Multi-level approval chains
Create custom approval routes based on business requirements. Keep chains short — routine items to a direct manager; higher thresholds to manager → finance → director.
Platform automation
Business Process Automation & Approval Workflow Software
Automate approvals. Control every business process. Smart Business 360 is a business automation platform with two complementary systems: Approval Workflow Software for decision governance, and Business Process Automation for autonomous system triggers.
Approval Management System
Custom routes by value band and role.
NOC authorities
External bodies recorded with jurisdiction.
Business Workflow Automation
Trigger → condition → action rules.
Digital Workflow System
Immutable logs of every decision.
Business Process Automation
Human governance and autonomous automation, side by side
Approvals require a person with designated authority. Business automation rules act when a specified event occurs — without replacing human decisions. Use this digital workflow system inside business management software rather than a separate tool.
| System | Purpose | Human involved? |
|---|---|---|
| Approvals | A person with designated authority must authorise an action | Yes, always |
| Automation rules | The platform acts automatically when a specified business event occurs | No (autonomous) |
Core capabilities
Approval Workflow Software
NOC authorities
Define who can approve specific transactions or requests. Record external governing bodies (government departments or utilities) with name, contact, jurisdiction, phone, email, and notes.
Trigger → condition → action
Automate business actions when defined conditions are met. Each rule is a trigger event, conditions, and an action — per company tenant.
Delegation
Keep approval workflows moving when an approver is unavailable. Ensure at least two individuals per step and set automatic escalation if an approver has not acted.
Governance
Maintain control over who can approve what. Permission keys for leave, expense, purchase, and general approvals each support Read, Approve, and Reject independently.
Audit trail
Make approval history easy to track. The approval action log is an immutable record of decisions, timestamps, outcomes, and comments.
How it works
Business Workflow Automation
A digital workflow system from request through audit — conditions decide the path, then approval or an automated action.
RequestSubmitted
ConditionRules & thresholds
ApprovalDesignated authority
ActionHuman or automated
AuditImmutable log
See approvals in the full platform
Explore the Platform
CRM, finance, projects, and automation in Smart Business 360.
Platform documentation
Configuration reference
The same approval and automation capabilities described above, with the original setup detail preserved.
Two-system execution architecture
Smart Business 360 handles execution requirements through two complementary systems: Human Approval Workflows for decision governance, and Business Process Automation for autonomous system triggers.
| System | Purpose | Human involved? |
|---|---|---|
| Approvals | A person with designated authority must authorise an action | Yes, always |
| Automation rules | The platform acts automatically when a specified business event occurs | No (autonomous) |
Part 1 — Approval workflow software
Key approval components and governance terminology:
Approval request
Item waiting for approval composed when a user submits an action requiring authorization.
Approval stage
One stage of a process. A request can take sequential steps with different approvers & outcomes.
Approval action log
Immutable audit trail logging decisions, timestamps, outcomes, and comments. Cannot be modified.
Approval authority (NOC)
External governing body (e.g., government dept or utility for No Objection Certificates). Records name, contact, jurisdiction, phone, email & notes.
Approval categories & permission keys
Four types of permissions are granted independently. Each supports Read, Approve, and Reject operations:
| Category | Covers | Operations |
|---|---|---|
LeaveApproval | Staff leave & vacation requests | Read, Approve, Reject |
ExpenseApproval | Expense claims and expense vouchers | Read, Approve, Reject |
PurchaseApproval | Procurement and purchase requisitions | Read, Approve, Reject |
GeneralApproval | Everything else routed for financial or contractual authorisation | Read, Approve, Reject |
Best practice: Granting Read alone is useful for readers who monitor the queue without decision-making authority.
Where approvals are required across modules
| Module | Approvable actions |
|---|---|
| Sales Management | Receipt, Transfer, Merge, Adjustment, Refund, Commission |
| Accounts | Voucher posting |
| Finance | Income vouchers, Expense vouchers |
| Property & Sales | Land payment, installment schedule changes |
| HRM | Leave requests, Performance appraisals, Salary changes |
| Inventory | Procurement orders |
| Projects | Project idea, Time entry approvals |
| Execution Control | Milestone completion, NOC requests |
| Research / Planning | Feasibility study, Design document sign-off |
| Marketing Hub | Marketing campaign budgets, Marketing quotations |
Using the approval queue
- Open Approvals in the sidebar.
