Request approval should have an ON HOLD option

[entcenginee]

Once a request is submitted, it should go for approval. The approval let should have 3 options - approve, reject and to put on the approval on hold. OOTB we have only approve and reject. How can I achieve the ON HOLD part?

[Marcos Kassak]

Hi @entcenginee,

I understand the ask, but honestly, this sounds more like a process issue than something that should be addressed with platform customization.

Out of the box, approvals are meant to be simple: yes or no. Adding an “on hold” option might seem harmless at first, but it opens the door to unnecessary complexity and tech debt down the road. You’re essentially introducing a state where no one is responsible for making a decision or allowing a pause in a request, which usually ends up cluttering the system with pending approvals that never progress.

I know every instance has its own reality, and you’re probably dealing with business users pushing for this, but my advice is to push back. Stick to the OOB behavior. It’s clean, it’s supported, and trust me... removing this kind of customization later is way more painful than just having that conversation now.

If you found my answer helpful or correct ✔️ in any way, please don't forget to mark it to help future readers! 👍

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Kind regards,

Marcos Kassak

ServiceNow MVP 2024, 2025 ⭐
Solution Architect  🎯

[Mark Manders]

You can have an max wait time and cancel the request if not approved within x time.
Or you can add a notification reminder to the approver.

Approvers need to do their job. It's as simple as that. You can remind them, but if they don't do what they are supposed to do, you're not fixing that with a system.