ValytechPlanning template
Workflow Exception Register for Incomplete Requests and Delayed Approvals
When a request lacks information or an approval is late, the next action can become unclear. Use this register to agree what should pause, who follows up, what resolves the exception and when work can restart. The examples are illustrative; replace them with rules your team can apply consistently.
1. Define an observable trigger
An exception starts when a specific condition changes the normal route. Record the condition in terms a requester or coordinator can check. “Request is incomplete” can mean different things to different people; “delivery location is missing” gives the team a clear test. Other illustrative triggers include an unreadable attachment or an approval not recorded by an agreed review point. Describe the normal route briefly too, so staff know which requests belong in the exception path. If the trigger depends on judgement, identify who makes that call and what they check.
2. Choose a safe, narrow pause
Name the action that must wait while the exception is unresolved. Keep the pause limited to the affected request or decision where possible, so unrelated work can continue. For example, if a delivery location is missing, a team might pause dispatch planning for that request while other work proceeds. Treat this as an illustrative planning example; your team must decide which actions are safe to continue. If no one can say what should wait, ask the person accountable for that work to settle the rule before using the register.
3. Assign the next action to a role
Give one role responsibility for moving the exception forward: requesting the missing detail, checking that a response is usable, or following up on a pending review. Record the person or role that holds decision authority separately. A coordinator can track an approval without being authorized to make it. Avoid assigning ownership to a broad group with no clear coordinator. The register should show who acts next and who decides when those responsibilities differ.
4. Specify resolution evidence and restart
Write down what evidence resolves the exception and who checks it. A reply arriving may not be enough if someone still needs to review the information. For a missing detail, resolution might require that it has been supplied and checked. For a delayed approval, it might require the designated approver to record a decision. Then name the step that may resume after confirmation. If the evidence is missing or does not meet the condition, keep the affected action paused and record the next follow-up or escalation rule. Set timings and escalation roles under your own policy; this template does not establish a universal deadline.
5. Decide whether the rule is ready to automate
Before planning an automated route, check each row: Can staff identify the trigger? Is the pause clear? Does one role own the next action? Is the decision authority clear? Can someone verify the evidence needed to restart? If any answer varies by team or depends on an unresolved judgement, agree the operating rule first. Valytech offers custom workflow automation for requests, approvals and reporting. The service page says, “We connect your tools and automate the work between them.” An exception route still needs to be designed around your team’s agreed triggers, responsibilities and restart conditions. Bring a completed register to a workflow conversation to discuss what needs to be designed.
Illustrative exception register worksheet
Illustrative planning template. Replace sample entries with your team's own details.
| Exception or trigger | Safe pause | Owner role | Resolution evidence | Restart condition | Follow-up or escalation rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illustrative: delivery location missing | Hold dispatch planning for this request | Request coordinator | Location received and checked against the request | Coordinator confirms the location is usable; dispatch planning resumes | Team sets follow-up point under its own policy |
| Illustrative: approval not recorded by review point | Hold the action that requires approval | Request coordinator follows up; designated approver decides | Approver records a decision | Coordinator confirms the decision is recorded; next approved step resumes | Team sets follow-up point and escalation roles under its own policy |
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