# Finish Editing an Approved Template

> Ends an edit started with start editing an approved template.

- **URL**: https://orshot.com/docs/api-reference/approvals-items-finish-edit

---

The Approvals API is available on Enterprise plans, or through first-party apps (the Orshot app and the Orshot MCP server). This endpoint needs [`decide` access](/docs/api-reference/approvals-overview#access-levels).
See [Enterprise pricing](https://orshot.com/pricing) to get access.

Ends an edit started with [start editing an approved template](https://orshot.com/docs/api-reference/approvals-items-start-edit). action approve: approves the edited design where the template is, so automation renders it from now on (approvers of the stage, owners and admins; send reviewedVersion, the template's current_version you looked at). action submit: sends it to the review before its stage, where the new design is reviewed. Never approve on the person's behalf without their explicit instruction.

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

## Endpoint

```markdown tab="Endpoint"
https://api.orshot.com/v1/approval-flows/:flow/items/:item/finish-edit
```

## 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. |
| `item` | Integer | Yes | The approval item's id (one template in one approval flow). |

## Request Body

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --------- | ---- | -------- | ----------- |
| `action` | String | Yes | approve: approve the edited design where it is (it renders from now on). submit: send it to the review before its stage. |
| `reviewedVersion` | String | No | Required to approve: the template's current_version you looked at. Refused with stale_review if the design changed since. |
| `revision` | Integer | No | The item's revision you last saw; refused with state_conflict if it changed. |

## 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. |
| `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. |

## Acting for a Team Member

API keys can't send `X-Orshot-User-Id` here: approvals come from the person, through their OAuth token or the Orshot app. With the header, the call gets `403 permission_denied`, code `approval.decision_person_required`. See [acting for a team member](https://orshot.com/docs/api-reference/approvals-overview#acting-for-a-team-member).

## Request

**Request**
```js
await fetch("https://api.orshot.com/v1/approval-flows/brand-and-legal/items/1/finish-edit", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
    Authorization: "Bearer <ORSHOT_API_KEY>",
    "Idempotency-Key": "<unique request id>",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    "action": "approve",
    "reviewedVersion": "5b8e2f7a-3c1d-4e9b-a6f0-7d2c8e1b4a93"
  }),
});
```

**Response**
```json
{
  "item": {
    "id": 1,
    "flow": {
      "id": 1,
      "slug": "brand-and-legal",
      "name": "Brand and legal"
    },
    "stage": {
      "id": 5,
      "slug": "approved-for-automation",
      "name": "Automation approved",
      "category": "approved",
      "color": null
    },
    "template": {
      "id": 101,
      "name": "Spring sale banner",
      "thumbnailUrl": "https://storage.orshot.com/thumbnails/101.png",
      "currentVersion": "5b8e2f7a-3c1d-4e9b-a6f0-7d2c8e1b4a93",
      "folderId": null,
      "tags": []
    },
    "reviewRound": 1,
    "revision": 7,
    "approvals": null,
    "changesRequested": null,
    "commentCount": 2,
    "canRender": {
      "image": true,
      "pdf": true,
      "video": true
    },
    "heldBack": null,
    "dueAt": null,
    "createdAt": "2026-09-28T09:30:00.000Z",
    "updatedAt": "2026-09-28T09:30:00.000Z"
  },
  "warnings": []
}
```

## Response Fields

Responds `200` with:

| Field | Type | Description |
| ----- | ---- | ----------- |
| `item` | Object | One ApprovalItem, fields below. |
| `item.id` | Integer | Numeric id. |
| `item.flow` | Object | `{ id, slug, name }`. |
| `item.stage` | Object | `{ id, slug, name, category, color }`. Color is the stage's color, null when it has none. |
| `item.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[]). |
| `item.reviewRound` | Integer | Goes up each time the template re-enters review. |
| `item.revision` | Integer | Send it back on move (state_conflict if it changed). |
| `item.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). |
| `item.changesRequested` | Object | `{ by: Person[], stage: { id, slug, name } }`. The change request it was sent back with, until it is resubmitted. Can be `null`. |
| `item.commentCount` | Integer | Comments on the template (replies included, deleted ones left out). |
| `item.canRender` | Object | `{ image, pdf, video }`. Booleans. |
| `item.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. |
| `item.dueAt` | String | ISO 8601 timestamp. Can be `null`. |
| `item.createdAt` | String | ISO 8601 timestamp. |
| `item.updatedAt` | String | ISO 8601 timestamp. |
| `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](https://orshot.com/docs/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:decide`. With `code: approval.decision_person_required`: an API key sent `X-Orshot-User-Id`. Approvals come from the person. |
| 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 | `stale_review` | The design changed while you were reviewing it. Review the latest version and try again. `current.currentVersion` is the design to review instead. |
| 409 | `state_conflict` | Someone else moved this template first. Refresh to see where it is now. `current` carries the item's revision and stage now. |
| 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.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. |