PRING HelpApproval records and a seal per approval step
Add a user selection field (and optionally a date-time field) per approval, then assign them to each approval action under Seals, Approval records. Each approval on the record detail screen writes the approver and time, and the template's seal cells show each step's seal or a date stamp. 1 to 10 steps, with an option to clear records on return.
Steps
1. Add approver and approval time fields to the app
Add as many User selection fields as there are approvals (for example Approver 1, 2 and 3) and, if you want times, Date and time fields (Approved at 1 to 3). Check the field permissions so that approvers can edit those fields; otherwise the approval cannot be saved.
2. Enable process management and define the actions
Enable process management in the app settings, with statuses (for example Not started, Manager review, Director review, President review, Done) and the approval actions (Manager approval, Director approval, President approval). While process management is off, the settings screen shows that it must be enabled first and no step can be added.
3. Add approval steps under Seals, Approval records
Open the Seals tab and press Add approval step under Approval records. For each row choose the action (shown as Manager approval (Manager review to Director review)), the approver field (user selection) and optionally the approval time field (date and time). Add one row per approval, up to 10. One field cannot serve two steps.
4. Decide whether returns clear the records
With Clear records on return on, a return action (one that moves to an earlier status) empties the approver and time of every step that will be approved again. Example: the president returns to Director review, so the director's and president's records are cleared and the manager's stays. Off (default) keeps the previous records until the next approval overwrites them.
5. Save and update the app
Press Save. The approval settings are merged with the connection and other settings, not overwritten. Press Update app in kintone to apply.
6. Assign the approver fields to the template's seal cells
In the template editor, click each approval cell (a merged cell of about 15 mm square works well), pick the step's approver field (for example Approver 1 (approver1), Manager approval) and switch on Embed as seal. If Date stamp time is still set to output time, the step's approval time field is filled in automatically. Registering seal images is described in Register seals and put them on documents.
7. Approve, export and check
Pressing an approval action on the record detail screen writes the signed-in user into the approver field and the current time into the time field, and kintone saves the record. The exported document shows each approved step's seal (or the date stamp: approved, date, time, name, for users without a seal image). Unapproved steps stay empty.
Frequently asked questions
Are bulk status updates from the list screen recorded?
No. The approver and time are written only when the action button is pressed on the record detail screen. Status changes through the REST API, other plugins or integrations, and approvals on mobile are not recorded.
The approver field stays empty after approving
Saving fails when the approver lacks edit permission on that field. Grant approvers edit permission on the approver and time fields. If action names or statuses changed after setup, re-select the steps on the Seals tab and save again.
The old seal remains after a return
By default a return does not clear records (the next approval overwrites them). Switch on Clear records on return and save if you want them cleared.