TABLE OF CONTENTS

• 1. Overview: What Are Approval Routings?
  • Why Approval Routings Matter
• 2. Where Approval Routings Apply
  • People > Settings > Approval Routing
• 3. Understanding the Two-Step Approval Routing Setup
  • Step 1: Create General Approval Routings (People Module)
  • Step 2: Assign the Routing in Each Module
• 4. Types of Approval Routing Features in altHR
• 5. Creating General Approval Routings
• 6. Creating Approver Groups
  • Steps to Create an Approver Group
• 7. Applying Approval Routings to Modules
  • 7.1 Applying Routing to Leaves
  • 7.2 Applying Routing to Expenses
  • 7.3 Applying Routing to Travel
• 8. Summary Table of All Routing Configurations

Approval Routings are a core configuration mechanism in altHR that determine the approval flow for employee transactions—such as Leave Requests, Expense Claims, Travel Requests, and Document Acknowledgements. Properly configuring these routings ensures operational governance, auditability, and compliance with organisational hierarchy.
This article provides a comprehensive guide on understanding, creating, applying, and troubleshooting approval routings across the altHR platform.

1. Overview: What Are Approval Routings?

Approval Routings define who must approve a request before it can be finalised. altHR supports routing logic that mirrors real organisational structures and can be applied to multiple modules.

A routing can be:

• Single-Level (e.g., Line Manager)

• Multi-Level (e.g., LM → HR → HOD → Finance)

• Cross-Company (across grouped entities)

• Approver Group Based (multiple approvers; any can approve)

• Organisation-Level Based (based on Org Chart from People module)

Why Approval Routings Matter

• Ensures employees follow proper governance channels

• Reduces manual follow-up

• Provides full audit trail

• Ensures consistency across HR, Finance, and Operations

• Supports multiple business units and grouped entities

2. Where Approval Routings Apply

Approval routings must be configured separately for each module.

Before applying approval logic in these modules, the routing must first be created in:

People > Settings > Approval Routing

3. Understanding the Two-Step Approval Routing Setup

altHR separates routing configuration into two layers:

Step 1: Create General Approval Routings (People Module)

This is where you define all possible approval flows.
They act as reusable templates.

These routings are NOT active yet.

Step 2: Assign the Routing in Each Module

After creating a routing, you must apply it at module level:

• Leaves > Default Approval Routing

• Expenses > Default Approval Routing

• Travel > Default Approval Routing

Only after this step does the routing become active.

4. Types of Approval Routing Features in altHR

altHR supports several advanced routing features to suit different organisational models.

4.1 General Approval Routings

General approval routings are the base routing structures containing:

• Up to 5 sequential approval levels
• Line Manager–based routing
• Direct approver selection (employee name)
• Approver Group options
• Cross-company approver selection (if enabled)

Each level must approve before the request moves to the next level.

Example:

1. Line Manager
2. Head of Department
3. HR
4. Finance Approver
5. CEO

4.2 Cross Company Approval Routing

This feature is available for organisations using the Grouped Companies structure.

Use Cases:

• Group HR managing approvals for multiple subsidiaries
• Shared services model
• Regional managers approving requests across entities

Behaviour:

When toggled ON, the system allows selecting approvers from other grouped companies instead of restricting you to the current company’s users.

4.3 Approver Groups

Approver Groups allow you to assign a group of approvers instead of a single person.

Behaviour:

• Only one member needs to approve/reject
• Approval log displays the Group Name, not the individual
• Common in Finance, HR, or Operations where multiple approvers share workload

Examples:

• Finance Team
• HR Reviews Team
• Branch Managers
• Project Management Office (PMO)

Approver Groups can only be used after being created in People > Approver Groups.

5. Creating General Approval Routings

Follow these steps carefully to avoid routing errors later.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Navigate to People Module

Go to People > Settings > Approval Routing

2. Under "General Approval Routing" Click “Create New”

3. Configure Cross-Company Toggle (If Required)

• OFF = approvers from same company only
• ON = approvers from any company in the grouped structure

Ignore this if you dont have group company configure in altHR

4. Select Level 1 Approver

You may select:

• Line Manager
• Specific employee
• Approver Group
• Functional Head (if configured)

5. Add Additional Levels

Click + to add Level 2, Level 3, up to Level 5.

6. Finalise the Routing

Click Confirm.

Your routing template is now created and available for assignment.

6. Creating Approver Groups

Approver Groups are essential when approval responsibility is shared across a team.

Steps to Create an Approver Group

1. Go to People > Settings

2. Select Approver Groups

3. Click Create Group Routing

4. Enter a Group Name

   • e.g., Finance Team, HR Reviewers, Admin Approvers

5. Add all relevant employees

6. Click Confirm

You can now assign this group as an approver in any approval routing.

7. Applying Approval Routings to Modules

Once the general routing is created, it must be assigned at module-level.

7.1 Applying Routing to Leaves

1. Go to Leaves > Settings > Default Approval Routing

2. Click Create New Approval Routing

3. Select:

   • Organisation(s)

   • Employee(s)

   • Contract type(s)

4. Choose a General Approval Routing from the dropdown

5. Click Confirm

For more information, refer to this How to Configure Default Approval Routings in Leaves

7.2 Applying Routing to Expenses

1. Go to Expenses > Settings

2. Select Default Approval Routing

3. Click Create New Approval Routing

4. Select organisation/employee scope

5. Choose your General Approval Routing

6. Confirm

For more information, please refer to How to Configure Default Approval Routings in Expenses?

7.3 Applying Routing to Travel

1. Go to Travel > Settings

2. Select Approval Routing tab

3. Create new routing

4. Select organisations or employees

5. Choose routing template

6. Confirm

8. Summary Table of All Routing Configurations