Route items through a structured approval chain (sequential or parallel) before they're considered done. Every decision is timestamped, audited, and attached to the item forever.
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What Is an Approval Workflow?
An Approval Workflow turns an item's status into a governed sign-off process. Instead of updating a status column manually, an item travels through an approval chain: each approver reviews and decides, and the outcome is recorded automatically.
1
Add an Approval column to the board
Every item then carries an approval state in that column.
2
Build the chain on it
Who approves, in what order, and how long each has.
3
Submit an item
It enters the chain and the approvers are asked.
Board view: Approval column with items in different states Beta feature. Approval Workflows must be enabled per workspace by a Super Admin in the Control Panel. If the column shows a lock icon and "Approval Workflows feature is disabled", ask your admin to enable it for your workspace.
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The Four Building Blocks
Every approval workflow is composed of the same four elements. Understanding them makes setup and troubleshooting straightforward.
An Approval column on a board Approval Column
A special column type you add to any board. Each cell tracks one item's approval state. One board can have multiple Approval columns for parallel flows (e.g., "Legal Review" and "Finance Approval").
Approval Chain
The list of approvers attached to one Approval column. Chains run in Sequential order (one after another) or Parallel (all at once). Configured per-column, not per-item.
Steps
Each step is one workspace member who must review the item. In Sequential mode, steps are numbered and must be completed in order. In Parallel mode, all approvers review simultaneously.
SLA Deadline
Each step (and the overall chain) has an optional SLA in hours. When the deadline passes without a decision, the clock turns red. Approvers can extend the deadline and must give a reason.
Column-level settings
SettingWhat it does
Require comment on rejectionApprovers must explain why they're rejecting. On by default.
Allow resubmissionSubmitters can fix the item and resubmit after rejection. On by default.
Capture version snapshotSaves item state on each submission for the audit trail. On by default.
Default SLA deadline (hours)Fallback when a step has no custom SLA. Default is 24 hours.
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Setting Up Your First Chain
Anyone with Owner or Full board access (including workspace Admins, who get Full access) can add an Approval column and configure its chain in a few steps. Editors and Viewers cannot modify chains.
Board, the approval column menu
1
Open the board. Click + at the right edge of the column headers, scroll to Approval in the column type list, and click it. The column appears with all items showing a gray Draft pill.
2
Right-click (or hover and click the three-dot menu) on the new Approval column header. In the context menu, click Approval Settings (gear icon). This opens the Configure Approval Chain modal.
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Choose a mode: Sequential (approvers review one after another, in listed order) or Parallel (all approvers review at the same time).
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Click + Add Approver. Use the Select approver dropdown to choose a workspace member. Repeat for each approver needed. In Sequential mode, drag rows to reorder them.
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Optionally set a per-step SLA in the hrs input field next to each approver. Leave it blank to use the chain's default SLA.
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Adjust the three Settings toggles at the bottom if you want non-default behavior (require comment on rejection, allow resubmission, capture version snapshot). Set the Default SLA deadline (hours), which is a number field, if needed.
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Click Save Chain. The chain is now live. All items on this board that use this Approval column will follow this chain when submitted.
Configure Approval Chain modal One chain per column. Each Approval column has exactly one chain. If you need two independent approval flows on the same board (e.g., Legal + Finance), add two Approval columns, each gets its own chain.
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Status Reference
Every item in an Approval column shows exactly one of these five statuses. The pill color immediately tells you where the item stands.
StatusWhat it means
DraftStarting state. The item has never been submitted. Only the submitter sees a Submit for Approval button. Nothing has been sent to approvers yet.
Pending ReviewIn the queue. The item has been submitted and is waiting for an approver to decide. In Sequential mode, the current step's approver is active. In Parallel mode, all approvers are active simultaneously.
ApprovedFully signed off. All approvers in the chain have approved this version of the item. The cell shows a version number (e.g., Approved v2) and is locked, no further actions.
RejectedDeclined. An approver rejected the submission. If resubmission is enabled, the submitter can fix the item and click Resubmit for Approval to start a new review cycle.
Changes RequestedRevisions needed. An approver wants changes before they'll approve. Like Rejected, the submitter can resubmit after making the requested changes. The comment field is especially useful here.
The version number (v1, v2 and so on) increments each time an item is submitted or resubmitted. It helps you track how many review cycles an item has gone through. Version 0 (Draft) doesn't show a version number.
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Submitting an Item for Approval
Any member with edit access to the board can submit an item that is in Draft status. Here is what happens step by step.
1
Locate the item on the board. Its Approval column cell shows the gray Draft pill.
2
Click the Draft pill. The popover opens with the title Submit for Approval and the description: "This item will be sent through the approval chain for review."
3
Click the blue Submit for Approval button (with the send icon). The cell immediately changes to the amber Pending Review pill.
Make sure the item is ready before submitting. If Capture version snapshot is enabled, the current item state is saved at submission time, so approvers see exactly what you submitted, even if the item is later edited.
