# What are approval flows?

> Approval flows let your team approve a template before your automations render it. Templates move through stages you name.

- **URL**: https://orshot.com/docs/approval-flows/introduction

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## Why teams use approval flows

A template that feeds an automation renders at volume. Change its design, and the next run of your n8n, Make or Zapier scenario, your REST calls or your AI agent renders the new version. Approval flows put a review between the studio and those renders:

- Designers keep working in the studio. Automation renders the template only after someone approves it.
- Brand, legal or a client approve in Orshot and leave comments on the template itself.
- Your automations keep calling the same template ID. Approved stages are locked, so they render the design that was approved.

## How it works

![How an approval flow works: a template moves from Draft through Brand review and Legal review to Automation approved, and Request changes sends it back to Draft](https://orshot.com/docs/approval-flows/explainer-how-it-works.webp)

![An Approvals board with a column per stage: Draft, Brand review, Legal review and Automation approved](https://orshot.com/help/approval-flows/first-flow-3-board.webp)

A blocked render renders nothing and uses no credits. Nothing is queued, so send the render again once the template is approved. The response names the approval flow, the stage and who can approve it: see [Approval errors](https://orshot.com/docs/error-reference#approval-errors).

Automation is any render through the Orshot API: your API key and the SDKs, OAuth apps, Zapier, Make and n8n, automation workflows, the Orshot MCP server and AI agents, dynamic URLs and the Playground. Editing, previews and downloads in the studio are never blocked. See [what counts as automation](https://orshot.com/docs/approval-flows/key-terms#automation).

![What automation sees: a render returns 403 template_not_approved in Draft or review, 200 in Automation approved, and the approved design keeps rendering while it is edited](https://orshot.com/docs/approval-flows/explainer-automation.webp)

Templates that aren't in an approval flow render as they always have. A new flow starts empty, so creating one changes nothing until you add templates to it.

## Who can use it

| Where                                                                               | Plan                                                                                               |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| The Orshot app: the Approvals page, the studio, your templates and the Approvals inbox | Scale and Enterprise                                                                               |
| The Orshot MCP server, acting as the person who connected it                        | Scale and Enterprise                                                                               |
| The Approvals API, with an API key or your own OAuth app                            | Enterprise. See the [Approvals API overview](https://orshot.com/docs/api-reference/approvals-overview)                |

The Approvals API is available on Enterprise plans, or through first-party apps (the Orshot app and the Orshot MCP server).

Owners, admins and members work in approval flows with their workspace role. You can also invite outside approvers, like a client, as reviewers. See [Roles and access](https://orshot.com/docs/approval-flows/roles-and-access).

## Set up your first flow

1. Open **Approvals** in the sidebar and choose **New approval flow**.
2. Pick a preset, name the flow and choose **Create approval flow**.
3. On the board, open **Flow settings** (the gear) and go to the **Access** tab. Add the people who approve and give them **Approve** access.
4. Choose **New**, then **Add templates**, and pick the templates to review.

The Help Center walks through it step by step: [how to set up your first approval flow](https://orshot.com/help/set-up-your-first-approval-flow).

Owners and admins create approval flows. Every preset starts with **Needs approval for automation** on, and templates join by hand:

| Preset               | Stages                                                                           |
| -------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Simple approval      | Draft, In review, Automation approved                                            |
| Brand and legal      | Draft, Brand review, Design approved, Legal review, Automation approved          |
| Agency and client    | Draft, Internal review, Client review, Automation approved                       |
| Marketing production | In design, Design review, Design approved, Automation review, Automation approved |

In every preset, only 'Automation approved' lets automation render. 'Design approved' means the design is approved, but not yet for automation. You can rename, add and remove stages, and give each one a color, later on the **Stages** tab.

## Next steps

- **[Key terms](https://orshot.com/docs/approval-flows/key-terms)**: Stages, stage types, approvers and what counts as automation
- **[In the studio](https://orshot.com/docs/approval-flows/in-the-studio)**: Submit for review, approve and comment where you design
- **[Roles and access](https://orshot.com/docs/approval-flows/roles-and-access)**: Who can approve, comment and move templates
- **[Notifications](https://orshot.com/docs/approval-flows/notifications)**: The Approvals inbox, emails and the daily digest
- **[Plans and limits](https://orshot.com/docs/approval-flows/plans-and-limits)**: Flows, stages and history on each Scale tier, and what a downgrade changes
- **[How-to guides](https://orshot.com/help/set-up-your-first-approval-flow)**: Step by step in the Help Center: set up a flow, invite a client, approve