Enhancing your application’s workflow became more accessible with the Oracle APEX Approvals Component. This powerful toolkit facilitates the integration of human approvals seamlessly, offering a streamlined infrastructure for the setup process. Thanks to its embedded data model, configuring human approvals now means diving into the finer details and tailoring the approval process to your needs. Whether you prefer to define task approvers and administrators during the design phase or opt for dynamic assignments at runtime based on task-related data, the Approvals Component provides unmatched flexibility.
In this blog post, we’ll delve into the latest enhancements and improvements introduced in APEX 23.2’s Approvals Component, including:
1. Updatable Task Parameters: With Release 23.2, you can designate Task Definition Parameters as updatable. This empowers you to edit parameters marked as updatable in the task definition from the Task Details Page in the Unified Task List during runtime. Task parameter values can be modified by either the Business Administrator or the Actual Owner of a Task instance.
2. Update Parameter Event: Release 23.2 allows Task parameters to be set as “Updatable” in the task definition. This permits the task’s actual owner or business administrator to adjust the value of specific parameters before task approval.
3. APIs for Tracking Parameter Updates in Session: In this version, the APEX_APPROVAL package introduces three new procedures/functions:
SET_TASK_PARAMETER_VALUES: Facilitates the update of a task’s parameter(s).HAS_TASK_PARAM_CHANGED: Enables you to check if the value of a task parameter has been modified in the current session.GET_TASK_PARAMETER_OLD_VALUE: Provides access to the old value of a parameter within a task that has been updated during the current session.
4. Removing Task Potential Owners: APEX 23.2 introduces the ability to remove Potential Owners at runtime for a task instance. However, only the Business Administrator of a task can perform this action. The actual owner of a task instance remains irremovable. Also, Potential owners that are not actual owners can also be removed from the task instance using the apex_approval.remove_potential_owner procedure
Procedure remove_potential_owner(
p_task_id in number,
p_potential_owner in varchar2
5. APEX$TASK_TEXT Substitution String: A novel addition in APEX 23.2, the APEX$TASK_TEXT substitution string allows you to access the text message included in Add comment, Request Information, and Submit Information task actions. This substitution string can be harnessed within Execute code or Send Email actions associated with these task operations.
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Conclusion
The introduction of updatable task parameters empowers you to adapt your tasks as needed, making dynamic adjustments on the fly. The update parameter event feature offers a level of control that enhances your ability to tailor parameters to the specific requirements of each task. The introduction of APIs for tracking parameter updates in session ensures that you can keep a keen eye on parameter changes, adding an extra layer of insight to your workflow.
The ability to remove task potential owners at runtime adds another layer of flexibility, enabling you to refine your task ownership as situations evolve and the APEX$TASK_TEXT substitution string opens up new possibilities for incorporating text messages into your workflow, enhancing communication and functionality.