Automated approval routing using workflow API reduces engineering cycle time

PLM Oracle Agile PLM
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1

Our engineering team was struggling with manual approval routing that added 3-5 days to every change order cycle. Approvers weren’t notified promptly, routing decisions required manual intervention, and tracking approval status was difficult. We implemented automated workflow routing using Agile’s workflow API and achieved dramatic results.

The solution uses API-driven notifications to alert approvers immediately when their action is required. Routing logic executes automatically based on change attributes like affected components, cost impact, and regulatory requirements. We integrated with our corporate directory for dynamic approver assignment.


WorkflowAPI.routeApproval(changeOrder);
NotificationService.sendAlert(approvers);

Results: average approval cycle time reduced from 5.2 days to 1.8 days - a 65% improvement. Approver satisfaction increased significantly due to timely notifications and clear action items.

2

Thanks for the great questions! Let me share our complete implementation approach:

Automated Workflow Routing:

We built a routing engine that evaluates change orders against a decision matrix:


// Pseudocode - Automated routing logic:
1. Extract change attributes (cost, components, type)
2. Query approver directory with attribute filters
3. Build approval chain based on organizational hierarchy
4. Submit routing via Workflow API with calculated approvers
5. Log routing decision and rationale

The routing logic considers:

  • Cost impact thresholds (>$10K requires VP approval)
  • Affected product lines (routes to relevant product managers)
  • Regulatory implications (adds compliance reviewers)
  • Component criticality (safety-critical parts get additional scrutiny)

We use a rules engine (Drools) rather than hard-coding logic. This allows business users to modify routing rules without code changes. The rules engine processes in under 200ms, adding negligible latency.

API-Driven Notifications:

Multi-channel notification strategy:

  • Email for detailed change information and approval links
  • SMS for urgent approvals (cost >$50K or safety-critical)
  • Mobile push notifications via our custom app
  • Slack integration for team awareness

Notifications include direct approval links that authenticate users and present the approval interface. One-click approval for straightforward cases, full details available for complex reviews.


NotificationService.send(
  approver,
  channels: [EMAIL, MOBILE],
  priority: change.getUrgency(),
  actionUrl: approvalLink
);

Escalation Handling:

Automatic escalation after SLA breach:

  • Reminder notification at 50% of SLA (e.g., 24 hours for 48-hour SLA)
  • Escalation to manager at 100% of SLA
  • Executive escalation at 150% of SLA

We also implemented delegation management. Approvers can designate delegates through a self-service portal. The workflow API queries active delegations before routing.

Exception Handling:

Built flexibility for edge cases:

  • Manual override capability for change initiators (with justification required)
  • “Add Approver” function that inserts additional reviewers into active workflows
  • Emergency routing path for critical issues that bypasses standard workflow

All overrides are logged and require justification. Monthly review of overrides helps identify gaps in standard routing logic.

Cycle Time Reduction Results:

Detailed metrics from our implementation:

  • Average approval cycle: 5.2 days → 1.8 days (65% reduction)
  • Time to first approval action: 2.1 days → 4.3 hours (90% reduction)
  • Approval SLA compliance: 62% → 94%
  • Approver satisfaction score: 6.2/10 → 8.7/10

The most significant improvement was time to first action. Immediate notifications meant approvers engaged quickly rather than discovering approval requests during periodic email checks.

Technical Architecture:

Our system consists of:

  1. Routing Engine Service (Spring Boot) - evaluates rules and determines approvers
  2. Notification Service (Node.js) - handles multi-channel notifications
  3. Workflow API Client (Java) - interfaces with Agile workflow endpoints
  4. Delegation Management UI (React) - self-service approver delegation

All components communicate via message queue (RabbitMQ) for reliability and scalability.

Lessons Learned:

  1. Start with simple routing rules and add complexity gradually based on actual needs
  2. Comprehensive logging is essential for troubleshooting and rule refinement
  3. User training on delegation and notification preferences is critical for adoption
  4. Monitor notification delivery rates - email deliverability issues can undermine the system
  5. Regular review of routing decisions helps identify rule gaps and improvement opportunities

The automation has transformed our change management process from a bottleneck into a competitive advantage.

3

Great use case! We implemented something similar but also added approval delegation capabilities through the API. When approvers are out of office, they can delegate authority to colleagues via a self-service portal. The workflow API respects these delegations automatically. This prevents approval delays during vacation periods. What notification channels did you use - just email or also mobile push notifications?

4

One challenge we faced with automated routing was handling exceptions - cases where the standard routing logic doesn’t apply. Sometimes you need human judgment to determine the right approvers. Did you build in override capabilities where users can manually adjust the routing? How do you balance automation efficiency with flexibility for edge cases?

5

The 65% cycle time reduction is fantastic. We’re seeing similar benefits from workflow automation. One tip: implement comprehensive audit logging for all automated routing decisions. When approvals get escalated or routed unexpectedly, having detailed logs of why the system made specific routing choices is invaluable for troubleshooting and continuous improvement. Also helps with compliance audits in regulated industries.