Create and Manage Position and Selection Approval Templates
In Faculty Search (FS), Institutional Administrators use approval templates to establish consistent position and selection approval processes. Each template is created for a specific position type and unit and applies automatically to matching positions created within that unit and its subunits. A template can include ordered position or selection approval steps with instructions and designated approvers at each step. Position Approval Steps require a proposed position to be reviewed and approved before it can be published. Selection Approval Steps require the selected applicant to move through the institution’s approval process after the applicant is chosen and the position is closed. The position creator receives an email when all required approval steps are complete. This article explains how to create, scope, and manage Approval Templates and their approval steps.
Approval templates cannot be cloned.
Create Approval Templates
- Navigate to the Templates page and click the Add Template hyperlink within the desired card, or click Add Template in the upper right-hand corner.
- Select the Position Type and Unit then click the Save button for the Approval Steps' sections to appear.
The selected unit means the template will be available for that unit and any units below. Before creating a template, determine whether the same approval process should apply to the selected unit and all its subunits. If a subunit requires a different process, configure the appropriate template at that lower unit.
If there is a template at a higher unit that is already used for the given position type, an error message will appear saying “This template could not be created because there is a template at the higher unit that is used.” For example, a ‘Part-Time Faculty’ position template cannot be created for the ‘Division of Literature and Languages’ if a template for that position type already exists at the higher-level College of Arts and Sciences unit.
- Click Add Step under the desired Approval Steps tabs to add a step, or use Edit/Delete next to an existing step to modify/remove it.
- Complete or make changes on the Workflow Step' form that displays.
- Assign multiple administrators: Multiple administrators can be assigned to the same approval step, but only one must act for the process to advance. If approval from multiple individuals is required, create a separate sequential approval step for each required approval.
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Administrator notification: Each assigned administrator receives an email notification and action item in the ‘My Tasks’ area of their homepage.
It is recommended to choose an administrator based on unit and title since Administrators holding the selected title in the specified unit are automatically assigned as approvers. Avoid selecting a specific individual, as changes in their role could delay the process. If a specific administrator is chosen and later transitions out of that role, the position could get stuck in the approval process waiting for that person to move it forward.
If a unit lacks approvers with the selected title, the administrator creating the template will see a list of units without approvers and will have to choose at least one administrator to complete that step.
5. Click Save when finished. Repeat for additional steps to complete the Position or Selection Approval workflow.
When the applicable approval template includes Position Approval Steps, the position creator must submit the position for approval before it can be published. If the template also includes Selection Approval Steps, the selected applicant automatically enters that process after the selection is recorded and the position is closed.
FAQs
Who can view a position during the approval process
Only Institutional Administrators, Unit Administrators, and approvers assigned to the current approval step can view a position before it is approved.
Committee members and managers will not have access unless they are IAs, unit admins, or listed as approvers.
What happens when a position or application is sent back in the approval workflow?
The approval workflow progresses step by step but can be sent back to any previous step for edits.
- Positions: Once the updates are complete for the step the position was sent back to, the position returns to the step it was last on. For example, if a position is at Step 3 and sent back to Step 1, the approver at Step 1 can send it directly back to Step 3 after making changes.
- Applicants: The selection approval workflow must follow the defined sequence. Steps cannot be skipped. If approval is sent back from Step 5 to Step 2, the applicant must proceed again through Steps 2, 3, and 4. The approver at Step 2 cannot send it directly back to Step 5.
Does an updated approval template for a position apply to positions created prior to the update?
No, the updated approval template will only apply to positions created after the change.
What happens if no applicant is selected for a position with a selection approval workflow?
If a position is closed without an applicant selected but has a selection approval workflow, the system will only prompt for the selection approval step once an applicant is selected. If no applicant is chosen, the position will simply close out without triggering the approval workflow.