Parallel approval in Step based request fulfillemt

[jency83]

Hi guys, I am struggling to set up proper proces in Catalog builder "Step based request fulfillment" flow to run parallel approver and wait until all people approve.

The logic of catalog item is following

1. User describes in free text what they want, first task goes to Service Desk

2. Service desk reviews the requirement and select what roles should be assigned to user

3. Approval goes like this:

  a. if role 1 is selected, the approval goes to Approver1

  b. if role 2 is selected, the approval goes to Approver2

  c. if role 1 and rol 2 are selected, the approval goes to Approver1 and Approver2

4. Once approved, another task goes to Service Desk to set this up

If I have a scenario for 3a, approvals for both, the 2nd SCTASK is generated even if just 1 of the approvers approves it (the 2nd is set to "No longer required"). I struggle to configure it properly so it waits for all approvals

- the approvals are set to "run with previous"

- each approval is set with "if role X is selected" > particular approver set in User field

- it is set to "All approve"

Approvals look together like this

First approval

Second approval is set up the same way, just condition is role_2 is true

Any ideas to make it work?

[Medi C]

@jency83 

This happens as the first approval is completed. ServiceNow set "approval" field to approved then it moves without triggering the second approval task (It detects that the requested item has been already approved)

Unfortunately you can not select the approval field in Catalog Builder. I would recommend creating a Flow in Flow Designer where you would have more flexibility and control on this field (Leave it empty). See my screenshot below.

[jency83]

Thanks for your remark. I forgot to check the Approval field on RITM level.

You are right and I checked that with sequential approval, something is changing it back from Approved to Requested to keep the 2nd approval running. 

This is rather odd. 

I'd rather prefer not to use flow designer as the logic should be handled by a team who is working in Catalog builder and the interface intuitively allows you to group approvals which would indicate me a parallel logic.

I raised my ticket also with support as we need to get this working so I'll see if they come with an idea.

[Medi C · Accepted solution]

Could you please try

1. Go to Service Catalog > Catalog Administration > Service Fulfillment Steps Configuration
2. Click on “New” to create a new configuration (Should be same as Custom Approvals configuration) except the “Service fulfillment sub flow” where you need to create one as described in the next step
3. Copy the subflow in Flow Designer “Service Fulfillment Steps - Custom approval” and make sure the Approval field is empty. Publish the subflow.
   
4. Set the newly created subflow  in the field “Service fulfillment sub flow” in the configuration you created in step 3
   
5. Go back to Catalog Builder you should be able to see the newly created configuration and it should do the work and not update the approval field
   

[jency83]

Thanks, I will check that when I have time.

As an alternative I was trying before update BR on RITM with conditions stage = "Service fulfillment process" (this is the default one for step based flow) AND Approval changes to Approved.

It checks if there are other approvals in "Requested" state and if so, it changes back the approval from "Approved" to "Requested" before saving the record.

Your solution looks a bit cleaner, I just need to check that.