Four Eyes, One Smile: Approvals with Flower BPM
Seeing Double in Jira - Are you stuck in the approval loop? The 4-eyes principle in BPMN made easy. Here you can learn how to integrate an Approval Step in Jira Workflow or in Flower BPM.
Approval with Flower BPM
A very frequently used workflow pattern is the approval step, also known as the 4-eyes principle. Approvals are essential in any company’s life. Every time you need to confirm some process, you may need a single person or group of people’s approval. It can be anything from hiring new talent to buying a new laptop or asking for assignments.
Of course, you can simply map the approval as a Jira workflow, but in practice it often happens that the approval takes place on a different swimlane than the work. The following example illustrates exactly this case:
In Flower, approval is either based on a ticket status as in Jira or on any form field. A Jira smart value expression is stored on the transitions for this purpose. (Learn more about Smart Values)
If one of the transitions loops back, as in this example, to an activity that has already been completed, it is reopened again. Provided your Jira workflow configuration allows this, which is the default.
Approval with Jira Workflow
As already mentioned, approvals are of course also a fundamental component of Jira.
In your IT Jira Service Management (ITSM) project, you'll find predefined fields named Approvers and Approver Groups, designed to simplify adding individual approvers or groups to your tasks. However, if you're aiming for a tailored approach, feel free to craft your own custom approval fields.
Remember, to weave an approval step into your workflow, you'll need Jira administrator privileges.
When it's time to integrate an approval request into an issue, make sure the necessary fields are in place. Then, gracefully embed an approval step into the desired stage of your workflow.
You must make two important settings:
Adjust the Jira Workflow
Navigate to Project settings > Workflows and embrace the detailed 13-step guide (opens in a new tab) to infuse an approval step into your workflow.
Designate Your Approvers
Venture into Project settings > Request types and follow this 7-step guide (opens in a new tab) to specify who holds the power to approve within each request type.
