Create and Manage Position and Selection Approval Templates
Institutional administrators can create approval templates to streamline workflows for reviewing new positions and selected applicants. These templates are customizable and can be assigned to specific position types within a unit and its subunits. Each template defines a sequence of approval steps, with designated administrators responsible for reviewing and approving at each stage.
When position approval is required, users must submit new roles for approval before posting them. Likewise, if selection approval is required, the chosen applicant enters the approval workflow once the position is closed.
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 Save for the Position/Selection Approval Steps section to appear.
Template Availability and Hierarchy Rules
The selected unit means the template will be available for that unit and any units below. 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 ‘Position’ or 'Selection 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 'Position Workflow Step' form that displays.
Assigning approvers for each step
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. Keep in mind:
- Multiple administrators can be assigned to approve the step.
- Assigned approvers will receive email notifications and action items.
- 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.
Once approval is required, position creators will be notified that roles must be submitted for approval before posting. After the position is closed, the selected applicant will automatically enter the approval workflow. The position creator will receive an email notification once all approval steps are complete. After approval, administrators can edit the position without restarting the approval process. To manage who receives updates, use the Manage Position Change Emails setting to specify recipients for all position-related notifications.
FAQs
Who can view a position during the approval process
Only Institutional Administrators (IAs), unit admins, and the approvers assigned to the 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 Applicant Is Sent Back in the Approval Workflow?
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Positions: The approval workflow progresses step by step but can be sent back to any previous step for edits. Once the edits are complete, 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.If a FS position with no designated approver for applicant selection at step 0 is sent back, the position will return to the entire committee for review.
- Applicants:The applicant 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.