# Approvals

> How post approval works in Botdoor: needs_approval, approve, reject, bulk approve, schedule_passed and who may approve.

Source: https://docs.botdoor.co/concepts/approvals/

A post **needs approval** when an ask-first key creates it, or when anyone sends `requireApproval: true`. It is stored in Botdoor only; nothing reaches the network.

![A post that needs approval: Approve, Reject, Reschedule, Cancel](https://docs.botdoor.co/screenshots/post-drawer-approve.png)

## Who can do what

| Action | Signed-in person | API key |
|---|---|---|
| Approve | Yes | No: `403 approval_requires_human` (the author key gets `self_approval_forbidden`) |
| Reject | Yes | Yes, including its own posts |
| Cancel, reschedule | Yes | Yes |
| Bulk approve or reject | Yes, on the Posts page | No |

## Approving and the scheduled time

- Approve **before** the scheduled time: the post is scheduled for that time.
- Approve with **no time**: it publishes now.
- Approve **after** the time (or less than a minute before): `409 schedule_passed`. Nothing is posted. Choose **Publish now** (`publishNow: true`) or **Pick a new time** (a new `scheduledFor`).

## Bulk approve

Tick posts and choose **Approve selected** or **Reject selected**. Each post is handled on its own and you get a result per post. Approval is claimed atomically, so a double click publishes once.

![Bulk approve on the Posts page](https://docs.botdoor.co/screenshots/bulk-approve.png)

## Getting notified

Botdoor can email you when a post is waiting (at most one email every 10 minutes) or send a daily digest. See [Email notifications](https://docs.botdoor.co/concepts/email-notifications/).

## Common questions

### Does a rejected post count toward the Free plan's 30 posts?

No. Rejected posts don't count.

### Can I approve from my phone?

Yes. The web app works on mobile, and the approval email links straight to the post.

### Can an API approve endpoint be used by my own script?

Only with a signed-in session. API keys are always refused, by design.

### What happens to the first comment if I reject?

It is never sent. A first comment only goes out after its post is live.