Managing issues within the approval flow (Backup Approvers)

Receiving a backup approver email signals that there’s an issue within the approval flow.

If you receive this email, there are a few things you should do to ensure that the correct designated approver is set up so that these requests are sent to the correct person to approve in the future.

This article will explain what to do if:

• If a time-off request is made and the approver is in an onboarding status 
• If a time-off request is made and the approver is in a terminated status 
• If a time-off request is made and there is no one set up to approve it 

 What to do if the correct approver is in "Onboarding" status

If the designated approver is in "onboarding" status, this means that they’re not yet active in Humi and won’t be able to use any of Humi’s amazing HR functions. They’re essentially missing out on some of the best parts, so we need to get them onboarded ASAP!

To solve this issue, the designated approver must complete their onboarding in Humi. Once completed, they'll become active, and all future time-off requests will be directed to them. 

Follow these steps if the designated approver is in "Onboarding" status: 

1. Find the designated approver’s employee profile in Humi. To do this, navigate to the “People” module or use the search box in the top right corner to type in their name and find them.
2. Click into their "Employee Profile"
3. Once you’re in their "Employee Profile," click the three dots in the upper right-hand corner and select “Resend Invite.” This will send the employee an activation email and instructions on setting up their Humi account. After you’ve resent the invitation, it’s recommended to let them know so they can swiftly complete their onboarding and join Humi

Reminder: The backup approver or another admin must still approve the existing time-off request. All future requests will be updated and go to the designated approver you set up.

What to do if the designated approver is in “Terminated” status

If the designated approver left the company and is in a “terminated” status, you can consider this your friendly reminder to update the approval flow and replace them with an active employee.

There are two ways to update the approval flow:

• Within the “Approval Flow” in the “Time Off” module
• Within the employee’s profile 

How to update the “Approval Flow” in the “Time Off” module: 

1.  In "Time Off," click on the "Settings" tab. 
2. Scroll down to the "Approval Flows" section and find the approval flow you want to update.
3. Once found, click on the three dots to the right and select "Edit Flow" from the dropdown menu.
4. Scroll down to the "Approval Steps" section and check if it's still set up to go to the terminated employee. If it is, update this to someone else who is an active employee.

How to update the manager on the "Employee Profile"

1. Navigate to the “People” module or use the search box in the top right corner to find the employee who requested the time-off.
2. Click and open their “Employee Profile.”
3. Navigate to the “Job & Pay” tab.
4. In the “Employment Information” section, click “Edit” in the top right corner. 
5. Choose a new manager from the “Reports To” dropdown menu.

If there isn’t a new manager yet, the Admin can approve/deny the request in the interim. Once a new manager is assigned, follow the above steps to update the time-off approver!

Reminder: The backup approver or another admin must still approve the existing time-off request. All future requests will be updated and go to the designated approver that you set up.

What to do if there's a time-off request and no one is assigned to approve it

If you receive a time-off request email and find yourself wondering, “Why did I get this request if their manager should approve it?”  This indicates a gap in the approval flow. You can think of this as Humi's pleasant reminder to update the designated approver. 

Like the above scenario, if you have an approval flow that includes a manager, you need to go into the “Employee Profile” of the person who requested the time-off and ensure they’re reporting to someone. If the “Reports To” field is blank, follow the steps above explaining how to update the manager on the “Employee Profile”.

If the employee does not have a manager or a different person is responsible for approving time-off requests, you can check the approval flow to find out why you (as the admin) were sent the time-off request instead of the correct person.

Reminder: The backup approver or another admin must still approve the existing time-off request. All future requests will be updated and go to the designated approver that you set up.

  Discover more about Time Off

• How to set up a "Backup Approver" 
• How to set up and assign "Approval Flows"
• Time Off - Overall Settings
• Set up and assign "Work Schedules"