Hong Kong Approval Process Decoded: Time-Saving Secrets with DingTalk Automation

In Hong Kong, the approval process is a lot like ordering at a cha chaan teng (Hong Kong-style diner)—it seems simple, but if you don't understand local lingo such as "no sugar," "no coffee powder," or "well-done fries," you’ll quickly end up confused. From company registration to building permits and Food and Environmental Hygiene Department licenses, each approval feels like a meticulously designed "level-up game"—with no walkthroughs available.

Business registration? You'll need to visit the Companies Registry, Inland Revenue Department, and even the Employees Retraining Board. Submitting documents in triplicate and stamping until you question the meaning of life. Building permits are even more extreme—plans must be reviewed one after another by the Buildings Department, Fire Services Department, Environmental Protection Department, and more. At every step, you're left “waiting for news,” sometimes so long that the building might crumble before approval comes through. Opening a restaurant? Don’t think you’re all set once you’ve secured a shop unit. With license reviews and on-site inspections, three months can pass before your soft opening turns into a “trial disaster.”

Typically, these processes take anywhere from two weeks to several months. In between, you’ll constantly resubmit documents and confirm details—an ultimate test of patience. Worse still, many steps remain stuck in the “manual processing” era, like using an abacus to run Excel—so inefficient it’s heartbreaking. And this, precisely, sets the stage for the revolution that DingTalk automation is about to bring. After all, who wouldn’t rather spend time making money than filling out forms?

"Boss, please sign here!" This phrase echoes daily in Hong Kong offices, repeated so often it’s practically a morning prayer. Traditional approval processes are like marathons—not about who runs fastest, but who can endure the longest: fill out forms, print them, hunt people down, chase signatures, resubmit missing documents, only to realize yet another stamp is missing, forcing you to start over.

Imagine this: Xiao Li needs to claim travel expenses. He fills out a paper form by hand, attaches photocopies of receipts, and begins his “boss battle” journey—approvals from supervisor, finance, and accounting, each buried under half-foot-high piles of paperwork. After a week, he gets feedback: “Receipts unclear, please resubmit.” Just like that, Xiao Li’s efficiency drops from high-speed rail to tricycle speed.

And don’t even get started on heavyweight processes like building permits or company registration. Documents are repeatedly submitted; inter-department communication feels like playing charades. One missing stamp, and the entire project grinds to a halt. Businesses lose not just time, but opportunities—and employee sanity. Statistics show that Hong Kong SMEs spend an average of over 400 hours per year on approval procedures—that’s equivalent to one person working an entire month for free!

Rather than turning employees into “document-carrying ninjas,” it’s time to face the facts: it’s time to say goodbye to the paper maze and embrace digital salvation.

Still suffering from endless paper forms and untraceable approval progress? Don’t worry—DingTalk Automation is your secret weapon to escape the “approval hell.” In Hong Kong, a city where business moves at lightning speed, every second counts. DingTalk’s automation features are like efficiency superheroes—they automatically generate forms, intelligently push pending tasks, and can even complete approvals silently while your boss sips coffee.

Picture this: taking leave no longer means printing three copies and running across five departments for stamps. With just a few taps on DingTalk, the system automatically routes your request to the right person and sends instant reminders. Even better, it can intelligently route requests based on preset rules—for example, expense claims over $1,000 automatically go to the finance manager, or travel reimbursements only proceed when receipts are attached. After one cross-border e-commerce company adopted DingTalk, their average approval time dropped from three days to just four hours. Employees joked, “Now we can actually have lunch on time!”

This isn’t magic—it’s the perfect blend of logic and technology. DingTalk’s automation frees people from repetitive work, helping you move faster and smarter in Hong Kong’s city that never sleeps.

Want to stay ahead of the game with approvals in Hong Kong? Stop chasing your boss for signatures or waiting endlessly for email replies! DingTalk automation workflows are like hiring a 24/7 AI assistant. As long as you “teach” it what to do, it can make your approval process faster than food delivery at a cha chaan teng.

Step one: open DingTalk and head to the “Smart Forms” feature. Don’t worry—it’s not advanced calculus. You can easily design forms for leave applications, expense claims, or procurement requests, with customizable dropdown menus and mandatory fields. The key benefit? Prevent common mistakes early, such as employees forgetting to enter amounts or skipping supervisor approval.

Next comes the core step—setting workflow rules. For instance, you can specify that expense claims over $5,000 require dual approval from both finance and supervisor. The system will automatically route accordingly, ensuring small claims don’t gather dust on the CEO’s desk. Even better, set up “automatic reminders” or even “auto-escalation” if approvals are overdue, leaving no hiding place for procrastinators.

Finally, don’t forget notification settings! Use instant push alerts, SMS, or DingMail to ensure approvers can act immediately when they’re free. Imagine: instead of running three floors to find someone, they can now approve requests from bed while scrolling on their phone. Now that’s true “Hong Kong speed”!

Do you think automated approvals are only for tech companies? Think again! Across Hong Kong—from law firms to cha chaan tengs—DingTalk automation is sparking a “paperwork revolution.” A mid-sized accounting firm in Central used to process monthly expense claims like solving a Sudoku puzzle—missing data, supervisors away on business trips, finance staff chasing people down. After adopting DingTalk, employees simply upload receipts, the system automatically recognizes amounts and categories, and instantly flags incomplete submissions. Approval progress is now as transparent and trackable as food delivery. Result? Nearly 40 hours saved each month on manual checks, and partners no longer need to wake up at midnight to click “approve.”

Even more impressive is a small design studio in Kowloon City. The owner previously relied on Excel and WhatsApp for leave requests, often leading to “he said, she said” disputes like “I verbally agreed already!” Now, employees submit requests via DingTalk, and the system automatically checks for scheduling conflicts and notifies supervisors instantly. Even her most tech-resistant photographer colleague now actively uses DingTalk for travel claims, saying, “It’s faster than writing a note to the boss.”

Freelancers are even using DingTalk as a personal assistant—managing projects, payments, and invoicing through pre-set automated workflows. Who says an efficiency revolution can’t start with a one-person team?

We dedicated to serving clients with professional DingTalk solutions. If you'd like to learn more about DingTalk platform applications, feel free to contact our online customer service or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. With a skilled development and operations team and extensive market experience, we’re ready to deliver expert DingTalk services and solutions tailored to your needs!