How DiscountFlow Works
Requests, approvals, and roles — how it fits together.
DiscountFlow is built around a single core concept: the approval request. Everything in the platform — from the product catalog to team roles to notification emails — exists to support the lifecycle of a request as it moves from submission to a final decision.
The Approval Request Lifecycle
A request passes through a fixed set of statuses, in order:
- Draft — The request has been created but not yet submitted. The submitter can still add or change line items, pricing, and supporting details.
- Pending — The request has been submitted and is waiting for action from the current approval level.
- Approved — All required approval levels have approved the request. The discount pricing is confirmed.
- Denied — One or more approval levels have denied the request. The pricing cannot be applied.
- Archived — The request has been closed out and moved to long-term storage.
A request can only move forward through this sequence. A denial at any level ends the request — it cannot be re-submitted, though a new request can be created to replace it.
Approval Levels
Your organization defines how many approval levels a request must pass through before it is marked Approved. Each level has at least one approver, and every level must approve before the request advances to the next.
For example, an organization might set up:
- Level 1 — Sales Manager reviews the requested discount amount
- Level 2 — Finance Lead confirms it falls within margin guidelines
When a request is submitted, it starts at Level 1. Once all approvers at Level 1 act on it, it moves to Level 2, and so on. If any level denies the request, the process stops.
Approval levels are configured per organization by an administrator. See Configuring Approval Levels for details.
Request Types
Organizations can define multiple request types to handle different kinds of discounts or pricing scenarios. Each request type can have its own set of custom fields, so the information a submitter must provide is relevant to that specific type of request.
For example, you might have separate request types for:
- Standard customer discounts
- Partner or reseller pricing
- End-of-quarter deal exceptions
Line Items and the Product Catalog
Each request contains one or more line items — individual products with their quantity, standard pricing, and the requested discounted price. Products are selected from your organization's product catalog, which stores MSRP, list price, minimum order quantity (MOQ), and any applicable tariffs or surcharges.
The difference between the list price and the requested price is what the approvers are evaluating. The clearer the line items, the faster the decision.
Roles in the Process
Three roles interact with every request:
| Role | What They Do |
|---|---|
| Submitter | Creates and submits requests on behalf of a deal or customer |
| Approver | Reviews and approves or denies requests at one or more levels |
| Administrator | Configures approval levels, request types, team access, and organization settings |
A user can hold more than one role depending on how your organization is set up.
What Happens After a Decision
Once a request is Approved, it can be:
- Exported as a PDF to share with a customer or attach to a proposal
- Exported as CSV for reporting and record-keeping
- Archived once the deal is closed
Denied requests remain visible in the request list with a Denied status. They can be archived but cannot be re-opened.
Notifications
DiscountFlow sends email notifications at key points in the lifecycle:
- When a request is submitted and reaches a new approval level
- When an approver approves or denies a request
- When a request is fully approved
You can manage which notifications you receive in your account settings. See Using and Managing Your Notification for details.
Next: Creating Your Account — sign up and get into your DiscountFlow workspace.