When to Require Sales Order Approval
Sales order approval is common when orders exceed discount limits, fall below margin, involve custom pricing, or trigger credit holds. Automating this prevents deals from stalling in manual approval queues.
Step 1: Identify Approval Triggers
Common triggers: discount percentage exceeds threshold, order amount, negative margin, new customer, custom price. Document which combinations require which approver level.
Step 2: Create the Workflow
Build a workflow on Sales Order. Use conditions to branch: e.g., if discount > 15% route to sales manager; if amount > $50K route to director. Combine conditions with AND/OR logic.
Step 3: Integrate with Credit Hold
If you use credit hold, ensure the workflow doesn't fire for held orders until credit is released. Use entry points and context to avoid double-processing.
Step 4: Configure Approval Action
Initiate approval with dynamic approver: from a custom field, saved search, or script. Add rejection reason and re-submit path.
Best Practices
- Set clear discount and margin thresholds
- Exempt internal or sample orders if applicable
- Notify customer success if order is held
Need help with order-to-cash workflow design? Get in touch.