Published at: 2026-09-17

03-manage-approval-processes.md

Manage Approval Process activation, reuse, deletion, and advanced settings.

Overview

After you create an Approval Process, you must maintain its status, match Priority, default To-Do entry page, approval comments, rejection rules, timeout reminders, and handler permissions. Clear management rules reduce incorrect triggering, missed handling, and inconsistent approval experiences. These settings do not change Business Process definitions or the Process Status of existing instances.

Before you begin

  • You have Approval Process management permission.
  • You have created an Approval Process.
  • You have confirmed the match order for multiple approval processes under the same object.

Manage basic operations

Go to Setup > Process Management > Approval Process Management. Then manage existing processes in the Approval Process list. The page shows the Fixed Approval tab by default. You can switch to Flexible Approval to view flexible approval processes.
The list supports filters by Object and Status. You can also search by process name. In the list, you can view the Approval Process Name, API Name, Description, Trigger Object, Trigger Type, reference relationship, and operations. Use these fields to confirm the Applicable Scope and Enable Status.
Operation Description
New Create a new Approval Process. Click New in the upper-right corner of the list to open the creation page
Edit Edit the Approval Process again. The API Name and object cannot be changed
Enable Enable the process so that users can initiate it. A disabled process shows the Enable operation
Disable Disable the process so that users cannot initiate it. An enabled process shows the Disable operation
Reuse and create Copy the current process configuration and create a new Approval Process. You can change the related object after reuse
Delete Delete a disabled process. After deletion, existing approval instances still support query and View Details
Export Export Approval Process list data. Click Export in the upper-right corner of the list
Global settings Open global Approval Process settings and maintain shared process settings
[!NOTE] The bottom of the list shows the total Approval Process quota and the used quota. In the screenshot, the total quota is 300 and the used quota is 18. Only processes under delegated management and self-created processes are counted. Subprocesses and governed processes do not consume quota.
Basic Approval Process management

Global settings

Click Global settings in the upper-right corner of the Approval Process management list to open the global settings menu. Global settings maintain shared rules for Approval Process behavior, including trigger order, To-Do handling, approval comments, rejection, timeout reminders, and permission control.
The global settings menu includes these entries:
Setting Purpose
Priority Controls the match order for multiple approval processes under the same object
Terminal To-Do default entry page settings Controls whether terminal To-Do tasks open the approval detail page or the data detail page by Default
Post-To-Do handling page settings Controls the redirect behavior after users handle To-Do tasks in the Web Portal or Mobile Client
Approval comment settings Controls whether comments are required for Approve and Reject actions, and how comments are displayed
Approval rejection settings Controls the default routing after Approval Rejected results
Post-approval display settings Controls whether the data detail page displays the latest approval details by Default
Timeout Reminder Settings Controls reminder rules and reminder actions after approval tasks time out
Change Handler settings Controls whether function permissions are checked when the Task Handler is changed
To-Do card button settings Controls whether To-Do cards display all process task operation buttons
Approval role matching rule settings Controls whether approval roles match by the Initiator department or the Assigned Department of the data
Approval content field permission settings Controls whether approval content follows field permissions
Send reminder to Approval Submitter settings Controls whether the Approval Submitter receives reminders while approval is in progress or completed
Task node comment settings Controls whether a task node allows comments when it is completed
Relaunch recalled or rejected approval settings Controls whether recalled or rejected approvals can be relaunched
Custom PWC Plugin settings Extends custom interactions in the To-Do list and approval detail page
Advanced Approval Process settings entry

Configure Approval Process Priority

When multiple approval processes exist under the same object, use Priority to control the automatic trigger order. When an object operation triggers approval, the system matches processes from top to bottom and uses the first matched process.
  1. In the upper-right corner of the Approval Process management list, click Global settings.
  2. In the dropdown menu, select Priority.
  3. In the dialog, select the Object to configure.
  4. View the Approval Process list under the object. The list shows process Name, Trigger Object, Trigger Type, Last Modified By, Last Modified On, status, and operations.
  5. Drag the sorting icon on the left of a process to adjust the order.
  6. To move a process to the top quickly, click Pin to Top on the right of the process.
  7. Click Confirm to save the settings, or click Cancel to discard the changes.
[!NOTE] Priority is configured by object. In the screenshot, AccountObj is selected. The list shows multiple approval processes under the Account object, including enabled and disabled processes. Confirm the Trigger Object, Trigger Type, and status before you adjust the order.

