Archive an Approval Flow

Archives an approval flow: it disappears from the sidebar, its templates stop being gated by it, and its slug can be reused.

Updated

POST
/v1/approval-flows/{flow}/archive
curl -X POST "https://api.orshot.com/v1/approval-flows/<FLOW>/archive" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <ORSHOT_API_KEY>" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "confirm": true
  }'

Archives an approval flow: it disappears from the sidebar, its templates stop being gated by it, and its slug can be reused. History is kept. It also works on a flow past the plan's limit; archiving an active flow makes the next one in the list active. Reviewers can't archive flows. Destructive: ask the person first and pass confirm: true.

This is destructive: send "confirm": true. Agents must ask the person before calling it.

Endpoint#

Endpoint
https://api.orshot.com/v1/approval-flows/:flow/archive

Path Parameters#

ParameterTypeRequiredDescription
flowStringYesThe approval flow's id or slug. A number is an id, anything else a slug.

Request Body#

ParameterTypeRequiredDescription
confirmBooleanYesMust be true. Confirms you want to archive this approval flow; ask the person first. Must be true.

Headers#

HeaderRequiredDescription
AuthorizationYesBearer <API key or OAuth token>
x-workspace-idNoOAuth tokens with several workspaces: the workspace to act in. API keys ignore it.
X-Orshot-User-IdNoAPI keys only: the user id of the owner, admin or member this call is for. See Acting for a Team Member below.
X-Session-IdNoGroups the calls of one agent or MCP session in the activity history.

Acting for a Team Member#

With an API key, you can send X-Orshot-User-Id with the user id of an owner, admin or member of the workspace to make this call for them. It needs both the key's access level and that person's own access, and it's credited to them: people see "Priya Shah, via API key", and they aren't notified about their own change. See acting for a team member.

Request#

JavaScript
await fetch("https://api.orshot.com/v1/approval-flows/developers/archive", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
    Authorization: "Bearer <ORSHOT_API_KEY>",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    "confirm": true
  }),
});
JSON
{
  "flow": {
    "id": 2,
    "slug": "developers",
    "name": "Developers",
    "description": "Templates the dev team wires into automation workflows",
    "color": null,
    "blocksRenders": false,
    "settings": {
      "entry": {
        "mode": "manual",
        "stage": null,
        "filters": {
          "folderIds": [],
          "tags": []
        },
        "includeEmbedTemplates": false
      },
      "onEdit": "require_reapproval"
    },
    "presetSlug": null,
    "presetVersion": null,
    "sortKey": "r",
    "createdAt": "2026-09-28T09:30:00.000Z",
    "updatedAt": "2026-09-28T09:30:00.000Z",
    "archivedAt": "2026-09-28T09:30:00.000Z"
  },
  "warnings": []
}

Response Fields#

Responds 200 with:

FieldTypeDescription
flowObjectOne ApprovalFlow, fields below.
flow.idIntegerNumeric id.
flow.slugStringStable; use it in URLs and tool calls.
flow.nameStringDisplay name.
flow.descriptionStringCan be null.
flow.colorStringCan be null.
flow.blocksRendersBooleanTemplates render through the API only from stages that allow it. Downloads from the studio and the embed editor are never blocked.
flow.settingsObjectFlow settings v1 (rules.js).
flow.presetSlugStringCan be null.
flow.presetVersionIntegerCan be null.
flow.sortKeyStringPosition in its list, as sortable text.
flow.stagesArrayList of ApprovalStage (on get).
flow.viewerObject{ capabilities, stages, canArchive }. On get, what you may do here: capabilities for the flow as a whole (approvals.view, flow.manage, item.add, item.move, item.remove, item.decide, item.override, comment.create...), stages maps each stage id to the capabilities you have in it. item.move in a stage means you may put a template there (approved stages take approvers only); its enter.from rule still applies. canArchive says whether you may archive the flow, which stays open when it is over the plan's limit.
flow.overPlanLimitBooleanTrue when the flow is past the plan's limit of live approval flows (on list and get; the first flows in list order stay active). Such a flow can be read, commented on and archived. Every other change to it or its templates (add, move, take out, approve, request changes, withdraw an approval, change the flow, its stages or its access) is refused with 403 flow_limit_reached, code approval.flow.over_plan_limit. It doesn't block API renders, lock edits or wait on anyone. Archiving an active flow makes the next one active; upgrading makes them all active.
flow.createdAtStringISO 8601 timestamp.
flow.updatedAtStringISO 8601 timestamp.
flow.archivedAtStringISO 8601 timestamp. Can be null.
warningsArrayNon-blocking notices, each { code, message? }, for example no_approver. Always present on writes, empty when there is nothing to say.

Error Responses#

Every error has the same body: error, code, message and helpUrl, plus the fields that apply (required, role, context, blockers, violations, issues, current). Branch on error; code is more specific. See the error reference.

Status CodeErrorDescription
401oauth_token_invalidThe OAuth token is invalid, expired or revoked.
403api_key_missingNo Authorization: Bearer header.
403permission_deniedYou don't have access to do this. Ask an owner or admin. code names the capability, for example approval.item.decide_denied; required and role say what was missing. With code: insufficient_scope: the OAuth token lacks workspace:approvals:admin. With code: approval.member_header_not_member: X-Orshot-User-Id names someone who isn't an owner, admin or member of the workspace now. With code: approval.member_header_not_allowed: an OAuth token sent X-Orshot-User-Id.
403plan_requiredThe workspace's plan doesn't include Approvals, or doesn't include this part of it.
403enterprise_api_requiredUsing approvals with an API key needs an Enterprise plan. Contact hi@orshot.com to turn it on.
404not_foundThis doesn't exist or isn't available to you. Reviewers get this, never 403, for flows and templates outside their access.
422validation_failedSome fields aren't valid: the fields listed in issues. issues lists each field with a path and a reason.
422validation_failedWith code: approval.member_header_invalid: X-Orshot-User-Id isn't a user id.
429rate_limit_exceededMore than 120 approvals requests in a minute from one person or key. Wait for Retry-After.
503approvals_unavailableApprovals aren't available right now. Try again in a moment. Also returned while approvals are not switched on for the API.
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