Overview
Approval queues prioritize operational speed and fairness by ordering work consistently.
Use clear grouping and action paths to avoid long-tail delays.
Prioritize and decide governed work
Filter the queue, claim ownership, inspect request scope and policy evidence, then record rationale before returning or approving.
Approval queue
Prioritize policy-sensitive work, inspect evidence, and record accountable decisions.
Production access exception
Requested by Asha Mehta
Production workspace · expires automatically · manager sponsored
MFA verified · training current · no conflicting role
AMRequest submittedAsha Mehta · 42 minutes ago
PSAutomated policy checks completedPolicy service · 39 minutes ago
Anatomy
Use each piece in this order to keep interpretation and automation consistent.
- 1Queue buckets
Group by priority, age, and owner assignment.
- 2Request cards
Compact detail + action buttons for each request.
- 3SLA tags
Visual indicator for pending and expired windows.
- 4Bulk controls
Mass reassignment and follow-up support.
- 5Activity trail
Recent state changes and comments for queue health.
The ordering here is not visual-only; it reflects interaction priority and expected user cognition. Keep this order unless policy demands a specific domain exception.
When to use
Use this pattern when the user needs guided consistency, state, and reuse at scale.
Recommended
- High-volume approvals
When requests flow in constantly and need triage.
- Multi-stage approvals
When multiple roles interact in sequence.
- Operational oversight
When supervisors need queue snapshots by SLA.
When not to use
Avoid forcing this pattern where simpler, direct interactions are sufficient.
Avoid
- Small ad hoc requests
Use inline task confirmation for few actions.
- Complex forms
Use full detail layout when each item needs deeper review.
- No urgency tracking
Avoid queue structure if no SLA applies.
Variants
A small number of variants helps teams choose correctly without adding complexity.
Priority-first
Sort by criticality and age simultaneously.
Owner-first
Group by assigned user or queue.
SLA-first
Highlight near-breach items prominently.
States
States communicate readiness, risk, and expected user behavior.
| State | Trigger | Visual response | Interaction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backlog | New requests | Unassigned and awaiting triage | Users claim requests into active handling. |
| Review | Assigned | Reviewer panel and decision controls | Decision actions unlock based on role. |
| Escalated | SLA breached | Urgency highlight and escalation cue | Management path becomes visible. |
Behavior
Behavior should remain predictable across devices, permissions, and async edges.
Predictable ordering
Stable ranking by priority, age, and assignment.
Queue comments
Shared context before final decision.
Owner reassignment
Allow safe reassignment with audit capture.
Accessibility
Keep interaction clarity high and ensure assistive technologies get the same meaning.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| ShiftJ | Move to next queue bucket with focus. |
| A | Approve focused request if policy allows. |
| R | Open request reassignment dialog. |
- Mark queue priority and SLA state with visible text labels.
- Keep action availability clear for each focused request.
- Avoid auto-expanding all cards; preserve predictable focus order.
Content guidelines
Consistency is achieved by language standards, not by design only.
Queue naming
Use operational language for teams.
Pending review (critical)
SLA labels
Prefer explicit labels over ambiguous time terms.
Due in 4 hours
Action text
Use "Approve", "Reject", and "Return" with short scope.
Approve spend request
Examples
Reference implementation style, payloads, and practical behavior.
Production use
- Keep claim and decline actions primary and separated from archive actions.
- Use automated reminders when requests remain unclaimed.
- Add quick filters by queue SLA and team in the header.
Props / API
Use these API entries as a baseline contract and validate them against your domain layer.
These names are implementation-oriented and should map to your local contracts.
Props