Decision rights explain who may act without asking for permission. They help employees move routine work forward while protecting the business from commitments outside agreed limits.
Copy the worksheet
Decision type: [ ]. Decision owner: [role]. Permitted actions: [ ]. Financial or service limit: [ ]. Information required: [ ]. Consult before acting: [ ]. Escalate when: [ ]. Cover role: [ ]. Review date: [ ].
Complete separate records for booking changes, small purchases, complaint remedies and quotation adjustments. Avoid writing “use common sense” as the only boundary; different people interpret it differently.
Test a realistic example
A receptionist may change an appointment within available slots but may not promise an unavailable clinician or waive a charge outside an agreed rule. The record should specify both the permitted action and the exception route.
Ask the role holder to explain how they would handle three cases: a normal request, a borderline request and a clearly prohibited request. Revise the worksheet if the answers reveal ambiguity.
Keep approval records proportionate. Routine permitted decisions should not require a new approval in disguise. Review a sample afterwards and give feedback. More consequential actions may need documented approval before execution.
Update the worksheet when services, prices or staffing change. Delegated authority works when it is understood, supported and current. A document that grants responsibility without access, training or management support creates frustration rather than useful independence.