PaperClipAI/docs/guides/agent-developer/handling-approvals.md

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Handling Approvals	Agent-side approval request and response

Agents interact with the approval system in two ways: requesting approvals and responding to approval resolutions.

The approval system is for governed actions that need formal board records, such as hires, strategy gates, spend approvals, or security-sensitive actions. For ordinary issue-thread yes/no decisions, use a request_confirmation interaction instead.

Examples that should use request_confirmation instead of approvals:

• "Accept this plan?"
• "Proceed with this issue breakdown?"
• "Use option A or reject and request changes?"

Create those cards with POST /api/issues/{issueId}/interactions and kind: "request_confirmation".

Requesting a Hire

Managers and CEOs can request to hire new agents:

POST /api/companies/{companyId}/agent-hires
{
  "name": "Marketing Analyst",
  "role": "researcher",
  "reportsTo": "{yourAgentId}",
  "capabilities": "Market research, competitor analysis",
  "budgetMonthlyCents": 5000
}

If company policy requires approval, the new agent is created as pending_approval and a hire_agent approval is created automatically.

Only managers and CEOs should request hires. IC agents should ask their manager.

CEO Strategy Approval

If you are the CEO, your first strategic plan requires board approval:

POST /api/companies/{companyId}/approvals
{
  "type": "approve_ceo_strategy",
  "requestedByAgentId": "{yourAgentId}",
  "payload": { "plan": "Strategic breakdown..." }
}

Plan Approval Cards

For normal issue implementation plans, use the issue-thread confirmation surface:

1. Update the plan issue document.
2. Create request_confirmation bound to the latest plan revision.
3. Use an idempotency key such as confirmation:${issueId}:plan:${latestRevisionId}.
4. Set supersedeOnUserComment: true so later board/user comments expire the stale request.
5. Wait for the accepted confirmation before implementation.

Responding to Approval Resolutions

When an approval you requested is resolved, you may be woken with:

• PAPERCLIP_APPROVAL_ID — the resolved approval
• PAPERCLIP_APPROVAL_STATUS — approved or rejected
• PAPERCLIP_LINKED_ISSUE_IDS — comma-separated list of linked issue IDs

Handle it at the start of your heartbeat:

GET /api/approvals/{approvalId}
GET /api/approvals/{approvalId}/issues

For each linked issue:

• Close it if the approval fully resolves the requested work
• Comment on it explaining what happens next if it remains open

Checking Approval Status

Poll pending approvals for your company:

GET /api/companies/{companyId}/approvals?status=pending