---
key: approve-a-public-booking
title: Approve a public booking
audience: staff
section: operations
routes: ["/bookings/public-operations", "/bookings/public-operations/:surfaceUid/:workspace?"]
permissions: ["org.settings.public_booking.pending_approvals.read"]
features: ["booking.public.operations"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: Approve or reject an online booking that your booking rules held for a manual decision, and see whether a payment is requested once it is approved.
keywords: [pending approval, manual approval, approve booking, reject booking, deposit, online booking held, payment approval]
related: [work-the-public-booking-waitlist, resolve-a-public-booking-identity-review, find-a-booking-on-the-calendar]
---

In the sidebar, open **Operations**, then **Online Booking**. The page address is `/bookings/public-operations`. Pick the surface under **Managed public surfaces**, then press **Payment Approvals** on the left.

## Before you start

Your admin has to give your role permission to read pending approvals; approving or rejecting needs permission to manage them. Public booking payments also have to be turned on for your plan, or the queue stays empty.

## Steps

1. Read the card under **Payment approval operations**. It shows the booking reference, the approval status, and the booking status.
2. Check **Customer** (name, masked email and phone) and **Booking** (the service, the start time and the service address).
3. Read the reasons line to see why the booking was held, and the line under it to see what happens after approval: no payment, or an amount and its payment type.
4. Optional: type an **Approval note** for the record.
5. Press **Approve** to let the booking through, or **Reject**. Rejecting cancels the pending booking and cannot be undone, so Nova asks you to confirm with **Reject request**.

## What you see

Nova confirms the booking is approved, or approved and a payment requested when the rules call for one, or that the pending approval is rejected. The card leaves the queue and an approved booking shows on the **Schedule** calendar with its confirmed time.

## If something looks different

- The list says no public bookings are waiting for manual approval: the queue is empty for this surface.
- **Approve** and **Reject** are greyed out: your role can read the queue but not decide, or a decision is still saving.
- The reasons mention identity: the booking may also be waiting under **Identity Reviews**. Settle that first; see [[resolve-a-public-booking-identity-review]].
- The booking reference is a long code instead of a number: the booking has not been given a reference yet. The code still identifies it.