# Approval Development > Build and work with cjmellor/approval features, including approval workflows, custom states, time-based expirations, rollbacks, and event handling. Use when this capability is needed. - Skill: `tomevault-io/approval-development` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/approval-development` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/approval-development/raw - Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS) - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/approval-development --- ## When to use this skill Use this skill when working with model approval workflows, intercepting create/update operations for review, managing approval states, setting up time-based expirations, or handling approval events using cjmellor/approval. ## Core Concepts - **Models use `MustBeApproved` trait** — Intercepts `creating` and `updating` events, storing dirty data in the `approvals` table instead of persisting directly. - **Approvals have states** — `Pending`, `Approved`, `Rejected` (via `ApprovalStatus` enum), plus custom states defined in config. - **Approve to persist** — Data only reaches the model's table when explicitly approved. - **Bypass with `withoutApproval()`** — Skip the approval workflow for admin actions, seeders, etc. - **Expiration support** — Approvals can auto-reject, auto-postpone, or trigger custom logic after a deadline. ## Setup Add the `MustBeApproved` trait to any model that needs approval: ```php use Cjmellor\Approval\Concerns\MustBeApproved; class Post extends Model { use MustBeApproved; // Optional: only these attributes require approval, others persist immediately protected array $approvalAttributes = ['title', 'content']; } ``` ## Approving, Rejecting, and Postponing ```php use Cjmellor\Approval\Models\Approval; // Query by state $pending = Approval::pending()->get(); $approved = Approval::approved()->get(); $rejected = Approval::rejected()->get(); // Change state Approval::where('id', 1)->approve(); // Persists new_data to the model's table Approval::where('id', 2)->reject(); // Marks as rejected Approval::where('id', 3)->postpone(); // Resets to pending // Approve without persisting data (state change only) Approval::where('id', 1)->approve(persist: false); // Conditional helpers $approval->approveIf($user->isAdmin()); $approval->rejectUnless($hasPermission); $approval->postponeIf($needsMoreInfo); ``` ## Custom Approval States Define custom states in `config/approval.php`: ```php 'states' => [ 'pending' => ['name' => 'Pending', 'default' => true], 'approved' => ['name' => 'Approved'], 'rejected' => ['name' => 'Rejected'], 'in_review' => ['name' => 'In Review'], 'needs_info' => ['name' => 'Needs Clarification'], ], ``` ```php // Set any configured state $approval->setState('in_review'); // Get current state (returns custom state if set, otherwise standard state) $state = $approval->getState(); // 'in_review' // Query by any state Approval::whereState('in_review')->get(); Approval::whereState('pending')->get(); // Only genuinely pending, excludes custom states ``` ## Time-Based Expirations ```php // Set expiration with automatic action $approval->expiresIn(hours: 48)->thenReject(); $approval->expiresIn(days: 7)->thenPostpone(); $approval->expiresIn(minutes: 30)->thenCustom(); // Handle via ApprovalExpired event listener // Specific datetime $approval->expiresIn(datetime: now()->addWeek()); // Check expiration $approval->isExpired(); // bool // Query by expiration Approval::expired()->get(); Approval::notExpired()->get(); Approval::hasExpiration()->get(); ``` Process expired approvals via the scheduler: ```php // In routes/console.php (Laravel 11+) Schedule::command('approval:process-expired')->everyMinute(); ``` ## Rollbacks ```php // Roll back an approved change (keeps Approved state by default) $approval->rollback(); // Roll back and reset to Pending (requires re-approval) $approval->rollback(bypass: false); // Conditional rollback $approval->rollback(condition: fn ($approval) => $approval->created_at->isToday()); ``` ## Requestor / Creator Tracking ```php // Get who created the approval $requestor = $approval->requestor; // The authenticated user at creation time $creator = $approval->creator; // Same relationship, different name // Filter by requestor Approval::requestedBy($user)->get(); // Check if a specific user requested it $approval->wasRequestedBy($user); // bool ``` ## Foreign Keys ```php // Default foreign key is 'user_id' — customize per model: public function getApprovalForeignKeyName(): string { return 'author_id'; } // Include the foreign key when creating: Post::create(['title' => 'Hello', 'user_id' => auth()->id()]); ``` ## Events All events extend `ApprovalEvent` with `Approval $approval` and `?Authenticatable $user`: | Event | When | |-------|------| | `ApprovalCreated` | Approval request created | | `ModelApproved` | Approval state set to approved | | `ModelRejected` | Approval state set to rejected | | `ModelSetPending` | Approval state set to pending (postponed) | | `ModelRolledBack` | Approved change rolled back | | `ApprovalExpired` | Expired approval processed by scheduler | ```php use Cjmellor\Approval\Events\ModelApproved; class SendApprovalNotification { public function handle(ModelApproved $event): void { $approval = $event->approval; $approver = $event->user; // Send notification, log audit trail, etc. } } ``` ## Factory Support Use the `MustBeApprovedFactory` trait in model factories to bypass approval in tests: ```php use Cjmellor\Approval\Concerns\MustBeApprovedFactory; class PostFactory extends Factory { use MustBeApprovedFactory; // ... } // In tests: Post::factory()->withoutApproval()->create(); ``` ## Bypassing Approval ```php // Bypass for a single operation $post->withoutApproval()->update(['title' => 'Admin Override']); // Check if bypass is active $post->isApprovalBypassed(); // bool ``` ## How Data Flows When a model with `MustBeApproved` is created or updated: 1. The trait intercepts the `creating`/`updating` Eloquent event 2. Dirty attributes are captured as `new_data`, original values as `original_data` 3. If `$approvalAttributes` is defined, only those attributes go through approval — the rest persist immediately 4. The foreign key (default `user_id`) is extracted and stored separately in the `foreign_key` column 5. An `Approval` record is created with `state = pending` 6. The original model operation is cancelled (returns `false` from the event) 7. When approved, `new_data` is applied to the model via `forceFill()` + `withoutApproval()->save()` The `new_data` and `original_data` columns are cast to `AsArrayObject`, so you can access them as arrays: ```php $approval->new_data['title']; // The proposed new title $approval->original_data['title']; // The original title before the change ``` ## Common Patterns ### Building an Approval Dashboard ```php // Get all pending approvals with their related models $approvals = Approval::pending() ->with('approvalable', 'requestor') ->latest() ->paginate(20); // In a Blade view @foreach ($approvals as $approval)

{{ $approval->requestor?->name }} wants to change {{ class_basename($approval->approvalable_type) }}

Changes: {{ json_encode($approval->new_data->toArray()) }}

@csrf
@endforeach ``` ### Approval Controller ```php class ApprovalController extends Controller { public function approve(Approval $approval) { $approval->approve(); return back()->with('success', 'Changes approved and applied.'); } public function reject(Approval $approval) { $approval->reject(); return back()->with('success', 'Changes rejected.'); } } ``` ### Duplicate Detection The package prevents duplicate pending approvals for the same model with identical data. If a user submits the same change twice, only one approval record is created. ### JSON / Array Cast Attributes Models with `json` or `array` casts work correctly. The approval system decodes JSON values when storing `new_data` and re-casts them when approving. Nested arrays and complex data structures are preserved. --- > Source: [cjmellor/approval](https://github.com/cjmellor/approval) — distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io).