Creating triggers

You can use triggers to automatically assign invoices to workflows according to field values. For example, you can make a trigger based on the invoice amount, so invoices with high amounts are handled by a workflow with users that are authorized to approve high amounts. Triggers are activated after an invoice is verified, but before a workflow is chosen.

You can create three types of triggers:

  • Coding & approval triggers - Start Coding & approval workflows.

  • Correction triggers - Start Correction workflows.

  • Rejection triggers - Start Rejection workflows.

After an invoice is verified, any existing correction triggers are tested in the order they appear (from top to bottom) on the Triggers tab. After the invoice passes the correction triggers, coding & approval triggers, if any exist, are tested in the order they appear. Documents without validation errors that do not satisfy any of the conditions of any triggers are sent to the Default coding & approval workflow.

If your solution uses custom rejection codes, rejection triggers are tested after a document is rejected by an AP Essentials Office user.

To create a trigger using Admin Center:

  1. Navigate to the Workflow view and click EDIT.
  2. Click the Triggers tab and specify the Default coding & approval workflow that you want to use if no trigger is activated, or select Manual start if you want to assign workflows manually when an invoice is opened for approval. You can even select Manual start if you do not use triggers.
  3. Click one of the following:
    • ADD CODING & APPROVAL TRIGGER
    • ADD CORRECTION TRIGGER
    • ADD REJECTION TRIGGER
  4. In the dialog that appears, type a descriptive name in the Name box.
  5. Select the workflow that you want to trigger in the Start workflow box.
  6. Click ADD to create a condition.
  7. Choose the Field type of field you want to use.

    The Field type determines what fields appear in the Field box. For example, if you select Date field, only date fields appear in the Field box.

    Use the Operation box and the adjacent box to determine how the value of the field is evaluated. When the condition is true, the invoice is assigned to the workflow you select in the Start workflow box.

    If you select In list or Not in list in the Operation box, a link appears which you can click to specify a list of values that you want to evaluate.

    You can create up to 10 conditions.

  8. Click OK to return to the previous view.

    The newly created trigger appears in the list.

  9. If you have more than one trigger, click the row of the newly created trigger and use the up and down buttons to arrange the order in which the triggers are tested.
  10. Click SAVE to save your changes.