Published at: 2026-09-17
Create an approval process
Configure approval basic info, triggers, filters, and advanced settings.
Overview
An Approval Process submits qualifying data to Designated Personnel for approval. When you create an Approval Process, configure basic info first. Then configure triggers, filters, email approval, advanced settings, and whole-process functions.
Before you begin
- You have Approval Process management permissions.
- You have identified the approval object.
- You have identified the initiator identity.
- You have identified the trigger method and filter conditions.
- To use email approval, complete system mailbox configuration first.
Step 1: Open Approval Process management
- Go to Setup > CRM Platform Management > Process Management > Approval Process Management, and click Create in the upper-right corner.
- Open the Basic Settings page.
Step 2: Configure basic info
| Configuration item | Description |
|---|---|
| Approval Process Name | Used for display and later calls. The maximum length is 100 characters |
| API Name | Unique process identifier for code calls. You cannot change it after creation |
| Approval Process Description | Describes the process purpose. The maximum length is 500 characters |
| Initiator identity | Supports Data Submitter and Data Owner |
| Enable External Approval | Allows external users to start approval, such as agent connector, service connector, and Partner Portals users |
The data submitter and data owner can be different users. For example, if assistant A creates an opportunity for sales rep B, A is the data submitter and B is the data owner.
Step 3: Configure the trigger
A trigger defines when the Approval Process starts automatically.
| Configuration item | Description |
|---|---|
| Object | Supports standard objects and custom objects. Child objects are not supported |
| Trigger type | Create, edit, void, change owner, stage change, partner change, claim, return, invalidate, request extension, convert, and more |
| Master-detail object constraints | Locks child data when approval is triggered, and unlocks child data after approval is completed |
| Trigger method | Always trigger or trigger when conditions are met |
| Email configuration | Supports custom email or email templates, and lets you set the language for email content variable values |
[!WARNING] You cannot change the trigger object after saving it. Filters and post-node actions depend on this object.
Step 4: Configure trigger condition fields
Trigger conditions and filter conditions support field types such as multi-select, single select, image, number, email, Boolean, Date Time, mobile number, single-line text, percentage, time, department, collaborative rich text, date, user, attachment, Formula, Roll-Up Summary, multi-line text, amount, multi-select user, URL, multi-select department, and date range.
Step 5: Configure the filter
A filter further limits which data runs the Approval Process and post-node actions.
- In Filter, click Add Condition.
- Select a field source.
- Select an operator.
- Enter or select a condition value.
- Configure the condition combination relationship.
- Click Save.
Filter conditions support:
- Fields on this object.
- Lookup object fields.
- Owner’s primary department.
- Users.
- User attributes.
- Process-related variables.
Approval Process filter conditions support before-change, during-change, and after-change states.
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Before change | Triggers when the field value before change equals the specified value |
| During change | Triggers when the specified field changes |
| After change | Triggers when the field value after change equals the specified value |
Time and numeric fields support variable filtering. Variables can come from trigger object fields or same-type fields under lookup-related objects of the trigger object.
Step 6: Configure email approval
Email approval lets approvers view and handle approvals by email.
Prerequisites
- Enable the system mailbox in Mailbox Management > System Mailbox.
- The system mailbox must enable email sending retention and email receiving retention.
- Select the mailbox for sending approval emails in Process Global Settings.
- Select an approval email template in Email Configuration for the Approval Process.
- The approver has a bound email account in Org Structure or personal settings.
Configure approval keywords
Admins can set email approval keywords in Process Global Settings.
| Operation | Default keywords |
|---|---|
| Approve | Approve, Agree |
| Reject | Reject |
| Complete | Complete |
Keyword rules:
- Each operation type supports up to 20 keywords.
- Each keyword can contain up to 50 characters.
- Keywords are not case-sensitive in Chinese or English.
- Keywords cannot be duplicated.
Configure the email template
Email templates support an email subject, email body, and language for email body variable values.
The email subject and body can insert:
- Trigger object fields.
- Lookup-related object fields of the trigger object.
- Process-related variables.
The email body supports HTML. When the system sends the email, it automatically adds the approval email remark content.
Reply Email handling
When an approver replies to an email, the first line is the approval keyword and the second line is the approval comment. The approval keyword is required, and the approval comment is optional.
Step 7: Configure advanced settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Send results to initiator during approval | Notifies the initiator after each approver acts |
| Send results to initiator after approval is completed | Notifies the initiator after final approval or rejection |
| Merge handling for the same approver in consecutive nodes | Merges handling when consecutive nodes have the same approver |
| Allow approver to Retrieve and re-review | Allows Retrieve before the next Approval Node approves |
| Allow Retrieve after automatically approved nodes and re-review | Allows Retrieve and re-review for automatically approved nodes |
| Post-node action exception reminder | Reminds specified handlers when the process has exceptions |
| Specify initiator for system-triggered processes | Specifies the initiator for APL function or API triggers |
| Process deadline | Sets the circulation duration of the entire Approval Process |
The process deadline must be a positive integer. Supported units are minutes, hours, and days.
Step 8: Configure Full-Process Event Configuration
Whole-process event configuration can skip empty Approval Nodes.
After configuration, the system changes the assignee of an empty node to the system and skips the node automatically. It also marks the approval comment as automatically skipped.
[!WARNING] After a node is skipped automatically, the system ignores post-node actions and Completion Conditions on the current node. After you change the process definition, historical data does not run again.
Expected result and verification
- Use a test record to trigger the Approval Process.
- Check whether the filter conditions are matched.
- Check whether the approval task is generated.
- Check whether email approval is sent.
- Check whether exception reminders are available.