# Approval flow

PowerTable can connect to your database live for real-time data updates and synchronization. While row and column-level access permissions ensure data integrity, you can go one step further to secure your data by setting up approval workflows.

In a team, users might need management's approval before making any data changes to ensure correctness and accuracy. There can be scenarios like multiple users accidentally changing the same data, entering incorrect values, etc. All these can be streamlined by setting up an approval workflow process in PowerTable.

## 1. Approval flow sequence

Whenever a change is made, 

:ballot\_box\_with\_check: Approvers receive an email about the change request with a link to the table.

:ballot\_box\_with\_check: Changes are indicated in the table based on how they have been set to be handled.

:ballot\_box\_with\_check: Approvers review the log in the 'Review' tab and choose which changes to approve or reject. 

:ballot\_box\_with\_check: Author is notified via email about approval or rejection.

:ballot\_box\_with\_check: Approver can also propose changes to the author.

:ballot\_box\_with\_check: Author implements or skips the suggested changes and sends it again for review.

:ballot\_box\_with\_check: Approved changes are synced to the source.

This section explains all of the above in detail.

## 2. Steps to set up approval workflow

1. [Enable Approvals in PowerTable](#id-3.-enable-approvals)
2. [Select a method to choose approvers](#id-4.-select-approvers)
3. [Set up the way to handle the changes](/explore-powertable/approval-flow/handling-changes-before-approval.md)

Once enabled, every change made by users undergoes an approval process before getting saved and synced to the source.

## **3. Enable Approvals**

You can turn on the approval workflow by following the steps below:

1. Click on **Approvals.**

<figure><img src="/files/oTjqyoH3pAI7Xo9SEwWr" alt=""><figcaption><p>Click 'Approvals'</p></figcaption></figure>

2. Click **Configure Approvals.**

<figure><img src="/files/S9lWh6Jcy4TNw27cQp6C" alt=""><figcaption><p>Configure Approvals</p></figcaption></figure>

3. Enable approvals by toggling on the highlighted button.

<figure><img src="/files/XoZNCa0GxQ9o3SAROTmJ" alt=""><figcaption><p>Enable approvals</p></figcaption></figure>

## 4. Select Approvers

The next step is to select the approvers who will review and approve any changes made to the table.&#x20;

There are three ways to select approvers.&#x20;

1. [**User Approvals:**](/explore-powertable/approval-flow/user-based-approvals.md) Manually entering the email IDs of approvers or IDs of AD groups (Active Directory Groups).
2. [**Rule-based Approvals:**](/explore-powertable/approval-flow/rule-based-approvals.md) Configuring a rule-based system to identify the approvers.
3. [**Approval using a Lookup Table:**](/explore-powertable/approval-flow/approval-using-a-lookup-table.md) Using a lookup table to establish the rules.

A detailed guide to each method is available in the upcoming sections.


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