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MSU Controller's Office

Payroll

Quick Start Guide
Approving Forms/Form Approval

When a form approver receives e-mail notification that a form has been submitted and awaits their approval, the form approver can access that form and approve it in one of three (3) ways.

Accessing forms that require approval

Via e-Mail Notification

  1. When a form is submitted for approval, the approvers will receive an e-mail notification via the Forms Tracking Utility (FTU).

    e-Mail Notification

  2. The notification will state that there is a form on the approvers FTU dashboard that requires their approval.
  3. Also within that e-mail will be two (2) links to that form.
  4. The first link that is displayed, when ‘clicked’ on, will take the approver directly to the specific form that was just submitted for approval.
    1. When the approver ‘clicks’ on this link, they will be asked to log-in to FTU.
    2. Once the approver completes the log-in, they will be taken to the form that initiated the e-mail notification and can Approve, Modify and Approve, or Disapprove the form.
  5. The second link that is displayed, when ‘clicked’ on, will take the approver to their FTU dashboard.
    1. When the approver clicks on this line, they will be asked to log-in to FTU.
    2. Once the approver completes the log-in, the “Pending Actions” page will display and the approver will be able view all forms that await their review.
    3. The approver can select each form individually, open it, and then approve, modify and approve, or disapprove each form – one at a time.

Via Using the FTU URL

  1. Some approvers choose to turn off their e-mail notification and opt to access the forms that require their approval by logging in to their FTU dashboard directly from the Internet browser page.
  2. Approvers can go to the FTU Dashboard site and log in to FTU using their MSU NetID and password.
  3. Once the approver is logged in to FTU, they will arrive at their FTU dashboard, just as if they had clicked on the second link in the e-mail notification they would have received.
  4. Here approvers can select the forms that require their review/approval or disapproval and act as necessary.

Via eTime

  1. If a form approver is also a form preparer, it is possible to access a form that awaits approval through a link within eTime.

    Form approver and preparer link

  2. Note: unless an approver is also a form preparer, this option is not available and the approver will have to access the forms requiring approval through the two e-mail links or the FTU web page.
  3. At the bottom of each page within eTime there is a link entitled "Form Approval (FTU)."
  4. By clicking onto this link, the preparer/approver can access the FTU Dashboard for their CUC and view all forms awaiting approval.
    1. When the approver ‘clicks’ on this link, they will be asked to log-in first.
    2. After log-in is complete, all forms will appear on the Pending Actions Page.

Approving eTime Time Sheet Forms

  1. The approver will be taken directly to the approval page for the selected form.
  2. The top of the page is the approval/action section of the form approval page.

    Approval/Action section

  3. The bottom of the page will display the form requiring approval.

    Form requiring approval

  4. The approver can use the scroll bar on the right hand side of the page to scroll down and review the lines of the form and view the form in its entirety.
  5. If the form appears correct, the approver can approve the form
    1. The approver would click the [approve] button.
    2. A [confirm] button will appear requesting that the approver confirm they wish to approve the form.
    3. Simply click the [confirm] button and the approval action is complete.
  6. If the form appears incorrect, the approver can 1) Modify the form, save the modifications, and then Approve the form or 2) Disapprove the form.
    1. If the approver knows what to do to correct the form, they can simply make the change and then click the [save] button. Then the approver would click the [approve] button and [confirm] the approval of the form as modified.
    2. An e-mail notification will go to the form preparer alerting them to the changes in the form they have submitted.
  7. If the form is incorrect, but the approver does not know what changes to make in order to correct the form, they can simply Disapprove the form.
    1. A comment is required on all disapproved forms. The approver would enter their comment, click the [disapprove] button, and then click the [confirm] button and the form would be disapproved. This will stop the form in its tracks; it will not proceed to the payroll office or to any other level of approval.
    2. An e-mail notification will go to the form preparer to alert them of the form disapproval. The preparer would know that they needed to create a new correct form and re-submit it for approval.