Supplier Invoice Flexible Workflow for Parked Invoice as Complete

The workflow for invoice “parked as complete” is executed, when these prerequisites are fulfilled:

• The workflow is activated in customizing
  • Path to Customizing: App Manage your solution -> configure your solution -> incoming invoice (sourcing and procurement -> invoice processing) -> activate flexible workflow for supplier invoices
• The invoice is created in status “parked as complete” or the invoice is changed and the status is switched to “parked as complete”
• The invoice is changed and the status remains “parked as complete” and the invoice is processed by an active workflow
• The invoice meets the starting condition of a workflow definition and at least the starting condition of one approval step of the first workflow definition according the sequence the workflow are defined

Examples when no workflow is executed

• The workflow is not activated in customizing
• The invoice is created in status “parked as complete”, yet the invoice does not meet the starting conditions of any workflow
• The invoice is created in status “parked as complete”, it meets the starting condition of a workflow, yet it does not meet the starting conditions of any approval step
• The invoice data is changed, the status remains “parked as complete”, the invoice meets the required starting conditions of workflow and approval step AND in the previous maintenance step of the invoice no approval step was determined

Invoice is parked as complete again and no workflow is triggered

• Always trigger the start of a new workflow when Invoice is “parked as complete” again would have the impact, that recent approval information is not available in the inbox. This is undesired behavior.

Possibility to trigger workflow always, when invoice is parked as complete

• Create a “fallback” workflow as the last active workflow according the order

• This workflow has no starting condition

The workflow has one approval step without starting condition and a valid approver is assigned

Please note:

• This workflow will only be started, when the invoice does not meet the starting conditions of any other workflow with a lower order number
• When the approver assigned to the workflow approves the work item, the invoice will be posted. To avoid issues due to unwanted postings please consider
  • Invoices shall be saved in status park as complete when they are really ready for posting from the perspective of the accountant processing the invoice, so “parked as complete” shall not be used, when the accountant has not accomplished the work on the invoice
  • The set of workflows shall ensure, that the fallback workflow does not process invoices when approval is considered as critical
• As long as the work item of the fallback workflow is open, saving the invoice in status “parked as complete” will restart the workflow
  • Restart will re-evaluate the starting conditions of all active workflows and another workflow might be selected

Automatic Approval

Automatic approval is not available for this workflow.

In case the accountants creating supplier invoices shall only have the authorization to park invoices, but not to post invoices this fallback mechanism could be used to differentiate the process for invoices to be approved by a responsible ( because the amount is greater than x EUR)