How Does Delegated Approver Work in Salesforce?

A delegated approver in Salesforce acts as an alternate approver, ensuring that critical approval processes continue smoothly even when the primary approver is unavailable.

A delegated approver is an alternate approver designated to receive and act upon approval requests when the original, primary approver is out of office, on leave, or otherwise unable to respond. When configured, this user receives the same approval requests as the original approver, acting as a backup to prevent bottlenecks in important business workflows. This mechanism is crucial for maintaining business continuity and efficiency in organizations using Salesforce.

Key Functionalities and Limitations

Delegated approvers streamline operations but come with specific functionalities and limitations that define their role:

Receives Requests: A delegated approver automatically receives a copy of all approval requests that are sent to the primary approver. This ensures that no request is missed or delayed due to the primary approver's absence.
Actionable: They can directly approve or reject approval requests, just like the primary approver. This empowers them to keep workflows moving forward.
No Reassignment: A key distinction is that delegated approvers don't have the ability to reassign approval requests to another user. Their role is to act on the request themselves, not to redirect it to someone else.
Temporary or Permanent: While often used for temporary absences, a delegated approver can be set up for an indefinite period, providing flexibility in staffing and process management.

Why Utilize Delegated Approvers?

Implementing delegated approvers offers several advantages for organizations:

Business Continuity: Prevents delays in critical processes such as expense reports, discount approvals, contract reviews, or project sign-offs if the primary approver is on vacation, sick leave, or otherwise unavailable.
Efficiency: Ensures that approvals don't pile up, keeping workflows moving and preventing productivity dips and bottlenecks.
Flexibility: Provides an agile solution for managing approvals during staff transitions, unexpected absences, or peak workload periods.
Risk Mitigation: Reduces the risk of missed deadlines or stalled projects that could occur due to an unavailable approver, safeguarding important business outcomes.

How to Set Up a Delegated Approver in Salesforce

Setting up a delegated approver is typically done within a user's personal settings or by an administrator.

Access User Settings:
- For Users: Click your profile icon in the top right corner > Settings (or My Settings) > search for Approval Request Settings.
- For Administrators: Navigate to Setup > Users > Users, then click on the name of the primary user for whom you want to assign a delegated approver.
Locate Delegated Approver Field: On the user's detail page or within the approval request settings, find the "Delegated Approver" field.
Select User: Use the lookup icon to search for and select the Salesforce user who will serve as the delegated approver.
Save Changes: Ensure you save your settings to activate the delegated approver.

Note: Ensure the delegated approver has the necessary permissions and access to the relevant objects and records involved in the approval process. For more detailed instructions, refer to the Salesforce documentation on setting up delegated approvers.

Considerations and Best Practices

To maximize the effectiveness of delegated approvers, consider the following:

Permissions are Key: Always verify that the delegated approver has the appropriate permissions and access to the records and objects involved in the approval process. Without these, they won't be able to view or act on requests effectively.
Clear Communication: Inform both the primary approver and the delegated approver about the setup, expectations, and the types of requests they might receive.
Regular Review: Periodically review delegated approver assignments, especially during organizational changes, long-term absences, or employee transitions, to ensure they remain relevant and accurate.
One-to-One Assignment: Typically, a user can have only one delegated approver assigned at a time.
Notification Settings: Ensure both primary and delegated approvers have their notification settings configured correctly to receive alerts for pending approval requests.

Delegated Approver at a Glance

Feature	Primary Approver	Delegated Approver
Receives Requests	Yes	Yes (receives the exact same requests as primary)
Can Approve/Reject	Yes	Yes
Can Reassign Request	Yes (to another user)	No (cannot reassign requests)
Setup Location	Directly assigned in approval process steps	Configured in the primary approver's user settings
Primary Purpose	Main decision-maker for the approval step	Backup or alternate to maintain workflow continuity