Operations manager
Finance analyst
Project manager
Department head
Procurement specialist
HR business partner
Compliance analyst
Team lead
Approval request processes are triggered whenever a decision requires formal authorization before proceeding. This occurs across virtually every business function: budget requests, purchase orders, time off, project changes, contract modifications, expense reports, policy exceptions, and countless other scenarios. The process applies when accountability for decisions must be explicit, when organizational policy requires sign-off before action, when multiple approval levels or functions must weigh in, or when audit requirements demand evidence of proper authorization. It is universal across industries and organization types.
Approval request processes involve requesters who submit items for authorization, direct approvers who review and decide on routine requests, escalated approvers who handle items exceeding standard authority or requiring additional oversight, and administrative or coordination roles who may prepare requests or route items. Depending on the request type, finance, legal, HR, compliance, or other functional reviewers may participate.
Faster decision turnaround results from requests reaching the right approvers immediately with all necessary context attached. Clear accountability for every authorization ensures decisions are traceable to specific individuals with documented rationale. Reduced request backlogs come from automated routing and reminders that keep approval queues moving. Consistent policy enforcement follows from structured approval paths that apply organizational rules uniformly. Lower administrative burden on requesters and approvers eliminates time spent chasing status, re-explaining context, or determining who should decide.
Your version of this process may vary based on roles, systems, data, and approval paths. Moxo's flow builder can be configured with AI agents, conditional branching, dynamic data references, and sophisticated logic to match how your organization runs this workflow. The steps below illustrate one example.
Request submission
The process begins when a requester submits an item for approval, providing the necessary details, supporting documentation, and any context required for the decision. The submission may come through a form, a connected system, or a manual initiation. An AI agent may assist by validating completeness, flagging missing information, and pre-populating fields from available data sources.
Request routing
The workflow routes the request to the appropriate approver based on request type, value, department, or other configured criteria. Routing may be direct to a single approver, sequential through multiple levels, or parallel to multiple reviewers who must all sign off. If the request requires additional context or preparation, the workflow may route through an administrative step before reaching the approver.
Approver review
The approver receives the request with full context: the request details, supporting documentation, any relevant history, and guidance on decision criteria. The approver reviews and decides to approve, reject, or request additional information. If clarification is needed, the workflow returns to the requester with specific questions, keeping all communication tied to the request.
Conditional handling
If the request triggers additional requirements based on its attributes, the workflow routes accordingly. High-value requests may escalate to senior approvers. Requests touching multiple functions may require parallel approvals. Exceptions or edge cases may route to compliance or policy owners for guidance. Conditional logic handles the variety of paths different requests may follow.
Decision capture and notification
Once the approver decides, the workflow captures the decision with full traceability: who approved or rejected, when, and any comments or conditions. The requester is notified of the outcome immediately. If approved, downstream actions or systems may be triggered automatically. If rejected, the notification includes rationale and any options for resubmission.
Record retention
All requests, decisions, communications, and supporting documentation are retained as part of the operational record. The approval history is available for audit, reporting, and process improvement analysis.
This process commonly relies on inputs such as request forms, supporting documentation, budget or policy references, and organizational hierarchy data. It may be triggered by form submission, system event, or manual initiation. Supporting systems vary widely by request type and may include ERP platforms, HRIS systems, project management tools, procurement systems, or expense management applications.
Key decision points include determining whether the request is complete and ready for review, which approver or approval path applies based on request attributes, whether the approver has sufficient information to decide, and whether additional review or escalation is required.
Requests submitted with incomplete information, causing rejection or delays while approvers seek clarification. Routing to wrong approvers, creating confusion and requiring manual re-routing. Approvers lacking context to make informed decisions, leading to unnecessary questions or uninformed approvals. Requests stalling in approval queues, with no visibility into status or automated follow-up. Decision rationale not captured, making it difficult to explain or defend approvals later.
Routes requests to the correct approvers automatically based on configured criteria, eliminating manual triage and ensuring accountability is clear.
AI agents validate request completeness on submission and prepare approval actions with relevant context so approvers can decide immediately.
Supports sequential, parallel, and conditional approval paths to handle the variety of scenarios different request types require.
Captures every decision with full traceability including who approved, when, and any comments or conditions.
Provides visibility to requesters and stakeholders so status is always clear without chasing updates.
Connects to existing systems to pull request data and push decision outcomes, reducing manual effort and ensuring records stay synchronized.
