Approval Policies
Approval Policies within the SLM Global Module allow organisations to control which objects and events require formal approval before they can be completed. By configuring approval requirements at either the Enterprise or Site level, organisations can standardise governance while still allowing flexibility where appropriate. This guide expands on the Global Module training by explaining how Approval Policies support consistent approval workflows and operational control across SLM.
When approvals are required, users submit records to designated approvers through an Approval tab. Where approvals are not required, authorised users can finalise records directly, helping organisations balance governance with operational efficiency.
This guide explains how to configure Approval Policies, understand enterprise and site-level settings, and implement effective approval workflows throughout the SLM platform.
What are Approval Policies?
Approval Policies determine which objects and operational events within SLM require formal approval before they can be completed.
These policies provide organisations with a consistent governance framework by defining where approvals are mandatory and where authorised users may finalise records without an approval workflow.
Approval Policies can be configured for multiple object and event types across the platform, ensuring important operational activities are reviewed before completion.
- Enterprise-wide approval requirements
- Site-specific approval settings
- Approval workflow enforcement
- Finalisation permissions
- Operational governance
Approval Policies work alongside Personnel Configuration to determine which users are authorised to review and approve individual records.
For an overview of enterprise administration, see the System Module Global Configuration guide.
These capabilities are available within the SLM Global Module.
How to Configure Approval Requirements
Approval requirements are configured from either the Enterprise object or an individual Site object within the SLM Global Module.
Enterprise administrators can define whether approvals are:
- Required at every site.
- Configured independently by each site.
- Applied only to selected object or event types.
Where an approval is marked as Required at all sites, individual facilities cannot override that decision. This ensures critical governance requirements remain consistent throughout the organisation.
For less critical processes, organisations may allow individual sites to determine whether approvals are required based on local operating practices.
Approval Policies at Enterprise and Site Level
Approval requirements provide flexibility by allowing organisations to balance enterprise governance with site-level operational control.
Enterprise-level policies establish corporate standards, while Site Approval Policies allow authorised facilities to configure approval requirements where enterprise rules permit.
This approach enables organisations to:
- Standardise governance across multiple facilities.
- Maintain site-specific flexibility.
- Reduce unnecessary administration.
- Support consistent approval workflows.
Enterprise-controlled Approval Policies always take precedence over site-level settings where mandatory approvals have been defined.
Approval Policies and Approval Workflows
Once Approval Policies have been configured, SLM automatically determines whether an object or event requires approval before completion.
If approval is required, users are presented with an Approval tab where the record can be submitted to an authorised approver.
If approval is not required, authorised users will instead see a Finalise button, allowing the record to be completed immediately without entering the approval workflow.
This automatic behaviour simplifies the user experience while ensuring governance rules are consistently enforced throughout the system.
Assigning Authorised Approvers
Approval Policies define which objects and events require approval, while Personnel Configuration determines who is authorised to perform those approvals. Together, these Global Module features provide a controlled and auditable approval process throughout SLM.
When an Approval Policy is enabled for an object or event, an Approval tab automatically becomes available. Users can submit the record to an assigned approver, ensuring it is reviewed before it can be completed.
Approvers are configured within the Personnel Configuration area, where organisations can assign primary approvers, backup approvers and escalation paths for different processes. This ensures approvals are always routed to authorised personnel with the appropriate responsibilities.
- Assign primary and backup approvers.
- Support approval escalation where required.
- Ensure only authorised users can approve records.
- Create a consistent approval process across the organisation.
- Maintain a complete audit trail of approval decisions.
Using Approval Policies together with Personnel Configuration helps organisations strengthen governance, improve accountability and ensure operational changes are reviewed by the appropriate individuals before they are finalised.
To learn how approvers are managed, see our Personnel Configuration guide.
Enterprise and Site-Level Governance
Approval Policies can be managed from both the Enterprise and Site objects within the Global Module. This allows organisations to define corporate governance rules while providing flexibility for individual sites where appropriate.
At the Enterprise level, administrators can specify whether approvals are mandatory across every site or whether each site can determine its own approval requirements.
If an approval is marked as Required at all Sites, individual facilities cannot override that setting. This ensures critical governance requirements remain consistent throughout the organisation.
- Apply enterprise-wide approval requirements.
- Allow local site configuration where permitted.
- Maintain consistent governance standards.
- Reduce administrative effort across multiple facilities.
This combination of central control and local flexibility helps organisations standardise approval processes while accommodating site-specific operational needs.
Approval Policies for Objects and Events
Approval Policies can be configured for numerous objects and events throughout SLM. When approval is enabled for a particular record type, every instance of that object or event follows the defined approval workflow.
This ensures important operational changes are reviewed before they are completed, while less critical activities can continue without unnecessary delays.
- Apply approvals to selected object types.
- Control approval requirements for operational events.
- Standardise governance across multiple modules.
- Reduce variation between sites.
By configuring Approval Policies centrally, organisations can ensure every business unit follows the same governance requirements while simplifying ongoing administration.
Approval Policies and Approval Workflows
Once Approval Policies have been configured, SLM automatically applies the appropriate workflow whenever users create or modify an object or event.
If approval is required, users are presented with an Approval tab where the record can be submitted to an authorised approver. If approval is not required, authorised users will instead see a Finalise button, allowing the record to be completed immediately.
This automatic behaviour removes uncertainty for users while ensuring organisational governance rules are consistently enforced.
- Automatically display Approval or Finalise options.
- Guide users through the correct workflow.
- Support regulatory compliance and audit readiness.
- Improve consistency across all sites.
Combining Approval Policies with Personnel Configuration creates a robust approval process that supports accountability, compliance and efficient operational management.
Related Resources
External Reference
For guidance on governance and process safety management best practices, see the AIChE Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS).
