Introduction 🔍

Approval continuity is critical in Oracle Fusion HCM. When an approver goes on leave, approvals must continue without modifying workflow configuration.

Oracle Fusion provides Vacation Rules to temporarily delegate approval tasks.

Vacation Rules can be configured in two ways:

• Employees set up for themselves (My Rules)
• Administrators set up on behalf of others (Other Rules)

This blog explains both approaches and the governance considerations consultants must understand.

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Vacation Rules in BPM Worklist 🧭

Navigation:
Bell Icon → Show All → Worklist → Click on your User Name → Preferences

Two tabs are available:

• My Rules
• Other Rules

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My Rules – Self Configuration 👤

Used when the approver configures delegation for themselves.

Typical use cases:

• Planned leave
• Business travel
• Temporary delegation

The user defines:

• Date range
• Delegate or Reassign choice
• Task scope

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Other Rules – Admin Configuration 🛠️

Used when an administrator configures delegation on behalf of another user.

Typical scenarios:

• Emergency leave
• Approver exit
• Missed self-configuration

No workflow modification is required. The hierarchy remains intact.

Demo:

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Delegate vs Reassign 🔄

Delegate

• Delegate acts on behalf of original approver
• Used for temporary absence

Reassign

• Task ownership moves
• Used for structural scenarios

Choose based on business context.

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Behaviour & Limitations ⚠️

Consultants must understand the following:

• Applies only during active rule period
• Only new transactions follow the rule
• Existing assigned approvals are NOT automatically reassigned
• Workflow configuration is not modified
• BPM admin access required for Other Rules

This avoids incorrect expectations during testing.

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Governance & Monitoring 📊

Run the scheduled process:

Employee Vacation and Delegation Rules Report

This report helps monitor:

• Active delegation rules
• Duration
• Delegate user
• Governance control

Periodic review is recommended.

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Conclusion ✅

Vacation Rules are a standard, governance-driven mechanism to guarantee approval continuity.

Use:

• My Rules for self-service delegation
• Other Rules for administrative intervention

In the next blog, we will explore Redwood Approval Delegation and category-based configuration.