How to automate master record approvals in Dynamics GP using Workflows

Workflows in Dynamics GP allow businesses to automate internal controls and minimize time-consuming and error-prone tasks. With workflow automation, GP users can automate approval processes for documents, records, or batches. In this post, we will walk you through the process of creating a master record approval process.

Workflow is an essential part of Dynamics GP that provides functionality to create workflows, or approval processes, for documents, records, or batches. Each workflow will define how a document flows through the system by indicating who should approve it, plus all the conditions under which the approvers must meet to approve the document. Important documents can be attached to workflows using the Document Attachment feature to ensure all documents can be tracked, verified, and remain with the records for future viewing. Additionally, Dynamics GP workflows have email integration which means approvals can be done directly through the Dynamics GP interface or via email, without ever logging into GP. Users can receive an email, review any attached documentation, and approve, reject or delegate directly from their inbox.

Dynamics GP users can automate the approval of any new master record as well as any changes made to an existing record using the workflow approval process. For example, you can create a workflow for the following items:

• General ledger GL accounts
• Vendor master records
• Employee profile approval

In our example, we will walk you through the process of creating a master record approval process for vendor records. The first step in building a workflow is to define the procedures required by your organization including approval hierarchies, approval limits, and delegation rules. Then, we will create the workflow in Dynamics GP to meet our unique requirements.

Define control procedures

In our example, we will create a vendor approval workflow that meets several conditions defined by our internal control procedures.

1. First, all new vendor master records are to be reviewed for correctness while also ensuring the taxpayer form W9s are attached for any vendors that will be receiving 1099s. Once these have been verified, our Controller will approve the new record.
2. Additionally, any changes made to an existing vendor master record must be approved by our Controller. For example, if the terms of a payment have changed on an existing vendor record, these changes must be approved before a purchase order can be created with the new terms.
3. Finally, when a Purchasing Agent secures a new contract with a vendor and wants to create a new purchase order, a new vendor master record will need to be created. The new vendor master record will be approved by our CEO. Then, our CFO will be notified to review and approve the contract and any associated conditions, prior to placing a purchase order.

In any of these scenarios, new vendors or modifications to existing vendors must be approved before use. This means that other GP users will not be able to post a transaction with the vendor until workflow approval. Modifications to vendor records that are used for inventory, purchasing, and payable management will not be controlled or required to be approved.

Set up the workflow in Dynamics GP

To configure purchase order approval workflows, follow the steps below:

1. Navigate to the Administration navigation pane
2. Under setup choose Company
3. Expand Workflow
4. Select Workflow Maintenance
5. In the drop-down, select Purchasing
6. Under Vendor Approval select New Workflow
7. Add a Name and Description for the workflow
8. Select New Step to add as many steps as needed for the workflow and define the following:
   1. Name & description of the step
   2. Name the step type as Approval or Task
   3. Assign conditions to the step
   4. Assign the approver
   5. Set other parameters such as time limit, reminders, notifications, etc.

In our scenario, we named our new workflow Vendor Record Changes with three separate steps for the vendor approval process. The first one for Vendor Records Changes which ensures that any modifications to vendor records require approval from our Controller and any vendor that requires a 1099 will have the form W9 attached. The second step is for New Vendors and ensures that every time a vendor record is created, the Controller must review and approve the vendor. The third step is for Contracts and ensures our CFO must review and approve any changes.

In the workflow, you can set notifications to be sent to the approver via email or their Dynamics GP workbench for each step of the process. With these notifications, the user will be prompted to act by either approving or rejecting the workflow item. In our workflow, we have enabled Send notifications for completed actions. In the Workflow Email Notification Maintenance window, we can select which actions will require a notification to be sent once completed.

The above is just one example of the many tasks you can automate with workflows. Workflow is a key part of Dynamics GP that provides users with flexible options when setting up approval processes. The options are extensive, it is easy to make mistakes if you are not familiar with structuring workflows. Rand Group is an experienced Dynamics GP support partner that can assist with creating and customizing workflows that suit many levels of complexity.