Switch Order Approvals

Responder supports a work flow for approving switching orders before they are executed. This functionality is not available by default and must be configured to be visible. Once you perform the following configuration, the Approval tools will be visible in the Main menu in the Switch Order Editor.

Open Miner.Responder.DataServices.exe.config. By default, this file is installed here: C:\Program Files (x86)\Miner and Miner\Responder\Server.

Look for the following XML.

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<add key="useSwitchingOrderApprovals" value="false" />

Set the useSwitchingOrderApprovals value to true.
Save and close Miner.Responder.DataServices.exe.config.

If you have implemented the approval process, you can also modify the Scheduled Switching Orders window to display only the switching orders that have been approved. To do this, you will need to edit Miner.Responder.Explorer.exe.config on the client machine(s).

Open Miner.Responder.Explorer.exe.config. By default, this file is installed here: C:\Program Files (x86)\Miner and Miner\Responder\Client.
Look for the following XML:

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<add key="SwitchOrdersSchedule.MustBeApproved" value="false"/>

Set the SwitchOrdersSchedule.MustBeApproved value to True. If this value is true, only approved switching orders will be displayed. If the value is false, all switching orders are displayed in the Scheduled Switching Orders window. The default value is False.
Save and close Miner.Responder.Explorer.exe.config.

Roles and Permissions

To take full advantage of the Approval functionality, you will also need to ensure that you have two types of users. You can create these users in the Responder web browser (Administration section) or modify existing roles to assign the necessary permissions.

Switch Order Editor: This type of user requires a role with the Switching Order Creator, Switching Order Editor, Switching Order Planner and Switching Order Executor permissions. Alternately, you can break this into multiple roles. For example, one to create and edit the switch orders, one to plan the start/end times, and another to execute. This type of user cannot open switching orders that have been submitted for approval.

Switching Order Creator: A user with this permission can create switching orders. By default, this permission is assigned to the Dispatcher role.
Switching Order Editor: A user with this permission can edit switching orders and submit them for approval. By default, this permission is assigned to the Dispatcher role.
Switching Order Planner: A user with this permission can assign start and end times to switching orders, thus determining when they will be executed. By default, this permission is assigned to the Senior Dispatcher role.
Switching Order Executor: A user with this permission can assign a switch order to an incident and execute a switching order. By default, this permission is assigned to the Dispatcher role.

Approval Officer: This type of user has access to switching orders that have been submitted for approval. Only a user with the Switching Order Approver permission can open a switching order that has been submitted for approval. This prevents users without this permission from executing switching orders before the approval process is complete.

Switching Order Editor: A user with this permission can edit switching orders. By default, this permission is assigned to the Dispatcher role. This role is necessary (in conjunction with the Switching Order Approver role) for the Approval Officer to add or edit operations while the switch order is pending approval.
Switching Order Approver: A user with this permission can open and approve switching orders that have been submitted for approval. By default, this permission is assigned to the Senior Dispatcher role.

Executor/Approver: A user with the Switching Order Executor and Switching Order Approver roles assigned can execute or assign to an incident without going through the approval work flow.