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Approvers, Approval Groups and Delegation

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In this lesson, you will learn:

  • Who can approve at SNWR
  • How approval groups work
  • What delegation is
  • How to set a delegate

🔁 Quick look back: Last time: Change Approval Policies. You learned how a change approval policy picks approvers from the change’s type and risk.

1 “Beth is on holiday”

Beth is on leave for two weeks.

  • Six changes are waiting for her approval.
  • Ravi’s certificate change misses its Sunday window.
  • Nobody knew anyone else could approve.

🎯 The problem: When one person holds every approval, work stops when they’re away.

👉 The fix: use approval groups where it makes sense, and set a delegate before anyone goes on leave.

2 Approvers and groups

Key term: Approval group

A group where one or more members must approve, like SNWR CAB.

Key term: Delegate

A person allowed to act for someone else for a set time, such as approving.

Key term: Separation of duties

The person who does the work shouldn’t approve their own change.

Approval At SNWR
A person Beth, as manager of the Network and Desktop groups
A group, any one member The emergency CAB: any two members
A group, everyone Rarely used; it slows things down

💡 Good to know: Need a refresher? See Fundamentals › Task Management › Approvals.

3 Delegation

Beth's delegate record. User: Beth Anglin. Delegate: Daniel Okafor. Starts: 1 July. Ends: 14 July. Approvals: yes. Assignments: no. Notifications: yes. Notes: 1 Daniel can approve for Beth only between these dates. 2 Only approvals are delegated, not her assigned work. 3 A note says Ravi isn't chosen, because he raises many of the changes himself.
Figure 1. Daniel approves for Beth while she’s away.

⚠️ Golden rule: Never make someone the delegate for approvals on their own work. Ravi can’t approve Ravi’s change.

4 Let’s try it: set a delegate

  1. Impersonate Beth Anglin, or open her user record as admin.
  2. Find Delegates (in her profile menu, or the Delegates related list on her user record).
  3. Add Daniel Okafor as a delegate for approvals, with start and end dates.
  4. Create a change that needs Beth’s approval.
  5. Impersonate Daniel and check he can see and approve it.

5 Quick recap

  • Approvals can go to a person or a group
  • A delegate acts for someone for set dates
  • Delegate approvals before going on leave
  • Never let someone approve their own work
  • SNWR: Daniel covers Beth’s approvals while she’s away

6 Check yourself

Think of your answer first. Then tap to check.

1 Beth goes on leave. How do her approvals keep moving? Show answer

She sets Daniel as her delegate for approvals, with dates.

2 Why not Ravi as Beth’s delegate? Show answer

He raises many of the changes. He can’t approve his own work.

3 Does a delegate for approvals also get the person’s assigned work? Show answer

Only if that’s ticked. SNWR delegates approvals only.

4 What does separation of duties mean? Show answer

The person who does the work doesn’t approve it.

Nice work! SNWR’s approvals no longer get stuck. 🎉
Next up: CAB Definitions and Meetings

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