Configure approval workflows

PowerTable can connect to your database live for real-time data updates and synchronization. While row and column-level access permissions ensure data integrity, you can go one step further to secure your data by setting up approval workflows.

To ensure accuracy and correctness, users may need management's approval before making any changes to the data. There can be scenarios like multiple users accidentally changing the same data, entering incorrect values, etc. All these can be streamlined by setting up an approval workflow process in PowerTable.

Approval flow sequence

When a change is submitted:

• Approvers receive an email notification with a link to the table.

• The changes are highlighted in the table.

• Approvers review the changes in the Approvals tab and approve, reject, or request changes.

• The author is notified by email when a request is approved or rejected.

• Approvers can also request changes or provide suggestions.

• The author can apply or skip the suggested changes and resubmit the request for review.

• Once approved, the changes are synchronized with the source database.

This section explains each step of the approval workflow in detail.

Steps to set up approval workflow

1. Enable Approvals in PowerTable

2. Select a method to choose approvers

Once enabled, every change made by users undergoes an approval process before getting saved and synced to the source.

Enable Approvals

You can turn on the approval workflow by following the steps below:

1. Click on PowerTable > Approvals.

2. Enable approvals by toggling on the button.

Select Approvers

The next step is to select the approvers who will review and approve any changes made to the table.

There are currently two ways to select approvers in PowerTable.

1. User Approvals: Manually entering the email IDs of approvers or the IDs of AD groups (Active Directory Groups).

2. Rule-based Approvals: Configuring a rule-based system to identify the approvers.

User-based Approvals

This is a straightforward method where you will manually specify individuals who will act as approvers.

1. Choose the option, Specific users.

2. Select specific users in the workspace by typing their names or email addresses who will be responsible for reviewing and approving the changes.

3. Click Save.

Rule-based Approvals

Define approvers for specific columns or records in the table based on set rules and criteria. Enter the rule name, the filter criteria, and the designated approvers for that rule. You can set as many rules as required and assign corresponding approvers for each.

Note

Rules are executed in the order they are added and can be reordered.

Add a rule and assign approvers

1. Select Users based on rules.

2. Click Add Rule to add a rule.

3. Enter a name for the rule, configure the filter criteria, and add approvers for the criteria.

4. Click Create.

Add multiple filter criteria

1. Click on Add filter to add multiple filter criteria within a rule and combine them using AND or OR operators as below.

2. To delete a filter criterion, use the bin icon.

3. Click Create.

You can now find the rule added to the list of rules. You can add more rules by selecting Add Rule.

1. Edit or delete rules as needed using the Edit and Delete options available next to each rule.

Default Approver

1. In the final step, add one or more default approvers who will review changes for records that do not meet the configured rules or criteria.

2. Click Save to apply the configuration.

Multi-level Approvals

Multi-level approvals require a change request to go through multiple levels of review before it is finally approved, ensuring compliance, oversight, and better decision-making. Each level corresponds to a different approver who reviews and approves the request at that level.

You can create up to three levels of approval using PowerTable.

1. Enable multi-level approvals by toggling on the highlighted button.

2. Configure the required number of approval levels.

3. Enter the name of the approvers for each level.

4. Click Save.