An approval workflow works when every request reaches an accountable decision maker with enough context. Design the return, delegation, and timeout paths at the same time as approval, because that is where many items otherwise become hard to trace.
Define the request and the approver rule
List the fields the reviewer needs to decide, such as the type of request, requester, scope, and relevant evidence. Identify the rule that selects the approver and who maintains it. Decide how delegation works during an absence and when a request needs more than one decision.
Keep returns and timeouts explicit
A return should tell the requester what to correct and where the corrected version goes. Specify what happens when nobody responds and who sees reminders. Distinguish an expired request from a rejection. Preserve the current request and its version so a correction cannot silently inherit approval for different content.
Test the decision trail
Run a sample approval, a return, a delegated decision, and an overdue request. Check that the outcome, actor, and version are visible to the people who need them. Ensure the action that follows approval matches the decision and is performed once. Define the recovery path if a notification or downstream update fails.
Example
Route one purchase request to a team lead and then finance, with a timed return path.
What to do next
Before launch, check that an operator can explain who owns a waiting request and reconstruct what was approved.