On the Authorization Routing Template tab on Purchase Authorization Basic Data page, you define authorizers, authorization groups, roles and positions that is allowed to authorize a purchase order or purchase requisition line. The authorization routing template can then be used on purchase orders and/or purchase requisition lines that are based on a number of different criteria stated in the authorization rules.
The primary use of the Step No field is to put several authorizers, authorization groups, roles and positions in order of precedence. You can rank them in priority order, meaning the authorizer with the lowest number approve first, but you can also give them all the same step number, meaning that they can approve independently of each other.
When an authorization rule is applied to a purchase requisition line or a purchase order the corresponding authorization routing template is copied to the purchase requisition line or order. However the rows in the authorization routing template will only be copied until you reach the row with the authorizer, authorization group, role or position with the required authorization limit. If an authorization routing template e.g. contains 10 steps but the authorizer on the first step has adequate authorization limit to authorize a purchase order, then it is only the row with this step that is copied to the purchase order.
An authorization routing template is created and can be connected to authorization rules, for both purchase orders and purchase requisitions.