Configure the terminal To-Do default entry page

Terminal To-Do default entry page settings control whether a user opens the approval detail page or the data detail page by Default from a terminal To-Do task.
Option Description
Open approval detail page by default After a user opens a To-Do task, the approval feed detail page opens. This page focuses on approval routing and handling information
Open data detail page by default After a user opens a To-Do task, the Business Data detail page opens first. This helps the user handle approval with complete business context
When you select Open data detail page by default, the system determines the actual page based on the user’s data view permission:
  • If the user has data view permission, the data detail page opens.
  • If the user does not have data view permission, the approval feed detail page opens.
After configuration, click Confirm to save the settings. To discard changes, click Cancel.
[!NOTE] Opening the data detail page from terminal To-Do depends on data view permission. If approvers often need business fields to decide, select the data detail page and check their data view permissions.

Configure post-To-Do handling page settings

Post-To-Do handling page settings control where approvers go after they complete To-Do tasks. You can configure the behavior separately for the Web Portal and Mobile Client.
Terminal Option Description
Web Portal Stay on the current detail page After handling the To-Do task, the user stays on the current detail page to continue viewing or reviewing approval information
Web Portal Close the current detail page After handling the To-Do task, the current detail page closes. This is useful for handling many To-Do tasks continuously
Mobile Client Return to the previous page After handling the To-Do task, the user returns to the page that opened the To-Do task
Mobile Client Automatically open the next task After handling the To-Do task, the next pending task opens automatically. This is useful for continuous mobile approvals
Configuration steps:
  1. In the upper-right corner of the Approval Process management list, click Global settings.
  2. In the dropdown menu, select Post-To-Do handling page settings.
  3. In the dialog, set the post-handling behavior for the Web Portal and Mobile Client.
  4. Click Confirm to save the settings, or click Cancel to discard changes.
[!NOTE] If approvers mainly process To-Do tasks in batches on the Web Portal, select Close the current detail page. If approvers mainly approve continuously on the Mobile Client, select Automatically open the next task. In the screenshot, Web Portal uses Close the current detail page, and Mobile Client uses Return to the previous page.

Configure approval comments

Approval comment settings control whether approvers must enter approval comments, whether the system fills default comments, and whether processed comments Expand All by default.
Configuration item Option Description
Approval comment required - Approve Yes / No Sets whether approvers must enter approval comments when they click Approve
Approval comment required - Reject Yes / No Sets whether approvers must enter approval comments when they click Reject
Fill default comments during manual approval Yes / No If Yes is selected, the system fills Approve or Disapprove by default based on the Processing Result
Expand All processed approval comments Yes / No If Yes is selected, processed approval comments expand by default in approval details
Configuration steps:
  1. In the upper-right corner of the Approval Process management list, click Global settings.
  2. In the dropdown menu, select Approval comment settings.
  3. In the dialog, set whether comments are required for approval and rejection.
  4. Set whether default comments are filled during manual approval.
  5. Set whether to Expand All processed approval comments by default.
  6. Click Confirm to save the settings, or click Cancel to discard changes.
[!NOTE] In the screenshot, comments are required for both approval and rejection. The system also fills default comments during manual approval, and processed comments expand by default. If approval comments support audit or review, make comments required for key actions.

Configure approval rejection rules

Approval rejection settings control how a process continues after an approver rejects it. You can define whether resubmission or specified-node handling is Selected by Default, and define the default routing after rejection.
Configuration item Option Description
Default option for resubmission or specified-node handling Yes / No Sets whether this method is Selected by Default after rejection
Default rejection method Reject and end this process / Reject to specified node Sets the rejection method selected by default when an approver rejects the process
Rejection method Applicable scenario
Reject and end this process The approval finds a serious issue. The current process must stop and does not need further routing
Reject to specified node The process must return to a specified node for completion, correction, or reprocessing before it continues
Configuration steps:
  1. In the upper-right corner of the Approval Process management list, click Global settings.
  2. In the dropdown menu, select Approval rejection settings.
  3. Set Default option for resubmission or specified-node handling to Yes or No.
  4. Set the default rejection method to Reject and end this process or Reject to specified node.
  5. Click Confirm to save the settings, or click Cancel to discard changes.
[!NOTE] In the screenshot, Default option for resubmission or specified-node handling is set to Yes, and Reject and end this process is selected by default. If rejected approvals usually require the applicant to modify and resubmit, confirm with the business team whether to use Reject to specified node.

