What "Approval Requested" means and how to change it

When a ServiceNow request shows "Approval Requested," it means someone with authority over that request — usually a manager, team lead, or designated approver — needs to review and act on it before it can move forward. You cannot change the status yourself while it is in this state. Instead, you need to either get the approver to act, withdraw the request entirely, or in some cases ask an administrator to reassign who the approver is.

The path forward depends on why the request is stuck and what permissions you have. If you are the requester, your options are limited to communication and withdrawal. If you are an administrator or have delegated approval authority, you have more direct control.

Key Takeaways

  • A request in "Approval Requested" status is waiting for a specific person or group to review it; you cannot change the status yourself unless you are that approver.
  • The fastest way forward is to contact the approver directly — find their name in the request details under the Approvals section.
  • If the approver is unavailable or the request is no longer needed, you can withdraw the request to cancel it entirely.
  • Administrators can reassign approvals to a different person or group, or change the approval workflow rules for future requests.
  • Some organizations allow delegation of approval authority, which lets you temporarily hand off approvals to a colleague.

Finding who the approver is and contacting them

Open your request in ServiceNow and scroll to the Approvals section — this shows the name or group assigned to approve it. If it lists a group rather than a person (for example, "IT Management" or "Finance Team"), you may need to contact that group's manager or check your organization's directory to find the specific person responsible.

Once you know who the approver is, reach out directly by email or chat. Explain what the request is for and ask when they expect to review it. Many approvals get stuck simply because the approver did not see the notification or forgot about it. A direct message often gets faster results than waiting for automated reminders.

If the approver is out of the office, ask if someone else is covering their approvals while they are away. Some organizations set up delegation automatically; others require you to ask. If no one is covering, you may need to wait for their return or ask an administrator to reassign the approval.

Withdrawing a request you no longer need

If you no longer need what you requested, you can withdraw it instead of waiting for approval. Look for a Withdraw or Cancel button on the request form — the exact label depends on your organization's ServiceNow setup. Withdrawing moves the request to "Withdrawn" or "Cancelled" status and stops the approval process.

Withdrawing is useful if circumstances have changed, you found another solution, or you submitted the request by mistake. It does not require the approver's permission. However, some organizations restrict who can withdraw requests, so if you do not see a withdraw option, contact your ServiceNow administrator.

Reassigning the approval if you have administrator access

If you are a ServiceNow administrator or have been given approval delegation rights, you can reassign the approval to a different person or group. Open the request, find the Approvals section, and look for an Edit or Reassign option. Select the new approver and save the change.

Reassigning is different from withdrawing — the request stays active and moves to the new approver's queue. Use this when the original approver is unavailable, has left the organization, or when you need to route the request to someone with better knowledge of the subject.

If you do not see an Edit option in the Approvals section, your role may not have permission to reassign. Contact your ServiceNow administrator or the person who manages approval workflows in your organization.

Setting up approval delegation for future requests

If you are an approver and know you will be unavailable, you can delegate your approval authority to a colleague for a set period. In ServiceNow, this is usually done through your user profile or a Delegation section in the system. The exact steps vary by organization, but generally you specify who should approve on your behalf and the dates the delegation is active.

Delegation is temporary and automatic — when someone submits a request that would normally come to you, it goes to your delegate instead. When the delegation period ends, approvals return to you. This is different from reassigning a single request; it affects all new requests during the delegation window.

If you do not see a delegation option in your profile, ask your ServiceNow administrator whether your organization has enabled this feature.

What to do if the approval is stuck or forgotten

Approvals sometimes get lost in notification noise or stuck in a queue if the approver is no longer in their role. If you have waited more than a few business days and the approver is not responding, escalate the issue. Contact your ServiceNow administrator or the manager of the team responsible for approvals.

Provide the request number, the date you submitted it, and the name of the approver. The administrator can check whether the approval notification was sent, whether the approver still has access to the system, and whether the request needs to be manually moved forward or reassigned.

Some organizations have escalation rules built into ServiceNow that automatically move stuck approvals after a certain number of days. Ask your administrator whether this applies to your request type.

Changing approval rules for future requests

If you are an administrator and want to change who approves requests going forward — for example, routing all IT requests to a new team lead instead of the old one — you do this through the Approval workflow settings, not by editing individual requests. This requires access to ServiceNow's workflow designer or approval configuration module.

Changes to approval rules apply only to new requests submitted after the change takes effect. Requests already in "Approval Requested" status will continue to route to the original approver unless you manually reassign them. If you need to update many existing requests, your administrator may need to run a bulk update or script.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the status from "Approval Requested" to "Approved" myself?

No, not unless you are the designated approver for that request. If you are the approver, you should see an Approve or Reject button on the request. If you do not see these buttons, you do not have approval authority for this request type.

What happens if the approver leaves the company?

The request stays in "Approval Requested" status until someone reassigns it. Contact your ServiceNow administrator with the request number and explain that the approver is no longer available. They can reassign the approval to the approver's replacement or manager.

How long should I wait before following up on an approval?

Most organizations expect approvals to be reviewed within two to five business days. If you have not heard back after a week, send a polite reminder to the approver. If two weeks pass with no response, contact your administrator or the approver's manager.

Can I submit the same request again if the first one is stuck in approval?

You can, but it is usually better to withdraw the first request first to avoid duplicate submissions. Submitting twice may confuse the approver or create confusion about which request should be approved. Withdraw the original, then submit a new one if needed.

What if I do not know who the approver is?

Check the Approvals section of your request — it should list the name or group. If it only shows a group name, contact that group's manager or your ServiceNow administrator. They can tell you who is currently responsible for approvals in that area.