> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.qwoty.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How approvals work

> Understand approval rules, stages, statuses, and notifications for quotes.

## Overview

Approvals make sure that quotes meet your pricing policy before they reach customers. An approval rule (**Workflow** › **Approval**) is made of:

* **Conditions** that decide when the rule applies
* **Approval stages**, each with named **Approvers** and an **Approval type**

A rule only applies to quotes created from a template that lists it in **Governance** › **Approval workflow**.

## What triggers an approval

Approvals are evaluated automatically from the conditions of the rules attached to the quote's template. The **Alerts** section of the quote sidebar shows either **No approval required** (the quote can be sent directly) or the approval required.

Conditions use three attributes in production, all combined with **AND**:

| Attribute | What it checks |
| - | - |
| **Margin** | The quote margin, in percent, compared with a value (**Equal**, **Higher**, **Higher or equal**, **Lower**, **Lower or equal**) |
| **Total** | The quote total excluding tax, compared with a value (same operators) |
| **Discount** | Whether the quote uses one of the selected discounts (**Equal**) |

If a template lists several rules, they are checked in table order and only the first rule whose conditions are all met is triggered.

## Approval flow

```mermaid theme={null}
flowchart LR
    A[Draft] -->|Request approval| B[Pending approval]
    B -->|All stages approved| C[Approved]
    B -->|Reject| D[Approval rejected]
    D -->|Edit and Request approval| B
    C -->|Share| E[Published]
```

1. The sales rep clicks **Request approval** and can add a **Note to approver**. The quote moves to **Pending approval**.
2. The approvers of the first stage receive an email with a link to the quote.
3. Each stage is decided according to its **Approval type**. When a stage is approved, the next stage starts and its approvers are notified.
4. When the last stage is approved, the quote moves to **Approved** and the quote owner receives an email.

## Stages and approval types

Stages run in sequence: stage 2 starts only after stage 1 is approved. The sidebar shows the progress, for example **Step 1 of 2**.

Within a stage, the **Approval type** decides how approvers' decisions combine:

| Approval type | Behavior |
| - | - |
| **All approvers must approve** | Every approver of the stage must approve (parallel approval) |
| **First responder can approve or reject** | The first approver to decide settles the stage |

Approvers are users named in the stage, not roles.

## Approval decisions

| Action | Result |
| - | - |
| **Approve** | The stage is approved; after the last stage, the quote moves to **Approved** |
| **Reject** | Opens **Request changes**; a message is required. The quote moves to **Approval rejected** and the owner receives an email with the message |
| **Approve without validation** | Users with the **Overpass sales Restriction** permission approve the quote directly (**Approve directly**), skipping all remaining stages |

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Approval rejected** isn't final. The quote stays editable: the sales rep updates it and clicks **Request approval** again to send it back to the approvers.

## Editing a quote during or after approval

* A quote in **Pending approval** stays editable. If a change affects the approval (for example, the total changes), the pending request is invalidated and the sales rep must request approval again.
* If you change an **Approved** quote, saving shows **Approval will be revoked**. Click **Save anyway** to keep your changes; the quote must then be submitted for approval again before it can be shared.
* **Recall** (in the header menu) moves the quote back to **Draft**.

## Common questions

> **Can a sales rep bypass the approval process?**
>
> Only users whose role has the **Overpass sales Restriction** permission can use **Approve without validation**. Other users must go through the approval stages.

> **Is there an escalation or reminder if an approver doesn't respond?**
>
> No. Qwoty doesn't escalate or remind approvers automatically. Use **First responder can approve or reject** with several approvers to avoid blocking on one person.

> **Can I use OR between conditions?**
>
> No. Conditions in a rule are combined with **AND**. Create several rules to cover alternative cases.

> **Can I see all quotes waiting for approval?**
>
> Yes. In **Project** › **Quote**, filter the list by the **Pending approval** status.

## Related

> **[Create an approval workflow](https://docs.qwoty.io/user-guide/workflows/how-tos/create-approval-workflow.md)**
>
> Set up conditions and stages

> **[Approve or reject a quote](https://docs.qwoty.io/user-guide/workflows/how-tos/approve-or-reject-quote.md)**
>
> Decide on a pending quote

> **[Quote lifecycle](https://docs.qwoty.io/user-guide/quotes/reference/lifecycle.md)**
>
> All quote statuses and transitions

> **[Manage roles](https://docs.qwoty.io/user-guide/settings/users/manage-roles.md)**
>
> Workflow and overpass permissions


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