Are out of box workflows/approvals required to run a workflow?

[KB15]

I've been looking around here and I just wanted some clarity on what to do regarding two OOB workflows. I'm not 100% familiar though I've used them in the past.

I built out a catalog item and a corresponding workflow in the sc_request to go with it. Two workflows will run, the custom one and the OOB Service Catalog Item Request or the Service Catalog Request. The first stage is "Approval" however in my case, this particular request/workflow doesn't need approvals. I don't necessarily want the stage of "Approval" to appear as the first one. It's not technically necessary.

Is an approval always required to make a workflow run? Is this just how ServiceNow workflows behave?

[PeterWiles]

No, approval is not need.   You can edit the stages on the workflow to what ever you like by selecting "Edit Stages" on the workflow properties.

Workflow Stages - ServiceNow Wiki

Pete

[cwilker10]

Not sure if the REQ approval is the one you're referencing, but the REQ does have to be Approved before your RITM workflows will trigger.   Think of it as an Envelope that has to be opened before the items inside can be addressed.   Many people just auto-approve the REQ to get to the RITM.   You may run into a scenario where you want an overarching approval, i.e Onboarding with a Department Head Approval before everything kicks off, so be careful in making the global rule of no REQ approval.

[KB15]

Yes, this is a request. That make sense but this sounds like it's just a formality. So to be clear, regardless of the workflow, a request always requires an approval, automatic or otherwise? I'm not sure if the ServiceNow Wiki explains this clearly.

Two related questions:

1. If I want to place the approval in the custom workflow itself, would I have to place a condition in the OOB workflows in order for them not to fire or would I do this somewhere else like a business rule? Or is it simple as a enable/disable? I'm not sure what mechanism kicks it off.
2. If I decide that the OOB workflows aren't necessary and disable them but we need a custom overarching workflow to do an approval, is it easy to specify a custom workflow per workflow? I'm seeing the workflow automatically approve if any request is less than $1000 but there wouldn't always be a case where the request comes down to cost.

My concern is that in the past, I've had complaints that the word "approved" was confusing when it actually wasn't approved in the workflow. I'm looking for best practice advice here so I don't slap myself later.

[cwilker10 · Accepted solution]

So if you just auto-approve the REQ level then you'd have to add the Approval in your RITM workflows.   You may find that all your RITM workflows require an immediate manager approval and then you'd just put that up at the REQ to make things a bit easier.

As far as "disabling" the OOB REQ workflow, you can simply mark it as inactive and just create your own workflow that just sets the REQ to Approved.   I can definitely understand how the "Approved" widget stage could be confusing, but it does allow for more flexibility if you were to get into more complex Requests where you actually do want to approve a "bucket" of RITMs before you kick off their individual workflows.   Hope this helps!

-Chris