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Setting up an approval process

Create a Quote Rule with the Approval outcome, then build a HubSpot workflow that requests approval and publishes the quote.

Overview

Section titled “Overview”

An approval process has two parts. First you create a Quote Rule with the Approval outcome so the right quotes move to Pending approval. Then you build a HubSpot workflow that sends the request to the right people and publishes the quote after they sign off.

Build a quote-based workflow whenever your HubSpot portal supports quote workflows — Quote appears as an object when you create a workflow from scratch. Use an app event workflow triggered by Quote Submitted for Approval only if the portal cannot create quote-based workflows. Use Request Quote Approval (v2) and Publish the Quote in either case. The older Request Quote Approval action is deprecated and remains quote-only.

Prerequisites

Section titled “Prerequisites”
  • An Admin role in Quotivity Studio
  • Licensed Quotivity users who will approve quotes (Admin or Sales Rep)
  • HubSpot permission to create workflows

Create the Quote Rule

Section titled “Create the Quote Rule”
  1. Create a new Quote Rule. In Quotivity Studio, open Quote Rules and start a new rule. Give it a clear name like “Approval — discount over 20%.” Approvers see the rule name on the review screen.
  2. Set the conditions that should trigger approval. Add the conditions that define a quote worth reviewing — for example, a discount above a threshold, a total over a certain amount, or a specific product or term. the Quote Rule editor with the Conditions panel set to a discount threshold
  3. Choose the Approval outcome. Set the rule’s outcome to Approval so a qualifying quote moves to Pending approval instead of publishing.
  4. Choose who approves at the rule level. Assign the approval queue that should receive the request. The HubSpot workflow still names the actual approver emails in Request Quote Approval (v2). Using a queue keeps each workflow’s enrollment simple: you filter on the queue instead of re-creating the Quote Rule conditions in HubSpot.
  5. Decide how multiple approval rules combine (optional). If several approval rules can match the same quote, you can choose to apply only the first matching approval rather than stacking every match.
  6. Prompt the rep for an explanation (optional). Turn this on if you want the rep to add a short note when they submit. Approvers see that note on the review screen.
  7. Configure notifications. Make sure your team is told when approvals are requested, approved, and rejected. See Approval notifications via email and Slack.
  8. Save and activate the rule. Quotes that meet the conditions now wait in Pending approval until a HubSpot workflow requests review and publishes.

Choose a HubSpot workflow type

Section titled “Choose a HubSpot workflow type”

Use a quote-based workflow if your portal supports it. Use an app event workflow only when quote-based workflows are not available.

Use Request Quote Approval (v2) in both approaches. The workflow pauses on that action until an approver decides. You can stack several of those actions for multi-stage review. Always put Publish the Quote after every Request Quote Approval action.

Approach When to use it Quote ID
Quote-based workflow Your portal supports quote workflows. Enroll quotes when Internal quote status is any of Pending approval Leave Quote ID blank — the enrolled quote is used
App event workflow Required only when the portal does not support quote-based workflows. Starts from the Quote Submitted for Approval app event on the deal Required. Map it from the event’s Quote ID property

The app event is associated with the deal, not the quote record, so HubSpot enrolls the deal. That’s why Quote ID is required on both Request Quote Approval (v2) and Publish the Quote. Map it from the event’s Quote ID token the same way on each action — Submit Quote uses that same optional Quote ID field in validation workflows. The event does not include the approval queue name. If you route different queues to different people, a quote-based workflow filtered by Approval Queue is the better split.

Quote-based workflow

Section titled “Quote-based workflow”
  1. In HubSpot, create a quote-based workflow. Go to Automation → Workflows, create a workflow from scratch, and choose Quote as the object.
  2. Set enrollment. Enroll quotes that meet custom conditions: Internal quote status is any of Pending approval. Optionally add and criteria for Approval Queue if each queue should use its own workflow. Turn re-enrollment on so the same quote can enter again after a rejection and resubmit. Quote workflow trigger enrolling quotes when Internal quote status is any of Pending approval, then Request Quote Approval v2 and Publish the Quote
  3. Set unenrollment (recommended). Unenroll when Internal quote status is none of Pending approval, so a decided or recalled quote doesn’t keep running.
  4. Add Request Quote Approval (v2). Choose one or more licensed Quotivity users as approvers. Leave Quote ID blank — this is a quote-based workflow, so HubSpot already has the enrolled quote. Fill Quote ID only on non-quote workflows. Request Quote Approval v2 on a quote workflow with Quote ID left as Select a property and an approver chosen
  5. Add more Request Quote Approval (v2) actions if you need stages. Each action is another required sign-off. The workflow does not move on until that stage is approved. Leave Quote ID blank on each action.
  6. Add Publish the Quote last. Leave Quote ID blank. This action must sit after every Request Quote Approval action. If you publish first, the approval process will not run as intended.
  7. Turn the workflow on. Submit a test quote that matches the Quote Rule and confirm the request goes out and the quote publishes after approval.

