# Dealing with short signoff delays in Sling
URL: https://www.associativetrails.com/writing/2022/09/08/dealing-with-signoff-delays-in-sling/
Published: 2022-09-08 · Practice · Sheet 07
Summary: A short delay in signing off needn't bring the whole process to a grinding halt

[Image: An approval form with the Uncertain option selected, its explanation, and the approver's comment that the client is probably fine but still needs checking]

Marking an approval gateway as uncertain
A valued client is successfully using our workflow building tool, Sling (https://www.associativetrails.com/work/sling/), to manage its business development workflow, and came across a bit of a hitch. We have integrated Sling with the Creditsafe API so UK companies are automatically credit checked as part of the signoff process when staff want to proceed with a project bid.

[Image: A bid page with a yellow banner, 'A gateway for this budget breakdown is currently uncertain', showing who marked it and their comment, above the bid's stages and details]

The bid is flagged as uncertain
Most of the time, this process works swiftly, with approval or rejection often being given automatically based on the client company's credit rating. However, this wasn't always the case. International companies are not credit checked by the third-party API, and some client company arrangements can involve holding companies or entities set up for individual projects.

In these cases, the credit check needs to be carried out by a member of the finance team, meaning a decision on whether to proceed with the bid cannot be given immediately. This was causing delays in the bid process, as the next stage (which starts gathering detailed bid budget information) couldn't start until approval was obtained.

So the Client asked us if there was any way that the next stage in the bid process could continue while the manual credit checks were being carried out. Which is why we added the "Uncertain" option to the manual singoff form. A member of the finance team can mark the gateway as "Uncertain" which allows the bid to proceed, but flags up the uncertainty to rest of the users.

[Image: A list of bids, each with a row of status icons; one bid, outlined in red, shows an amber question mark where the others show green ticks]

The bid's icon is a subtle indication to proceed with caution
In this way, work can continue while the additional checks are being carried out, and the bid is temporarily signposted as less certain than ones that have passed the gateway. When the checks are finished, the Finance team can approve or reject the bid in the normal way, and the process continues on or stops as normal.

[Image: An approval form asking 'Do you want to approve this budget breakdown?', with Yes selected and a comment that the company's credit rating has been checked]

Final approval form
This is just one example of the many times that we have listened to feedback and improved our products as a result. Our flexible approach means we can make applications that are a perfect fit for our clients' needs.