Configure post-approval display

Post-approval display settings control whether the data detail page displays the latest approval details by Default after approval is completed.
Option Description
Yes When a user views the data detail page, the latest approval details are displayed by Default for quick access to the latest result
No When a user views the data detail page, the latest approval details are not displayed by Default, and the page keeps its original display mode
Configuration steps:
  1. In the upper-right corner of the Approval Process management list, click Global settings.
  2. In the dropdown menu, select Post-approval display settings.
  3. In the dialog, select whether to display the latest approval details by Default.
  4. Click Confirm to save the settings, or click Cancel to discard changes.
[!NOTE] In the screenshot, Yes is selected. The data detail page displays the latest approval details by Default. Enable this setting if business users need approval status while they view data.

Configure timeout reminders

Timeout Reminder Settings send reminders when an approval task stays longer than the specified duration. The system sends reminders based on the configured execution time and reminder rules.
Configuration item Description
Execution time Sets the cycle and time when the system checks and runs reminder rules. The cycle supports day, week, and month, and can include a specific execution time
Reminder rules Adds one or more reminder rules. Each rule has Standalone Configuration by object, task stay duration, trigger condition, and action
Object Selects the applicable Usage Object, such as Account
Task stay duration Sets how long a To-Do task must stay before the reminder is triggered. Hour-based units are supported
Trigger condition configuration Click Add condition to use object fields to limit the reminder scope
Action settings Click Add to configure reminder actions. CRM reminder, SMS notification, and Email Notifications are supported. Drag multiple actions to adjust Execution Order
Configuration steps:
  1. In the upper-right corner of the Approval Process management list, click Global settings.
  2. In the dropdown menu, select Timeout Reminder Settings.
  3. Set Execution time, such as daily, weekly, or monthly, and specify an execution time.
  4. In the rule area, select the applicable Object.
  5. Set Task stay duration, such as reminding after a task stays for 1 hour.
  6. To limit the reminder scope, click Add condition and configure trigger conditions.
  7. In Action settings, click Add, and select CRM reminder, SMS notification, or Email Notifications.
  8. To configure multiple rules, click Add reminder rule.
  9. Click Confirm to save the settings, or click Cancel to discard changes.
[!NOTE] In the screenshot, execution time is set to 01:00 every day, the rule object is Account, and task stay duration is 1 hour. Reminder actions support CRM reminder, SMS notification, and Email Notifications. If you configure multiple actions, drag them to adjust Execution Order.

Configure Change Handler permission

Change Handler settings control whether changing an approval handler follows Business function permissions > Role > Change Approval Process Handler.
Option Description
Yes When the approval handler is changed, the system checks the role permission for Change Approval Process Handler in business function permissions. Only users with this permission can change handlers
No Changing the approval handler does not use this additional business function permission control
Configuration steps:
  1. In the upper-right corner of the Approval Process management list, click Global settings.
  2. In the dropdown menu, select Change Handler settings.
  3. In the dialog, set whether to Follow Business function permissions > Role > Change Approval Process Handler.
  4. Click Confirm to save the settings, or click Cancel to discard changes.
[!NOTE] In the screenshot, No is selected. If your enterprise must strictly control who can adjust approval task handlers, select Yes and check whether the corresponding role has Change Approval Process Handler permission.

