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Approvals and workflows

Route a document through conditions and approvals before it goes ahead, and decide the items waiting on you.

SettingsUpdated 07/10/2026 · 3 min read

In this article

How it worksSee your workflowsCreate a workflowDecide an approvalFAQ

Before you start

  • A role that can read workflows. Creating or changing a workflow needs a role that can manage them.

How it works

A workflow starts when something is submitted, for example a purchase order. Its steps run in order: a Condition checks a value, an Approval waits for everyone holding a role, and a System action does something automatically. An item waiting for your role appears in your Approvals inbox.

See your workflows

Open Admin › Workflows. The Workflows tab 1 lists each one with its module, trigger, steps, runs in the last 30 days, average cycle and whether it is Live 2.

The Workflows list with the Workflows and Audit log tabs, and the New workflow button
  1. Workflows and Audit log tabs
  2. Live switch
  3. New workflow

Use the switch to Pause or Activate a workflow. The Audit log tab shows every run.

Create a workflow

Click New workflow 1. Give it a Workflow name 2 and choose the Trigger event 3.

The New workflow dialog with the Workflow name and Trigger event fields
  1. New workflow
  2. Workflow name
  3. Trigger event

Add steps in the builder 1. For a Condition, choose a field, an operator and a value. For an Approval, choose the Approver role, the SLA (hours before escalation) and Escalate to.

The workflow builder with the steps on the left and the settings of the selected step on the right
  1. The steps
  2. Settings of the selected step
  3. Save workflow

Click Save workflow 3. It appears once you change something. Then turn on the Live switch at the top right to activate it. A new workflow starts as a draft with no steps.

Trigger event: Stock adjustment submitted
Fires when: A stock adjustment is sent for approval.
Trigger event: Purchase order submitted
Fires when: A purchase order moves from draft to submitted.
Trigger event: Sales quote submitted
Fires when: A sales quote is about to go out to the customer.
Trigger event: Sales order submitted
Fires when: A sales order is about to be confirmed.
Trigger event: Credit note submitted
Fires when: A credit note is submitted.
Trigger event: Sales return submitted
Fires when: A sales return is submitted.
Condition operator: greater than
Reads as: The value is above the number you enter.
Condition operator: less than
Reads as: The value is below it.
Condition operator: at least
Reads as: The value is equal to it or above.
Condition operator: at most
Reads as: The value is equal to it or below.
Condition operator: equals / not equals
Reads as: The value matches, or does not match.
Condition operator: contains
Reads as: The text contains what you enter.

Decide an approval

Open Home › Approvals 1. Each row shows the Item, its Detail, the Workflow and Waiting since.

The Approvals inbox with one purchase order waiting, and its Approve and Reject buttons
  1. An item waiting on your role
  2. Approve, Reject or Return

Click Open to read the document first. Then click Approve, Reject or Return 2 (send it back to the person who submitted it), add a comment (optional when you approve), and confirm.

Run status: In progress
Meaning: Waiting on an approver.
Run status: Completed
Meaning: Every step passed.
Run status: Rejected
Meaning: An approver rejected it.
Run status: Returned
Meaning: Sent back to the person who submitted it.
Run status: Escalated
Meaning: The SLA passed and the item moved to the escalation role.

Important — When a workflow is live for a trigger, its condition step replaces the flat approval threshold that applied before. Pause the workflow to go back.

FAQ

The Workflows row is missing.

Workflows are part of some plans only, and need a role that can read them. Open Subscription & billing to see your plan.

Nothing shows in Approvals.

The inbox says Queue clear until a live workflow routes an item to your role.

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