Within this section, the ‘Sign Off' objects are created and applied to workflows. It enables any project to use the ‘Sign Off' object to freeze the remaining activities (phases and objects) until the sign off section is completed.

• STEP 1: Click on the new icon from the 'Sign-Off Templates' section.

Open

Figure 1.1

• STEP 2: Enter the following requisite data.

You can re-order the sections (e.g., Sign-Off Status, Sign Off Action button panel, Sign-Off General Comments, Sign-Off History Comments) in the Sign-Off objects. The fields within a section (Sign Off Property) will not be able to be re-ordered.

To reorder a section, you can:

• Select the Ordering tick box adjacent to the ‘Sign Off Property’ and click on top, bottom, move up or move down icons on the toolbar.

• Drag the section (Sign Off Property) and drop it to the required position in the grid.

Open

Figure 1.2

• STEP 3: Click Save.

Templates for Sign Off Request and Sign Off Complete emails have to be set up under Settings Configuration > Email Template in order to receive an email. If the email templates are not configured properly, the email will not be sent (See Email Templates). See below for additional business rules.

If Project Owner is selected as Sign Off Authority, the Sign Off Request email will be sent to the email address of the user designated as Project Owner. Similarly, if Project Sponsor is selected as Sign Off Authority, the Sign Off Request Email will be sent to the email address of the user designated as Project Sponsor. If 'Dropdown selection' is selected as Sign Off Authority, it will allow users to select only the staff members who are in the 'Project Board & Team' as the Sign Off Authority at the point where the sign off is required (depends on workflow). The selected user will then receive the Project Sign Off Request.

• When the Sign Off Authority approves, defers or rejects the project, the Sign Off Complete email is generated to the Project Owner.

• These notifications will only be sent if the users in question have valid email addresses and if the corresponding email templates (Sign Off Request and Sign Off Complete) exist. Refer Email Templates.

• To edit a sign off template, click on an existing sign off template.

There are two different ways to add a sign off to a phase of the workflow.

1. For a Phase Sign Off excluding 'Final Approval', drag the email sign off object to the Phase Header.

If you need to add other different sign offs throughout the phase, you drag and drop the sign offs at that object. However, it will not be considered as a 'Phase sign off'. This is important when setting your workflows as the 'Project Current Phase' of the project will be driven by these 'Phase sign offs'.

2. For the Final Approval Sign Off:

Drag the email sign off object and hover over the final approval object at the bottom of the phase.

When Concurrent Sign Off process (workflow base) option is selected, the following two options will be displayed to configure the number of approvals needed.

•  At least one approval needed

•  All approvals needed

When Sequential Sign Off Process (Workflow Base) is selected (which is the default process), there will not be able sub options to select from.

When Sign Off Process Configured Project Base is selected, there will not be sub options select from in the object editor area since configuration will be done in project side.

• When a sign off process is changed (workflow/project base & sequential/concurrent), it will impact only to the projects where the sign off is not initiated.

• If the sign off has already initiated, and those will reflect the selected sign off process at the time of submitting for approval.

• This is common for both workflow and project base sign off process.

You can configure from which previous object (activity) the project should get opened.

This allows the sign off authoriser to either make the decision as ‘Approve’, ‘Reject’ or ‘Re-open’.

• If decision is ‘re-open’, then the project will be open from the activity (object) the administrator has configured in the template area.

• This property is included in all Sign Off objects: Final Approval, Close Project, Terminate Sign Off and Custom Sign Off. Also, the same applies in Change Request Sign Off Process.

• Administrator can change the label name and visibility. By default, it will be inactivated.

• Below the 'Re-Open', 'Re-open from' property is displayed. Click on this to open the workflow.

• IPM administrator can decide from which activity (object) the project should get re-opened.    

• Only the previous phase activities (objects) will be able to re-open from. Forward phase activities will be shown in disabled mode. 

You can view both the Signed Off Date and Time in the History section of the Sign Off object.

You can configure the sign off process for document approvals by following the steps below.

• STEP 1: Navigate to the object which you wish to configure the sign off process for documents. There, you will see a field titled as ‘Document Sign Off'. You can activate the document approval functionality for the object by selecting the Field Visible tick box next to the Document Sign Off field.

• STEP 2: Once you click the Setup Sign Off button, another pop-up window will be displayed. This pop-up window will consist of a sign off template.

• STEP 3: Enter the pre-requisite data and click Save.