputy"?

Speaking "Deputy-approval" in a word, it has the following four forms in the terms of process designing. (Furthermore, there is a concept of "Partial appointment" in addition to these, which I do not cover here.)

A. Deputy department manager is able to grant approvals on behalf of the Manager, at any time.
B1. Deputy department manager is able to grant approvals on behalf of when the Manager was absent.
B2. Deputy department manager is able to grant approvals on behalf of when the Manager was in accident.
B3. Deputy department manager is able to grant approvals on behalf of when the Manager was vacancy.

If you are familiar to the server system, it would be also good to design a workflow by comparison with the notion of "redundancy". In other words, it is a designing on the idea that the system functions will not be compromised by the failure in part of the system configuration equipment. (Even "Malfunction" in Department manager, Deputy is still able...)

A. (Hot standby) Deputy department manager is capable of granting approval at a anytime.
B. (Cold standby) Deputy department manager is capable of granting approval only when the manager was impossible.

The following Decision-making flow represents a complex Business Process which alters the deputization rule according to the money amount upon projects.

a. Deputy-approval of A (Hot) is permitted if the cost amount was lower than 1 million JPY.
b. Deputy-approval of B1, B2, B3 (Cold) is permitted if the cost amount was in between 1 to 5 million JPY.
c. Only the manager is allowed to grant approval on Issues with more than 5 million JPY cost.

[Approval Request-Deputy-approval]

The difference between the Swimlane of "Department manager" and "Department manager & Deputy" is "Only the Department manager is able to handle" or " Both of Department manager and Deputy are able to". To meet such needs, there must have been set;

People in the upper level organization of "drafter affiliated group" and with the Manger role
People in the upper level organization of "drafter affiliated group" and with the Deputy manager role.

* As long as there is no difference in the authority range of "Manager" and "Deputy manager", "Deputy manager role" is not needed. As in this example, the authority range of "Deputy manager" is different from the "Manager" such as "Deputy-approval is not allowed upon Issues with cost of more than 5 million JPY".

By the way,,, it is difficult for a Deputy manager who is standing by to make judgment on "B1: Absence" or "B2: Accident" of the Manager.

Speaking from the perspective of the computer (Workflow engine), there will never be the way to know if "there was an accident to the manager." Therefore, it has been configured to determine by a state of "Issue has been left for 24 hours after reaching at the Approval Step" in this business process definition. (In case where urgent decision was required such as "Can't wait for 24 hours!", there is a need to ask a special operation to the user with the [Control authority] of this workflow.)

Incidentally, the expression of "Accident" is often found in Legal statements and ordinances. In Japan, it is generally interpreted as "during such as overseas business trips, overseas travel, long-term illness, leave of absence. Also it is defined its period of "approximately 2 weeks" by respective organizations. However, if it is for a Cloud-based Workflow, it will be taken for granted that it is possible to grant approval even if he or she was on overseas business trip, or in medical treatment.

"I need no deputy, even in an accident!"

No wonder if there was such a manager who said so. Also in such a case, I think the rule is quite rational, that "Deputy is able to grant approval after being left for 24 hours".

P.S.
In addition, if you want to deputize the full authority to the Deputy manager for a certain period of time, (want to delegate full authority), you should set as "Manager" in the organization setting of Workflow platform (in helping issuing the written appointment of "temporary manager" as company organization, if necessary).

[Approval Request-Deputy-approval:"1. Submit Request" screen]