Table design for approval flow

Question

Hi,
For our application,we have to create an approval flow in Java.
We have to maintain the structure in the database.We are using Oracle 10g and we don't have any DBA access.
The brief structure is as follows:
there will be an activity which after being created is allocated some cost.
After allocating the cost,it goes through a first level approval.
If approved then it has to go through a second level approval and then the activity becomes approved.
The full flow needs to be tracked in a table structure whether the activity is created/rejected/approved first level/approved second level.
In a separate table structure we also need to maintain the hierarchy of user,approval 1 and approval 2.
Could you please suggest me way outs to maintain the hierarchy as well as the full historical data related to the activity after it is created.

Answer 1

In the workflow system,One request is created by Specific user who belongs to particular role.  Approver are dynamic currently 5 approvers are available but in future the approver may be 'N' numbers. Each stage the status is different. Approver may
reject or reopen or query the request.. Based on these status the flow will status again from the requester or approver .suppose 4th approver made any query it should go to 3 approver or 1st requester.
I need to design the table for the above requirements .please advise with schema.
The basic table structure should look like as,
REQUESTOR
REQUESTOR_ID INT
REQUESTOR_FNAME VARCHAR(100)
REQUESTOR_LNAME VARCHAR(100)
REQUESTOR_EMAIL VARCHAR(100)
REQUESTOR_ROLEID INT
REQUESTOR_ROLE
ROLE_ID INT (PK)
ROLE_NAME VARCHAR(100)
ROLE_DESC VARCHAR(300)
APPROVER
APPROVER_ID INT (PK)
APPROVER_FNAME VARCHAR(100)
APPROVER_LNAME VARCHAR(100)
APPROVER_EMAIL VARCHAR(100)
APPROVER_CAT VARCHAR(50) -- IN CASE IF YOU HAVE ANY SUBSYSTEM THEN APPROVER CAN BE CATEGORISED.
STAGE
STAGE_ID INT (PK)
STAGE_NAME VARCHAR(100)
STAGE_PRIORITY INT -- IF REQUIRED, I.E IF THERE IS ANY STATUS PRIORITY ONE AFTER ANOTHER.
REQUEST_MASTER
REQUESTLOG_ID INT (PK)
REQUESTOR_ID INT (FK) REFER REQUESTOR_ID IN REQUESTOR table
REQUEST_DESCRIPTION VARCHAR(MAX)
REQUEST_DATE DATETIME
APPROVER_CAT VARCHAR(50) (FK) REFER APPROVER_CAT IN APPROVER table -- Email to be send to all approvers under this category.
REQUEST_STATUS INT FK REFER STAGE_ID IN STAGE ENTITY -- SET A STAGE AS DEFAULT STATUS INITIALLY(SAY NEW). UPDATE this field whenever the history information is updated in REQUEST_HISTORY table.
REQUEST_HISTORY
HISTORY_ID INT (PK)
REQUESTLOG_ID INT (FK) REFER REQUESTLOG_ID IN REQUEST_MASTER TABLE
APPROVER_UPDATED_BY INT (FK) REFER APPROVER_ID IN APPROVER TABLE
REQUESTOR_UPDATED_BY INT (FK) REFER REQUESTOR_ID IN REQUESTOR TABLE
UPDATED_DATE DATETIME
STAGE_STATUS_ID INT (FK) REFER STAGE_ID IN STAGE TABLE
Regards, RSingh