Implementation of automated approval system

by Jo-Anne Larter, HRG Business Manager

A fast-growing telecommunications specialist based overseas, saw the need to implement an approval policy for travel and therefore gain tighter control of spend.

The objective was to ensure budget holders were aware of travel being undertaken and could take responsibility for approving it via an intuitive, easy-to-use automated approval system.

The system needed to provide full reporting capabilities for current and historical travel requests and whether they were approved or declined. The client also required a product flexible enough to cover three types of travellers – employees, contractors and subcontractors.

We met with the client and mapped out the current process against the new process to ensure full understanding of client requirements. We then developed and submitted a design scoping document for the client to review and approve.

The client gave us the go ahead in mid March, 2011 and we are currently in the process of implementing the approval system.

One of the challenges we faced with this client is the three different types of travellers and their related internal structure and hierarchy. Implementing one product to suit all three types of users has been demanding - as there is potentially more than 15,000 travellers. As both employees and non employees will be required to use the system to gain approval, getting the structure right has been critical.

To overcome this challenge we have developed manuals to cover what each separate group needs to do to gain approval. We have also developed a separate set of instructions for the approvers and those internal stakeholders that will need to run and receive reports.