Approval Management
1. Feature Overview
Approval Management in Sangam CRM automates business approval workflows, ensuring:
Compliance: No critical actions proceed without proper approval.
Transparency: Track every approval with a clear audit trail.
Efficiency: Streamlined multi-level approvals reduce manual follow-ups.
You can configure approvals across all CRM modules with flexible rules, including sequential or parallel approval methods.
2. Key Capabilities
Multi-level Approvals
Configure approvals to go through multiple users in a specific order.
Approval Methods
Sequential (step-by-step) or Parallel (everyone at the same time).
Dynamic Rules
Approvals can be based on fields like numbers, currency, date, or dropdown selections.
Alternate Approvers
Assign backup users in case the primary approver is unavailable.
Notifications
Approvers receive alerts via email or CRM notifications.
3. How It Works
Enabling and Configuring Approval Management in Sangam CRM
Step 1: Enable Approval Management Feature per Module
Navigate to Admin → Studio → [Select Module] → Enable Features tab.
Enable the Approval Management feature for the required module.
Step 2: Access Approval Management Configuration
Go to Admin Panel → Services → Approval Management to open the configuration interface.
You will see a list view of existing approval processes. Click the + icon to create a new approval process configuration.
Step 3: Create Approval Process
Enter the Process Name, description, and the CRM module where this process will apply.
Click Next to proceed.
Step 4: Define Rule Criteria (with Repeat Approval)
Add rules that specify when the approval should be triggered, using single or multiple conditions. For example:
"Status is Request" means whenever the record’s status is set to 'Request', the approval workflow starts.
Major Feature — Repeat Approval:
If enabled, this ensures that any time an already approved record is modified by the end user, the approval process is automatically re-initiated. This is critical for maintaining compliance and audit integrity—ensuring that if important data changes after approval, a fresh review and sign-off is required.
Example: If a sales quote is approved but later changed (e.g., price, quantity, or discount edits), the updated record is routed back into the full approval workflow, rather than staying approved by default.
Multiple rule conditions (fields and values) can be defined and all rules are evaluated together with AND logic.
Step 5: Assign Approvers (with Alternate User Management)
Select who will approve the record from the option to add multiple users, reporting managers (up to 3 levels), or both.
Choose the Approval Method:
Anyone: The record is approved if any of the selected approvers approve.
Everyone: All selected approvers must provide approval. Supports both Sequential (one after another) and Parallel (simultaneous) orders.
Major Feature — Alternate User:
Assign an alternate user. If the original approver is inactive or has left the organization—and the admin forgot to update the workflow—the approval request is automatically rerouted to the alternate user.
This ensures no approval gets stuck due to outdated user assignments and guarantees uninterrupted business processes.
Alerts and notifications can be set up for requests and approvals, including email templates for communication.
Step 6: Configure Actions and Field Updates on Approval, Disapproval, or Self-Cancellation
In this step, the admin can precisely define what happens when an approval request is approved, rejected, or self-cancelled by the requester.
For each outcome (Approval, Rejection, Self Cancellation):
Set Alerts/Notifications: Choose to notify via email, in-app notifications, or other channels.
Select Notification Template: Use custom templates to communicate the outcome to requesters and approvers.
Update Fields Automatically: Admins can configure specific fields to be updated on the approval record depending on the action taken; for instance, set the ‘Status’ field to “Approved,” “Disapproved,” or “Self Cancelled” as shown below.
This level of automation ensures that every approval request is not only tracked but also brings CRM data up to date automatically following the completion of each stage.
Step 7: Save and Review Configuration
Once the admin completes all configuration steps and clicks Save, the system redirects to a comprehensive summary view.
This page displays the entire approval workflow configuration in one place, including:
Process details (name, status, module, description)
Approval rule criteria
List of assigned approvers and alternate users
Selected notification templates and approval methods
Field update actions for approval, rejection, and self-cancellation
This organized view allows easy auditing, quick edits, and confidence that all conditions, notifications, and user assignments are properly set.
Step 8: Approval Process in Action
When a record is sent for approval, a Pending and self cancel button appears on the detail view.
During approval, records cannot be edited or deleted.
The Approval Job sub-panel shows full approval history—who approved, stages, and comments.
Mass actions are restricted for records in approval on list views.
