Approvals

The Approvals dataset contains data regarding approval actions. Data for approval actions are based on two perspectives:

  • The user performing an approval action.

  • The user receiving the approval when an approval action is carried out.

The primary difference between the two perspectives is how data is associated with the individual approver in the process.

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Columns regarding the acting user contain data calculated relative to the individual approval action.

Columns regarding the receiving user contain data calculated relative to the sending and receiving of approvals.
It can be complicated to create reporting on the overall flow, lead times, etc. for approvals. Contact cBrain for assistance with reporting projects.

Importing to a BI database

Approvals can change continuously on records. This makes it necessary to ensure during periodic runs that the latest changes are included and that obsolete data is deleted. The Dossiers dataset, which contains general data about records, governs changes in the Approvals dataset. Changes in Dossiers thus mean that there may also be changes in Approvals (also see Diagram of "Entity Relationship").

You should do the following when importing to a BI database:

  1. Delete rows related to changed records in the existing Approvals table. Record IDs for the changed records can be found in the latest version of the Dossiers table.

  2. Import the latest versions of the Dossiers and Approvals tables to the BI database.

Column overview

The following table describes the columns available in the dataset. The table includes the following information about each column:

  • Dataset name: The column’s name in the dataset.

  • Description: Describes the column’s content and function.

  • Reference to other dataset: Specifies references to other datasets, if any.

  • Format: Specifies the format of the returned values.

  • Length: Specifies the length of the returned values, if any.

  • Examples: Examples of returned values.

Dataset name Description Reference to other dataset Format Length Examples

InternalDossierId

The internal database ID of the record of the approval.

Dossiers

bigint

12058

69863

ApprovalProcess_Id

The internal database ID of the approval.

bigint

20896

17506

ApprovalAction_Id

The internal database ID of the approval action.

int

identity

12321

ReceivedAction

The ID of the approval action.

0 = Started,

1 = Approved,

2 = Returned,

3 = Retracted,

4 = Resumed.

int

0

2

ReceivedActionName

The type of approval action corresponding to the ID in the "ReceivedAction" column.

varchar

9

Started

Approved

Retracted

ActingDate

The time and date of a given approval action.

datetime

7/19/2017 10:28:12 AM

1/17/2022 12:01:45 PM

ApprovalStartDate

The time and date of when the approval process was started.

datetime

7/19/2017 10:28:12 AM

1/17/2022 12:01:45 PM

ReceiversActionDate

The time and date of when the approval recipient acted on the approval.

The recipient’s acting period can be calculated using the "ReceiversActionDate" and "ActingDate" columns.

datetime

7/19/2017 10:28:12 AM

1/17/2022 12:01:45 PM

ReceiverPartyId

The ID of the user who receives the approval.

Partyregistry

int

2678

6384

ReceiverUnitPartyId

The ID of the unit of the user who receives the approval.

Partyregistry

int

1366

5687

FirstTimeReceived

Whether a given approval action causes a user to receive an approval for the first time.

0 = No

1 = Yes

int

0

1

LastTimeReceived

Whether a given approval action causes a user to receive an approval for the last time. If the approval is still in progress, the column indicates if this was the last time so far.

0 = No

1 = Yes

int

0

1

ActorPartyId

The ID of the user who acts on the approval.

Partyregistry

int

2678

6384

ActorUnitPartyId

The ID of the unit of the user who acts on the approval.

Partyregistry

int

1366

5687

ActorStep

The step of the user who acts on the approval.

int

0

2

ReceiverStep

The step of the user who receives the approval.

int

0

2

NumberOfSteps

The total number of steps in the approval process at the time of an approval action.

The approval process, including the number of steps, may change after an approval action (but before final approval). Any such changes will not be applied to this column.

Int

1

3

NumberOfApprovers OnActingStep

The number of approvers on the current step.

Int

1

3

NumberOfApprovers OnRecieverStep

The number of approvers on the recipient step.

Int

1

3

HoleInOne

Whether the approval went through the process without being returned or withdrawn.

0 = No

1 = Yes

int

0

1

ArrivedAtActingStep Date

The time and date of when the acting user received the approval.

The actor’s acting period can be calculated using the "ArrivedAtActingStepDate" and "ActingDate" columns.

Datetime

7/19/2017 10:28:12 AM

1/17/2022 12:01:45 PM

EffectuatedReturn Progress

The processing option selected when a user resumes an approval process.

varchar

13

Me

Conditionally

All

SuggestedReturn Progress

The processing option suggested by an approver when returning the approval to a previous step.

varchar

13

Me

Conditionally

All