How to restrict approvers to approve in assess state of change request if start date is in past

[shalani1]

Hi All,

My requirement is to restrict users to approve  change request if start date is in past. Once after clicking request approval it will move from new to assess at that time it should see the start date if its in past it should not go to approval and show alert message. Currently working on workflow to restrict to move to approval once after state moves to assess.
For restriction i have given timer condition after it moves to assess state but not working.

Can someone help me how to add timer conditions to check start date after assess date in workflow

Thanks in advance.
Shalani R

[Mark Manders]

Shouldn't your change go to 'awaiting approval' as first step? It first needs to be approved, before anything else can be done about it? 

You could enter a condition on your 'request approval' UI action that checks on the start date being in the past. If so, no approval can be asked. And if it's in 'awaiting approval' state, and the start date passes, you should cancel the approvals. 

Maybe you can force to have a start date for x days in the futurs (depending on the process and how your company works). 

If my answer helped you in any way, please then mark it as helpful.

Mark

[shalani1]

Thanks for your response.

1. To answer your first question, yes it should not go to approval the idea is to "when i click on request approval it should go from "new" to " assess" state and it should check whether start date is in future date, if yes then only it should go to approvals otherwise flow should stop there itself.

Can you please suggest me anything with the script how to put conditions over in workflow.

Thanks,
Shalani R

[Mark Manders]

Where is the approval step in your workflow? Is it after the 'assess' state is set? Your solution is depending on what is happening where. Where are the states/approvals set. Is that in the workflow, or is that done via the UI action. 

From process point of view: you should have a warning on the start date field stating it should be in the future or the change can't be picked up and have your 'request approval' UI action only available if the start date is in the future. I think with this small configuration, your requirements are met.