# Update a Stage

> Renames a stage or changes its color (null for none), category or rules (partial rules are merged).

- **URL**: https://orshot.com/docs/api-reference/approvals-stages-update

---

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

Renames a stage or changes its color (null for none), category or rules (partial rules are merged). Changing which outputs a stage renders takes effect for every template in it. Reviewers can't change stages.

## Endpoint

```markdown tab="Endpoint"
https://api.orshot.com/v1/approval-flows/:flow/stages/:stage
```

## 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. |
| `stage` | String | Yes | The stage's id or slug. A number is an id, anything else a slug. |

## Request Body

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --------- | ---- | -------- | ----------- |
| `name` | String | No | Display name. Up to 80 characters. |
| `color` | String | No | The stage's color, on its chips and the dot on its board column. Leave it out or send null for no color (the default): a plain chip. One of `subtle`, `blue`, `green`, `amber`, `rose`, `orange`, `purple`. Can be `null`. |
| `category` | String | No | One of `open`, `review`, `approved`, `done`, `rejected`, `archived`. |
| `rules` | Object | No | Stage rules to change (partial). |

### `rules`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --------- | ---- | -------- | ----------- |
| `editable` | Boolean | No | The design can be edited while the template is in this stage. |
| `render` | Object | No | Output kinds the render API may produce from this stage. |
| `enter` | Object | No | Fields in the table below. |
| `approval` | Object | No | Fields in the table below. |
| `next` | Object | No | Fields in the table below. |
| `onEdit` | String | No | One of `require_reapproval`, `keep_approved_rendering`. |
| `dueHours` | Integer | No | From 1 to 8760. Can be `null`. |

### `rules.render`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --------- | ---- | -------- | ----------- |
| `image` | Boolean | No |  |
| `pdf` | Boolean | No |  |
| `video` | Boolean | No |  |

### `rules.enter`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --------- | ---- | -------- | ----------- |
| `from` | String or Array | No | Stages a template may come from: "any" or a list of stage slugs. Must be `"any"`. Up to 50 items. |
| `requireComment` | Boolean | No | Moving a template here needs a comment. |
| `requires` | String | No | The grant a manual move into this stage needs. One of `contribute`, `decide`. |

### `rules.approval`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --------- | ---- | -------- | ----------- |
| `mode` | String | No | One of `any`, `all`, `count`. |
| `count` | Integer | No | From 1 to 50. |
| `allowSelf` | Boolean | No | The person who submitted may approve (owners and admins always may). |
| `perOutput` | Boolean | No | Approvals name the output kinds they cover. |
| `allowConditions` | Boolean | No | Approvers may attach field limits to an approval. |

### `rules.next`

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --------- | ---- | -------- | ----------- |
| `onApproved` | String | No | Can be `null`. |
| `onChangesRequested` | String | No | Can be `null`. |

## 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. |
| `X-Session-Id` | No | Groups 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](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/developers/stages/code-review", {
  method: "PATCH",
  headers: {
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
    Authorization: "Bearer <ORSHOT_API_KEY>",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    "name": "QA review"
  }),
});
```

**Response**
```json
{
  "stage": {
    "id": 8,
    "slug": "code-review",
    "name": "QA review",
    "color": null,
    "category": "review",
    "rules": {
      "editable": false,
      "render": {
        "image": false,
        "pdf": false,
        "video": false
      },
      "enter": {
        "from": "any",
        "requireComment": false,
        "requires": "contribute"
      },
      "approval": {
        "mode": "any",
        "count": 1,
        "allowSelf": false,
        "perOutput": false,
        "allowConditions": false
      },
      "next": {
        "onApproved": null,
        "onChangesRequested": null
      },
      "onEdit": "require_reapproval",
      "dueHours": null
    },
    "sortKey": "n",
    "archivedAt": null
  },
  "warnings": [
    {
      "path": "stages[1].rules.next.onApproved",
      "code": "no_next_stage",
      "message": "\"QA review\" keeps approved templates in place"
    }
  ]
}
```

## Response Fields

Responds `200` with:

| Field | Type | Description |
| ----- | ---- | ----------- |
| `stage` | Object | One ApprovalStage, fields below. |
| `stage.id` | Integer | Numeric id. |
| `stage.slug` | String |  |
| `stage.name` | String | Display name. |
| `stage.color` | String | One of `subtle`, `blue`, `green`, `amber`, `rose`, `orange`, `purple`. The color of the stage's chips and of the dot on its board column. A stage has none by default (null): a plain chip, no dot. Can be `null`. |
| `stage.category` | String | One of `open`, `review`, `approved`, `done`, `rejected`, `archived`. |
| `stage.rules` | Object | Stage rules v1 with every default filled. |
| `stage.sortKey` | String | Position in its list, as sortable text. |
| `stage.itemCount` | Integer |  |
| `stage.archivedAt` | String | ISO 8601 timestamp. Can be `null`. |
| `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: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`. |
| 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. |
| 422 | `validation_failed` | Some fields aren't valid: the fields listed in issues. `issues` lists each field with a path and a reason. |
| 422 | `no_approver` | Nobody would be able to approve in the 'the stage' stage. Keep at least one approver there. |
| 422 | `validation_failed` | With `code: approval.member_header_invalid`: `X-Orshot-User-Id` isn't a user id. |
| 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. |