[Part 39] Changing the Database Owner Without Rewriting Approval Rules

SQL approval rules route requests to designated staff. But does a database ownership change require updating the approvers inside each rule?

I created a Connection Owner-based rule, processed one request, changed only the database owner, and checked who received the next request under the same rule.

Using the Connection Owner as Approver

I named the rule EP39 - Connection Owner Approval, selected SQL Request, and chose approval method Assign Connection Owner. Demo Developer remained executor and self-approval was disabled.

I registered the lab connection as Owner Handoff Lab, initially assigning Demo Approver as its sole Connection Owner.

Connection Owner is assigned per database connection, distinct from the organization-wide Owner role. Here it determines request approval routing.

Demo Developer had Read-Only on the new connection. I chose a SELECT for order 27002 that this access permits.

Demo Approver Handles the First Request

The developer submitted request A using the rule, Owner Handoff Lab, and the order SELECT. A marked it as before the handoff.

The form’s approver field showed Connection Owner. Submitted details resolved the actual approver to Demo Approver, without manually selecting a person.

Demo Approver reviewed the connection and SQL and commented, ‘As connection owner, I reviewed and approve this fictional order query.’

Demo Developer then executed it. Results showed 1 Rows selected, in 4 ms, completing both approval and execution.

Changing Only the Owner, Keeping the Rule

After A completed, I removed Demo Approver from Owner Handoff Lab’s owner list and selected Demo Auditor alone, then saved.

Connection details and developer Read-Only stayed unchanged. The rule retained Assign Connection Owner and executor Demo Developer. Only ownership changed.

The Next Request Goes to the New Owner

Request B used exactly the same rule, connection, and SQL as A.

The form again showed Connection Owner, but submitted details assigned Demo Auditor, reflecting the updated connection ownership.

Demo Auditor reviewed B and approved with ‘As the new connection owner, I reviewed and approve this fictional order query.’

Demo Developer executed B too; Results showed 1 Rows selected, in 3 ms. The unchanged rule handled the full process after the handoff.

Recording Who Processed Both Requests

Workflow Logs found six events: submission, approval, execution for A and B. Demo Approver approved A, Demo Auditor B; Demo Developer submitted/executed both.

Query Audit showed both SELECTs succeeded via SQL Request on Owner Handoff Lab. Final inspection confirmed rule method, executor, and modified time had not changed.

Ownership changes did not require editing the rule’s names. New requests followed updated per-connection ownership while the approval model stayed fixed.

This lab used QueryPie Community 11.6.7 and MySQL 8.0.42 with fictional users and orders.

Reference: DB Connections · Approval Rules · Workflow Logs