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How to Automate your SteelBrick Quotes Approval Process

Posted by Kristina Fine

When creating processes within the Process Builder, you may notice there are some limitations on which objects you can use within the tool. SteelBrick’s Quote Line is one of those objects that cannot be utilized in the Process Builder. Fortunately, there is a workaround for this! You can build an automated approval process on the Quote level based on criteria on the Quote Line level. You just need a few simple formulas, roll up fields and a process to achieve this!

First, create a formula field (number) that defines your Quote Line criteria needed for the approval process. For instance, if the quote line item discount exceeds 50%, mark that line item with a “1.”  Here’s an example of the formula syntax:

IF( Discount __c > 0.5, 1, 0)

Next, you will create a custom field on the Quote. It will be a roll up summary with the SUM of the custom field aggregated on the Quote Line you just created.

Essentially, you are creating a ticker that can be rolled up to the Quote level. If there is a 1 on the quote line, it will appear on the Quote in the roll up field.

Next, you will create a standard approval process. The approval process will be built on the SteelBrick Quote object. In this case, the criteria would be:

Approval__c GREATER THAN “0”

This will recognize any time there is a Quote Line item that fulfills the approval criteria. We can use this criteria on the Quote since all the Quote Line items roll up to the Quote.

Then, you will create an approval process. You can follow the Approval Wizard to configure the approval process with your company’s preferences. You have the options to select who can send the approval, who can approve or reject, and even create actions based on the approval steps.

Now here’s where the process builder comes into play. If you would like to automate your approval process, you can build out a process that will create an approval process based on your approval criteria set above.

You can find the process builder in Setup under App Setup >Create >Workflow & Approvals.

When creating a new process builder process, you will start by defining the object as the SteelBrick Quote object, just like the approval process.

Next, you will create an Action Group that defines the same criteria as the approval process. This allows the process builder to know when to automate the approval process.

After that, you will create an Immediate Action that will “Submit for Approval.”  You will then define which approval process to apply in this step.

Once you have completed these steps, you will activate the Process and your automated approval process will be ready!

For more information on the process builder, check out our blog post titled “Introduction to the Salesforce.com Process Builder,” or contact your Buan Consultant.


Posted in News Announcements, Tips & Tricks