# Laravel Package - Laravel Process Approval ## Introduction This package enables multi-level approval workflows for Eloquent models in your Laravel application. If you have models that require review and approval from multiple approvers before execution, this package provides a flexible approval process to meet that need. > Laravel 10.0 or later The package relies on an existing `Role` management. This can be a custom role management or another package such as Spatie's `laravel permissions`. ![](https://cdn.hashnode.com/res/hashnode/image/upload/v1728523829641/b7f0558a-3872-440b-98ca-bd2c30d81237.png align="center") ## Installation #### 1\. Install Using composer: ```apache composer require ringlesoft/laravel-process-approval ``` #### 2\. Publish Files (Optional) This package provides publishable files that include configuration, migrations and views. You can publish these files using the following command: ```apache php artisan vendor:publish --provider="RingleSoft\LaravelProcessApproval\LaravelProcessApprovalServiceProvider" ``` You can publish specific files by providing the `--tag` option within the publish command. Available options are `approvals-migrations`, `approvals-config`, `approvals-views`, `approvals-translations`. For example: ```apache php artisan vendor:publish --provider="RingleSoft\LaravelProcessApproval\LaravelProcessApprovalServiceProvider" --tag="approvals-migrations" ``` #### 3\. Run migration: The package comes with four migration files. Run artisan migrate command before you start using the package. ```apache php artisan migrate ``` #### 4\. Create Approval flows and Steps The package relies on Approval flows and steps on your default database. This is to enable multiple approval flows within the system. You can implement your own way of creating and managing the flows. However, there are available command-line functions to help you get started easily. ##### i. Creating a new flow To create a new flow, Run the following command on your terminal. ```apache php artisan process-approval:flow add FundRequest ``` #### ii. Creating a step for the flow ```apache php artisan process-approval:step add ``` This will show a list of available Flows. Select the flow yow want to add steps to and then select the role and approval action. #### iii. Deleting a flow ```apache php artisan process-approval:flow remove ``` This will show a list of available flows. Select the step you want to delete and hit enter. #### iv. Deleting a step ```apache php artisan process-approval:step remove ``` This will show a list of available steps. Select the step you want to delete and hit enter. #### v. Listing all flows ```apache php artisan process-approval:flow list ``` This will show a list of all available flows and steps ## Usage #### 1\. Implement `AprovableModel` to your approvable model ```apache class FundRequest extends Model implements ApprovableModel { // Your model content } ``` #### 2\. Apply the `Approvable` trait to the model ```apache class FundRequest extends Model implements ApprovableModel { use \RingleSoft\ProcessApproval\Traits\Approvable; // Your model content } ``` #### 3\. Implement the `onApprovalCompleted()` method. This package relies on one callback method in your model to commit the last approval and mark the approval process as completed. You should implement this method and return `true` to finalize the approval or `false` to roll back the last approval. This is useful in the case of performing specific tasks when the approval procedure is completed. ```apache class FundRequest extends Model implements ApprovableModel { use \RingleSoft\ProcessApproval\Traits\Approvable; // Your model content public function onApprovalCompleted(ProcessApproval $approval): bool { // Write logic to be executed when the approval process is completed return true; } } ``` #### 4\. Place the `` component on the show page of your model and provide the model instance using the `model` parameter. ```xml ``` Currently, the UI is implemented using `tailwind` or `bootstrap`. Support for vanilla CSS and JS will be available soon. You can switch between the two by modifying the `css_library` setting in the configuration file. Additionally, you have the option to publish the views and customize them to meet your specific requirements. ## Configuration You can publish the configuration file of this package, `process_approval.php`, and modify the variables to align with your specific requirements. If you wish to publish the files, use the following command: ```apache php artisan vendor:publish --provider="RingleSoft\LaravelProcessApproval\LaravelProcessApprovalServiceProvider" --tag="approvals-config" ``` ### Configurable parameters * `roles_model` - Specify the full class name of the model related to roles table. (default is Spatie's laravel-permissions (`Spatie\Permissions\Models\Role`)) * `users_model` - Specify the model that represents the authenticated users. (default is `App\Models\User`). * `models_path` - Specify the default namespace for models in your application. (default is `App\Models`). * `approval_controller_middlewares` - Specify any middlewares you want to apply to the