> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.dekasign.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Approval Workflow Engine

> Canvas navigation, node types, AND/OR Rules, SLAs, and publishing.

## Prerequisites

Create a category and form, and confirm approvers have category authority. Open **Approval Workflows**, create a workflow, choose the category/template, and open Canvas. The main sidebar collapses to give the editor more room.

## Navigate the canvas

Pan the background and use Zoom, Fit view, and Focus node. Drag node headers to position them; positions do not define routing. Connect each output to the correct target/input. Auto layout arranges the design, not business decisions. Use Undo/Redo and Save as needed.

## Elements

| Node | Purpose | Check |
| - | - | - |
| Start | Start a request with its form | Correct form, category, and version. |
| Actor | Assign an internal approver task | Authorized approver and valid approved, rejected, revision, and SLA routes. |
| Rule | Choose a path from form data | Schema field/operator/value; combined AND/OR conditions. |
| Wait | Hold the process as configured | Valid duration and next route. |
| Notification | Queue a flow message | Correct recipients, channels, and continuation. |
| Revision | Open correction work | Clear limits and return target. |
| Loop | Return to a task using supported patterns | Not an unrestricted or unbounded loop. |
| Finish | End with Approved or Rejected | Final approval does not mean all signing is complete. |

Rules use form fields, not arbitrary code. Approved paths are green; Rule outputs have distinct colors. Need revision and SLA outputs are visually separated on Actor nodes.

## Actor policy

Set the approver, SLA, delegation, revision limits, and channels. DekaSign email is the default. An explicit custom-email override disables DekaSign email for that node. WhatsApp is an add-on requiring an active channel and destination mapping.

## Validate and test

Run Validate, fix invalid connections/authority, then [test in Sandbox](/en/guides/sandbox). Save stores the design; Publish creates the release for new requests. Moving nodes must not disconnect edges or change policy.

<Warning>Parallel ALL/ANY and new external approval Actor admission are not enabled for production. An external Document Sign recipient is different from an external approval Actor. A draft node that can be drawn is not proof of runtime availability.</Warning>


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