Understanding Notification and Escalation Manager

Notification and Escalation Manager (NEM) is a mechanism used to process notifications and escalations on a specified interval.

For example, escalations are used when an approver has not responded within a specified time period to a transaction that is pending approval. You can specify the time period (timeout) and you can specify alternate approvers to whom to notify and escalate the approval for further action. Timeout Options are defined at both the Approval Path Definition page and the Approval Definition page. The path is now designed to override what is at the Process Definition level. This way you can define Timeout options for the entire process (instead of having to go to each path). If you have a path that is different, you can override at the path level.

Page Name

Definition Name

Usage

Event Type Page

EOAW_NEM_EVENTS

Associate events to a server.

Notification and Escalations Page

EOAW_NEM_SETUP

Set up an escalation event and define the evaluation and action details.

Event Status Page

EOAW_NEM_STATUS

Check status of notification.

Escalations Calendar Setup page

EOAW_CALENDAR

Define a custom calendar which can be used to define the timeout options in the Approval Process Setup page.

Use the Event Type page (EOAW_NEM_EVENTS) to associate events to a server.

Navigation:

Enterprise Components > Approvals > Notification and Escalations > Events

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Event Type page. You can find definitions for the fields and controls later on this page.

 Event Type page

Field or Control

Description

Event Type

Select an event type. PeopleSoft applications deliver some event types, such as ESCALATION_EVENT and APPROVALACTIVITYEMAIL.

Server Name

Select the server on which to run the notification.

Use the Notification and Escalations page (EOAW_NEM_SETUP) to set up an escalation event and define the evaluation and action details.

Navigation:

Enterprise Components > Approvals > Notification and Escalations > Notifications and Escalations

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Notification and Escalations page. You can find definitions for the fields and controls later on this page.

 Notification and Escalations page

Field or Control

Description

Event Type

The server information that was entered on the Event Type page.

Event Types Description

The value entered in the Description field on the Events Type page.

Active

Select to enable the escalation process.

Recurrence

Enter a time interval at which to run the evaluation process.

Repeat Time

Enter a time period to limit the number of times the action step is run.

Evaluation Type

Select a method for evaluation. Possible values are:

  • PeopleCode: Select if you are using a custom application package or class written using PeopleSoft Application Designer.

  • Query Object: Select if you are using a query set up using the PeopleSoft Query Manager tool.

  • SQL View: Select if you are using a record object created using the PeopleSoft Application Designer.

Note: For escalations, the evaluation type should be SQL View.

Name

Displays the name of the query object or SQL view, depending on which is selected as the evaluation type.

Action Type

Select an action:

  • PeopleCode: Select if you are using a custom application package or class written using the PeopleSoft Application Designer.

  • Email: Enter an email address and notification template.

Note: For escalations, the action type should be PeopleCode.

Package

Select the application package that contains the escalation utility.

Note: For escalations, the package should be EOAW_CORE.

Class

For escalations, select Escalator.

Use the Escalation Calendar page (EOAW_CALENDAR) to define a custom calendar which can be used to define the timeout options in the Approval Process Setup page

Navigation:

Enterprise Components > Approvals > Notification and Escalations > Escalations Calendar Setup

This example illustrates the fields and controls on the Escalation Calendar page. You can find definitions for the fields and controls later on this page.

 Escalation Calendar

Field or Control

Description

Calendar ID

Enter a unique id for your calendar. When this field is not blank, The Timeout calculation will be based on the Calendar ID. When this field is blank, the timeout calculation will be based on the 24 hours, 7 days and will use the original functionality.

Description

Provide a description for the calendar

Working Days

Select the working days. The escalation timeout option will refer this to determine the timeout. At least 1 day should be selected.

Working Time

Select the working time. The escalation timeout option will refer this to determine the timeout. if All Day is chosen, then working hours will be taken as 24 hours.