If you’re tired of chasing down managers for proposal sign-offs, you’re not alone. Sales and ops folks spend too much time herding approvals when they should be focusing on selling or building. If you use Proposable and want to automate the approval process—without turning your workflows into a Rube Goldberg machine—this guide’s for you.
Below, I’ll walk through setting up approval automation in Proposable, call out what works (and what’s a headache), and share some tips from the trenches. You’ll walk away with a workflow that fits your team, minus the drama.
Why automate proposal approvals, anyway?
Manual approvals are slow. People forget emails. Proposals rot in inboxes. Automating approvals in Proposable means: - No more Slack reminders or “just bumping this up” emails. - The right people get notified, in the right order. - Approvals (or rejections) are tracked and auditable. - You move deals faster, with fewer mistakes.
But automation isn’t magic. If your approval chain is a mess, automating it will just make things go sideways faster. So let’s set up something that actually works.
Step 1: Map your real-world approval process
Before you touch Proposable, grab a notepad or whiteboard. List out: - Who actually needs to approve proposals? (Not just who wants to be CC’d.) - Are there different approval rules for deal size, product type, or region? - Does it need to be sequential (A, then B, then C) or can people approve in any order?
Pro tip: The fewer approvals, the faster you’ll move. If you’re not sure someone adds value, leave them out for now. You can always add them back.
Step 2: Set up your approval workflow in Proposable
Log in to Proposable and head to your account settings or admin area. Look for a section called “Approval Workflows” or “Proposal Approvals.” (The UI changes from time to time, but it’s usually under “Templates” or “Workflows.”)
Here’s the usual setup flow:
- Create a new approval workflow
- Give it a name you’ll recognize (e.g., “Enterprise Deals >$25k” or “Standard Sales”).
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Decide if this workflow applies to all proposals, or only certain ones (like high-value deals).
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Add approvers
- Enter the email addresses or usernames of people who must approve.
- Decide if approvals are sequential (one after another) or parallel (any order).
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You can also make some approvals conditional (e.g., only if discount > 20%).
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Customize approval rules
- Set triggers (e.g., “If proposal value is over $10k, add CFO to approval chain”).
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You might need to use Proposable’s “Rules” or “Conditions” features. Don’t overcomplicate it—start simple.
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Set up notifications
- Make sure approvers get emails or in-app alerts. Proposable can usually send reminders too.
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Decide if you want Slack or Teams notifications (if your account supports integrations).
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Save and test the workflow
- Don’t trust that it’ll “just work.” Create a test proposal and run it through the chain.
Heads up: If your org has weird exceptions (“Bob approves deals from the West Coast, unless it’s Q4”), try to handle those with the simplest rules possible. Don’t try to encode every edge case—it’ll drive you nuts.
Step 3: Connect proposal templates to approval workflows
Proposable lets you tie specific approval workflows to certain templates. That way, sales reps don’t have to remember which deals need which approvals.
- Edit your proposal templates.
- Look for an “Approval Workflow” or “Require Approval” option.
- Choose the right workflow for each template (e.g., all “Enterprise” templates require VP approval).
Why bother? This keeps your process consistent and avoids “I didn’t know this one needed sign-off” excuses.
Step 4: Train your team (without overwhelming them)
Even the best workflow fails if people don’t know how it works. Keep training simple: - Show sales reps how to start approvals (usually a “Send for approval” button). - Explain what happens after they hit “send”—who gets notified and how they’ll know it’s approved. - Make sure approvers know where to find proposals to review, how to approve/reject, and what happens if they do nothing (Proposable can auto-remind or escalate).
Skip the all-hands meeting: A 5-minute video or a one-page cheat sheet usually does the trick.
Step 5: Handle exceptions and bottlenecks
You’ll run into hiccups. Here’s what to watch for:
- Approvers on vacation: Proposable lets you set backup approvers or delegate approval rights. Use this, or proposals will get stuck.
- Too many approvals: If proposals pile up, rethink your chain. Most teams don’t need more than 2-3 layers.
- Forgotten notifications: Some folks miss email alerts. Encourage people to check Proposable directly or set up Slack/Teams integration.
Real talk: Automating garbage doesn’t make it smell better. If approvals still take days, get honest about whether every step is needed.
Step 6: Audit and tweak
Automation isn’t “set and forget.” Every month or so, look at: - How long approvals actually take. - Where (and why) proposals get stuck. - Whether the right people are in the loop (not just the loudest ones).
If you spot chronic slowdowns, change the workflow. Don’t be precious—if a rule doesn’t work, drop it.
What works, and what to ignore
What works well
- Simple, clear approval chains: One or two key decision-makers, tops.
- Conditional logic: If you must, trigger extra approvals only for big or risky deals.
- Automatic reminders: Cuts down on “lost in inbox” excuses.
What to skip (or at least, avoid at first)
- Multi-layer, exception-heavy chains: If you need a flowchart, you’ve gone too far.
- Manual “ad hoc” approvals: If you automate, stick with it. Don’t let people bypass the system “just this once.”
- Over-customizing templates: Start with a few templates and workflows. Add complexity only when you’re sure you need it.
Pro tips and gotchas
- Test with real users: Run a few proposals through as a salesperson and as an approver. See where people get confused.
- Document the process somewhere everyone can find it. (A Google Doc is fine—you don’t need a fancy wiki.)
- Don’t make approvals the bottleneck: If deals are urgent, make it easy to escalate.
- Watch out for “approval theater”: If people rubber-stamp everything, shrink your chain.
Wrap-up: Keep it simple, iterate fast
Automating proposal approvals in Proposable isn’t hard, but it’s easy to overcomplicate. Start with your real-world needs, set up a basic workflow, and only add rules if you must. Check back in a few weeks—if things are stuck, tweak your setup.
The goal here isn’t “perfect compliance” or a bulletproof audit trail (though you’ll get both). It’s to keep deals moving so your team can focus on what matters. Simple is better. If in doubt, cut a step and see what happens. You can always add it back.
Now, go spend less time chasing approvals—and more time closing deals.