> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.digifist.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Approval Lifecycle

> The four template statuses in Galantis — DRAFT, PENDING_APPROVAL, APPROVED, and REJECTED — and what each means for your campaigns and automations.

Every template in Galantis moves through a defined lifecycle from creation to active use. The status at each stage determines whether the template can be used to send messages. Understanding what each status means — and what actions are available at each stage — prevents delays in campaign launches and automation activations.

## What this covers

* All four template statuses and their meaning
* What triggers each status transition
* What you can and cannot do at each status
* How to resolve a rejection and resubmit
* How status changes in Meta affect active automations

## Template statuses

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="DRAFT">
    **`DRAFT`** — The template has been saved in Galantis but not yet submitted to Meta.

    A template enters `DRAFT` status when it is created and saved without being submitted. It stays in `DRAFT` until you explicitly click **Submit**.

    **What you can do in DRAFT:**

    * Edit all template components — header, body, footer, buttons, category, and language
    * Preview the assembled template
    * Submit for Meta review when ready

    **What you cannot do in DRAFT:**

    * Use the template in a campaign
    * Assign the template to an automation Action Node and activate the automation

    `DRAFT` templates are not visible to Meta. No review has been initiated. The template exists only in Galantis until submitted.

    <Tip>
      Use `DRAFT` status to build and iterate on templates before committing to a submission. It is better to spend time in `DRAFT` refining copy, variable examples, and category accuracy than to submit prematurely and receive a rejection.
    </Tip>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="PENDING_APPROVAL">
    **`PENDING_APPROVAL`** — The template has been submitted to Meta and is awaiting review.

    A template enters `PENDING_APPROVAL` immediately when you click **Submit**. Galantis sends the template to Meta's Template API and the status updates to reflect the pending review.

    **What you can do in PENDING\_APPROVAL:**

    * View the template and its submitted content
    * Monitor the status — it will update automatically when Meta responds

    **What you cannot do in PENDING\_APPROVAL:**

    * Edit the template — submitted content is locked during review
    * Use the template in a campaign or automation

    Meta's review typically completes within minutes to a few hours. In some cases — particularly for first-time submissions from a new WhatsApp Business Account — review may take longer. Status updates arrive via Meta webhook and are reflected in Galantis automatically.

    <Note>
      You do not need to manually refresh or poll for status updates. Galantis receives Meta's webhook notification when the review completes and updates the template status immediately.
    </Note>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="APPROVED">
    **`APPROVED`** — Meta has reviewed and approved the template. It is ready for use in campaigns and automations.

    A template reaches `APPROVED` status when Meta's review confirms the template content is compliant with WhatsApp's Business Policy and the declared category is accurate.

    **What you can do in APPROVED:**

    * Select the template in the campaign builder
    * Assign the template to automation Action Nodes
    * Use the template for Inbox agent replies when the conversation window is closed

    **What can change after APPROVED:**

    * Meta may pause or suspend a template if quality signals degrade after it is live — block rates, report rates, or category compliance flags can cause Meta to move a template from `APPROVED` to a paused state without action from you
    * If a template is paused by Meta, active automations using it will begin failing for customers who reach the affected Action Node

    Monitor template status periodically in **Templates**, especially for high-volume templates that are actively sending. See [Template Quality](./template-quality) for how quality signals affect live templates.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="REJECTED">
    **`REJECTED`** — Meta's review found the template non-compliant. The template cannot be used until the issues are resolved and it is resubmitted and approved.

    A template is rejected when Meta's review identifies one or more compliance issues. The rejection reason is visible in **Templates → \[Template Name] → Status**.

    **Common rejection reasons:**

    * **Misleading category** — promotional content submitted as Utility, or vice versa
    * **Missing or empty variable examples** — `{{N}}` placeholders without sample values
    * **Prohibited content** — language that violates WhatsApp's content policies (exaggerated claims, prohibited industries, misleading offers)
    * **Incomplete variable sequence** — variable numbers that skip positions (e.g., `{{1}}` and `{{3}}` without `{{2}}`)
    * **Invalid button configuration** — button type, URL format, or phone number format errors

    **What you can do in REJECTED:**

    * Read the rejection reason carefully — it identifies the specific issue
    * Edit the template to address the rejection cause
    * Resubmit for a new review

    **What you cannot do in REJECTED:**

    * Use the template in any campaign or automation

    <Warning>
      Resubmitting a template without addressing the rejection reason will result in another rejection. Read the rejection reason fully before making changes. Repeated submissions of non-compliant content may affect your template submission standing with Meta.
    </Warning>

    **Resolving a rejection:**

    1. Open **Templates → \[Template Name] → Status** and read the rejection reason
    2. Identify which component caused the rejection — category, body copy, variable examples, or buttons
    3. Edit the template to address the specific issue
    4. Add complete, realistic example values to all variable placeholders if missing
    5. Resubmit — the template returns to `PENDING_APPROVAL`
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Status transition summary

```
DRAFT
  │
  └─ Submit ──→ PENDING_APPROVAL
                    │
                    ├─ Meta approves ──→ APPROVED ──→ (Meta may pause) ──→ Paused/Suspended
                    │
                    └─ Meta rejects ──→ REJECTED ──→ Edit and resubmit ──→ PENDING_APPROVAL
```

## Impact on active automations

If a template used in an active automation is paused or suspended by Meta after the automation was activated:

* The automation remains active — it is not automatically deactivated
* Customers who reach the Action Node using the affected template will have that node fail with a `FAILED` status in the activity log
* The automation continues executing for other customers using other Action Nodes that reference approved templates

To resolve: address the template quality issue, restore the template to `APPROVED` status, and confirm the automation's action node is pointing to the restored template. No automation re-activation is needed once the template is approved again.

<Note>
  Automations with any Action Node referencing a non-`APPROVED` template are flagged and cannot be activated. This flag is checked at activation time — an automation that was correctly configured at activation is not retroactively deactivated if a template is later paused.
</Note>

## Related guides

* [Creating Templates](./creating-templates) — Building templates correctly to minimize rejection risk
* [Template Categories](./template-categories) — Category accuracy — the most common rejection cause
* [Template Quality](./template-quality) — How live template performance affects status after approval
* [Support — Template Rejection](/whatsapp/support/troubleshooting/template-rejection) — Detailed rejection troubleshooting