Approval center
The Approval center is one inbox for every document that needs someone's sign-off before it takes effect. Today it is used for promotions; other document types will plug into the same inbox.
The Approval center is an add-on. Without it, nothing here is used and each module approves directly, as before: a member allowed to approve simply approves.
How a request goes
- Submit. The creator finishes a document (for example a new promotion) and submits it for approval, with an optional note. The document is fully checked first. The shop's current rules for that document type are then fixed on the request: changing the rules later does not affect requests already sent.
- Steps. The request goes through the steps in order. Each step has its approvers.
- Decide. Any approver of the current step can:
- approve, with an optional note;
- reject, which closes the request for good (a note explaining why is required);
- send back for changes (a note saying what to change is required).
- Resubmit. A request sent back returns to the creator, who edits the document and submits again, with a note on what changed. It starts again from the first step.
- Take effect. When the last step approves, the document takes effect immediately. If the document was changed after it was submitted, the request is closed as outdated and must be submitted again.
While a request is waiting, the document is locked: nobody can change it.
The creator (or the owner) can withdraw a request while it waits. Anyone involved can add comments. The owner, or a member allowed to manage approval settings, can reassign the current step to one person.
Example
A supermarket's marketing assistant creates a "Buy 1 get 1" promotion on soft drinks and submits it. The rules have two steps: the branch manager, then, for promotions from 5,000, the owner. The branch manager approves; the request moves to the owner, who sends it back with "Please end it on Friday, not Sunday". The assistant changes the end date and resubmits; both steps approve, and the promotion goes live.
Who may approve
- Maker-checker. Whoever submitted a request cannot approve it themselves, unless the rules allow it.
- The owner may approve their own requests by default, for shops where the owner does everything.
- Owner fallback. The owner can always decide a step, so nothing gets stuck.
- Away cover. An approver can name someone to approve for them over a period, optionally for some document types only. The stand-in approves in their name, and the history shows both. Managers can set cover for anyone.
Set the rules
The owner, or a member allowed to manage approval settings, sets the rules per document type in the Approval center's rules. If several document types exist, choose one from the tabs.
Without saved rules, the defaults apply: approvals on, with one step that anyone holding the type's approve permission can sign (Default rules: one approval by anyone with …).
General switches
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Needs approval | Off: submitting approves at once, for members allowed to approve. The status rules below still apply. |
| The owner may approve their own | Lets the owner approve requests they submitted. |
| Anyone may approve their own | Lets any approver approve their own requests (turns off maker-checker). |
Steps
Click Add a step for each level of sign-off, and order them with the up and down arrows. For each step:
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Step name | For example Branch manager or Owner. |
| Who must sign | One of them: one signature completes the step. Every one of them: one signature per approver entry, each by a different person. |
| Approvers | Add a Role, a Person, or a Permission (everyone holding it). |
| Only from this amount | The step applies only to documents worth at least this much. Leave empty for Any amount. |
| Remind after (hours) | Reminds the step's approvers after this many hours, and again every that many hours. Leave empty for Never. |
| Tell the owner after (hours) | Tells the owners once if the step is still waiting after this many hours. Leave empty for Never. |
| Approvers must work in the document's branch | Only approvers assigned to one of the document's branches can sign. |
Who may change the status
Under Who may change the status, you can limit who takes each status action on the document type:
| Action | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Submit for approval | Send a draft to its approvers. |
| Edit after approval | Start a new version of an approved document. |
| Pause | Stop it for a while. |
| Resume | Start it again after a pause. |
| End | Stop it for good. |
Leave an action empty to keep the usual permission (Now: anyone with …). Once you name roles, people or permissions under Allowed, only they and the owner may take it.
Click Save rules. Back to the defaults removes your own rules for that document type. Requests already sent keep the rules they were sent with.
Reminders and notifications
The bell in the top bar counts your unread notices and lists the latest; a new one also pops up in the corner. If you turned on desktop alerts, your browser shows one when the tab is in the background. Opening a notice marks that request's notices as read in all your tabs. You are never notified about something you did yourself.
| You are told when | Who is told |
|---|---|
| A request reaches your step (submitted, resubmitted, moved on, reassigned) | The step's approvers and anyone covering for them (the owners if nobody matches) |
| A step was approved and the next one starts | The creator |
| The request was approved, rejected, sent back or became outdated | The creator, with the approver's note |
| The request was withdrawn | The current step's approvers |
| Someone commented | The creator, the current approvers and everyone who acted |
| A step is waiting too long | The approvers (reminder), then the owners (escalation) |
Overdue requests are marked in the inbox, and reminders are also emailed when email is set up on the server. The inbox, the sidebar badge and an open document update at once when anything changes.
Related pages
- Promotions
- Users and permissions
- Discounts and manager approval (one-time approvals at the till)
Last updated 17 Oct 2026