2543238 - Approval Process for Expense Reports and How To Change it

The Approval Process for Expense Reports in the system was changed and it is noted that the changes are not properly working.

SAP Business ByDesign.

1. Go to the Application and User Management Work Center.
2. Go to Approval Process view.
3. The multi-step approval option is visible.

Due to technical reasons, the multi-step approval option is also visible in the approval process for Expense Reports under Application and User Management.

If the default Approval Process is changed in the UI to multi-step approval, it will lead to inconsistencies in the system. SAP does not support such inconsistencies caused by changes in the Approval Process made by the user.

If a change in the Approver Determination mechanism for Expense Report in the system is needed, create a case to SAP Support.

But first certify that the Approval Process in the UI is the Default process:

• Only One Step.
• The work distribution is "Approver of Highest Cost" or "Line Manager of Employee".
• The condition has to be "Expense Report Approval Configuration Equal to Yes".

 If multi-step approval was being used and now it is needed to change it to the Default one, follow the steps below:

1. Go to the Application and User Management Work Center.
2. Go to the Approval Process view.
3. Select the Approval Process for Expense Report currently in use.
4. Press Copy (To define a new Approval Process, copy an existing one).
5. This Approval Process needs to have one step only.
6. The work Distribution must be Approver of Highest Cost or Line Manager of Employee.
7. The Expense Report Approval configuration must be Equal to Yes.
8. Save.

After the new process is created, change the validity of the same, as follows:

1. Select the new process.
2. Click Edit Validity button.
3. The existing Active process and newly created process are shown.
4. In the Old process, remove the Unlimited Validity checkbox and update Validity To Date.
5. In the new Process Update the Valid From Date. (Similar to the Validity To Date of old process).
6. Select Unlimited Validity for the New Process.

Currently, there are five possible options for Expense Report Approver Determination:

• System Standard: The approver is cost center manager, project manager or sales order responsible depending on the major cost object (cost assignment of receipt items) of expense report.
• Reporting line manager: the approver is claimer's reporting line manager no matter how the cost is allocated.
• Standard with exception for cost center managers: approver determination is like standard, but if the employee of the expense report is also the cost center manager of the cost center covering the largest part of the expenses, then the line manager of the cost center manager is the approver instead.
• Standard with exception for project managers: approver determination is like standard, but if the employee of the expense report is also the project manager of the project covering the largest part of the expenses, then the line manager of the project manager is the approver instead.
• Standard with exception for both cost center and project managers: this is the combination of item 3 & 4. Neither cost center managers nor project managers can self-approve expense reports claimed by themselves. Their line managers have to approve the expense report instead.

After maintain the Approval Process in the UI as the Default, report a case with the authorization for backend change and with the specification of which approval mechanism needs to be used.

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