If you're working in B2B pricing and keep hitting walls because someone always needs to "sign off" before a deal moves, you're not alone. Approval hierarchies either make your life easier—or turn it into a slog. This guide is for admins or ops folks who need to set up, fix, or rethink how approvals work in Vistaar, especially for pricing decisions. No fluff, just practical steps, traps to avoid, and what actually matters.
Why Approval Hierarchies Matter (and Where They Go Wrong)
Approval flows in Vistaar aren’t just boxes to tick. Done right, they keep you in control of pricing without slowing everything down. But let’s be honest: most companies overcomplicate them. Layers of approval pile up, and suddenly deals grind to a halt.
What you want is a system that: - Routes the right deals to the right people. - Keeps most approvals automatic and only escalates exceptions. - Is easy to update when your org or policies change.
Over-engineered hierarchies? They waste time and annoy sales. Too loose? You lose control and margin. Aim for “just enough” structure.
Step 1: Get Clear on Your Approval Triggers
Before you touch Vistaar, figure out when you actually need approvals. Don’t just copy what you’ve always done—most orgs are running on legacy rules that don’t make sense anymore.
Common triggers for pricing approval: - Discount above a certain percentage - Pricing below a floor - Exception to standard terms - Big deals over a threshold
Pro tip: If you need a spreadsheet to track all your exceptions, you’ve got too many. Start simple.
What to skip:
Don’t build in approvals for every little thing. The more you automate the “easy” stuff, the more time you save for the real outliers.
Step 2: Map Out Your Approval Chain
Think through who actually needs to approve what. Fight the urge to add every VP or director “just in case.” Only add people if they can say yes—not just no.
Typical roles: - Sales manager (for small exceptions) - Pricing manager or pricing ops - Legal or finance (for big deals) - Senior exec (rare, keep this to a minimum)
Sketch it out: - Make a simple flowchart or list. For each trigger, who approves? In what order? - Look for bottlenecks: Is one person holding everything up? - Decide on escalation paths: If someone’s out on vacation, who steps in?
Common mistakes: - Too many cooks: If three people all have to approve a $500 discount, something’s off. - No backup: If the only approver is on PTO, deals stall. - Overlapping roles: If two people are basically rubber-stamping each other, trim it down.
Step 3: Set Up Approval Hierarchies in Vistaar
Now you’re ready to log in and build the actual hierarchy. Vistaar’s approval setup is flexible but not always intuitive—here’s what to focus on.
3.1 Define Approval Levels
- In Vistaar, approval levels are usually tied to user roles or job titles.
- Create clear, descriptive names (e.g., “Regional Pricing Manager Approval”).
- Don’t reuse default or generic levels unless they fit exactly.
What to avoid:
Avoid one-size-fits-all roles. If Sales and Pricing both use “Manager” but have different rules, create separate levels.
3.2 Build the Hierarchy Structure
- Go to the “Approval Hierarchies” or “Workflow” administration screen.
- For each pricing trigger (e.g., discount >10%), assign the right approval level.
- Set the sequence: Who approves first, second, etc.
- Decide if approvals are serial (one after the other) or parallel (all at once). Serial is safer for sensitive pricing; parallel is faster for routine stuff.
Pro tip:
Start with serial if you’re not sure—parallel can get messy if multiple people reject at once.
3.3 Assign Approvers
- Assign users or groups to each level.
- Use Vistaar’s group features if you want backup coverage (e.g., “All Regional Managers” rather than “Just Bob”).
- Double-check user permissions. If someone can see but not action approvals, you’ll get stuck.
3.4 Configure Notifications
- Set up email or in-app notifications so approvers know when they need to act.
- Don’t spam everyone with every request—target notifications to the right people.
- Enable reminders or escalations if approvals sit too long.
What to ignore:
Don’t bother customizing notification templates unless users actually read them. Most folks just want the link and the basics.
Step 4: Test With Real-World Scenarios
Don’t trust that your hierarchy works just because it “looks right” in Vistaar. Test it with actual deals:
- Submit pricing requests for each scenario (small discount, big exception, etc.).
- Check that the right people get notified and can approve or reject.
- Make sure there’s a clear audit trail (you’ll need this when someone inevitably asks who approved what).
Common gotchas: - Approval loops: If your hierarchy points back to itself, requests can get stuck. - Orphaned requests: If roles change and someone leaves, deals can get stranded. - Notification fatigue: Approvers ignore emails if they get too many.
Step 5: Maintain and Adjust as You Go
Approval hierarchies are never “set it and forget it.” Companies change, people move around, and policies evolve.
- Review approval logs every quarter. Are deals backing up? Are rules being bypassed?
- Update approvers when people change roles.
- Trim steps if you see bottlenecks, or add them if you’re seeing too many errors slip through.
What works:
Keep the structure flat and simple. The more layers you add, the slower everything moves.
What doesn’t:
Overbuilding for rare edge cases. Handle the weird stuff manually. Don’t let outliers dictate your day-to-day process.
Pro Tips and Real-World Advice
- Start with the 80/20: Build for the most common cases first. Handle exceptions outside the system until you spot a real pattern.
- Document the “why”: Keep a short doc on what each approval step is for. It’ll save you headaches when people ask “is this really needed?”
- Resist the urge to over-automate: Automation is great, but when approvals get too locked-down, you just create workarounds.
- Train your team: Make sure everyone knows how to request, approve, and escalate. A good hierarchy is useless if no one follows it.
Keep It Simple (and Fix Fast When It Breaks)
Approval hierarchies in Vistaar can either keep pricing under control or turn into a bureaucratic black hole. Start with what’s essential, keep the lines short, and be ready to adapt. The best systems are the ones people barely notice—they just work. When things get clunky, don’t wait. Trim, tweak, and move on. That’s how you keep deals moving and margins healthy.