Quotations · 8 Oct 2026 · 2 min read
How to Set Up a Quotation Approval Process for B2B Sales
An approval step protects your margins, but a slow one loses deals. The goal is a process that is quick for normal quotes and careful for unusual ones.
Decide what needs approval
Do not approve everything. Pick clear triggers, for example a discount above a set percentage, a quote above a set value, or special payment terms. Everything else goes straight out.
Name the approver and a backup
Each trigger needs one approver and one stand-in. Most delays happen because the approver is travelling and nobody else is allowed to say yes.
Set a response time
Agree a target, such as the same working day. Salespeople can then tell the customer when to expect the quote instead of guessing.
Build quotes from one price list
Many approval requests are really price mistakes. When quotes come from a single product and pricing database, the numbers are right and the approver only reviews real exceptions.
Keep the history
Record who approved, when and why. Later, when a customer asks for the same terms again, you can see exactly what was agreed.
A simple starting policy
- Standard price list: no approval
- Discount above your limit: manager approves
- Very large or custom quotes: manager and finance approve
Start with this, watch how many quotes are held up, and adjust the limits after a month.