Approval

Sends a record for approval when specific criteria are met. The workflow enters a suspended state until the approval engine responds. Once a response is received, the workflow automatically resumes. Depending on the approval engine's response, the workflow will either follow the Approved or Rejected path.

On the product side, the workflow runtime API provides the status of the approval activity, including actions like Complete, SubmitApproval, or Override. The product uses this information to display a "Submit for Approval" button, allowing users to submit the object for approval.

Submit Runtime API details

Once the specific entry criteria are met and the workflow is in a suspended state, the system uses the APIs below to submit the approval request for the context record.

API endpoints

Standalone Workflow:
POST /api/workflow/v1/runtime/workflow-instances/{workflowInstanceId}/activities/{activityId}/submit-approval
Staged Workflow:
POST /api/workflow/v1/runtime/stage-instances/{stageInstanceId}/activities/{activityId}/submit-approval

Sample request payload

Standalone Workflow:
{
    "workflowInstanceId": "74c83333-f7d9-4e96-aa27-3c4c3581a2e4",
    "ActivityId": "5010c7bc-bf0f-4605-9c56-2299a683440a",
    "Comments": "User Notes"
}
Staged Workflow:
{
    "StageInstanceId": "74c83333-f7d9-4e96-aa27-3c4c3581a2e4",
    "ActivityId": "5010c7bc-bf0f-4605-9c56-2299a683440a",
    "Comments": "User Notes"
}

Example:

In a contract approval process, the Approval Activity pauses the workflow for review when a contract meets certain criteria, like a high value. The manager or legal team reviews and submits it for approval. If approved, the contract moves to finalization. If rejected, it goes back for revisions.

Properties and activity information

Properties determines the initial behavior of the activity.


Field	Description
Display Name	Enter the name of the activity.
Reference Name	Enter the technical name of the activity. If left blank, the system automatically generates it based on the value in the Display Name field. The generated name removes special characters, eliminates spaces, avoids consecutive underscores, and joins words with a single underscore.
Description	Provide a description that is relevant to the activity.
Entry Criteria	Set the conditions that must be met to trigger the workflow. Field: Select the field you want to set as the condition criterion. It lists fields and constants associated with the object you have selected at the time of workflow creation. Operator: You must select the logical operator from the list. This forms the relationship between the field and its value. Value: You can either manually enter the field data or use dynamic values based on variables or formulas. Place the cursor in the text box, and the system will suggest options based on the field's data type. Manual Entry: Enter the value directly in the text box. Supported data types include standard types as well as more complex types like Lookup, Owner, Currency, and Multi-Picklist. `Lookup: {"Id":"28c22389-9441-4332-a6db-b4628e4b6cb0","Name":"ABC Corp"} Owner: {"Id":"28c22389-9441-4332-a6db-b4628e4b6cb0","Name":"Admin","OwnerType":"User"} Currency: {"Value":12000} Multi Picklist: ["Large Enterprise","Consumers & Vendors"]` Dynamic Entry: Choose variables, formulas, or context records to automatically populate the value. The system will evaluate and apply the generated value to the corresponding field. To learn more about creating variable and formulas within a workflow, see Creating Workflows. Owner Field Configuration: Select the RecordOwner option in the Field text box to open a dropdown with User and User Group options for setting ownership details. Lookup Field Configuration: Type in the Field text box to see relevant results under Lookups, along with options like Variable and Formula. To add more conditions, click Add Criteria. To remove all conditions, click Remove All.
Switch to New Entry Criteria	You will see this toggle only when editing an activity in an existing workflow. Enabling this toggle upgrades the activity to the new IntelliSense Criteria Builder and migrates the old criteria. If the migration fails, you must correct the criteria for a successful conversion or continue using the older version indefinitely. Once switched, you cannot revert to the older Criteria Builder.
Assignee
Assignee	Select a User, User Group, or Team Role to specify who can complete the required actions, such as submitting approvals, generating documents, overriding tasks, or signing. The Team Role option is available only when the workflow runs on the Agreement object. Note: Currently, CLM is the only application using this functionality. It is not limited to CLM, as it can support any object and be adopted by any consumer application. When the workflow reaches an activity and assigns the task, an email notification is sent to the assigned User, User Group, or Team Role. Note: An email notification is sent only if an email template is configured. Currently, the CLM team has configured email templates only for agreement-specific notifications.
Notes	Use this field to add text-based comments or details related to an activity. You can record important information, reminders, or context that helps users understand the purpose or status of the activity. Character limit: Up to 2,000 characters Supported format: Plain text only (no formatting, HTML, or scripts) Visibility: The note you enter will be included in the activity's API response and can be displayed in applications, such as the CLM app.

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