Phase 4: Workflow Management and Self Service

In the previous phases, the user account management tasks were captured in detail on various electronic forms. This process was largely automated through a link with the HR system, while managing user accounts was delegated to the service desk or to various organizational entities. The logical next step is to add Workflow Management (WFM) and Self Service (SS). In this way, managers and employees play a central part in the user management process.

Through WFM and SS, users within the organization are offered the ability to independently request, verify, and approve changes to accounts. The changes are executed across the network according to predefined UMRA rule sets. Through the phased implementation, the procedures and entry options have been solidified in UMRA, ensuring a simple roll-out across the organization. UMRA provides support for a broad range of helpdesk, facility management, HR and other systems. Consequently, they can be used for various other service provisioning processes in addition to applying WFM and SS to user account management.

Workflow and Self Service - User Account Management;

• The look and feel of the forms in WFM an SS can be tailored to that of an internal web portal so end users will not experience any difference between the web portal and WFM and SS forms.
• Before a change is implemented, the responsible manager, or resource owner, must give his approval. The details of the applicant, the request itself, the time of approval and the approval issuer are all recorded in an audit trail, along with other pertinent data.
• Approval issuers can be given the ability of delegating a number of tasks to an assistant.

• It is possible to specify the maximum lead time for requests by the type of request and/or have the maximum lead time modified by applicants themselves.
• Approval issuers can be given the ability to deny a request and return it to the applicant or forward it to another approval issuer.
• By default, the WFM and SS system provides an interface with hierarchical information contained in the HR system. This makes it possible to automatically determine who must give approval for each request.
• Where possible, choices made in WFM and SS are linked with the source systems in which the change will eventually be implemented. For instance, during the selection of a job title, a list of job titles is automatically loaded from the HRM system.