Approval Workflows | ReturnMate Help Centre

Approval workflows allow you to require manual review for certain returns before they proceed. This guide covers setting up single and multi-step approval processes.

When to Use Approvals

Common scenarios requiring approval:

Scenario	Reason
High-value items	Verify before issuing large refunds
Warranty claims	Validate warranty eligibility
Frequent returners	Review potential abuse
Out-of-policy returns	Exception handling
Quality issues	Investigate product defects
Exchange requests	Confirm stock availability

Approval Types

Single Approval

One person reviews and decides:

RMA Created → Pending Approval → Approved/Rejected

Multi-Level Approval

Sequential approvals from different roles:

RMA Created → Level 1 (Agent) → Level 2 (Manager) → Approved

Parallel Approval

Multiple approvers review simultaneously:

RMA Created → [Quality + Finance review together] → Approved

Configuring Approval Rules

Step 1: Create Approval Rule

Go to Settings → Approvals → Create Rule

Rule Name: "High Value Returns"
Trigger Condition: Refund amount > $200

Step 2: Define Approvers

Specify who can approve:

Approver Type: Role-based
Roles that can approve:
  - Manager
  - Admin
  - Owner

Or specify individuals:

Approver Type: Specific users
Users:
  - manager@company.com
  - supervisor@company.com

Step 3: Set Approval Requirements

Approvals required: 1
Timeout: 48 hours
Timeout action: Escalate to Admin

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Approval Rule Configuration

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Setting up an approval rule

Approval Rule Examples

High-Value Refund Approval

Condition: Refund amount > $300
Approver: Manager or higher
Timeout: 24 hours
On timeout: Escalate to Admin

Warranty Claim Review

Condition: Return reason = "Warranty"
Approver: Warranty Team
Required documents: Proof of purchase
Timeout: 72 hours
On timeout: Auto-reject with message

Frequent Returner Review

Condition: Customer returns in 90 days > 3
Approver: Loss Prevention Team
Notes required: Yes
Timeout: 48 hours

Out-of-Window Returns

Condition: Days since order > 30
Approver: Customer Service Manager
Exception reason required: Yes
Timeout: 24 hours

Multi-Level Approval (High Risk)

Condition:
  - Refund > $500 AND
  - Customer returns > 5

Level 1: Customer Service Manager
Level 2: Finance Manager
Both must approve

The Approval Process

For Reviewers

When an RMA requires approval:

Notification - Email/dashboard alert
Review - See RMA details, history, customer data
Decision - Approve, reject, or request info
Notes - Document reasoning

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Approval Queue

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Reviewing pending approvals

Approval Actions

Action	Result
Approve	RMA proceeds to next step
Reject	RMA denied, customer notified
Request Info	Customer asked for more details
Escalate	Passed to higher authority
Reassign	Transferred to another approver

For Customers

Customers see approval status in their portal:

Your return is being reviewed

Status: Awaiting Approval
Submitted: December 30, 2024
Estimated review time: 1-2 business days

We will email you once a decision is made.

Approval Queue Management

Queue Dashboard

Access at Returns → Approvals

Filter by:

Pending my approval
All pending
Approved today
Rejected today
Escalated

Bulk Actions

Select multiple pending approvals:

Approve all selected
Reject all selected
Reassign to user
Export for review

Assignment Rules

Auto-assign approvals:

Round Robin: Distribute evenly across team
Least Busy: Assign to person with fewest pending
Skill-based: Match to specialist (warranty to warranty team)
Random: Equal distribution over time

Notifications

Configure approval notifications:

For Approvers

Event	Notification
New approval assigned	Email + Dashboard
Approaching timeout	Email reminder
Escalation received	Email + Slack
Approval overdue	Manager notification

For Customers

Event	Notification
Pending review	Email confirmation
Info requested	Email with form link
Approved	Email with next steps
Rejected	Email with reason

SLA Tracking

Monitor approval performance:

Metric	Target	Tracking
Time to first review	< 4 hours	Dashboard widget
Average approval time	< 24 hours	Weekly report
Timeout rate	< 5%	Monthly review
Approval rate	Varies	Trend analysis

SLA Escalation

If not reviewed in 4 hours:
  → Send reminder to approver

If not reviewed in 8 hours:
  → Notify team lead

If not reviewed in 24 hours:
  → Auto-escalate to manager
  → Mark as overdue

Approval History

All approvals are logged:

RMA-2024-001234 Approval History

Dec 30, 14:22 - Created, sent to approval queue
Dec 30, 14:25 - Assigned to john@company.com
Dec 30, 15:10 - John requested additional info
Dec 30, 16:45 - Customer provided info
Dec 30, 17:02 - John approved
  Note: "Verified warranty valid, approved replacement"

Approval Analytics

Track approval patterns:

Report	Insight
Approval rate by reason	Which reasons need review?
Time to approve by team	Team efficiency
Rejection reasons	Common denial causes
Escalation frequency	Process bottlenecks

Access at Reports → Approvals

Integration with Automations

Combine approvals with automations:

Trigger: RMA Approved
Conditions: Approval level = Manager
Actions:
  - Generate shipping label
  - Send label email
  - Update Shopify order note
  - Create Gorgias ticket

Trigger: RMA Rejected
Conditions: -
Actions:
  - Send rejection email
  - Add internal note
  - Update analytics

Best Practices

Only require approval when necessary
Set realistic timeout periods
Have clear escalation paths
Train approvers on criteria
Document approval decisions
Monitor SLA compliance
Review approval rules quarterly

Keep It Simple

Start with minimal approval requirements. Add more as you identify specific needs. Too many approvals slow down processing and frustrate customers.