---
title: Delegations and approval escalation
description: "When an approver is away, requests pile up. Illizeo offers three answers — delegation set in advance, delegation case by case, and automatic escalation. - **Reading time**4 min - **Level**Intermediate - **Last updated**May 2026 - **Module**Roles & permissions ## Step-by-step…"
url: "https://illizeo.com/en/centre-aide/configure-delegations-and-backup-approvers/"
updated: "2026-09-21"
category: Platform
---

# Delegations and approval escalation

When an approver is away, requests pile up. Illizeo offers three answers — delegation set in advance, delegation case by case, and automatic escalation.

- **Reading time**4 min
- **Level**Intermediate
- **Last updated**May 2026
- **Module**Roles & permissions

## Step-by-step

1. ### Set a delegation before you leave

   From your personal settings, name the colleague who will take your approvals. It is not automatic: **they have to accept** for it to take effect.
2. ### Delegate an already-open request

   If you find a request you cannot decide, delegate it individually. Delegating a request to yourself is refused.
3. ### Rely on escalation rather than a named stand-in

   There is no “backup approver” to name per role. The safety net is escalation: past the delay, the request moves up to the approver’s manager.
4. ### Check on your return

   Requests handled by the delegate stay traced: both the delegated step and the decision taken appear in the request’s history.

## Common use cases

| Mechanism | Who sets it up | What it does |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Personal delegation | The approver, from their personal settings | Names a delegate; the delegate must **accept** it |
| Delegating one request | The approver, on an open request | The step becomes “delegated” and a new step opens for the delegate |
| Automatic escalation | The administrator, in the workflow settings | After the configured delay, the request moves to the **approver’s manager** |
| Default action | The administrator | When the response delay runs out: approve, reject, or escalate |

## FAQ

   Can delegation be limited to certain modules?

No. Personal delegation covers your approvals, not a selection of modules.

   Does the clock keep running during an absence?

Yes. A declared absence suspends nothing — which is exactly why the delegation goes in before you leave.

   Can a stand-in be triggered after X hours?

Not a named person, no. The delay exists, but its destination is the approver’s manager, derived from the hierarchy.

   Can a delegate approve their own request through the delegation?

No. The self-approval ban applies however the request reaches them.

## What does not exist

No backup approver named per role. No delegation limited to certain modules. No automatic suspension of delays during a declared absence. No summary pushed to the approver on their return — each request’s history stays available, but nothing is sent.

### See Audit logs and compliance

Learn to trace sensitive actions.

[See all Platform articles](/en/centre-aide/?cat=platform)

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