Personnel Configuration
Personnel Configuration within the SLM Global Module allows organisations to manage users, approvers and approval authorities from a central location. Personnel objects define who can approve specific records, which organisational units they are responsible for and how approval workflows operate across multiple sites. This guide expands on the Global Module training by explaining how Personnel Configuration supports governance, approval management and enterprise administration.
Each Personnel object can be linked directly to an SLM user account, allowing approval notifications, email workflows and competency records to be managed from a single location. Organisations can configure primary, backup and escalation approvers to ensure approval processes continue even when personnel are unavailable.
This guide explains how to configure Personnel objects, assign approval authorities and implement reliable approval workflows throughout SLM.
What is Personnel Configuration?
Personnel Configuration is used to create and manage personnel records within the SLM Global Module. Each Personnel object represents an individual who performs activities within the system and may have approval responsibilities for specific objects, checklists or operational records.
Personnel records can be linked directly to SLM user accounts, allowing approval emails, workflow notifications and user authentication to operate automatically.
Each Personnel object can include:
- Personal information
- Company and site details
- Job position
- Email address
- Certifications
- Role assignments
- Competency records
- Approval authorities
Personnel can be created individually or copied from existing sites to simplify deployment across multiple facilities.
For an overview of enterprise administration, see the System Module Global Configuration guide.
These capabilities are provided through the SLM Global Module.
Personnel Configuration for Creating Personnel Records
Personnel records are normally created at the Site level within SLM, where administrators can either create new personnel or copy existing records from another site.
When creating a new Personnel object, administrators typically enter:
- First name
- Last name
- SLM User ID
- Company
- Site
- Position
- Email address
- Contact information
- Certifications
Linking the Personnel object to an SLM User ID automatically associates the user account with approval workflows and notification emails.
Additional certification and competency information can also be recorded to support qualification management throughout the organisation.
Configuring Roles and Competencies
After creating the Personnel record, administrators configure the individual’s organisational roles and competency information.
SLM allows organisations to assign:
- Role matrices
- Role notes
- Competency matrices
- Competency notes
- Operational responsibilities
These settings help define each person’s responsibilities while providing a structured approach to managing qualifications and organisational capability.
Maintaining accurate competency information also assists with demonstrating compliance during audits and functional safety assessments.
Personnel Configuration Approval Authorities
One of the most important aspects of Personnel Configuration is assigning approval authorities.
Approval permissions determine which records a person can approve and the organisational units where those permissions apply.
Administrators can configure approval authority by:
- Business unit
- Data type
- Approval role
- Primary approver
- Backup approver
- Escalation approver
This flexible permission model allows organisations to create approval workflows that accurately reflect operational responsibilities while ensuring governance requirements are maintained.
Managing Approval Workflows
Once Personnel Configuration has been completed, administrators can manage approval workflows through the Approval Authorities template. This allows organisations to control which personnel can approve specific data types within individual operating units.
Approval authorities are configured by selecting the required organisational unit and assigning approval permissions for each data type.
Available approval types include:
- Primary approver
- Backup approver
- Escalation approver
- No approval authority
These permissions can be configured independently for every unit, allowing organisations to build approval workflows that reflect operational responsibilities while maintaining appropriate governance.
Changes to approval authorities take effect immediately after saving, ensuring new approval requests follow the updated workflow without requiring additional configuration.
Personnel Configuration Approval Levels
SLM supports multiple approval levels to ensure business processes continue even when key personnel are unavailable.
Each approval type performs a different role within the workflow:
- Primary Approver – the default individual responsible for reviewing and approving records.
- Backup Approver – automatically becomes available when the primary approver is marked unavailable.
- Escalation Approver – receives escalation notifications when additional approval intervention is required.
Approver availability can be controlled using availability dates, allowing temporary absences to be managed without manually reconfiguring approval authorities.
Escalation approvals broadcast notifications to designated personnel, helping ensure approval requests continue moving through the workflow without unnecessary delays.
Benefits of Centralised Personnel Configuration
Managing Personnel Configuration centrally provides organisations with greater consistency, improved governance and more reliable approval workflows.
Key benefits include:
- Centralised personnel administration.
- Consistent approval authorities across sites.
- Integrated user account management.
- Improved competency tracking.
- Reduced administrative effort.
- Greater resilience through backup and escalation approvals.
- Improved compliance and audit readiness.
When combined with the other Global Module administration features, Personnel Configuration helps organisations maintain secure, traceable and efficient approval processes throughout the SLM platform.
Related Global Module Resources
External Reference
For recognised guidance on process safety management and organisational governance, visit the AIChE Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS).
