Approval Delegation

In this guide we will cover:

Ad-hoc Approvers
Enabling User Delegation
Breakdown of Achieving Approval Delegation
Activate Approval Delegation Automatically when a User is Out of Office
Enabling Agent Delegation

Ad-hoc Approvers

Within Halo we can set Approval Users to Delegate their approvals if required. This is done through enabling a few settings in various areas of Halo.

Time durations can also be set for delegation, so that the user only delegates during certain time periods.

If you are wanting to have Ad-hoc approvers on the approval process, you can enable the setting highlighted in figure 1. First navigate to Configuration > Tickets > Approval Processes > *Click the Approval Processes Button* > *Create a new Approval Process* > *Add a line to the table*:

Fig 1. Allow ad-hoc Approvers to be Added at this Step

This will allow the addition of ad-hoc approvers on the ticket. You can add approvers by doing the following in the Approval Process Section of the Ticket Details:

Fig 2. Approval Process screen

Fig 3. Add an ad-hoc Approver Screen

In this case, the approval has been delegated, which is indicated by the blue symbol on the top right (may appear in red) on Yoshi's Profile Picture. The red star represents that Yoshi is a mandatory approver, after approving there will be a green thumbs up that will show as well.

Enabling Delegation

To configure the approval process with delegations, we must do the following. The first setting to turn on is within Configuration > Tickets > Approval Processes:

Fig 4. Allow Users to Delegate Approvals

With this setting enabled, it will make a new field visible under each user's preferences tab (Navigate to the Customers Area > Users > *Click into a user* > *Click into the Preferences Tab*), which allows for delegation of approvals:

Fig 5. Approval Process Delegation Options

After enabling the above checkbox for delegating approvals, you will be able to select a time duration for delegation and also who you would like that user to be able to delegate to. If the "delegate to" field is not set, then the user will not be able to delegate. Delegation is automatic during the time frame set, or automatic from when you set the "delegate to" field and leave the "Only delegate during a time period" field off.

The option to prevent the original approver being CC'ed when approval is delegated is available by using the "Do not CC original approver during delegation" checkbox.

If you are delegating the approval to a different user, make sure that the setting shown in Figure 6 is disabled, as if it isn't then the delegated approver will auto approve the ticket:

Fig 6. Auto-approve if Approver is the End-User of the Ticket is Disabled

Allow Users to Delegate their Own Approvals

Users can delegate approvals themselves from the portal, useful when they are planning to be unavailable for approvals.

In order for a user to delgate their own approvals they must have the permission "This User can partake in approvals".

Fig 7. Permission to allow users to delegate their own approvals

Now you will need to set who users are able to delegate their approvals to. Head to Configuration > Self Service Portal > toggle "Followers Field and Delegate Approvers Scope".

Fig 8. Delegate Approvers Scope

The option selected in this field will control which other users a user can choose to delegate their approval to. Keep in mind, this will also impact who users can add as followers to a ticket.

If "Scope limited based on User web access level" then users' web access level will control who they can delegate approval to. If their web access level is set to "This Users tickets" the user will not be able to delegate approval as they will not have access to other users.

Now, in the portal under "Settings & Preferences" the user will be able to delegate their approvals.

Fig 9. Delegate Approvals in portal

Breakdown of Achieving Approval Delegation

Set the User Approval Delegation from Configuration > Tickets > Approval Processes
Set a User to be a delegated approver and select the user to Delegate to
Set up your CAB and/ or Approval Process.
Make sure that the Approval Step with Delegated Approver associated to it, has "Auto-approve if approver is the end-user of the Ticket"
Symbols on Approver User (Red or Blue Pointing Hand shows Delegation, Green Thumbs Up symbolises "User has Approved", Red Thumbs Down "User has Rejected", Red Star "User is a Mandatory Approver")

Activate Approval Delegation Automatically when a User is Out of Office

Approval delegation can be activated for the users automatically when they are marked as out of office. Useful when approval delegations are always used when a user is out of office. For information on how to mark as user as out of office checkout User Out of Office Detection.

To have approval delegation activated automatically when a user is OOO head to Clients/Customer > Users > select a user > Preferences Tab > Approval Processes section, here you will see the setting "Approval delegation when out of office".

Fig 10. Approval Delegation when OOO

Using the Figure 10 example, all approvals required from Ronald Smith will be re-directed to Billie Smith, but only for the period of time that Ronald is out of office.

Enabling Agent Delegation

Agents can manually delegate to other agents within the ticket. To enable this feature, enable the below checkbox in Configuration > Tickets > Approval Processes.