# Approval flows

Approval Flows in AgentLink let you ensure that **critical or sensitive actions** are reviewed by the right people before being executed.
They are typically used when a policy specifies an action such as **Request approval**.

For example, you can require approval from finance admins before allowing an AI agent to submit an expense above $5,000.

## How approval flows work

When an agent triggers a policy with the **Request approval** action:

1. The MCP Gateway pauses the operation.
2. An approval request is sent to designated approvers.
3. Approvers receive a notification (via Email or SMS).
4. Once approved or rejected, the request is resumed or denied automatically.


## Viewing approval flows

The **Approval Flows** screen lists all configured flows along with:

- **Flow name**
- **Description**
- **Used channels** (Email, SMS)
- **Last modified date**


You can search by name or filter by notification channel.

![approval-flows-page](/assets/approval-flow-screen.8c90ee6ab1113744e9fde75e12f196ff20fe6d88a5265d76fc084be74189754a.b925d42d.png)

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## Creating an approval flow

1. Click **Create flow** on the top-right of the Approval Flows page.
2. Complete the guided setup process consisting of four steps:


### Step 1 — General settings

Define the basic information for your approval flow.

| Field | Description |
|  --- | --- |
| **Flow name** | A unique name describing the flow (e.g., “Expense Admin Approvals”). |
| **Description** | Optional summary of what this flow is used for. |


![approval-flow-step-1](/assets/approval-flow-step-1.2e9a831128cfb67d4cca7055354cbe24402ed3711e586a45bc4942ea7bb37028.b925d42d.png)

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### Step 2 — Channel configuration

Select which communication channels will be used to notify approvers.

| Channel | Description |
|  --- | --- |
| **Email** | Sends detailed approval requests via email (recommended). |
| **SMS** | Sends short approval requests as text messages (ideal for quick mobile responses). |


You can enable one or both channels. Approvers will receive notifications through all selected methods.

![approval-flow-step-2](/assets/approval-flow-step-2.e2ba3663999c489a793d88db0d7e477acb5e83f430be7e95ecf43fa7e13049ad.b925d42d.png)

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### Step 3 — Approval management

Define who can approve requests and the approval requirements.

| Option | Description |
|  --- | --- |
| **Roles** | Select approvers by their role (e.g., Admin, Finance, Security). |
| **Emails** | Add specific approver email addresses if needed. |
| **Minimum required approvers** | Set how many approvals are needed before the action proceeds. |


You can visualize the approval path using the flow diagram on the right-hand side.

![approval-flow-step-3](/assets/approval-flow-step-3.7a8a67eaa4dd21eff34639ef872c77e2f5e5f2c8b2a4142d31e2f3919777c978.b925d42d.png)

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### Step 4 — Advanced settings

Fine-tune automation, notifications, and integrations.

| Setting | Description |
|  --- | --- |
| **Auto-approve timeout** | Automatically approve if no response within a specified duration. |
| **Send reminder** | Send follow-up notifications to approvers for pending requests. |
| **Notify requester on decision** | Notify the original user when a decision is made. |
| **CC traditional recipients** | Copy additional stakeholders on every approval decision. |


Click **Create** to finalize and activate the flow.

![approval-flow-step-4](/assets/approval-flow-step-4.2c43ed05fadf4381ec2297768f1e5d9bd81de2f178ccb9abe6958c1a862a97fb.b925d42d.png)

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## Editing and managing flows

- Click any existing flow to view or modify its settings.
- You can edit the approvers, channels, or webhook configurations at any time.
- Use the status toggle to enable or disable a flow temporarily.


## Example use case

**Policy:** "Expenses above $5000 require approval."
**Flow:** “Expense Admins”
**Channels:** Email and SMS
**Approvers:** Finance Admins
**Auto-approve timeout:** Disabled

When triggered, the system sends approval notifications to all finance admins and waits for at least one approval before proceeding.

## Related topics

- [Policies Overview](/agent-link/policies/overview)
- [Creating Policies](/agent-link/policies/creating-policies)
- [Monitoring](/agent-link/monitoring/overview)