How to implement advanced approval workflows in Tacton for custom orders

If you’re wrestling with custom orders in Tacton and your approval process has gotten out of hand, you’re not alone. Most CPQ systems make it tough to model complex, real-world approval flows—especially when you need something more nuanced than “manager hits approve.” This guide digs into how to actually implement advanced approval workflows in Tacton, what’s worth your time, what’s usually a waste, and how to avoid painting yourself into a corner.

Who’s this for?

  • Tacton admins and power users, usually in manufacturing or engineering companies, tasked with supporting custom orders.
  • Anyone who’s realized that “out of the box” approval flows don’t cut it when things get complicated.
  • Folks who value pragmatism over perfection.

Let’s get to it.

1. Map Out Your Actual Approval Needs

Before you even log in to Tacton, you need to get painfully specific about what you actually want your workflow to do. Tacton is powerful, but it’s not magic—and ambiguous requirements are workflow kryptonite.

Start here:

  • List approval triggers. When does an order need approval? (e.g., discount > 20%, non-standard materials, region-specific rules)
  • Who approves what? Map out all the roles: sales, engineering, finance, legal, etc.
  • What’s conditional? Does the workflow change based on order value, product type, or customer segment?
  • What’s the fallback? Who approves if someone’s out sick or on vacation?

Pro tip: Sketch it on paper or with a flowchart tool first. If you can’t draw it, you can’t build it.

What NOT to do:
Don’t just replicate your old process in software. Ask if every approval step is actually needed, or if it’s just “how we’ve always done it.”

2. Get Friendly With Tacton’s Workflow Engine

Tacton’s workflow engine is flexible, but the interface can be a little opaque if you’re new. Here’s what matters:

  • Approval Steps are the building blocks. Each step can have conditions, assigned users/groups, and actions.
  • Conditions let you route orders based on logic (e.g., “if price > $50k, send to finance”).
  • Parallel vs. Sequential: You can have approvals run in parallel (all at once) or sequential (in order).
  • Escalations and reminders can be built in, but require some setup.

What works:
Tacton’s workflow editor is drag-and-drop, but don’t expect it to catch logic errors for you. If you create a loop or a dead end, it won’t warn you—you’ll find out the hard way.

What to ignore:
Don’t get bogged down in the “template” workflows unless you’re genuinely starting from scratch. They’re fine for demos, but not for real-world complexity.

3. Build a Basic Approval Flow (and Test It)

Let’s start small. Build the most basic version of your process and make sure it works. This way, you’ll catch configuration issues before things get complicated.

  1. Create a New Workflow.
  2. In Tacton Admin, go to the Workflow section and create a new workflow for your custom order process.
  3. Add an Approval Step.
  4. Assign it to a test user or group (e.g., Sales Manager).
  5. Set a simple condition (e.g., “Order Value > $10,000”).
  6. Define Actions.
  7. What happens when approved or rejected? (Move to next step, send notification, etc.)
  8. Test with a Sample Order.
  9. Run through the process—does the assigned user get notified? Can they approve/reject? Does it move to the next step?

Pro tip:
Use a dummy product and a test user account. Don’t test on live orders unless you like chaos.

4. Add Complexity: Conditional Routing and Multiple Approvers

Once your basic flow works, you can start layering in the real-world stuff.

Conditional Routing

  • Example: If a configuration includes a non-standard part, route to engineering for approval.
  • In the workflow step, set a condition based on product attributes or order metadata.
  • Tacton uses its own logic syntax—double-check field names and operators.

Multiple Approvers

  • Parallel Approvals: For cases where engineering, finance, and legal all need to sign off, set up parallel approval steps.
  • Sequential Approvals: Sometimes, approvals need to happen in order (e.g., sales manager first, then regional director).
  • Any vs. All: Decide if all approvers must say “yes” or if one approval is enough.

What works:
Conditional routing is robust, but debugging complex conditions can be painful. Test each condition with real data, not just what you think should work.

What to ignore:
Don’t try to automate human judgment. If a step always devolves into a phone call, automate the notification—not the decision.

5. Handle Escalations, Delegations, and Timeouts

Real life isn’t neat. People forget to approve things, go on vacation, or miss emails. Plan for it.

  • Escalations: Set timeout rules (e.g., if no response in 48 hours, escalate to next manager).
  • Delegation: Let users assign temporary delegates in Tacton, so orders don’t get stuck.
  • Reminders: Configure automatic reminders for pending approvals.

Pro tip:
Keep escalation logic simple. Overcomplicating this is a great way to create bottlenecks you won't notice until quarter-end.

6. Integrate With External Systems (When You Have To)

Tacton can trigger webhooks or send data to other systems (like ERP, CRM, or email). Only do this if it actually saves work or eliminates a manual step.

  • Common integrations:
    • Send approved orders to ERP for booking.
    • Notify external stakeholders via email or Slack.
    • Log approvals in a compliance system.

What works:
Out-of-the-box connectors are fine for basic needs. For anything else, budget time for scripting and debugging. APIs are as reliable as the weakest system in the chain.

What to ignore:
Don’t integrate just because you can. If nobody actually uses the data, skip it.

7. Train, Document, and Iterate

The best approval workflow is useless if nobody knows how to use it, or if you never update it as your business changes.

  • Train your users. Walk them through the workflow with real scenarios—not just a slide deck.
  • Document the “why.” Write down the logic behind each approval step. Future you (or your replacement) will thank you.
  • Iterate. Review the process after a few weeks. What’s working? Where are things stuck? Fix what’s broken.

Pro tip:
If people start emailing around the system, take it as a sign the workflow needs tweaking—not that they need more training.

Honest Takes and Gotchas

  • Don’t overengineer. The more steps and rules you add, the higher the odds something breaks or users find workarounds.
  • Testing is tedious, but essential. Test every path, including rejections, timeouts, and rare exceptions.
  • Version control is weak. Tacton’s workflow versioning is basic. Keep your own change log somewhere else.
  • User roles matter. If your approval logic depends on user roles, double-check your user directory. Permissions issues are a top source of “it’s not working” complaints.
  • Audit trails are decent, not perfect. If you need ironclad compliance logs, consider exporting approvals to a backup system.

Keep It Simple, Tune As You Go

Complex approval workflows in Tacton are totally doable, but don’t fall into the trap of trying to solve every edge case on day one. Build the simplest version that works, get feedback from real users, and adjust. The more you iterate, the less you’ll hate your workflow six months from now.

If you run into a wall, step back and ask: is this a process problem or a software problem? Nine times out of ten, it’s the former. Stay pragmatic, keep your users in the loop, and don’t be afraid to throw out what isn’t working. Good luck.