Software and configuration requirements
Integration with Microsoft Office Outlook requires the following software and configuration prerequisites:
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A supported Microsoft Exchange Server version: Integration with Outlook requires at least one server running an Exchange Server version supported by Active Roles. The Exchange server must hold the Client Access server role and the Mailbox server role, to be deployed in your Exchange organization. For the list of Exchange Server versions supported by Active Roles, see System requirements in the Active Roles Release Notes.
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A supported Microsoft Office Outlook version: The approvers must use a Microsoft Outlook version that is still supported by Microsoft as their email client application.
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Active Roles Add-in for Outlook (32-bit). The Add-in for Outlook component of Active Roles is installed on the computer running Microsoft Office Outlook. The software requirements specific to Active Roles Add-in for Outlook are listed in the Active Roles Quick Start Guide.
NOTE: The Active Roles Add-in for Outlook does not support the 64-bit version of Microsoft Office Outlook.
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Approvers’ mailboxes. The mailboxes where approval and rejection takes place are on a Mailbox server running a supported version of Microsoft Exchange. Although not mandatory, this condition is highly advisable.
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Active Roles’ mailbox. A mailbox reserved for the exclusive use of Active Roles. This mailbox must be also on a mailbox server running a supported version of Microsoft Exchange.
- Exchange Web Services. The approval workflow has the approval rule notification settings configured so that Active Roles uses Exchange Web Services to communicate with Exchange. These settings include the address (URL) of the Exchange Web Services endpoint on an Exchange server that holds the Client Access server role, along with the credentials that identify Active Roles’ mailbox.
Integration with non-Outlook e-mail clients
For organizations that have deployed a version of Microsoft Exchange Server supported by Active Roles, but use an e-mail client application other than a Microsoft-supported version of Outlook, Active Roles offers the ability to approve or reject change requests by simply replying to notification messages that inform approvers of approval tasks. In this case, the notification message contains selectable options that, when clicked or tapped, cause the e-mail application to create a new message in reply to the notification message. The reply message contains indication of the approval decision (approve or reject) and prompts the approver to supply a comment on the approval decision (approval or rejection reason). Then, the approver sends the reply message, thereby completing the approval task.
For the list of Exchange Server versions supported by Active Roles, see System requirements in the Active Roles Release Notes.
Software and configuration requirements
The ability to manage approvals from non-Outlook e-mail clients calls for the same software and configuration prerequisites as Outlook integration (see Integration with Microsoft Outlook), with the following exceptions and additions:
- The e-mail client applications that can be used to manage approvals are not restricted to Microsoft Office Outlook 2010 or later. It is possible to use, for instance, earlier Outlook versions or e-mail applications on mobile devices.
- Active Roles Add-in for Outlook does not need to be installed on the computer running the e-mail client application.
- The approval rule notification settings are configured so that the notification messages originated by Active Roles have integration with the Web Interface turned off. Ensure that the Send approval response by e-mail option is selected in the properties of the e-mail configuration that is used by the approval rule (this is the default setting).
E-mail transport via Exchange Web Services
Active Roles can use Exchange Web Services (rather than SMTP server) to communicate with Exchange Server when sending notification messages and getting response to notification messages. This enables notification recipients to perform approval tasks by replying to notification messages from their regular e-mail clients, instead of using the Web Interface pages to approve or reject the requests. With the use of Exchange Web Services, Active Roles makes it possible for an approval workflow to behave as follows:
- A change request that requires approval causes Active Roles to send a notification message to the designated approver, with the message body containing the option to approve or reject the request.
- The approver replies to the notification message by choosing the desired option (either approve or reject) and typing in a text to explain the reason for that choice.
- Active Roles receives the reply message from the approver, checks to see if the approver elected to approve or reject the request, and then allows or denies the requested changes accordingly.
The use of Exchange Web Services calls for the following prerequisites:
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An Exchange Server version supported by Active Roles. Exchange Web Services is deployed with the Client Access server role. For the list of Exchange Server versions supported by Active Roles, see System requirements in the Active Roles Release Notes.
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Dedicated mailbox hosted on an Exchange Server version supported by Active Roles. The mailbox should be reserved for the exclusive use of Active Roles.