ApprovalController. (Normally it should be `['auth']`). * `css_library` - Specify the css library for styling the UI component (bootstrap/tailwind). (default is `Tailwind CSS`). * `multi_tenancy_field` - Specify the multi-tenancy field in the users table. (default is `tenant_id`) ### Model Submitting By default, the model becomes ready for approval when it is marked as "submitted". This provides the opportunity for editing and other actions on the model before the approval procedure commences. This feature is particularly useful if you wish to keep newly created models hidden from approvers until the creator submits them. If you want the model to be auto-submitted upon creation, you can add the following property to the model: ```apache public bool $autoSubmit = true; ``` Otherwise, the package will show a submit button on the show page of the model to enable the creator to submit the model. ### Pausing Approval process Sometimes you may wish to interrupt the approval procedure by adding your own actions before continuing with approvals. You can pause approvals by adding a `pauseApprovals(): mixed` method to your Approvable Model. ```php public function pauseApprovals() { return true; } ``` If this method returns true, the approval actions UI will disappear, and you will be able to implement your other logics. If the method returns `'ONLY_ACTIONS'` the existing approvals will be displayed but approval actions will be hidden and disabled. ### Approval Signatures If you want to use signatures for users, add the `getSignature()` method to your User model and make it return the signature of the user as image url. ```php Class User extends Model { ... public function getSignature(){ return $this->signature_path; // Return the path to user's signature } } ``` If not specified, the package will display `check` icon for approval and `times` icon for rejection. ### Approval Summary If you want to display a summary of the approval process (normally when listing the models) you can use the `` component. This component returns html code with icons representing every approval step: `check` icon representing `Approved`, `times` icon representing `Rejected` or `Discarded` and `exclamation` icon representing `Pending`. ## Events The package dispatches events during different stages of the approval workflow to allow hooking into the process. * `ProcessSubmittedEvent` - Dispatched when a new approvable model is submitted. * `ProcessApprovedEvent` - Dispatched when an approvable model is approved by an approver. * `ProcessRejectedEvent` - Dispatched when an approvable model is rejected by an approver. * `ProcessReturnedEvent` - Dispatched when an approvable model is returned back to the previous step by an approver. * `ProcessDiscardedEvent` - Dispatched when an approvable model is discarded by an approver. * `ProcessApprovalCompletedEvent` - Dispatched when the full approval workflow is completed, either approved or * `ApprovalNotificationEvent` - Dispatches during approval actions with the notification message about what happened. discarded. ### Showing Notifications To display approval notifications, subscribe to the `ApprovalNotificationEvent` event. #### 1\. Create a Listener: Generate a listener for the event using artisan command: ```apache php artisan make:listener ApprovalNotificationListener --event=\\RingleSoft\\LaravelProcessApproval\\Events\\ApprovalNotificationEvent ``` #### 2\. Implement Listener Logic: Inside the generated ApprovalNotificationListener class, implement the logic within the `handle()` method. This method will execute whenever the ApprovalNotificationEvent event is triggered. Customize the notification content and delivery method as per your application's requirements. Example listener implementation: ```php class ApprovalNotificationListener { ... /** * Handle the event. */ public function handle(ApprovalNotificationEvent $event): void { session()->flash('success', $event->message); } } ``` #### 3\. Register Listener: Register the listener in your `EventServiceProvider` class to link the `ApprovalNotificationEvent` event with your `ApprovalNotificationListener`: ```php protected $listen = [ ApprovalNotificationEvent::class => [ ApprovalNotificationListener::class, ], ]; ``` Use your own approach to display notification from `session()` ### Notifying Approvers To notify approvers when a document is awaiting their approval, you can subscribe to the `ProcessSubmittedEvent` and `ProcessApprovedEvent` events and send notifications to them. Here is an example of how to send notifications to the next approvers within the `ProcessSubmittedListener` listener: ```php public function handle(ProcessSubmittedEvent $event): void { $nextApprovers = $event->approvable->getNextApprovers(); foreach ($nextApprovers as $nextApprover) { $nextApprover->notify(new AwaitingApprovalNotification($event->approvable)); } } ``` ## Helper Methods This package adds multiple helper methods to the approvable models. These include: ### Filters * `approved()` \[Static\]: This returns a builder that filters the model entries that are only approved ( returns `Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder`) Example: ```apache FundRequest::approved()->get(); ``` * `rejected()` \[Static\]:This returns a builder that filters the model entries that are only rejected ( returns `Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder`) Example: ```apache FundRequest::rejected()->get(); ``` * `discarded()` \[Static\]:This returns a builder that filters the model entries that are only discarded ( returns `Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder`) Example: ```apache FundRequest::discarded()->get(); ``` * `returned()` \[Static\]:This returns a builder that filters the model entries that are only returned ( returns `Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder`) Example: ```apache FundRequest::returned()->get(); ``` * `submitted()` \[Static\]:This returns a builder that filters the model entries that are only submitted ( returns `Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder`) Example: ```apache FundRequest::submitted()->get(); ``` ### Actions * `submit([user: Authenticatable|null = null]): bool|RedirectResponse|ProcessApproval`: Submits the model * `approve([comment = null], [user: Authenticatable|null = null]): bool|RedirectResponse|ProcessApproval`: Approves the model * `reject([comment = null], [user: Authenticatable|null = null]): bool|ProcessApproval`: Rejects the model * `return([comment = null], [user: Authenticatable|null = null]): bool|ProcessApproval`: Returns the model to the previous step * `discard([comment = null], [user: Authenticatable|null = null]): bool|ProcessApproval`: Discards the model * `return([comment = null], [user: Authenticatable|null = null]): bool|ProcessApproval`: Returns the model to the previous step ### Misc * `isApprovalCompleted(): bool`: Checks if the approval process for the model is completed * `isSubmitted(): bool`: Checks if the model has been submitted * `isRejected(): bool`: Checks if the model has been rejected * `isDiscarded(): bool`: Checks if the model has been discarded * `isReturned(): bool`: Checks if the model has been returned back to the previous step * `nextApprovalStep(): null|ProcessApprovalFlowStep`: Returns the next approval step for the model * `previousApprovalStep(): null|ProcessApprovalFlowStep`: Returns the previous approval step for the model * `canBeApprovedBy(user: Authenticatable|null): bool|null`: Checks if the model can currently be approved by the specified user. * `onApprovalCompleted(approval: ProcessApproval): bool`: A callback method to be called when the approval process is completed. This method must be implemented and must return true for the last approval to be successful. Otherwise, the last approval will be rolled back. * `getNextApprovers(): Collection`: Returns a list of users that are capable of approving the model at its current step. #### Relations * `approvals(): morphMany` - Returns all approvals of the model * `lastApproval(): morphOne` - Returns the last approval (`Models\ProcessApproval`) of the model * `approvalStatus(): morphOne` - Returns the status object (`Models\ProcessApprovalStatus`) of the model ## Seeding If you want to seed your approval flows to the database, this package provides a static method `makeApprovable(): bool` to create a new approval flow for a model. This method can be used to seed the database with the necessary approval flows and steps for a model. The method accepts two parameters: * `$steps`: An array defining the roles to be used as approval steps. * `$name`: (optional) The name of the approval flow. #### Basic usage: When the first parameter is a flat array of integers, the method creates a new approval flow with the array items as `role_id` and sets `ApprovalTypeEnum::APPROVE` as the default action for each step. ```apache FundRequest::makeApprovable([1,2,3]); ``` #### Advanced usage: When the first parameter is an associative array of `[int => ApprovalTypeEnum, ...]`, the method creates a new approval flow with the array keys (`int`) as `role_id` and the values (`ApprovalTypeEnum`) as the corresponding action. ```apache FundRequest::makeApprovable([ 1 => ApprovalTypeEnum::APPROVE, 3 => ApprovalTypeEnum::CHECK ]); ``` #### Complex usage: When the first parameter is an array of arrays, the method creates a new approval flow with steps that accepts `[role_id => int, action => ApprovalTypeEnum]` from the sub-arrays. ```apache FundRequest::makeApprovable([ [ 'role_id' => 2, 'action' => ApprovalTypeEnum::CHECK->value ], [ 'role_id' => 1, 'action' => ApprovalTypeEnum::CHECK->value ], [ 'role_id' => 1, 'action' => ApprovalTypeEnum::APPROVE->value ] ] ); ``` This option enables you to create a flow with multiple steps for the same role, each step having a different action or occurrence. ## Multi-Tenancy This package supports multi-tenancy by configuring a column in the users table. You can specify the column name using the `multi_tenancy_field` configuration option. When the logged-in user is has the `tenant_id` field set, the package will use that value to filter the approval steps. With this you can have one approval flow with different steps for different tenants. %[https://github.com/ringlesoft/laravel-process-approval]