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3 weeks ago
Hi All,I am working on the scenario: When a manager (approver) is on leave, approvals should not get stuck.
So the manager can assign a delegate for a specific period, and during that time:
Approval requests automatically go to the delegate
System still remembers who the original approver was
Audit/history clearly shows approval was done on behalf of someone.
please assist me with any suggestion will be appreciated.
Solved! Go to Solution.
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3 weeks ago
Hi Nilesh,
You are used the OOB table sys_user_delegate to handle approvals when an approver is out of office.
How it works:
Manager creates a delegation
In sys_user_delegate
Sets delegate user, start/end date
Enables Approval = true
Flow runs when approval is needed
Flow looks up sys_user_delegate for the primary approver
Checks:
Active = true
Approval = true
Today is within start & end dates
If delegate found
Approval is sent to the delegated user
If no delegate found
Approval goes to the original approver
Approval history
Shows approval done by delegate
Comment can say:
“Approved on behalf of Primary Approver”If my response helped, please mark it as correct
and close the thread
— this helps future readers find the solution faster!
Regards,
Vijay Chorge
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3 weeks ago
You may have answered this, but how does SN know they are on leave?
We had this as a block too. Our solution was tied to geofence requests.
when a person requested access outside of their zone, we put an option on the form to delegate approvals and let them pick who to send them to.
in the flow we then routed approvals during that time.
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3 weeks ago
Hi @Nilesh Pol
You need to use the delegation module. Managers must add a delegate before going on leave to ensure delegation works correctly. Delegation can be set only for the current or a future date and time, not for past dates or times. If a manager goes on leave without prior notice, delegation will not work and the catalog manager or admin will need to approve on the manager’s behalf.
If my response proves useful, please indicate its helpfulness by selecting " Accept as Solution" and " Helpful." This action benefits both the community and me.
Regards
Dr. Atul G. - Learn N Grow Together
ServiceNow Techno - Functional Trainer
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3 weeks ago
Hi @Nilesh Pol ,
Have you looked towards the OOTB solution for delegation? According to your requirement, it should fulfill the need.
If my answer has helped with your question, please mark my answer as the accepted solution and give a thumbs up.
Best regards
Anders
Rising star 2024
MVP 2025
linkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andersskovbjerg/
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3 weeks ago
ServiceNow has built-in delegation for approvals via the sys_user_delegate table. Managers can set time-bound delegates with the approvals flag, and flows can check for active ones to reroute requests. History notes it as on behalf of the original approver. Check the docs for setup details.
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3 weeks ago
Hi @Nilesh Pol !!
This requirement can be handled using ServiceNow Out-of-the-Box Delegated Approvals.
How it works:
The manager (approver) can configure a delegate for a specific date range
During that period, approval requests are automatically sent to the delegate
The original approver remains unchanged in the approval record
The audit/history clearly shows that the approval was completed on behalf of the original approver
Configuration:
Manager sets the delegate from My Approvals → Delegates
Define delegate user, start date, and end date
Audit & tracking:
sysapproval_approver.approver → original manager
sysapproval_approver.approved_by → delegate user
Approval history indicates approval was done on behalf of the manager
Why this is best practice:
Prevents approvals from getting stuck
No custom scripting required
Fully auditable and compliant
Works across Catalog, Change, and other approval processes
Mark it helpful if this helps you to understand. Accept solution if this give you the answer you're looking for.
Thank You