- Review pending requests displaying sender, item, quantity, and current step.
- Click on any request to view details and decision history.
- Click Approve or Reject.
- Add a comment: When rejecting a request, ALWAYS add an explanatory comment so the submitter is notified of required changes.
Designing an approval chain
Keep chains short to prevent delays and dilution of responsibility. Baseline 3-tier value bands:
| Value band | Approval steps |
|---|---|
| Routine | Direct manager only |
| Above set threshold | Manager → Finance |
| Above high threshold | Manager → Finance → Director |
Escalation window: Ensure at least two individuals are available per step before going live. Set up automatic escalation (e.g. 10 minutes to 48 hours) if an approver has not acted.
Part 2 — Business process automation rules
Automation rules operate autonomously per company tenant. Each rule is defined by a trigger event, conditions, and an action.
Automation rule anatomy
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Rule name | Identifies the rule uniquely |
| Description | Documents the rule purpose |
| Trigger event | The system event that initiates evaluation |
| Trigger conditions | Additional criteria that must be met before action runs |
| Action type | What action the system performs |
| Action parameters | Configuration options for the action |
| Template | Pre-approved message template for messaging actions |
| Message content | Custom message body where no template is used |
| Assign to role / user | Target user or role for assignment actions |
| Delay (minutes) | Wait time before executing the action (e.g., 2-day follow-up) |
| Active | Whether the rule is live or inactive |
| Execution metrics | Total execution count and last execution timestamp logged per rule |
Trigger events
- New lead created
- Lead status changing
- Payment due alert
- Outstanding follow-up past due
Action types
- Send WhatsApp message
- Send SMS
- Send Email
- Create a task
- Assign an agent
- Update a status
Step-by-step: creating an automation rule
1
Navigate to Automation Rules
Go to CRM → Automation rules.
Go to CRM → Automation rules.
2
Click Create Rule
Select Create rule button.
Select Create rule button.
3
Set identity & description
Name the rule and specify its purpose.
Name the rule and specify its purpose.
4
Configure trigger & conditions
Select the trigger event and define conditional filters.
Select the trigger event and define conditional filters.
5
Set action & parameters
Choose action type and set parameters, message content, or assignees.
Choose action type and set parameters, message content, or assignees.
6
Set optional time delay
Specify delay in minutes if creating drip follow-up sequences.
Specify delay in minutes if creating drip follow-up sequences.
7
Save inactive for testing
Keep Active turned OFF until testing is complete, then click Save.
Keep Active turned OFF until testing is complete, then click Save.
Required permissions: CRM.AutomationRule.Create, Update, Read, Delete. (Messaging actions require Communication permissions).
Testing an automation rule (steps 16–21)
- Save the rule inactive.
- Develop a test record matching trigger and conditions.
- Activate the rule.
- Trigger the event on the test record.
- Ensure a run appears in the execution log and that the action was performed.
- Only then expand conditions to production scope.
Troubleshooting guide
Rule never executes?
Ensure rule is active. Check for over-specific conditions. If execution count is 0, the rule criteria do not match.
No message received although rule executed?
Check channel connection status and message template approvals. Unapproved templates are refused by Meta/SMS providers.
Rules fire too much or too often?
Conditions are too general. Tighten criteria filters and introduce delay intervals.
Multiple messages sent to one customer?
Two rules are triggered by the same event. Review all active automation rules for overlapping conditions.
Approval queue is blocked?
Approvee for current step is missing or deactivated. Confirm every step has an Active Approver.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is business process automation?
Business process automation runs a defined action when a business event and its conditions are met — for example sending a message, creating a task, or updating a status — without a person clicking through each step.
What is an approval workflow?
An approval workflow is a chain of designated people who must authorise a request before it proceeds. This approval management system supports multi-level chains, NOC authorities, delegation, and an immutable audit trail.
Can an automation rule trigger another rule?
To maintain clean system design, rules are independent. Chained triggers are difficult to manage and stop.
Do automated messages show up in the Leads Inbox?
Yes! All outbound automated messages (WhatsApp, SMS, Email) are displayed directly on the conversation thread in Leads Inbox.
Is it possible to automate human approvals?
No, by design. Approval software decisions must be made by a human with designated authority, and who made the decision is permanently logged in the audit trail.
Ready to simplify your business operations?
Configure approval chains, NOC authorities, and trigger-condition-action automation rules in Smart Business 360.