Add Templates to an Approval Flow

Adds up to 200 templates to an approval flow in one call.

Updated Sep 29, 2026

POST

/v1/approval-flows/{flow}/items/bulk

curl -X POST "https://api.orshot.com/v1/approval-flows/<FLOW>/items/bulk" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <ORSHOT_API_KEY>" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "templateIds": [],
    "stage": "<STAGE>"
  }'

const res = await fetch("https://api.orshot.com/v1/approval-flows/<FLOW>/items/bulk", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
    Authorization: "Bearer <ORSHOT_API_KEY>",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    "templateIds": [],
    "stage": "<STAGE>"
  }),
});

const data = await res.json();

import requests

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.orshot.com/v1/approval-flows/<FLOW>/items/bulk",
    headers={"Authorization": "Bearer <ORSHOT_API_KEY>"},
    json={
      "templateIds": [],
      "stage": "<STAGE>"
    },
)

data = response.json()

$ch = curl_init("https://api.orshot.com/v1/approval-flows/<FLOW>/items/bulk");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_CUSTOMREQUEST, "POST");
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER, [
    "Authorization: Bearer <ORSHOT_API_KEY>",
    "Content-Type: application/json",
]);
curl_setopt($ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, json_encode([
  "templateIds" => [],
  "stage" => "<STAGE>"
]));

$data = json_decode(curl_exec($ch), true);
curl_close($ch);

require "net/http"
require "json"

uri = URI("https://api.orshot.com/v1/approval-flows/<FLOW>/items/bulk")
req = Net::HTTP::Post.new(uri)
req["Authorization"] = "Bearer <ORSHOT_API_KEY>"
req["Content-Type"] = "application/json"
req.body = {
  "templateIds": [],
  "stage": "<STAGE>"
}.to_json

res = Net::HTTP.start(uri.hostname, uri.port, use_ssl: true) { |http| http.request(req) }
data = JSON.parse(res.body)

Enterprise Only

The Approvals API is available on Enterprise plans, or through first-party apps (the Orshot app and the Orshot MCP server). This endpoint needs move access. See Enterprise pricing to get access.

Adds up to 200 templates to an approval flow in one call. Templates already in the flow are skipped and listed. Reviewers can't add templates.

Send an Idempotency-Key header to retry safely: a repeat within 24 hours returns the first response and changes nothing.

Endpoint#

Endpoint

https://api.orshot.com/v1/approval-flows/:flow/items/bulk

Path Parameters#

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`flow`	String	Yes	The approval flow's id or slug. A number is an id, anything else a slug.

Request Body#

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`templateIds`	Array	Yes	Up to 200 items.
`stage`	String	No	Starting stage; the flow's entry stage when omitted. A number is an id, anything else a slug.

Headers#

Header	Required	Description
`Authorization`	Yes	`Bearer <API key or OAuth token>`
`x-workspace-id`	No	OAuth tokens with several workspaces: the workspace to act in. API keys ignore it.
`X-Orshot-User-Id`	No	API keys only: the user id of the owner, admin or member this call is for. See Acting for a Team Member below.
`Idempotency-Key`	No	Up to 255 visible characters, unique per request. A replay within 24 hours returns the stored response with Idempotent-Replayed: true.
`X-Session-Id`	No	Groups the calls of one agent or MCP session in the activity history.

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/brand-and-legal/items/bulk", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
    Authorization: "Bearer <ORSHOT_API_KEY>",
    "Idempotency-Key": "<unique request id>",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    "templateIds": [
      102,
      103
    ]
  }),
});

