How do I define an expense category based approval workflow?

[kevinseth91_ks]

So If I have 5 expense categories, Food, Local Conveyance, Lodging, etc. For each of these categories I want a different approver to be defined in the workflow, however they will all be submitted as a part of the same expense report. Is this possible to be setup? If yes, can someone please tell me how.

[KevinD]

@kevinseth91_ks Hello there. May I ask, why don't you want the employee's assigned default manager to approve all the expenses on a report? Or another way to ask, what business need are you trying to solve by having different approvers for different expense types? 

I don't know if you can have different approvers assigned to different expense types/spend categories. I do know you can set up Cost Object approvers, which possibly could be based on spend categories/expense types, but it would be quite a bit of set up and configuration. Usually Cost Object approvers are based on something like Department, Cost Center, Division, etc. 

Do your expense reports really need that many different approvers? This is going to slow down the approval process. 

I'm not trying to negate your question, but I'm just trying to ask you questions to get you thinking about all the implications of doing what you are asking. 

I'm asking internally if having different approvers by expense type/spend category is possible and if so, how to go about it in the best possible way. 

[KevinD]

@kevinseth91_ks follow up to my first reply. I did find out that you can create a workflow step to assign certain approvers to certain expense types or spend categories. However, this is a two part process with both parts being done in the Workflow area of Expense Admin. 

Most likely you will not have access to make changes to workflow and/or expense approvers. Have you taken our Advanced Configuration training? That is usually the only way to to get access to Workflow. If you haven't, then you will need to submit a Help ticket to SAP Concur Support to get these changes made.

[kevinseth91_ks]

@KevinD Thank you for the detailed information. I will ask my company admins to gain access to these configurations. In your above comment, you have mentioned its a two part process, first one being adding a step to assign approvers, what would the second part be. 

I am also not in favour of this workflow approach, however this is what has been recommended by the management team, hence need to understand if this is configured on concur expense, how would it flow. 

For example, say there are 5 expense categories, Food, Local Conveyance, Lodging, Stationary & Utility Expenses. Food, LC & Lodging have the same approver, stationary has a different approver and similarly utility has a separate approver. Now if I submit an expense report with 5 expenses each of these mentioned categories, how will the workflow function?

1. Will the report be sent to all the 3 approvers?

2. Will the report sent ask approver 1 to view/approve expenses pertaining to approver 2 as well?

3. Will the report be split into parts and sent to respective approvers?

[KevinD]

@kevinseth91_ks getting access to these configurations option requires someone from your company to attend our Advanced Configuration training. It isn't something you can request and be given. Your admins can submit a request to Concur Support to have these changes made. 

As for the workflow, if a report contained multiple categories, then the report would be reviewed and approved by all. The items would not be split. Each approver would be assigned a level, which determines the order of review. If a report doesn't contain one of the spend categories, then that step in the workflow would be skipped. Once the first approver approves, it goes to the approver who is designated as the next level. 

Does that make sense?