Approval Delegations

Approval delegations allow approvers to temporarily assign their approval authority to others during absences. This guide covers setting up and managing delegations.

Overview

Approval delegations enable you to:

• Delegate approval authority
• Set time-limited delegations
• Define delegation scope
• Track delegated approvals
• Manage delegation chains
• Audit delegation activity

Accessing Delegations

Navigate to Approvals → Delegations or My Profile → Delegations.

Understanding Delegations

Delegation Components

Component	Description
Delegator	Person giving authority
Delegate	Person receiving authority
Start Date	When delegation begins
End Date	When delegation ends
Scope	What can be approved
Status	Active/inactive

Delegation Types

Type	Description	Use Case
Full	All approval authority	Extended leave
Partial	Specific documents	Workload sharing
Conditional	Based on criteria	Amount limits
Emergency	Immediate, temporary	Urgent coverage

Delegation Status

Status	Description
Pending	Not yet active
Active	Currently in effect
Expired	Past end date
Revoked	Manually cancelled

Setting Up Delegations

Creating a Delegation

1. Go to Approvals → Delegations
2. Click New Delegation
3. Configure:

Field	Description
Delegate To	Select user
Start Date	When to begin
End Date	When to end
Scope	What to delegate
Reason	Why delegating

4. Review settings
5. Submit for approval (if required)
6. Delegation activates

Delegation Scope Options

Scope	Description
All	Everything you can approve
Document Type	Specific types only
Amount	Up to threshold
Department	Specific departments
Custom	Defined criteria

How-To Guides

How to Delegate Approval Authority

Full Delegation

Delegate all approval authority:

1. Go to Approvals → Delegations
2. Click New Delegation
3. Select delegate user
4. Set date range (vacation period)
5. Choose scope: All
6. Add reason: "Annual leave"
7. Submit

Partial Delegation

Delegate specific approvals:

1. Create new delegation
2. Select delegate
3. Set dates
4. Scope: Select specific types
   • Purchase orders
   • Expense reports
   • Leave requests
5. Add reason
6. Submit

Conditional Delegation

Delegate with limits:

Delegate: Jane Smith
Scope: Purchase Orders
Condition: Amount ≤ $10,000
Period: Jan 15-20

Setup:

1. Create delegation
2. Select document type
3. Add amount condition
4. Set threshold
5. Submit

How to Manage Active Delegations

Viewing Delegations

Check your delegations:

1. Go to Approvals → Delegations
2. View My Delegations tab
3. See active, pending, expired
4. Check delegation details

Modifying Delegations

Change active delegation:

1. Open delegation record
2. Click Edit
3. Modify dates or scope
4. Save changes
5. Delegate notified

Revoking Delegations

Cancel before end date:

1. Open delegation
2. Click Revoke
3. Confirm action
4. Reason (optional)
5. Delegation ends immediately

How to Accept Delegated Authority

Receiving Delegation

When someone delegates to you:

1. Receive notification
2. Review delegation details
3. Accept or decline (if allowed)
4. Authority becomes active

Using Delegated Authority

Approving on behalf of others:

1. See delegated items in queue
2. Items marked "Delegated from [Name]"
3. Review and approve/reject
4. System tracks as delegated approval

Delegation Queue

View all delegated items:

• Approvals → My Queue → Delegated
• Filter by delegator
• Sort by priority
• Process as normal

How to Set Up Delegation Rules

Automatic Delegation

Configure rules for auto-delegation:

Trigger	Action
Out of Office	Activate delegation
Calendar Block	Temporary delegation
No Response	Escalate/delegate

Setup:

1. Go to Settings → Delegations
2. Enable auto-delegation
3. Set triggers
4. Define delegate
5. Configure conditions

Backup Approvers

Always-available backups:

1. Assign primary backup
2. Assign secondary backup
3. Set escalation timing
4. Configure notification

How to Track Delegated Approvals

Audit Trail

All delegated approvals tracked:

• Original approver
• Delegate who approved
• Delegation reference
• Timestamp
• Decision made

Delegation Reports

Generate reports:

1. Go to Approvals → Reports
2. Select Delegation Report
3. Choose date range
4. Filter by delegator/delegate
5. Export results

Dashboard Metrics

View on dashboard:

• Active delegations count
• Items approved via delegation
• Delegation utilization
• Pending delegated items

How to Handle Delegation Chains

Chain Delegation

When delegate also delegates:

• System allows/prevents based on settings
• Maximum chain length configurable
• Audit trail maintained
• Original delegator notified

Chain Settings

Configure in Settings → Delegations:

• Allow chain delegation: Yes/No
• Maximum chain depth: 2-3
• Notification to original: Yes/No
• Approval required: Yes/No

How to Manage Emergency Delegations

Quick Delegation

Immediate authority transfer:

1. Go to Quick Delegation
2. Select delegate
3. Set duration (hours/days)
4. Activate immediately
5. No approval required

Emergency Override

Admin-initiated delegation:

1. Admin access required
2. Select approver needing coverage
3. Assign delegate
4. Set emergency period
5. Document reason

Advanced Features

Delegation Calendar

Visual view of delegations:

• See all active delegations
• Identify coverage gaps
• Plan ahead
• Coordinate with team

Multi-Level Delegation

Different delegates for different levels:

• Level 1 items → Delegate A
• Level 2 items → Delegate B
• High value → No delegation

Delegation Notifications

Configure alerts:

• Delegation activated
• Delegation expiring
• Items awaiting action
• Delegation revoked

Delegation Limits

Prevent delegation abuse:

• Maximum delegation period
• Required approval for long delegations
• Restricted document types
• Amount ceilings

Best Practices

📋 Planning

• Plan delegations ahead
• Inform delegate
• Clear scope definition
• Documented reason

👥 Selection

• Capable delegate
• Appropriate authority
• Available during period
• Understands context

⏰ Timing

• Appropriate duration
• Buffer time
• Emergency contacts
• Handover notes

📊 Monitoring

• Check delegated queue
• Follow up as needed
• Review after return
• Feedback to delegate

Configuration

Delegation Settings

Navigate to Settings → Approvals → Delegations:

• Allow Delegation - Enable feature
• Require Approval - Manager approval
• Maximum Period - Longest duration
• Chain Delegation - Allow/prevent

Scope Settings

• Delegatable Types - What can be delegated
• Amount Limits - Delegation ceilings
• Exclusions - Cannot delegate
• Custom Scopes - Defined combinations

Notification Settings

• Activation Alert - When starts
• Expiry Warning - Before ends
• Item Alert - Pending items
• Summary - Daily/weekly

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Delegation not active

• Check start date reached
• Verify approval (if required)
• Confirm not revoked
• Check delegate status

Cannot delegate

• Verify delegation allowed
• Check your permissions
• Review exclusions
• Confirm delegate valid

Delegate not receiving items

• Check scope matches
• Verify delegation active
• Review routing rules
• Check delegate queue

Items stuck in queue

• Check delegation coverage
• Verify delegate availability
• Review escalation rules
• Contact administrator

Next Steps

Learn about the Approval Dashboard for a centralized view of all approval activities.