Deal Approval Process: How to Approve Discounts Without Slowing Sales
Overview
Quick Summary
A good deal approval process protects your margins while staying invisible to reps on standard deals — only routing exceptions, like deep discounts, to a manager. Here's how to design one that does not slow selling.
Why Discounts Need an Approval Process
Unchecked discounting quietly erodes margin. An automated approval process enforces your pricing policy — routing only the deals that exceed a threshold, so most deals close without any delay.
Design Rules That Only Stop Exceptions
The goal is invisibility on normal deals. Set thresholds so a standard 10% discount auto-approves, while a 30% discount escalates to a manager. Reps stay fast; leadership keeps control.
| Discount | Approver | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10% | Auto-approved | Instant |
| 10–20% | Sales manager | Same day |
| 20–30% | Regional head | 1 day |
| 30%+ | Finance + VP | 1–2 days |
Building Your Approval Rules
- Tiered thresholds — bigger discounts need higher sign-off.
- Parallel approvals — finance and sales-ops in one step, not two.
- Auto-escalation — reroute if an approver is slow.
- Full audit trail — every approval logged on the deal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a deal approval process? A set of rules that routes deals needing sign-off — usually because of discounts or special terms — to the right approver automatically.
How do I stop approvals slowing sales? Auto-approve standard deals and only escalate exceptions above a discount threshold, with auto-escalation if an approver is slow.
Automate Approvals the Smart Way
Start a 15-day free trial of GetBiz CRM or book a demo to build your approval rules.