Step 9: Actions for Approvers
Approver receive notification on their mobile app and web crm platform
Approvers receive requests and see Approve and Disapprove buttons on the detail view.
Approvers can add comments while taking action.
4. Advanced Approval on Quotation Line Items
In the Quotation module, each line item’s price, quantity, and discount fields are statically compared against corresponding values in the Product Master.
The system displays individual line items separately in the approval workflow, reflecting exactly which items have been sent for approval.
The Repeat Approval condition continues to operate as configured, triggering new approvals when approved records are modified.
Multiple Approval Processes:
More than one approval process can run in parallel on a single record.
For example, approvals may be required simultaneously from two different departments, each with distinct approval criteria.
The record will remain locked and under approval until both departments have granted their approvals.
Only after all parallel approvals succeed will the record unlock and advance.
This advanced quotation line item approval mechanism ensures precise controls over pricing and discounts, tracks approval per product item, and supports complex multi-department workflows, maximizing compliance and operational efficiency.
Example Use Case
A manufacturing company requires purchase order approval from both the finance and compliance departments. Each department has its own approval criteria on different fields within the same quotation. Both departments must approve before the order is processed, ensuring strict governance and control.
When to Enable
Use this advanced mechanism when line item-level financial controls are necessary.
Enable if multiple departments or teams must independently approve different conditions on a single quotation.
Ideal when compliance or operational workflows require granular control in sales or procurement processes.
5. Flow Chart of Approval Process
6. User Experience
For End Users
Submit records for approval; track status (Pending, Approved, Rejected).
Receive notifications and emails on status changes.
Optionally locked record during approval.
Self Cancelled Feature: If information is incomplete or needs correction, requestors can self-cancel an approval request, update details, and resubmit for approval. Notifications sent to approvers and workflows reset accordingly.
For Approvers
View and action approval requests via dashboards/notifications.
Approve/reject with comments.
Workflows respect sequential, parallel, and alternate approver rules.
For Administrators
Enable, configure, and monitor approval workflows per module.
Assign approvers and define approval order and escalation policies.
Monitor full audit trail in Approval Job module.
Configure record edit restrictions during approval.
7. Approval Types
Sequential Approval
Record goes first to Manager A, then Manager B, then Director.
All must approve to move forward.
Parallel Approval
Record is sent to three approvers at the same time.
Optionally, the first one to approve moves the record forward.
Alternate User
If the primary approver is unavailable, the backup approver can take action.
8. Example Scenarios
Multi-user Approval: Approval workflows with 1-3 approvers, sequential “everyone approves” or parallel “anyone approves,” including alternates and inactive user logic.
User + Report To Approvals: Combined individual and hierarchical approvals, e.g., sales plus finance checks.
Self-Approval Handling: Requests redirected to alternate approvers if requester is approver.
Dealer Pricing Matrix: Dealer account pricing triggers specific parallel or single-person approvals based on price thresholds.
Dynamic Line Item Approvals: Approvals triggered on configurable fields, such as Price, Discount, and Quantity, for line items.
Notifications & Audit: All approval actions send real-time notifications and emails; every event logged for traceability.
Cross-Platform Usage: Fully supported on web, Android, and iOS for mobile access.
PDF Drafts: Pending, self-cancelled, or rejected records generate draft PDFs for compliance and review.
Repeat and Branch-Specific Approvals: Support for recurring approvals and branch/team-specific processes.
Robustness: Graceful handling of incomplete or changing approval scenarios and load conditions.
9. Glossary
Approver
User responsible for approving or rejecting a record.
Alternate User
Backup approver in case the primary is unavailable.
Sequential Approval
Approvals occur one after another in defined order.
Parallel Approval
All approvers receive the record at the same time.
Trigger Condition
Rules that determine when a record requires approval.
10. Real-Life Business Use Cases
This section will illustrate practical, real-world scenarios of how organizations use the Approval Management feature across different industries and CRM modules. Each example will include:
Business Context – why the approval is required
Configuration Example – how the rule is set in Sangam CRM
Workflow Example – step-by-step approval process
Outcome – what happens post-approval or rejection
Example 1: Sales Discount Approval
Business Context: A company’s sales team can offer product discounts, but any discount above 20% needs manager approval, and above 40% requires product head approval.