JSON

{
  "items": [
    {
      "id": 2,
      "flow": {
        "id": 1,
        "slug": "brand-and-legal",
        "name": "Brand and legal"
      },
      "stage": {
        "id": 1,
        "slug": "draft",
        "name": "Draft",
        "category": "open",
        "color": null
      },
      "template": {
        "id": 102,
        "name": "Product card",
        "thumbnailUrl": "https://storage.orshot.com/thumbnails/102.png",
        "currentVersion": "5b8e2f7a-3c1d-4e9b-a6f0-7d2c8e1b4a93",
        "folderId": null,
        "tags": []
      },
      "reviewRound": 1,
      "revision": 1,
      "approvals": null,
      "changesRequested": null,
      "commentCount": 0,
      "canRender": {
        "image": false,
        "pdf": false,
        "video": false
      },
      "heldBack": null,
      "dueAt": null,
      "createdAt": "2026-09-28T09:30:00.000Z",
      "updatedAt": "2026-09-28T09:30:00.000Z"
    },
    {
      "id": 3,
      "flow": {
        "id": 1,
        "slug": "brand-and-legal",
        "name": "Brand and legal"
      },
      "stage": {
        "id": 1,
        "slug": "draft",
        "name": "Draft",
        "category": "open",
        "color": null
      },
      "template": {
        "id": 103,
        "name": "Instagram story",
        "thumbnailUrl": "https://storage.orshot.com/thumbnails/103.png",
        "currentVersion": "5b8e2f7a-3c1d-4e9b-a6f0-7d2c8e1b4a93",
        "folderId": null,
        "tags": []
      },
      "reviewRound": 1,
      "revision": 1,
      "approvals": null,
      "changesRequested": null,
      "commentCount": 0,
      "canRender": {
        "image": false,
        "pdf": false,
        "video": false
      },
      "heldBack": null,
      "dueAt": null,
      "createdAt": "2026-09-28T09:30:00.000Z",
      "updatedAt": "2026-09-28T09:30:00.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "skipped": [],
  "warnings": []
}

Response Fields#

Responds 201 with:

Field	Type	Description
`items`	Array	List of ApprovalItem, fields below.
`items[].id`	Integer	Numeric id.
`items[].flow`	Object	`{ id, slug, name }`.
`items[].stage`	Object	`{ id, slug, name, category, color }`. Color is the stage's color, null when it has none.
`items[].template`	Object	`{ id, name, thumbnailUrl, currentVersion, folderId, tags }`. With currentVersion to send back as reviewedVersion when approving, folderId the template's folder (null for none) and tags its tags (string[]).
`items[].reviewRound`	Integer	Goes up each time the template re-enters review.
`items[].revision`	Integer	Send it back on move (state_conflict if it changed).
`items[].approvals`	Object	`{ mode, required, approvedBy: Person[], changesRequestedBy: Person[], submitter?: { id } }`. For the current round, in review stages. submitter is who submitted it when the stage keeps them from approving it themselves (the stage doesn't let people approve what they submitted, and they are not an owner or admin).
`items[].changesRequested`	Object	`{ by: Person[], stage: { id, slug, name } }`. The change request it was sent back with, until it is resubmitted. Can be `null`.
`items[].commentCount`	Integer	Comments on the template (replies included, deleted ones left out).
`items[].canRender`	Object	`{ image, pdf, video }`. Booleans.
`items[].movedWithoutApproval`	Object	`{ by: Person, at: ISO date, reason }`. or absent, present while the template sits where an owner or admin moved it without its approvals.
`items[].dueAt`	String	ISO 8601 timestamp. Can be `null`.
`items[].createdAt`	String	ISO 8601 timestamp.
`items[].updatedAt`	String	ISO 8601 timestamp.
`skipped`	Array	`[{ templateId, reason }]`. Templates that were not added, with the reason (already in the flow, not found).
`warnings`	Array	Non-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 Code	Error	Description
401	`oauth_token_invalid`	The OAuth token is invalid, expired or revoked.
403	`api_key_missing`	No `Authorization: Bearer` header.
403	`permission_denied`	You 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:write`. 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`.
403	`plan_required`	The workspace's plan doesn't include Approvals, or doesn't include this part of it.
403	`enterprise_api_required`	Using approvals with an API key needs an Enterprise plan. Contact hi@orshot.com to turn it on.
404	`not_found`	This doesn't exist or isn't available to you. Reviewers get this, never 403, for flows and templates outside their access.
409	`state_conflict`	With `code: approval.request_in_progress`: the same Idempotency-Key is still running.
422	`validation_failed`	Some fields aren't valid: the fields listed in issues. `issues` lists each field with a path and a reason.
422	`validation_failed`	With `code: approval.member_header_invalid`: `X-Orshot-User-Id` isn't a user id.
422	`validation_failed`	With `code: approval.idempotency_key_reused`: the Idempotency-Key was used with a different request.
429	`rate_limit_exceeded`	More than 120 approvals requests in a minute from one person or key. Wait for Retry-After.
503	`approvals_unavailable`	Approvals 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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