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Approval queue rules: who signs off what, and how long it waits

An approval queue works only when everyone knows which items wait for whom. Rules written in advance settle most arguments before they start.

Sort changes into three lanes

  • Lane one needs no approval. Examples are renaming a draft, or pausing an ad that breaks a stop rule the client already agreed to.
  • Lane two needs one approval from the account lead. Examples are a new ad set inside an approved budget, or a new headline inside an approved set.
  • Lane three needs the client. Examples are budget changes above the agreed limit, new offers, brand claims and audiences built from customer data.

Set a waiting time for each lane

  • Write a waiting time for each lane, such as one working day for lane two and two working days for lane three.
  • Say what happens when the time runs out. Usually the item stays as it is and is flagged, not pushed through.
  • A missed reply is never a yes.
Made-up scenario: a 15 percent budget increase waits two working days for the client. No reply by the second day means the increase is not made. The account lead writes the reason in the queue and tells the client.

Cover absence

  • Name a backup approver for each lane and write the name in the queue header.
  • The backup checks the queue on any day the main approver is away, including items addressed to the main approver.

Clear the queue

  • Review the queue at least twice a week. Items older than their waiting time go to the account lead for a decision.
  • Record each decision with the name, the date and the reason, in the same log that holds the change requests.

5 min read. Last updated 2026-10-07. Examples use made-up numbers.

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Approval workflowSign-offService-level agreement

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