coapprove

Coapprove is a verb meaning to grant approval to a proposal, document, or action jointly with one or more other individuals or entities. It denotes a decision made through a shared authorization process rather than by a single approver. The term may appear as “co-approve” or “co-approval” in written usage.

In business and governance, co-approval is common for expenditures, contracts, policy changes, or high-risk decisions, requiring sign-off from multiple stakeholders such as finance, legal, or senior management. In banking and procurement, transactions may require co-approval by more than one officer or by a designated committee, serving as a check against unilateral action. In information technology and project management, approval workflows may designate co-approval to ensure compliance, budgeting, and risk controls.

Practically, co-approval can operate as parallel approvals, where all designated parties must approve before a decision is effective, or as serial approvals, where one approval unlocks the next step. While it enhances oversight and accountability, co-approval can introduce delays and potential deadlocks if consensus cannot be reached.

Related concepts include joint approval, parallel approval, approval workflow, and multilateral consent.