Overview
When you configure your August enrollment packet, each form includes an auto-approval option. By default, this is turned off, meaning every submission lands in a "Needs review" status until a staff member approves it. Turning on auto-approval lets qualifying submissions clear automatically, based on rules you choose.
This article and video below walk users through enabling auto-approval, choosing the right option for a form, and understanding what happens to submissions already in progress.
Why use auto-approval?
Save review time: skip manual approval for forms that don't need a second look
Focus review where it matters: only flagged or exception submissions land in your queue
Apply retroactively: turn it on anytime, even after forms have already been sent
How to enable auto-approval
Go to the form you want to configure within your enrollment packet.
Click the auto-approval toggle.
Choose one of the two auto-approval options (see below).
Once you've made a selection, the toggle turns blue and displays the option you chose.
Auto-approval options
Option | What it does | Best for |
Always auto-approve | Approves the submission automatically as long as all required fields are completed, regardless of what was answered | Forms where the content of the answers doesn't affect whether it needs review, such as basic contact or acknowledgment forms |
Auto-approve when answers are no or blank | Approves the submission only if the parent answers "no" to all questions, or leaves optional questions blank | Questionnaires like a general health form, where a "yes" answer likely needs staff attention |
š” Tip: For a form like a general health questionnaire, use Auto-approve when answers are no or blank so any "yes" response still routes to your review queue.
What happens to existing submissions
If you turn on auto-approval after forms have already been sent, August applies the rule retroactively. Any submissions currently sitting in Needs review status will be approved automatically if they meet the criteria for the option you selected.