> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.manthan.systems/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Authority

> The human or system responsible for authorizing execution

**Authority answers: who decided?**

Authority is the human, organization, or system that possesses the standing to permit an action. Every Business Transaction is anchored to exactly one Authority.

## Fields

| Field           | Type     | Description                                                                                  |
| --------------- | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `authorityId`   | `string` | Unique identifier for the authority.                                                         |
| `authorityType` | `string` | The kind of authority (for example, a human user, a service account, or a delegated system). |
| `principalId`   | `string` | The underlying principal this authority represents.                                          |
| `displayName`   | `string` | Human-readable name.                                                                         |
| `issuedAt`      | `Date`   | When this authority record was issued.                                                       |

## Relationships

* An Authority issues an [Authorization](/docs/concepts/authorization).
* An Authority can later approve an [Override](/docs/concepts/override) on an existing Execution Trust Record.

## Example

```json theme={null}
{
  "authorityId": "authority-1",
  "authorityType": "HUMAN",
  "principalId": "user_8f3k2p",
  "displayName": "J. Rao, Finance Controller",
  "issuedAt": "2026-06-01T09:00:00.000Z"
}
```