Assignment Extensions
When an Assignment needs to be extended and you need to route the extension for approval, you can create and Assignment Extension. There is no limit on how many extensions can be created for a single Assignment.
Assignment Extensions are only available for International Assignments.
Creating an Assignment Extension
To Create an Extension:
Select the Assignment
Select the Assignment screen
Select the
icon within the Assignment Extensions section
Extension Details field descriptions:
Current End Date – indicates the current end date if the Assignment End Date at the time the Extension is created. The Current End Date will be populated from the Assignment Details page. If an Assignment Extended End Date exists, this date will populate the Current End Date. Else, the Assignment Scheduled End Date will populate the Current End Date field.
Proposed End Date – indicates what the new Assignment End date should be if the extension is approved. If approved, the Assignment Extended End Date will be updated with the proposed date. An approved extension does not update the Scheduled End Date in any circumstance even if the Extended End Date field is hidden.
Reason – indicates why the assignment is being extended and will appear on all approval routing screens.
Custom fields can be added to capture additional information about the assignment extensions.
Documents
The Extension Documents section can be used to attach documents required for extension approval such as a Cost Estimate for the additional assignment duration. Any documents attached are available for download by approvers on the approval routing screens.
If needed, screen sections security rights are available for Assignment Extension – Details and Assignment Extension – Approvals.
Extension Approvals
Once an extension has been created and all details are complete it can be routed for approval. An extension can be completed manually or routed to a list of approvers. The list of approvers can also be automatically populated if an Assignment Extension Ruleset has been configured as is associated with the current policy. See the Approval Ruleset User Manual for more information.
To add an Approver:
Select the
button
Add a Name and Email or select a resource from the resource dropdown
Select
Note, if the “Approvers must be authorized with SSO/Login” is enabled in the System Preference, an email address associated with the Equus Platform user is recommended. A warning message will be displayed if this condition is not met.
Round is an optional field that allows for complex approver scenarios. The approver’s Round value specifies the place in the approval process that approver will appear among other approvers. Multiple approvers can exist in the same round. Starting at round 0, approval requests are sent to all approvers in the round and when all approvals in that round are received, approval requests are sent to all approvers in the next round. Blank is the equivalent of 0.
Extensions approval data can be reported on using the Assignment Extensions: Approval Routing Id field along with the Approval Routing and Approval Routing Approver user report data sources.
Approving an Assignment Extension
Once all approvers have been added and routing can start, click
. Approvers will receive an approval email with a link to the approval page where the extension details can be reviewed and the approver can record their approval or denial. The Approval Link Window (APRLNKWNDW) system preference sets the limit in days that the link will work. Additionally, if the “Approvers must be authorized with SSO/Login” is enabled, the link can only be accessed by the approver.
If the approver has not given a response and the user would like to forward the approval to a new resource or individual they can click on the
button to send a new email to the new approver. Before clicking the
button, select a new Resource or remove the resource and enter a new Email and Name for the approver. This will send a new link to the new details provided and the previous link will no longer work.
The approval status can also be manually recorded or overridden by selecting “Approved” or “Denied” from the approval status dropdown. If a status is overridden from “Denied” to “Approved” routing is resumed.
Note: The labels of the approval request details will use the same name as the associated field in the system if it has been overridden.
While routing is in progress, a
button appears that halts the current routing process by preventing changes to any pending approvals as well as prevent further emails from being sent. The requester may change the approval grid and restart routing.
If the approver has not given a response and the link has passed its window, internal users will see the email has expired and they can click on the
button to resend a new email to the approver.
By default, upon approval by all approvers, the assignment extension status is approval complete. Once approved the assignment Extended End Date will automatically be updated to the proposed end date of the assignment extension. If any of the assignment extension approvers deny the extension, the extension status will be approval denied and the assignment end date will not be updated.
Alternatively, the behavior of the approval request can be modified using settings that are available as part of optional Approval Rulesets. See the Approval Ruleset User Manual for more information.
Approval Tracking and History
At any time in the approval process, the
button can be clicked to display the history of the approval. Most events in the approval process are tracked including the user that performed the event. However editing the approval grid is typically not tracked. Specifically, the following events are not recorded:
The removal of approvers from the approval grid
Changing of the round value
Updating a comment
Changing approval date value
