Approvals Workflow

Approvals Workflow

Nerdio Manager provides MSPs with a workflow-based approval system to control which tasks are run. As the name suggests, MSPs can create rules for tasks to be approved before they are run by the system. Tasks are actions you take in Nerdio Manager, such as adding a server, resizing a server, or changing a host pool's auto-scale properties. Nerdio Manager allows MSPs to set certain users as Submitters and others as Approvers. When a Submitter runs a task, the task is not run immediately. Approvers receive an in-app notification and an email notification to review those tasks. The task is executed only after an Approver approves the task.

When a task that matches an approval rule is triggered by a user who is a Submitter, the task goes into a “Waiting for approval” status and an email notification is sent to Approvers. Once approved, the task continues as usual. If a task is denied, it is marked as DENIED in the Logs. Admins can run a change management report that captures all the changes that took place, filtered by date, task types, users, etc.

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How does the Approvals Workflow Work?

All available tasks in Nerdio Manager are categorized as follows:

  • Destructive: Delete a VM, delete a user, delete a host, delete a desktop image, delete a host pool, stop a global image, remove a global image, delete a NAT gateway, delete a group, delete a scripted action, etc.

  • Cost Impacting: Change a VM's size, add a new disk to a server, activate/deactivate a host, power off a host, create a host pool, add a desktop image from a gallery, resize a desktop image, clone a desktop image, clone a host pool, start a global image, clone a global image, create a group, create a scripted action, link/unlink a resource group, etc.

  • User Impacting: Restart a VM, log off a user, power off and set as image, log off users, send a message to a host, run a scripted action, etc.

  • Setting Changes: Update host pool properties, update AD settings, update FSLogix settings, add/update Global FSLogix settings, update host properties, create an NSG, create peering, edit a VPN connection, edit NSG rules, etc.

In addition to the built-in task categories noted above, Nerdio Manager allows MSPs to create custom task categories. See Manage Task Categories for details.

Nerdio Manager allows MSPs to configure approval rules for selected tasks and user roles. See Manage Approval Rules for details.

Manage Task Categories

Nerdio Manager allows you to manage task categories. This includes creating, changing, copying, and removing custom task categories. In addition, you can create a copy of a built-in task category.

To create a custom task category:

  1. At the MSP level, navigate to WorkflowsTask Categories.

  2. Select Add.

  3. Enter the following information:

    • Name: Type the custom task category's name.

    • Description: Type the custom task category's description.

    • Level: From the drop-down list, select the task's portal level.

      Note: This filters the available selections in the Task drop-down list to actions a user can take either at the Account or the MSP level.

    • Task: From the drop-down list, select the task(s) that require approval.

  4. Once you have entered the desired information, select OK.

    The custom task category is created.

Notes:

  • Select Create Copy to create a copy of a built-in task category.

  • Select Edit to edit a custom task category.

  • Select Create Copy to copy a custom task category.

  • Select Remove to delete a custom task category.

Manage Approval Rules

Nerdio Manager allows you to manage approval rules. This includes creating, changing, copying, and removing approval rules.

To create an approval rule:

  1. Navigate to WorkflowsApproval Rules.

  2. Select Add.

  3. Enter the following information:

    • Name: Type the approval rule's name.

    • Description: Type the approval rule's description.

    • Level: From the drop-down list, select if the approval rule applies to MSP-level or account-level tasks.

      Note: This filters the available selections in the Task Categories drop-down list to either Account or MSP task categories.

    • Task Categories: From the drop-down list, select the task category(ies) that require approval.

    • Submitters: From the drop-down list, select user role(s) that trigger the approval rule when they run the specified task(s).

    • Approvers: From the drop-down list, select the user role(s) that need to approve the specified task(s) before the task can be run.

    • Accounts: For the customer account-level tasks, from the drop-down list, select the account(s) for whom this approval rule should be enforced.

  4. Once you have entered the desired information, select OK.

    The approval rule is created.

Notes:

  • Select Enable to enable an approval rule.

  • Select Disable to disable an approval rule

  • Select Edit to edit an approval rule.

  • Select Create Copy to copy an approval rule.

  • Select Remove to delete an approval rule.

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