# Approval Flows

Approval Flows represent the entire approval process for an Order within a Business Unit and contain information about the status of approvals, rejections, and the Associates involved in the process.

Approval Flows are automatically generated when a new [Order](https://docs.commercetools.com/api/projects/orders.md) matches any defined [Approval Rules](https://docs.commercetools.com/api/projects/approval-rules.md#approvalrule).

An Approval Flow, along with its corresponding Order, achieves full approval once all necessary approvers, as per individual [rule approver hierarchies](https://docs.commercetools.com/api/associates-overview.md#buyer-approval-flows), from all its Approval Rules, give their approval. However, a single instance of rejection will lead to the rejection of the entire Approval Flow.

## Representations

#### ApprovalFlow

See API type definition [ApprovalFlow](https://docs.commercetools.com/api/projects/approval-flows.md?urn=ctp%3Aapi%3Atype%3AApprovalFlow).

#### ApprovalFlowPagedQueryResponse

See API type definition [ApprovalFlowPagedQueryResponse](https://docs.commercetools.com/api/projects/approval-flows.md?urn=ctp%3Aapi%3Atype%3AApprovalFlowPagedQueryResponse).

#### ApprovalFlowStatus

See API type definition [ApprovalFlowStatus](https://docs.commercetools.com/api/projects/approval-flows.md?urn=ctp%3Aapi%3Atype%3AApprovalFlowStatus).

#### ApprovalFlowRejection

See API type definition [ApprovalFlowRejection](https://docs.commercetools.com/api/projects/approval-flows.md?urn=ctp%3Aapi%3Atype%3AApprovalFlowRejection).

#### ApprovalFlowApproval

See API type definition [ApprovalFlowApproval](https://docs.commercetools.com/api/projects/approval-flows.md?urn=ctp%3Aapi%3Atype%3AApprovalFlowApproval).

## Get ApprovalFlow in BusinessUnit

### Get ApprovalFlow in BusinessUnit by ID

See API endpoint definition [GET /\{projectKey}/as-associate/\{associateId}/in-business-unit/key=\{businessUnitKey}/approval-flows/\{id}](https://docs.commercetools.com/api/projects/approval-flows.md?urn=ctp%3Aapi%3Aendpoint%3A%2F%7BprojectKey%7D%2Fas-associate%2F%7BassociateId%7D%2Fin-business-unit%2Fkey%3D%7BbusinessUnitKey%7D%2Fapproval-flows%2F%7Bid%7D%3AGET).

## Query ApprovalFlows in BusinessUnit

See API endpoint definition [GET /\{projectKey}/as-associate/\{associateId}/in-business-unit/key=\{businessUnitKey}/approval-flows](https://docs.commercetools.com/api/projects/approval-flows.md?urn=ctp%3Aapi%3Aendpoint%3A%2F%7BprojectKey%7D%2Fas-associate%2F%7BassociateId%7D%2Fin-business-unit%2Fkey%3D%7BbusinessUnitKey%7D%2Fapproval-flows%3AGET).

## Update ApprovalFlow in BusinessUnit

### Update ApprovalFlow in BusinessUnit by ID

See API endpoint definition [POST /\{projectKey}/as-associate/\{associateId}/in-business-unit/key=\{businessUnitKey}/approval-flows/\{id}](https://docs.commercetools.com/api/projects/approval-flows.md?urn=ctp%3Aapi%3Aendpoint%3A%2F%7BprojectKey%7D%2Fas-associate%2F%7BassociateId%7D%2Fin-business-unit%2Fkey%3D%7BbusinessUnitKey%7D%2Fapproval-flows%2F%7Bid%7D%3APOST).

## Update actions

#### Approve

See API type definition [ApprovalFlowApproveAction](https://docs.commercetools.com/api/projects/approval-flows.md?urn=ctp%3Aapi%3Atype%3AApprovalFlowApproveAction).

#### Reject

See API type definition [ApprovalFlowRejectAction](https://docs.commercetools.com/api/projects/approval-flows.md?urn=ctp%3Aapi%3Atype%3AApprovalFlowRejectAction).

#### Set Custom Type

See API type definition [ApprovalFlowSetCustomTypeAction](https://docs.commercetools.com/api/projects/approval-flows.md?urn=ctp%3Aapi%3Atype%3AApprovalFlowSetCustomTypeAction).

#### Set CustomField

See API type definition [ApprovalFlowSetCustomFieldAction](https://docs.commercetools.com/api/projects/approval-flows.md?urn=ctp%3Aapi%3Atype%3AApprovalFlowSetCustomFieldAction).

## Related pages

- [Section overview page](https://docs.commercetools.com/api.md)
- [Previous page: Approval Rules](https://docs.commercetools.com/api/projects/approval-rules.md)