Start Editing an Approved Template

Starts editing a template that is ready for automation, once the person picks what happens after the edit.

Updated

POST
/v1/approval-flows/{flow}/items/{item}/start-edit
curl -X POST "https://api.orshot.com/v1/approval-flows/<FLOW>/items/<ITEM>/start-edit" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <ORSHOT_API_KEY>" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "mode": "<MODE>",
    "revision": 1
  }'

Starts editing a template that is ready for automation, once the person picks what happens after the edit. Until then, design writes to it (in a locked stage that renders, like Automation approved) are refused with stage_locked, code approval.edit.choice_required. Ask the person which they want. mode keep: edit it where it is and it stays ready for automation (approvers of the stage, owners and admins only). mode review: edit it where it is, then send it to the review before its stage. mode draft: move it to Draft now, where it can be edited. With keep or review, automation keeps rendering the approved design while you edit; finish with finish editing an approved template.

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/:item/start-edit

Path Parameters#

ParameterTypeRequiredDescription
flowStringYesThe approval flow's id or slug. A number is an id, anything else a slug.
itemIntegerYesThe approval item's id (one template in one approval flow).

Request Body#

ParameterTypeRequiredDescription
modeStringYesWhat happens after the edit: keep (edit it where it is; approvers of the stage, owners and admins), review (edit it where it is, then send it to the review before its stage) or draft (move it to Draft now).
revisionIntegerNoThe item's revision you last saw; refused with state_conflict if it changed.

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.
Idempotency-KeyNoUp to 255 visible characters, unique per request. A replay within 24 hours returns the stored response with Idempotent-Replayed: true.
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/brand-and-legal/items/1/start-edit", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
    Authorization: "Bearer <ORSHOT_API_KEY>",
    "Idempotency-Key": "<unique request id>",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    "mode": "keep"
  }),
});
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": 6,
    "approvals": null,
    "changesRequested": null,
    "commentCount": 2,
    "canRender": {
      "image": true,
      "pdf": true,
      "video": true
    },
    "heldBack": null,
    "editSession": {
      "mode": "keep",
      "startedAt": "2026-09-28T09:30:00.000Z",
      "by": {
        "id": "7c1e4b2a-5d3f-4a8e-9b61-2f0d8c3e5a17",
        "name": "Sam Rivera",
        "email": "sam@acme.com",
        "role": "owner"
      }
    },
    "dueAt": null,
    "createdAt": "2026-09-28T09:30:00.000Z",
    "updatedAt": "2026-09-28T09:30:00.000Z"
  },
  "warnings": []
}

Response Fields#

Responds 200 with:

FieldTypeDescription
itemObjectOne ApprovalItem, fields below.
item.idIntegerNumeric id.
item.flowObject{ id, slug, name }.
item.stageObject{ id, slug, name, category, color }. Color is the stage's color, null when it has none.
item.templateObject{ 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.reviewRoundIntegerGoes up each time the template re-enters review.
item.revisionIntegerSend it back on move (state_conflict if it changed).
item.approvalsObject{ 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.changesRequestedObject{ by: Person[], stage: { id, slug, name } }. The change request it was sent back with, until it is resubmitted. Can be null.
item.commentCountIntegerComments on the template (replies included, deleted ones left out).
item.canRenderObject{ image, pdf, video }. Booleans.
item.movedWithoutApprovalObject{ by: Person, at: ISO date, reason }. or absent, present while the template sits where an owner or admin moved it without its approvals.
item.dueAtStringISO 8601 timestamp. Can be null.
item.createdAtStringISO 8601 timestamp.
item.updatedAtStringISO 8601 timestamp.
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: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.
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.
409state_conflictSomeone else moved this template first. Refresh to see where it is now. current carries the item's revision and stage now.
409state_conflictWith code: approval.request_in_progress: the same Idempotency-Key is still running.
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.
422validation_failedWith code: approval.idempotency_key_reused: the Idempotency-Key was used with a different request.
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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