--- sourceDocument: Australia Sales Customer Relationship Management sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/order-management Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Australia Sales Customer Relationship Management ft:clusterId : - omgmt bundleId : - omgmt workflow : - Customer and Industry --- # Tracking approval status and history # Tracking approval status and history {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated March 24, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of Tracking approval status and history This feature enables ServiceNow customers to monitor the progress of approval requests within an approval workflow, providing transparency and control over each step from submission to final decision. It is integrated within the Customer Service Management (CSM) Configurable Workspace and specifically supports scenarios such as quote approval workflows. Show full answer Show less ## Key Features * **Approval Workflow Interface:** Accessible via the Approvals tab on entities like quotes, this interface displays the approval chain and detailed approval step cards. * **Approval Cards:** Each card identifies the approval rule, assigned and actual approvers, comments, and timestamps for approval duration, including escalation status and auto-approval flags. * **Approval Step States:** Includes Draft, Requested for review, Approved, and Rejected, with rules on editability depending on the state. * **Interactive Actions:** Approvers can approve or reject requests directly from a More options menu on each step card. Approval admins with requester roles can override steps if necessary. * **Ad Hoc Approvers:** Both requesters and approvers can add additional approvers dynamically into the workflow to accommodate evolving approval needs. ## Practical Application for ServiceNow Customers By leveraging this approval tracking capability, customers can maintain a clear audit trail of all approval activities, ensuring accountability and timely processing of requests. The visibility into approval duration and escalation alerts helps prioritize approvals that require urgent attention. The ability to override or add approvers provides flexibility to adapt the workflow without disrupting the entire process. Monitor the progress of an approval request as it moves through the steps in an approval workflow. ## Approval workflow interface {#tracking-approval-status__section_kkl_xzl_m3c} After an approval request is submitted, approval users can view the approval steps in the CSM Configurable Workspace. For example, in a quote approval workflow, requesters, approvers, and users with view access can navigate to the quote. They access the approval workflow interface from the quote Approvals tab. The approval workflow interface provides an audit trail of approval steps and steps approval chains. Approval cards identify the: * Approval rule * Assigned approvers * Actual approvers for completed steps * Approval comments * Approval duration timestamp for a step with pending approvals {#tracking-approval-status__ul_k5d_nf2_1kc} Approvers use the More options menu in a step card to approve or reject the request. Figure 1. Approval interface in Advanced Approval Management {#tracking-approval-status__table_g4c_qq5_m3c__entry__2} | Feature | Description | |-|-| | 1. Quote state | Quote state: * Draft: Initial state of the quote. Editable by agent. * Requested for review: Quote has been submitted for approval. Not editable by agent unless the quote is recalled by the agent, or the quote has been approved or rejected. * Approved: Approvals for the quote are complete. * Rejected: Quote rejected by an approver. Editable by agent so that it can be revised and resubmitted for approval. {#tracking-approval-status__ul_jvt_vfq_sjc} | | 2. Approvals tab | Related list for the entity, such as a quote, which displays the approval workflow. | | 3. Approval chain with approval step cards | Grouping of approval steps that are run in sequential order, based on the chain order specified for the steps in the approval rules. Each step card represents an approval rule and its associated approvers. A step card provides the following information: * Approval step state * Approval duration, which reflects the time elapsed for the active step (no action taken): * Number of minutes, for example 43m * Number of hours and minutes, for example 1h 43m * Number of days and hours, for example 2d 4h * Number of weeks days (over seven days has elapsed), for example 1w 2 d {#tracking-approval-status__ul_pbz_mp2_1kc} If the approval step state is escalated, the approval duration is highlighted and shows the elapsed time for the escalated approval. * If the request was previously recalled during the approval process, an Auto-approved flag indicates at least one or more previously completed approvals has been automatically reapplied. * For approvers assigned to a step, the card displays the More options (![]() ) menu to approve or reject the approval step. * For approval admins that also have the requester role, the More options (![]() ) menu provides an Override option to bypass the step if it's no longer required. For details, see [Override an approver](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/nMj9zw9zJrZJxPM_berobw "Override the approver in an approval step if the approval is no longer required, to help prevent the approval workflow from being blocked."). {#tracking-approval-status__ul_onr_y4c_1kc} | | 4. Approval options | Options displayed for certain approval actions, depending on the user role. For example, requesters and approvers have the option to add an ad hoc approver to the approval workflow using the Add approver option. For more information, see [Add ad-hoc approvers to an approval request](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/jS2YCNyEtJGZo6uzn8KekQ "As a requester or an approver, add one or more ad-hoc approvers to an approval request in Advanced Approval Management."). | [Table 1. Approval workflow interface elements] {#tracking-approval-status__table_g4c_qq5_m3c} **Related concepts** * [Configuring Advanced Approval Management](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/3rAH6V4ncAQIBmlZCYjnng "Install the Advanced Approval Management application to build workflows that automate the approval process for Sales Customer Relationship Management entities such as customer quotes.") * [Notifications in Advanced Approval Management](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/VJ4D_FBk4L57PmtGYFEE_w "In Advanced Approval Management, as an approval request moves through the approval process, notifications about the status of the approval request are sent automatically to approval requesters and approvers.") **Related tasks** * [Create an approval configuration](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/HKS5Ie6oKT559n3n7uNK2Q "Create an approval configuration for a Sales Customer Relationship Management entity, such as quotes.") **Related reference** * [Components installed with Advanced Approval Management](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/c3hpWM9FpMKBJNSTMNJscA "Several types of components are installed with activation of the Advanced Approval Management plugin, including tables, scheduled jobs, and user roles.")