Configuration:
requesterModule: Quotation
Condition: Discount ≥ 20%
Approvers:
Level 1 – Sales Manager
Level 2 – Product Head (if discount ≥ 40%)
Order: Sequential
Actions:
Email notification to requestor
Update “Discount Status” field
Outcome: Quotation is locked until approved. On approval, quotation is marked as “Approved for Discount” and the sales team is notified automatically.
Example 2: Employee Travel Expense Approval
Business Context: Employees submit travel expenses that must be validated before reimbursement.
Configuration:
Module: Travel Expense
Condition: Expense Amount > ₹5,000
Approvers:
Reporting Manager (Level 1)
Finance Officer (Level 2)
Order: Sequential
Action:
Field update “Reimbursement Status”
Email alert to submitter
Outcome: Travel expense moves through the approval chain. Once approved, payment is released.
Example 3: Leave Request Workflow
Business Context: HR requires managerial approval for leaves longer than 3 days.
Configuration:
Module: Leave Management
Condition: Leave Days ≥ 3
Approvers: Reporting Manager
Order: Single approver
Actions:
Notification to HR
Update leave balance
Outcome: Employee receives an approval/rejection notification. HR records are updated automatically.
Example 4: Dealer Price Matrix
Business Context: When quotations are prepared, if prices fall below the minimum price or dealer price, approvals are triggered dynamically.
Configuration:
Module: Quotation
Condition:
If price < minimum price but ≥ dealer price → Approval sent to product team (parallel).
If price < dealer price → Approval sent to Head of Sales (single approver).
Fields: Margin price, dealer price, unit price
Approvers: Configured dynamically per line item
Outcome: Line item-level approval ensures pricing compliance. Records remain in “Pending Approval” until all approvers act.
Example 5: Sales Order Approval
Business Context: A quotation triggers a linked sales order that requires approval before it can be confirmed.
Configuration:
Modules: Quotation → Sales Order
Condition: Auto-trigger on Quotation Approval
Approvers: Sales Head
Actions: Lock Sales Order, send alert
Outcome: Ensures that only approved quotations can be converted to sales orders.
Use Case 6: Project Deployment Approval
Business Context: Before a new project or feature goes live, deployment must be approved by the Project Manager and QA Lead to prevent untested or unauthorized changes.
Configuration:
Module: Projects
Condition: When Deployment Request = Yes or Status = Ready for Deployment.
Approvers:
Level 1 – QA Lead
Level 2 – Project Manager / Delivery Head
Order: Sequential
Actions:
Email notification to DevOps team on approval.
Update field Deployment Status = Approved.
Lock deployment record during review.
Outcome: Deployments proceed only after both QA and PM approvals. All approvals are logged in the Approval Job module for audit and traceability.
Use Case 7: Bug Fix Deployment Approval
Business Context: Bug fixes, especially in production environments, require controlled approvals to ensure stability.
Configuration:
Module: Bugs / Tickets
Condition: Direct Server Changes = “High” OR Environment = “Production”
Approvers:
Level 1 – QA Lead
Level 2 – Product Owner
Order: Sequential
Actions:
Notify developers and QA team.
Update Bug Status = Approved for Deployment.
Record timestamp and approver details.
Outcome: Only validated fixes reach production. Approval logs track accountability in case of issues post-release.
Use Case 8: Change Management Approval (CAB Process)
Business Context: Any change request that impacts the production environment (configurations, APIs, workflows) must be reviewed by a Change Advisory Board (CAB).
Configuration:
Module: Change Requests
Condition: Change Type = “Major” OR “Critical”.
Approvers:
Level 1 – CAB Members (parallel approval).
Level 2 – IT Head (final approver).
Order: Parallel (CAB) → Sequential (IT Head).
Actions:
Auto-email to CAB group.
Record minutes of the approval meeting in CRM.
Auto-lock change request until approved.
Outcome: Controlled, documented, and auditable change process. Reduces production risks and ensures compliance with ITSM practices.
11. Best Practices
Use sequential approvals for compliance-critical processes; parallel for fast throughput.
Apply approval only on critical fields to reduce operational load.
Prefer role-based and reporting-manager approvers for flexibility.
Audit Approval Job logs regularly for process improvement and compliance.
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