Bob currently supports up to two approvers in a time off approval flow. If your organization requires additional approval layers or more flexible approver coverage, there are a few workarounds available, but some scenarios are not currently supported.
Can I create a three-step approval flow?
No. Time off policies support a maximum of two approvers.
For example, a flow such as:
HR generalist
Manager
Executive approver
cannot be configured natively in Bob.
A common workaround is to use the two most critical approvers in the approval flow and use task lists or notifications to keep additional stakeholders informed. However, the third stakeholder will not be able to approve the request as part of the formal workflow.
Can I assign a group of approvers instead of a single person?
No. Bob does not currently support assigning a team or group as a time off approver.
If multiple people need visibility into requests, consider using task lists or internal processes to distribute notifications. For manager-based approval scenarios, indirect managers can be granted permissions to approve requests within their reporting line.
How do indirect manager approvals work?
You can enable the following permission for the Managers group:
View all fields, approve or decline requests that are pending approval of others
When enabled:
Second-level managers can approve requests within their reporting hierarchy.
Managers cannot approve requests outside their reporting line.
The permission does not automatically send notifications when a direct manager is unavailable.
Indirect managers must proactively review pending requests when needed.
How can I change a time off approver?
There are several ways to manage approvers depending on your setup.
Change approvers globally
To update approvers for all employees using the default approval flow:
Go to Time > Time off settings > Approvers.
Update the relevant approver settings.
Change an approver for a specific employee
To update approvers for an individual employee:
Go to Time > People's time off > Policy balances.
Select the employee.
Click Actions > Change approver.
This change applies to all policies assigned to the employee except policies that use a custom approval flow.
Changes only affect future requests. Requests that have already been submitted keep their existing approvers.
Change approvers in bulk
To update approvers for multiple employees:
Go to Time > People's time off > Policy balances.
Select the relevant employees.
Use the bulk action to change approvers.
Set approvers at the policy level
To configure approvers for a specific policy:
Go to Time > Time off settings > Policies.
Open the relevant policy.
Click Actions > Edit.
Open the Approval section.
Select Create a custom approval flow and configure the approvers.
Why can't I change an approver for a specific employee?
If a policy uses a custom approval flow, the approvers defined in that policy override employee-level approver settings.
Because custom approval flows sit at the top of the approval hierarchy:
Employee-level approver changes do not apply.
Individual approvers cannot be overridden for that policy.
Existing submitted requests cannot be reassigned by changing employee approvers.
What can I do if a custom approver is unavailable?
Current options include:
Updating the custom approval flow to use a backup approver.
Moving the policy back to the default approval flow and managing approvers through employee-level settings.
Using indirect manager approval permissions where applicable.
Is there a way to override a custom approver for a single employee?
No. This is not currently supported.
Organizations that use custom approval flows with approvers based on reference fields (for example, an employee's manager plus a specific executive approver) cannot currently replace an approver for a single employee without affecting the policy configuration.
This limitation has been raised with the Product team as a product feedback request and is under consideration for future development.