How can I create this multi-step approval workflow?

Question

Disclaimer

I'm new to Workflows, so I need the "for Dummies" version.

Scenario

I have created a workflow that triggers whenever a user creates a new Item in a List. The workflow looks up the user's manager, then creates an Approval Task ("Manager Approval") on the current Item.

If the manager approves the Item, the manager should enter (somewhere, somehow) the names of the upper level managers (ULMs) that the Task should be routed to for the next Assignment Stage. The ULMs then approve in parallel, and if they ALL approve, the Task is finally done and Approved. Rejection from anyone stops the task and marks the item "denied".

Problem

I get all of this except how to let the manager enter the names of the ULMs on Approval.

I tried adding a parallel approval step for the ULMs, but how do I get those values from the manager?

Answer 1

Three workflows.

The first workflow fires on Created and creates a task (or email) for the user's manager, and exits. The task or email instructs the manager to update the list item.

The second workflow fires on Changed, checks to see the upper level managers columns have been populated, and if not, it just exits. If the ULMs have been entered, it then creates a task (or email) for each one with instructions to update their column in the list item. (1st approver status, 2nd approver status, etc.)

The third workflow fires on Changed,

• checks to see if any one of the ULS status' have been set to rejected, and if so, changes the item's status to "Denied".
• checks to see if all of the ULS status' have been set to approved, and if so, changes the item's status to "Approved".
• and then exits.