[rt-users] Occasional Approvals

[Kenneth Crocker]

Alex,


	There are several ways to set up an "Approval" WorkFlow. We have 15 
queues and not all use an approval mechanism. There is one set of 15 
queues that uses 1 single queue as the "Approval" queue. Therefore, we 
do NOt use RT's method, but do have approvals using the regular queue 
setup, but with a set of scrips and permissions we have it set up so 
that the user is forced to send tickets to the "Approval" queue we have 
set up and from there, the scrips force set requirements before the 
ticket can be moved and WHEN it is moved to a normal "Support" queue.
	We do it this way:

	1) Create a queue as "XX-Approvals" or "XX-Requests". The "XX" is for 
the group of applications that will use this queue for approvals.
	2) Set up privileges for this queue to allow the different user groups 
(that USED to send tickets to the regular support queues) to create 
tickets in this queue ("CreateTicket", "SeeTicket", "SeeQueue", 
"CommentOnTicket", "ShowComments", "ShowOutgoingEmail", "ReplyToTicket").
	3) we REMOVE all privileges to the other "Support" queues from the 
aforementioned user groups. Obviously, we still allow the "Support" 
groups to create tickets in their own "Support" queues.
	4) we set up the "Support" group that will act as "reviewers" and 
"Approvers" for the "Approval" queue. They will be able to change the 
ticket status to 'pending rv' and, if approved, 'rq approvd'. They also 
are able to move an approved ticket to the appropriate "Support" queue.
	5) we have scrips set up that, for example, examine a ticket status 
when being moved to a "support" queue to ensure it is 'rqw approvd' 
along with other CF requirements.
	6) we also have a scrip that forces the moved ticket owner to "Nobody" 
so that the new Queue Manager can assign the ticket without having to 
"Steal" it ANd we make sure the new Queue Manager (Admin) gets an email 
when the ticket arrives.

	All in all, with this one "Approval" queue set up with it's privileges 
in coorination with the "Support" queues, we keep the general user 
(Requestor) from creating tickets directly in a "Support" queue and 
ensure that tickets in the "Approval" queue are approved before they are 
allowed to be moved into a "Support" queue.
	Obviously, your infrastructure will be a bit different, but it IS 
definitely possible to have approvals differently that the way RT 
Approval does it. Hope this helps.

Kenn
LBNL

On 10/6/2008 8:58 AM, Alex Young wrote:
> Hi,
> 
>           I have been reading the wiki on the approval system. I managed 
> to get it all setup and working.
> 
>  
> 
> Just wondering if I have it right. Looks like I have to create two 
> queues, one for the user to make an approval ticket, and the other for 
> the actual approval ticket (___Approvals). Then when the manager 
> approves a ticket, he would also need to move the ticket to the queue 
> for the work to be started.
> 
>  
> 
> Is there a way to be able to occasionally request approval on a ticket 
> in another queue, rather than having a whole new queue for it?
> 
>  
> 
> For instance, I create a new ticket in “IT Services” queue to install a 
> new server. I require approval, so I set the ticket to “Seek approval” 
> which would then create a ticket in the approvals queue. This stalls the 
> ticket until the manager approves it. Once the manager sets the approval 
> to accepted, it sets the hardware install ticket to “open”.
> 
>  
> 
> Can it be as simple as that example?
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> 
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