Learn how to activate and deactivate approval delegation
Contents
What is Approval Delegation
Approval Delegation allows Approvers to pass their approval responsibilities onto another Approver - for a given period. This might be used if an Approver goes on vacation and needs their approvals managed while away. Approval delegation will work even if delegated to someone with an approval threshold lower than the delegator.
Once delegated, the original approver will no longer see the request in their queue, and the delegated user assumes full responsibility for the approval actions.
Any user can delegate their own approvals. Superusers can manage Approval Delegation for all Approvers.
What types of Approvals can be Delegated?
Approval delegation only applies to Orders/Expenses/Travel and Bills.
It does not apply to spending cards or payments.
How to delegate your own Approvals
Click the profile icon in the top right corner of the web app.
Click your name.
Select the Approver Delegation tab
Click Delegate
If you wish to delegate all existing pending approvals, select the check box beside Transfer all your approval requests to the assigned approver.
Select the approver under Assign To.
You can also add an optional Message.
Select Delegate.
To deactivate the delegation for yourself, return to the above page, and select Cancel Delegation.
Important: Approval Delegation must be manually turned off. Delegation does not turn off automatically, even if a date range is set.
How to delegate for another Approver's Approvals
The following steps can only be completed by a Superuser.
Go to Settings → Manage Users.
Find and select the delegator's name.
Select the Delegate button on the right, under Approval Delegation section.
If you wish to delegate all existing pending approvals, select the check box beside Transfer all your approval requests to the assigned approver.
Select the approver under Assign To.
You can also add an optional Message.
Select Delegate to save your changes.
To deactivate the delegation for yourself, return to the above page, and select Cancel Delegation.
Important: Approval Delegation must be manually turned off. Delegation does not turn off automatically, even if a date range is set.
Additional Information:
To ensure proper delegation, assign someone with the same approval permissions.
An approver who has been delegated will need to approve the same request twice if they are already part of the approval workflow.
An approver delegating approvals cannot be removed from the approval routing until the delegated request are processed.- If a delegated request still shows as pending, ensure the 'Move Pending Approvals' option was selected during the delegation process.
Delegating approvals to yourself is possible if permissions allow, but verify group membership and settings if errors occur.
Approver View Access only allows visibility into another approver’s queue and does not grant approval rights.
Mutual delegation between two approvers is not practical as delegation must be manually activated and deactivated.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Verify that the 'Move Pending Approvals' option is selected.
Check that both users are in the same approval group.
Ensure you have the necessary permissions (e.g., Superuser access).
Adjust group memberships or delegation settings as needed.
Best Practices for Delegation
Plan Ahead: Set up delegation before planned absences to ensure a smooth workflow.
Avoid Mutual Delegation: Use delegation for temporary coverage rather than as a permanent arrangement.
Review Permissions: Regularly audit roles and permissions to ensure proper access for delegation.
Communicate Changes: Notify team members when delegation is activated or deactivated.