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Set up job approvals

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Requires:
  • SmartRecruit

 

Admins can set up a single company-wide approval process, or different approvals for specific jobs, brands, and more.

Introduction

Approval setup is a two-step process:

  1. Create the set and choose which jobs it should apply to.
  2. Add the approval chain. There are two options, and both can have one or more approvers:
    • Set up a sequential chain in which approvers receive requests and approve in sequence.
    • Set up a parallel chain in which all approvers receive requests at the same time, and approve independently.

As with many features, Admins can assign approvals to specific groups of jobs by selecting a set of values for the company's active Org fields.  SmartRecruiters applies the approval chain to any jobs that have the same set of values for these Org Fields.

When someone posts a job or creates an offer that is subject to approvals:

  • SmartRecruiters notifies the chain's approvers through a summary email. Approvers can then review details and approve from the email, or log into SmartRecruiters to approve. 
  • Jobs requiring approval cannot be published until approved. Offers requiring approval cannot be sent to the candidate until approved.

 

Approvers will only see the job on the job list if they are part of the hiring team, or have a special user role. As a best practice, approvers should use the summary email to initiate their approval process. 

Create new approval set

To create a new approval process:

  1. Navigate to Settings / Admin. 
  2. Click Job Approvals in the Configuration list.
  3. On the Job Approvals page, click New Chain. 
  4. Give the chain a name.
  5. Select values for your active Org fields to assign the chain to jobs:
  • To set up a global chain that applies to all jobs, just leave All for each field in the list.
  • To set up a chain that applies to only some jobs, choose one or more values for each Org Field. 

Set approval chain

Approval chains come in four types:

  • Per-job chain allows job creators like Hiring Managers and Recruiters the ability to set choose approvers for each job.
  • Parallel chain allows administrators to designate a pool of approvers ahead of time.
  • Sequential chain allows administrators to designate a strict sequence of approvers.
  • Integration chain allows administrator to designate that an approval process will be managed by an integration.

 

Per-job chain

To allow the job creator to designate approvers on a job-by-job basis when creating the job, don't click Pre-set an approval chain. Just click Save. 

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Job creators will be able to choose their own approvers from the Hiring Team step of the Job Posting wizard. 

Parallel chain

To set up a pool of approvers ahead of time, but allow some flexibility in the sequence or number of required approvals, create a parallel approval chain.

In a parallel approval chain:

  • all approvers receive notifications simultaneously, and
  • all approvers can approve independently.

Unlike sequential chains, parallel chains can require approval from all, or at least one approver.

In the latter case, the request is approved so long as a single approver gives approval, even if one (or all) other approvers decline.

Sequential chain 

To set up an approval process ahead of time that specifies a strict sequence of approvers, create a sequential approval chain. 

In sequential chains, each approver in the sequence will receive a request to approve only when the previous approver has approved the job or offer. All approvers must approve in sequence, or the job or offer cannot be published or extended.

In this example, James Hetfjeld will receive the first approval request. When he approves, the hiring manager on the job will receive an approval request.

Integration chain 

With the introduction of 'system user', API credentials are now associated with this role. We are extending the approval API capability so that it can retrieve approvals which belong to the system user, and supports customers who wish to build an approval integration. 

  • Admins configuring job approval templates can choose an integration as the initial approver via Settings/Admin>Job Approvals. 

  • The integration returns a list of approvers using business rules from another system such as a Human Resource Information System (HRIS).

If the wrong app is selected from the pulldown list, then the approval chain will be created with only this integration user assigned. Since the integration will not populate the approval chain, the job or offer approval will start, but cannot be completed. If an administrator selects the wrong integration, and the approval chain is picked up by an active job, then making the correction in the Approval settings page will not automatically re-trigger the approval process. The job will need to be edited and once done, the integration will run as designed.

This integration uses Approval API GET/Approvals.

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Add approvers

To add additional approvers, click Select an approver and choose from the list:

  • If you choose Hiring Manager, Recruiter, Executive, or Coordinator, any user on the hiring team with that role will become an approver.
  • Choose Named user to designate a specific user by name. This user does not have to be on the hiring team.

On a sequential chain, new approvers are added to the end of the chain, and will approve last. To change the sequence, click the Move handle and drag an approver up or down the list.

When you make someone an approver on a job, they will always have access to that job, even if they're removed from the hiring team.

Save and activate

Click Save when finished and return to the Job Approvals page. Approvals chains are not activated immediately, so make sure to toggle the set to Active.