Configure To-Do card buttons

To-Do card button settings control whether To-Do cards display all operation buttons for process tasks. When enabled, users can see more handling entries on To-Do cards. When disabled, To-Do cards show only necessary actions and keep the page simple.
Option Description
Yes Show all process task operation buttons on To-Do cards so approvers can handle tasks quickly from the cards
No Do not show all operation buttons on To-Do cards. Keep the default display mode
Configuration steps:
  1. In the upper-right corner of the Approval Process management list, click Global settings.
  2. In the dropdown menu, select To-Do card button settings.
  3. In the dialog, set whether to Show all operation buttons for process tasks on To-Do cards.
  4. Click Confirm to save the settings, or click Cancel to discard changes.
[!NOTE] In the screenshot, No is selected. If approvers need to complete more actions directly on To-Do cards, select Yes. If you want To-Do cards to stay simple, select No.

Configure approval role matching rules

Approval role matching rules support two methods:
Matching method Description
Match by the Initiator’s Primary Department and Secondary Department When Approval Node handlers use approval roles, the system matches the approval department by the Initiator’s Primary Department and Secondary Department
Match by the Assigned Department of approval data The system matches only the approval scope that corresponds to the Assigned Department of the submitted data
If the Assigned Department of approval data is empty, the resolved approval handler is empty by default. Configure a default handler for key processes.

Configure approval content field permissions

Approval content field permission settings control whether approval content under edit-triggered approvals follows field permissions.
[!NOTE] This setting applies only to approval content for edit-type approvals.

Configure reminders to the Approval Submitter

Send reminder to Approval Submitter settings control whether the Approval Submitter receives reminders while approval is in progress or after approval is completed.
Option Description
Yes Send reminders to the Approval Submitter while approval is in progress or completed, so the submitter can track progress and results
No Do not send extra reminders to the Approval Submitter while approval is in progress or completed
Configuration steps:
  1. In the upper-right corner of the Approval Process management list, click Global settings.
  2. In the dropdown menu, select Send reminder to Approval Submitter settings.
  3. In the dialog, set Remind Approval Submitter while approval is in progress or completed to Yes or No.
  4. Click Confirm to save the settings, or click Cancel to discard changes.
[!NOTE] In the screenshot, No is selected. When the Approval Submitter and process Initiator are the same user, the system only reminds the process Initiator to avoid duplicate reminders.

Configure task node comments

Task node comment settings control whether a handler can enter comments when they click the Complete button on a task node. When enabled, the handler can add handling notes. When disabled, the comment entry is hidden.
Option Description
Yes Allow comments when the Complete button is clicked. Use this when node handling notes, supplemental information, or execution results must be recorded
No Do not allow comments when the Complete button is clicked. Use this when the task only needs completion and does not need handling notes
Configuration steps:
  1. In the upper-right corner of the Approval Process management list, click Global settings.
  2. In the dropdown menu, select Task node comment settings.
  3. In the dialog, set Allow comments when the Complete button is clicked to Yes or No.
  4. Click Confirm to save the settings, or click Cancel to discard changes.
[!NOTE] In the screenshot, No is selected. If task node comments support later audit, review, or handover, select Yes.

Relaunch recalled or rejected approval settings

Relaunch recalled or rejected approval settings control whether an approval can be relaunched after it is recalled or rejected.
Option Description
Yes Allow recalled or rejected approvals to be relaunched after corrections
No Do not allow recalled or rejected approvals to be relaunched
Configuration steps:
  1. In the upper-right corner of the Approval Process management list, click Global settings.
  2. In the dropdown menu, select Relaunch recalled or rejected approval settings.
  3. In the dialog, set whether to Allow recalled or rejected approvals to be relaunched.
  4. Click Confirm to save the settings, or click Cancel to discard changes.
[!NOTE] In the screenshot, Yes is selected. After this setting is enabled, historical approval comments appear when a recalled or rejected Approval Process is relaunched. If the process definition or Initiator changes, the recalled or rejected approval may not be relaunched.

Custom PWC Plugin settings

Custom Plugin settings let a PWC-JS plugin control whether batch handling buttons appear in the To-Do list. They also control whether an approval-content form must appear when users process approval on the approval detail page.

Expected result and validation

  1. Use a test object to trigger the Approval Process.
  2. Check whether the target process is matched by Priority.
  3. Use a standard user account to handle the To-Do task.
  4. Validate the To-Do entry page, required comments, rejection path, Approval Decision, and timeout reminders.
  5. If you enable field permissions or a Custom Plugin, validate the user-side display effect.

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