Using Policies to Manage Requests › How to Specify Assignees › Use the Action Builder to Specify Assignees

Use the Action Builder to Specify Assignees

Specifying assignees is a required task when you create policies. To specify assignees, use the Action Builder as follows or use an API plug-in.

Follow these steps:

1. Click Catalog, Policies, and open the policy.
2. Add the first assignee by clicking the plus sign (+) in the Action Builder (the box under the Condition field).

   The first level of approval appears and opens for input, including fields named Requirement, Assignees, and so forth.

3. Complete the first Requirement field (the one next to the Level 1 column), as follows:

   In the drop-down list, select ANY or ALL.

   ANY

   Specifies the following:

   • The first approval or fulfillment for a requested item changes the status of the item and closes any remaining pending actions for the item. (Item means a service or service option.)
   • If all users reject or cancel an item, then the item is rejected or canceled.

   ALL

   Specifies the following:

   • Every assignee must approve or fulfill the requested item.
   • If any assignees are groups, then one member of each assigned group must act on the item.
   • If any assignee cancels or rejects the item, then all pending actions for the item are rejected or canceled.

4. Complete the first Assignees field (the one next to the first Requirement field), as follows:
   1. Click the Search (magnifying glass) icon to display the list of valid values.

      The Find Approvers dialog appears.

   2. Select a category (User, Group, or Manager) from the Assignee Type drop-down list.

      If you select User or Group, the name of the next field remains Name Filter.

      If you select Manager, the name of the next field changes to Manager Level.

   3. Enter any applicable search criteria in the next field (Name Filter or Manager Level) and click the Search icon.

      For example:

      • To specify the direct manager of the Requested For user, select Manager as the category and enter 1 in the Manager Level field.
      • To specify the direct manager of that manager, select Manager as the category and enter 2 in the Manager Level field.
   4. Select one or more of the users, groups, or managers displayed as approvers, and click OK.
      • To select a single entry, click it.
      • To select multiple entries, hold down the Ctrl key while selecting the entries you want. For example, if you select five individual users and you selected ALL, then all five must approve the pending action. If four approve but one rejects, the pending action is rejected.

        Conversely, if you select five individual users and you selected ANY, then only one must approve the pending action. As soon as one of them approves, the pending action is approved and advances to the next phase or next level of approval.

      The assignees you selected are recorded. The Find Approvers dialog closes. You return to the Action Builder page.

5. Click OK under the first row of approvers, and click Save (above the Policy tree).

   You have specified and saved the first assignees for the first level of approval.

6. Specify one or more assignees, as follows:

   If you specify multiple assignees, specify whether the pending actions are to be sequential or parallel.

   Parallel actions occur at the same time and at the same level of approval.

   Sequential actions occur in order, one after the other, and at different levels of approval.

   • To specify a complex (OR) or compound (AND) expression for the first level approval, click the first row.

     The Operation field and the second Requirement and Assignees fields open for input.

     1. Complete the second Assignees field as described for first Assignees field earlier in these steps.
     2. Complete the second Requirement field as described for first Requirement field earlier in these steps.
     3. Select AND (for a compound approval) or OR (for a complex approval) in the Operation drop-down list.

        Specify AND to require that both the first and second assignees you specify must approve (or fulfill) the pending action. Otherwise, the pending action is rejected (or is not fulfilled).

        Specify OR to require that only one of the first and second assignees you specify must approve (or fulfill) the pending action. Otherwise, the pending action is rejected (or is not fulfilled).

     4. Click OK under the first row of approvers, and click Save (above the Policy tree).

     If you are finished specifying approval levels and approvers, navigate away from this window.

   • To specify a second level of approval, go to the next step.

     Optionally complete the steps for the previous bullet (if applicable) before going to the next step.

   • If you are finished specifying approval levels and approvers, navigate away from this window.
7. (Optional) Click the plus sign (+) in the Action Builder to add a second level of approval.

   A second approval row appears, with the fields open for input.

   1. Complete the first Assignees and Requirement fields in this row, as described for these fields earlier in these steps.
   2. If applicable, specify a complex (either-or) or compound (both-and) expression for this row, as described in the previous step.
8. (Optional) Specify a third or more level of approval, until you are finished specifying approvers for this policy. Use the previous steps as a guideline.
9. Verify that the text in the Description field accurately represents the number and types of approvers and the levels of approval you want. Such text helps other users to decide whether to use this policy for their requests, services, or service options. Such text is also helpful for organization and maintenance.

You have specified the assignees for this policy.