Approval Notifications

Approval notifications keep approvers and requesters informed about approval status, pending actions, and important updates. This guide covers notification configuration and management.

Overview

Approval notifications enable you to:

• Receive approval requests
• Get status updates
• Set up reminders
• Configure escalations
• Manage notification preferences
• Track notification history

Accessing Notifications

Navigate to Settings → Notifications or My Profile → Notification Preferences.

Understanding Notifications

Notification Types

Type	Description	Recipients
Request	New approval needed	Approver
Reminder	Pending action alert	Approver
Decision	Approval/rejection	Requester
Escalation	Timeout notification	Next approver
Status	Progress update	Requester
Delegation	Authority change	Both parties

Delivery Channels

Channel	Description	Speed
In-App	System notification	Instant
Email	Email message	Minutes
Push	Mobile notification	Instant
SMS	Text message	Minutes
Slack	Team channel	Instant

Notification Priority

Priority	Timing	Channel
Urgent	Immediate	All channels
High	Within minutes	Email + Push
Normal	Within hour	Email
Low	Daily digest	Email

Notification Events

Approver Notifications

Event	Notification
New item pending	Approval request
Approaching SLA	Reminder
SLA exceeded	Urgent reminder
Item escalated	Escalation notice
Delegation received	Authority notice

Requester Notifications

Event	Notification
Request submitted	Confirmation
Level approved	Progress update
Request approved	Final decision
Request rejected	Decision + reason
Request returned	Action needed

How-To Guides

How to Configure Notification Preferences

Personal Preferences

1. Go to My Profile → Notifications
2. Configure each notification type:

Setting	Options
Channel	Email, Push, Both, None
Frequency	Instant, Digest, None
Quiet Hours	Do not disturb
Mobile	Push settings

3. Save preferences

Notification Matrix

Set preferences by type:

                    Email  Push   SMS    Slack
New Approval         ✓      ✓      -      ✓
Reminder             ✓      -      -      -
Urgent Reminder      ✓      ✓      ✓      ✓
Decision             ✓      ✓      -      -
Escalation           ✓      ✓      -      ✓

How to Set Up Reminders

Automatic Reminders

Configure reminder schedule:

Stage	Timing	Action
First	50% of SLA	Email reminder
Second	75% of SLA	Email + Push
Final	100% of SLA	All channels
Overdue	Daily	Until resolved

Setup:

1. Go to Settings → Approvals → Reminders
2. Set reminder intervals
3. Configure channels per stage
4. Enable/disable as needed

Custom Reminders

Create specific reminders:

1. Open pending item
2. Click Set Reminder
3. Choose date/time
4. Select notification method
5. Save reminder

How to Configure Escalations

Escalation Rules

When approver doesn't respond:

SLA: 24 hours

At 24 hours:
→ Send escalation to approver's manager
→ Copy original approver
→ Mark as escalated

At 48 hours:
→ Send to department head
→ Mark as urgent

Setting Up Escalation

1. Go to Settings → Approvals → Escalations
2. Define escalation timing:
   • First escalation: After [X] hours
   • Second escalation: After [X] hours
3. Set escalation recipients:
   • Manager
   • Department head
   • Custom user
4. Configure notifications
5. Save settings

How to Manage Email Notifications

Email Templates

Customize email content:

• Subject line
• Body template
• Action buttons
• Branding/logo

Template variables:

{{requester_name}} - Who submitted
{{document_type}} - What type
{{amount}} - Value if applicable
{{due_date}} - SLA deadline
{{approve_link}} - Quick approve
{{reject_link}} - Quick reject

Email Settings

Configure in Settings → Email:

• From address
• Reply-to address
• Email signature
• HTML/Plain text

How to Enable Push Notifications

Mobile Setup

1. Install mobile app
2. Enable notifications in app settings
3. Allow notifications on device
4. Test notification delivery

Push Preferences

Configure push notifications:

• Approval requests: On/Off
• Reminders: On/Off
• Decisions: On/Off
• Quiet hours: Set times

How to Set Up Slack Integration

Connecting Slack

1. Go to Settings → Integrations → Slack
2. Click Connect Slack
3. Authorize access
4. Select default channel
5. Test connection

Slack Notifications

Configure what goes to Slack:

• New approvals (DM to approver)
• Team notifications (channel)
• Decisions (DM to requester)
• Escalations (channel)

Slack Actions

Approve from Slack:

• Receive notification with buttons
• Click Approve or Reject
• Add comment in thread
• Action recorded in system

How to Create Notification Rules

Custom Rules

Create targeted notifications:

Rule: High Value Alert
Condition: Amount > $50,000
Action: Notify CFO via SMS
In addition to: Normal notification

Setup:

1. Go to Settings → Notification Rules
2. Click New Rule
3. Define condition
4. Set recipients
5. Choose channels
6. Save rule

Rule Examples

Rule	Condition	Notification
Executive Alert	Amount > $100K	SMS to CFO
Department Notice	Dept = IT	Slack channel
Urgent Items	Priority = Urgent	All channels
Weekend Items	Day = Sat/Sun	Email only

How to View Notification History

Notification Log

View sent notifications:

1. Go to Settings → Notifications → History
2. Filter by:
   • Date range
   • Recipient
   • Type
   • Status
3. View delivery status
4. Resend if needed

Delivery Status

Status	Description
Sent	Delivered
Failed	Not delivered
Pending	In queue
Bounced	Email returned

Advanced Features

Digest Notifications

Combine multiple notifications:

• Daily summary
• Weekly roundup
• Pending items list
• Metrics overview

Quiet Hours

Do not disturb:

• Set quiet periods
• Emergency override
• Weekend settings
• Holiday handling

Notification Batching

Group similar notifications:

• Same requester items
• Same document type
• Same time period
• Reduce notification noise

Analytics

Track notification effectiveness:

• Open rates
• Response times
• Channel performance
• User preferences

Best Practices

📧 Email

• Clear subject lines
• Action buttons prominent
• Mobile-friendly format
• Unsubscribe option

📱 Push

• Concise messages
• Respect quiet hours
• Important items only
• Quick actions enabled

🔔 Reminders

• Reasonable frequency
• Increasing urgency
• Clear deadlines
• Helpful, not annoying

⬆️ Escalations

• Appropriate timing
• Right recipients
• Clear context
• Action required

Configuration

System Settings

Navigate to Settings → Notifications:

• Default Channels - Standard delivery
• Batch Window - Grouping time
• Retry Policy - Failed delivery
• Rate Limits - Spam prevention

Template Settings

• Email Templates - Message format
• Push Templates - Short messages
• SMS Templates - Text messages
• Slack Templates - Channel posts

Integration Settings

• Email Server - SMTP config
• Push Service - Firebase/APNs
• SMS Gateway - Twilio/etc.
• Slack - Workspace connection

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Not receiving notifications

• Check notification preferences
• Verify email not in spam
• Confirm push enabled
• Review quiet hours

Too many notifications

• Adjust preferences
• Enable digest mode
• Set quiet hours
• Review subscriptions

Email going to spam

• Check email configuration
• Verify sender domain
• Review email content
• Contact IT team

Push notifications delayed

• Check device settings
• Verify app permissions
• Review network connection
• Test with other apps

Slack not working

• Verify connection active
• Check channel permissions
• Review Slack settings
• Reconnect integration

Related Documentation

Return to Approvals Overview to explore all approval module features.