> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.mspprocess.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Approvals and manual steps
> Pause a Studio workflow until someone approves it or finishes a task by hand, then branch on the answer.
Human In The Loop pauses a run until someone approves or rejects it; Manual Step pauses it until someone marks a task done. This example asks a manager to approve a new starter's laptop, then gives the service desk a task to order it.
Approvals and manual steps: a workflow that waits for a manager's approval, branches on the answer and hands the team a task, then approving and completing it (1:29).
## Ask for approval
**1. Add the step**
Drag **Human In The Loop** from Components > Approval below your trigger and rename it `Manager approval`: later steps read its answer by name.
**2. Choose the approver and write the request**
With Approval Type Single, pick the approver in **To**. Subject and Body are what they see.
For a team, choose **Group** and a User Group from Settings > User Groups; the first answer decides.
**3. Branch on the answer**
The step carries on either way, so add a **Condition** with Condition Language Javascript, the expression `ctx.steps['Manager approval'].approved === true`, the label `Approved` and Default Branch `Rejected`.
![A Condition with Condition 1 reading ctx.steps\['Manager approval'\].approved, Label Approved, Default Branch Rejected and Condition Language Javascript.](https://mintcdn.com/triggr/XztmSfsoAUpshfIO/images/studio/workflows/approval-condition.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=XztmSfsoAUpshfIO\&q=85\&s=6a7c1c69ff041b813e97d247b741fee0)
**4. Finish both paths**
On Rejected, add a Send Email to your service desk and a Finish Workflow with Outcome Fail. Add the manual step below to Approved, then click Save.
## Add a manual step
Drag **Manual Step** from Approval onto the Approved path and fill in Title and Instructions. To collect details on completion, such as an order number, choose a Form (Optional).
## Test it
Click **Manual Trigger** and enter:
```json theme={null}
{ "firstName": "Sam", "lastName": "Taylor", "startDate": "2026-11-02", "laptop": "Dell Latitude 7450", "cost": 1150 }
```
The run stays Running at Manager approval until someone answers.
## Approve or reject
**1. Find the request**
A Single approver gets an email from `app@triggr-app.com` with a View Approval Request button. Every request is also on Approvals and under Pending Approvals on the Dashboard.
**2. Open it**
Click **View**.
**3. Approve**
Click **Approve**, then Approve to confirm.
**4. Or reject**
Click **Reject**, enter a Reason and click Reject.
Only the person named in the To field, signed in with that email, or a member of the group can decide, and decisions are final.
## What the workflow gets back
Later steps read `ctx.steps['Manager approval'].`:
| Field | Holds |
| - | - |
| `approved` | `true` or `false` |
| `approvedByUserName`, `approvedByUserEmail` | Who decided |
| `rejectionReason` | The Reason, when rejected |
| `approvals` | Each approver's `status` and `response` |
A rejected run takes the Rejected branch and ends Failed at Not approved.
## Complete a manual step
**1. Find the task**
Pending tasks are on Manual Steps and under Pending Manual Steps on the Dashboard. Nobody is assigned or emailed: add a Send Email before the step if someone should be told.
**2. Do the task**
Click **View** and follow the Instructions.
**3. Mark it complete**
Click **Complete Step**, then Complete Step to confirm. With a form, click **Complete Form** and submit it instead.
**4. Check it's done**
The task shows who completed it, and the run moves on.
The step outputs `completed`, `completedByName`, `completedByEmail` and `manualStepId`, plus `formSubmissionId` and the answers in `submission` when it has a form.
## Other approval steps
| Step | Use it to |
| - | - |
| Approval With Logging | Ask for approval with Approved and Rejected branches. Log pending approval, Log on approved and Log on rejected add notes to the run's PSA ticket, from Create Ticket or Set Ticket ID. |
| Determine Approval Type | Branch Internal, External or None for the run's client, with overrides for chosen clients. It sends nothing itself. |
## FAQ
> [accordion] “You are not the designated approver for this request”
>
> Only the person named in the To field can decide, signed in with that email. For a group it reads “You are not a member of the group that can approve this request”: add them in Settings > User Groups.
> [accordion] “Cannot approve or reject request because the workflow execution is not running”
>
> The run has ended or was terminated. Start a new run.
> [accordion] The approver didn't get an email
>
> Group requests aren't emailed: members find them on Approvals or the Dashboard. For Single, check spam for mail from `app@triggr-app.com`.
> [accordion] Can a client or someone outside Studio approve?
>
> Approvers sign in to Studio. For a client's sign-off, send them a form with an Await Form Submission step (Forms), which emails the form and waits for the answers. See [Introduction to forms](https://kb.mspprocess.com/studio/forms/introduction.md).
> [accordion] Do requests expire or send reminders?
>
> No. To withdraw one, click Terminate Run on the run; the request then shows Expired.
> [accordion] Validate warns “Field path 'approved' not found in observed output of step …”
>
> Validate only knows the output of an approval that's still waiting. Ignore it for `approved`, `approvedByUserName`, `approvedByUserEmail` and `rejectionReason`.
> [accordion] Why is my manual step green while the run is still running?
>
> A manual step shows its waiting output, `"status": "pending"`, straight away. The run stays Running until someone completes it.
> [accordion] Can someone reject a manual step?
>
> No, only complete it. To stop the run instead, click Terminate Run.
> [accordion] Can I approve or complete from another system?
>
> Yes, with a Public API key that has the Act on running work (`executions:manage`) scope: `POST /api/v1/approvals//approve` or `/reject` with `{ "actor": { "name": "Alex Morgan" }, "response": "…" }`, and `POST /api/v1/manual-steps//complete`. See [API keys and webhooks](https://kb.mspprocess.com/studio/settings/api-and-webhooks.md).
To find out why a run failed, see [Debug a failed run](https://kb.mspprocess.com/studio/workflows/debugging.md).
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