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Reviewing: Approve, Reject, or Request Changes
When an item reaches your step in the chain, the cell shows Pending Review. Click it to open the Review & Decide popover.
The three decision buttons do the following:
DecisionWhat it does
ApproveMoves the item to the next step in a Sequential chain, or marks it Approved if all steps are done. In Parallel mode, the item is Approved only when every approver has approved.
RejectImmediately moves the item to Rejected status. If Require comment on rejection is on, a comment is mandatory before you can reject. The submitter is notified.
Request ChangesMoves the item to Changes Requested status. Like rejection but signals that the item can be revised and resubmitted. Use this instead of Reject when you want to guide rather than block.
Comment may be required. If the chain has Require comment on rejection enabled, deciding without a comment shows an error. Clicking Reject reports "Comment is required to reject", while clicking Request Changes reports "Comment is required". Write your feedback before deciding.
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Extending the Deadline
If the SLA clock has expired or is about to, an approver can extend their personal deadline without changing the item's status or restarting the chain.
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Click the Pending Review pill on the item to open the Review & Decide popover.
2
Scroll to the bottom of the popover and click the Extend Deadline button.
3
Pick how much time to add using the preset buttons (4h, 12h, 24h, or 48h) and type a required reason. Click the confirm button, which reads Extend followed by the hours you chose (for example Extend 24h), or click Cancel to back out. The new deadline is applied immediately and the extension reason is recorded in the audit trail.
Extending the deadline does not change the item's status. The item stays in Pending Review while the new clock runs. You can add anywhere from 1 to 720 hours. The extension reason is visible to all workspace members in the item's activity log.
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Chasing an approval for you
Nobody has to remember to nudge the approver.
When a step has a deadline, Gript does the chasing itself, in the app and by email.
WhenWhat happens
Before the deadlineA single reminder to the approver. On a deadline of a day or more it arrives 24 hours before; on a shorter one it arrives at the halfway point, so a four hour deadline is not reminded about three hours too late.
After the deadlineA breach notification to the approver and to the person who submitted it, repeating once a day until somebody decides.
This is the part that makes approvals actually finish. If a chain still stalls, the deadline is probably too generous rather than the reminder being too quiet.
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After Rejection: Resubmitting
If resubmission is enabled on the chain, the submitter can address the feedback and start a fresh review cycle. Each resubmission increments the version number.
1
After an approver rejects or requests changes, the Approval column cell shows the red Rejected pill or blue Changes Requested pill.
2
Click the pill. The popover opens and shows a Resubmit for Approval button instead of the Submit button.
3
Review the approver's comment in the item's activity log, then make any necessary edits to the item to address the feedback.
4
Click Resubmit for Approval. The version number increments (e.g., v1 to v2), the cell changes back to Pending Review, and the chain restarts from Step 1 in Sequential mode (or notifies all approvers again in Parallel mode).
No Resubmit button? The chain was configured with Allow resubmission turned off. In that case, resubmission requires a Board Owner to open Configure Approval Chain, toggle Allow resubmission on, then save.
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Sequential vs Parallel Chains
The two chain modes suit different approval scenarios. You can switch modes at any time in the chain settings, and the change takes effect immediately, including for items already in Pending Review.
Sequential
Approvers review one after another in listed order. Step 1 must approve before Step 2 is notified. A rejection at any step stops the chain immediately. Best for: Multi-tier sign-offs where order matters, e.g., team lead, then manager, then finance.
Parallel
All approvers are notified simultaneously and can review in any order. The item is only Approved when every approver has approved. A single rejection immediately rejects the item. Best for: Peer reviews where everyone has equal authority and speed matters.
You can switch modes at any time in Configure Approval Chain. The new mode takes effect right away: pending decisions are read against the live chain, so items already in Pending Review follow the updated mode and steps immediately. Only the item's own captured field values stay snapshotted from submission time.
BehaviourSequential vs Parallel
Simultaneous notificationsSequential: No, one at a time. Parallel: Yes, all at once.
Order mattersSequential: Yes, numbered steps. Parallel: No, any order.
Per-step SLASequential: Yes, each step has its own clock. Parallel: One shared SLA for all.
Early exit on rejectionSequential: Yes, chain stops at first rejection. Parallel: Yes, immediate rejection.
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The Audit Trail
Every approval action is recorded in the item's activity log with a timestamp, the acting user, and any comments. The log is permanent and cannot be edited or deleted.
Open any item and scroll to the Activity section. Approval events appear inline with regular comments and edits, color-coded by type. Six event types are captured:
EventWhat it means
SUBMITTEDThe item was submitted (or resubmitted) for approval. Shows the version number (v1, v2 and so on) and the name of the submitter.
APPROVEDA step approver approved the item. Shows the approver's name and any optional comment they added.
REJECTEDAn approver rejected the item. Shows the approver's name and the rejection comment (required if the chain enforces comments).
