Quote approval is an internal control step where an authorized person reviews and signs off on a quote before it is sent to a buyer. The reviewer confirms that pricing, discounts, and terms are correct and within policy. Approval workflows exist so that a salesperson cannot unilaterally grant a discount or commit to a value beyond the limit their role allows.
How it works
A quote is drafted by a sales rep and then routed for review. Common triggers for requiring approval include a discount above a set percentage, a total order value over a threshold, non-standard payment terms (for example net 60 instead of net 30), or a custom line item. A manager or finance owner then approves, edits, or rejects the quote. Only after approval does the quote go out to the buyer.
Why it matters
Approval steps protect margin and keep pricing consistent across a team. Without them, one rep might discount aggressively to close a deal while another holds firm, which erodes trust and profitability. Approvals also create an audit trail, which is useful for larger B2B accounts and for reconciling what was promised against what was billed.
Applying it to Shopify B2B
Shopify’s native quoting is limited, so merchants who sell wholesale or negotiate pricing often handle approvals informally over email or in a spreadsheet. A dedicated quoting tool can add structure: a rep builds the quote, it is checked internally, and only then is it converted to a Shopify draft order and sent for the buyer to accept and pay. For related terms, see the B2B quoting glossary.
Example
A rep quotes 500 units at a 22 percent discount. Company policy caps reps at 15 percent. The quote is flagged for approval, the sales manager reviews the account history, approves it at 20 percent, and the revised quote is then sent to the buyer.