How to require approval for automation

With Needs approval for automation on, a flow's templates render for automation only from a stage that allows it, usually Automation approved. Until then, each render is blocked: nothing renders, no credits are used and nothing is queued.

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 are never blocked, including MP4 downloads from the studio and the embed editor. Key terms has the full list.

Approval flows are available on Scale and Enterprise plans.

Turn it on#

This affects live automations that use these templates, so tell your team first. Only owners, admins and people with Manage access can change it, never reviewers. In every preset, only Automation approved renders. Review stages and Design approved render nothing.

What you'll see#

• The line under the flow name reads Needs approval for automation.
• Cards in approved stages show Ready for automation or Blocked for automation.
• In the studio, the Approvals icon on the left rail gets an amber dot, and its menu says why automation is blocked.
• The template's Connect sheet says Blocked for automation until approved, and names the stage it's waiting in.
• All Renders lists a blocked render as Blocked, with the reason.
• Whoever created the template and the approvers of its stage get a "Render blocked" email, at most once a day per template.

An automation gets a 403 with a plain message it can show as it is:

{
  "error": "This template is waiting for approval in 'Brand and legal' and can't be rendered through the API yet.",
  "code": "template_not_approved",
  "message": "This template is waiting for approval in 'Brand and legal' and can't be rendered through the API yet.",
  "helpUrl": "https://orshot.com/docs/error-reference#template-not-approved"
}

The full response also lists blockers: the flow, the stage, who it waits on and the stage that would render it. See Approval errors.

Turn it off, or free one template#

Switch Needs approval for automation off on the General tab. Templates in the flow render as they did before, and the flow keeps its stages and history.

To free one template instead, open its card menu, pick Take out of this flow and click Take it out. Admins get notified. Owners, admins and team members with Manage or Approve access in the flow can do this. Reviewers can't.

A flow over your plan's limit after a downgrade blocks nothing until it's active again. See what happens after a downgrade.

Common problems#

Related#