I set a custom approval plan. Why isn't the approval rule for my product, category or product attribute working?

Please make sure that your text to match does not contain a "#".  When setting the "Text to Match" criteria for approval plan rules that have a product, category or product attribute as the trigger, the text to match cannot contain a "#". 
 
You can replace the "#" with a "*" in the "Text to Match" area if your product, category or attribute name contains a "#".  You do not need to remove the "#" from the product, category or attribute name. 
 
 
Another reason may be the full text added in 'Text to Match" box: 
 
Whenever you create an approval plan based on Products, category or Product Attribute, it asks for text to Match. The system looks for this text when triggering an approval plan. If the text does not match, then the approval plan does not trigger.
 
For Example, I have a category: Business Card and I have sub categories Two Sided Business Card and One Sided Name Card (another name for Business Card) so it will be like below:
 
Business Card
  • Two-Sided Business Card
  • One-Sided Name Card
If I create an approval plan based on Category and add Text to Match as Business, then the products in main category “Business Card” and Subcategory “Two-Sided Business Card” will trigger an approval email, however the products in “One-Sided Name Card” will auto approved as this category does not have matching text.
 
Please refer to chapter for more information on Ch. 062 Approval Plans (B2B Sites Only)