App event workflow

Section titled “App event workflow”

Skip this section if your portal supports quote-based workflows.

Quotivity writes the Quote Submitted for Approval app event to the HubSpot deal when an approval rule holds a quote. HubSpot enrolls the deal, so you must set Quote ID on Request Quote Approval (v2) and Publish the Quote.

  1. Create a workflow. In HubSpot, go to Automation → Workflows and create a workflow from scratch.
  2. Open App events. In the trigger panel, expand Custom events & external events and select App events (When a connected app sends data to HubSpot). HubSpot trigger panel with Custom events and external events expanded and App events selected
  3. Choose Quote Submitted for Approval. Search if you need to, then under the Quotivity app select Quote Submitted for Approval. The event is associated with Deal. Don’t pick older events such as requestApproval. Choose an app event list under Quotivity with Quote Submitted for Approval selected
  4. Confirm the start trigger. HubSpot shows the event as completed any number of times anytime. The installed app name appears as a prefix — for example Quotivity: Quote Submitted for Approval has been completed any number of times anytime. Start when this happens showing the Quote Submitted for Approval app event in Group 1
  5. Turn Re-enroll on. Continue through Eligible records. On Settings, turn Re-enroll on so deals re-enroll when the event happens again. Workflow Settings with Re-enroll turned on for deals
  6. Add Request Quote Approval (v2). Click + to add an action. Search under Integrated apps, then under Quotivity select Request Quote Approval (v2). Choose an action panel searching request approval under Integrated apps, with Request Quote Approval v2 listed
  7. Set Quote ID from the event. Click Quote ID, then in All data tokens open Trigger & event data and select Quotivity: Quote Submitted for Approval. Click the Quote ID token. Do not leave Quote ID blank — the enrolled record is the deal. Request Quote Approval v2 with Quote ID selected and Trigger and event data showing Quotivity Quote Submitted for Approval All data tokens open on Quote Submitted for Approval with the Quote ID token highlighted
  8. Choose licensed Quotivity approvers. If you add several approvers on one action, any one of them can complete that stage.
  9. Add more Request Quote Approval (v2) actions if you need stages. Map Quote ID the same way on each action. Each action is another required sign-off.
  10. Add Publish the Quote last. Find it under Integrated apps → Quotivity. Map Quote ID from the same event token — the steps match Request Quote Approval (v2). This action must sit after every Request Quote Approval action. Deal workflow with Quote Submitted for Approval enrollment, then Request Quote Approval v2, then Publish the Quote
  11. Turn the workflow on. Submit a test quote that matches the Quote Rule and confirm the deal gets the app event, the workflow enrolls, and the quote publishes after approval.

Event enrollment only catches events that happen after the workflow is turned on. It does not backfill quotes that were already pending.

Examples

Section titled “Examples”
  • Discount guardrail (quote-based). Quote Rule: line item discount over 20%, approval queue “Sales ops.” HubSpot quote workflow enrolls when Internal quote status is Pending approval (and optionally that queue), requests review from sales-ops users, then publishes. Leave Quote ID blank.
  • App event fallback. Your portal cannot create quote workflows. Trigger on Quote Submitted for Approval, map Quote ID from the event, request approval, then publish.

Tips

Section titled “Tips”
  • Keep Quote Rule conditions tight so approvers are not flooded.
  • Name rules so the trigger is obvious — approvers see the name on the review screen.
  • Use Request Quote Approval (v2), not the deprecated Request Quote Approval action.
  • Prefer a quote-based workflow whenever your portal supports it. Use the app event path only when quote workflows are unavailable.
  • Never place Publish the Quote before the last Request Quote Approval action.
Section titled “Related articles”