Create Custom Approvals Using Form Permissions in SuiteProjects Pro

Not every record type in SuiteProjects Pro supports native approval workflows – but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with an open process. With a bit of strategic configuration using form permissions, you can implement custom approval flows for virtually any object in the system, no scripting required!

By combining custom fields with role-based field permissions, you can simulate multi-user approval logic. This allows you to gate record changes behind structured, visible confirmation steps.

In the screenshot below, see how you can queue Project Stage advancement across Roles and Project criteria:

Notice that this is an “Any of the following” rule. This means that if either criteria are met, it will lock the Project Stage as “Read Only”.  This is a very simple solution which states that “Only Finance teams can advance Project Stages, and only if they are 100% Complete”.  Note: This is an oversimplified example to illustrate the function. Replicating this exact function may cause side-effects such as locking all stages. This is due to the fact that Permission Rules always apply to the current value in a form. Therefore you will want to add multiple Permission Rules to further gate requirements such as limit values, hide & clear values and operate in case-by-case scenarios.

Bonus Tip:

You can also create “Project Modified” Notifications to send emails (only to Project Owner, Client Owner or Distribution Emails) to alert these changes, furthering the “Approval” function we have simulated. In the screenshot below, you’ll see that we’ve created a notification to send to a distribution list which indicates that a project is “Ready for Closure” due to the criteria from above being met. You can include instructions, with a Link to the Project indicating that this Project is “Approved” and someone in finance@insertyourorg.com can now update the Project Stage:

 

Top Step has extensive experience further-customizing features like this, such as dynamic email routing and additional form workflows to provide fully tailored solutions combining this process with advanced scripting. If you’re interested, contact us for your own personalized solution!