CHANGES_REQUESTEDAn approver requested changes. The submitter must revise and resubmit. Includes the approver's comment describing what needs to change.
POSTPONEDA deadline was extended. Shows the number of hours added and the mandatory reason the approver provided.
RESUBMITTEDThe submitter resubmitted after rejection or a changes request. The version number increments and the chain restarts.
If Capture version snapshot is enabled, each SUBMITTED and RESUBMITTED event includes a snapshot of the item's field values at that moment, useful for comparing what changed between submission versions.
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Approvals on the task itself
Open a task in an approval chain and its Approval section shows where it stands.
At the topWhat it tells you
Steps DoneHow far through the chain it is.
Total TimeHow long it has taken so far.
VersionWhich version is under review.
Below thoseThe decision timeline: who approved, who rejected, who asked for changes.
Where a task has been through several rounds, each version is kept, so you can look at exactly what an approver saw when they made their decision rather than at what the task says today.
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Approvals on a dashboard
An Approval Pipeline widget puts the whole picture on a dashboard.
It showsWhich answers
PendingHow many approvals are waiting.
Average time to approveHow long the process really takes.
Breach rateHow many miss their deadline.
At riskWhat is about to.
The breakdownApproved, rejected and changes requested.
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Who Can Do What
Approval actions follow the board permission system. The Approval column adds role-specific actions on top of standard board access.
ActionViewer / Editor / Full / Owner
See Approval columnViewer: Yes. Editor: Yes. Full: Yes. Owner: Yes.
Submit an item for approvalViewer: No. Editor: Yes. Full: Yes. Owner: Yes.
Resubmit after rejectionViewer: No. Editor: Yes. Full: Yes. Owner: Yes.
Approve / Reject / Request ChangesViewer: Part. Editor: Part. Full: Part. Owner: Part.
Extend deadlineViewer: Part. Editor: Part. Full: Part. Owner: Part.
View audit trailViewer: Yes. Editor: Yes. Full: Yes. Owner: Yes.
Add Approval column to boardViewer: No. Editor: No. Full: Yes. Owner: Yes.
Configure chain (approvers, mode, SLA)Viewer: No. Editor: No. Full: Yes. Owner: Yes.
Part means the action is governed by the approval chain, not by board role. Anyone with board access who is listed as an approver for the current step can approve, reject, request changes, or extend the deadline, even a Viewer. Someone who is not a listed approver for that step cannot, even an Owner. Submitting and resubmitting are different: they require Editor access or higher. Full access grants the same board-structure actions as Owner (adding the Approval column and configuring the chain); workspace Admins are treated as having Full access.
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FAQ
Common questions about Approval Workflows.
Can I have more than one Approval column on a board?
Yes. Each Approval column gets its own independent chain. Use multiple columns for parallel tracks, e.g., "Legal Review" and "Finance Approval" can both run on the same board without affecting each other.
Can I change the approval chain after items are already Pending Review?
Yes, and the change applies immediately, including to items already in-flight. Decisions are always read against the live chain, so if you add an approver, adjust an SLA, or switch modes, pending items follow the updated chain from that point on. The only thing frozen per submission is the item's own captured field values, not the chain.
What happens if an approver leaves the company?
Deactivating a user does not remove them from existing chains. Open Configure Approval Chain, remove the deactivated user, and add a replacement. Items waiting on that step stay in Pending Review until an active approver decides.
Does the SLA timer pause on weekends?
No, the SLA counts real elapsed time, not business hours. A 24-hour SLA that starts Friday evening will expire Saturday evening. Business-hour SLA is a roadmap item.
Can an approver approve their own item?
Yes, Gript does not block self-approval. If your process requires that submitters cannot approve their own items, configure the chain to exclude the submitter from the approver list.
What's the difference between "Changes Requested" and "Rejected"?
Both block the item from advancing and notify the submitter. The intent differs: Rejected means "I won't approve this"; Changes Requested means "I might approve this once X is fixed." The submitter sees the same Resubmit button for both (if resubmission is enabled).
Can I use Approval Workflows on subitems?
Not yet. The Approval column currently works on top-level items only. Subitem support is on the roadmap.
The Approval column shows a lock icon and "Approval Workflows feature is disabled."
A Super Admin must enable the feature for your workspace in the Control Panel: Settings, Admin, Feature Beta, Approval Workflows, toggle on. Contact your Super Admin if you don't have access.
Does anybody chase an approver who has not responded?
Gript does. A reminder goes out before the deadline (24 hours before, or halfway through a short one) and, once it is missed, a daily notification to both the approver and the submitter.
Can I see what the approver was actually looking at?
Yes. Every submitted version is kept, so the decision history shows the version each decision was made on, not just the current state of the task.
How do I report on approvals across a whole board?
Add the Approval Pipeline widget to a dashboard: pending, average time to approve, breach rate, and what is at risk.
