Reply to a candidate who wants to negotiate an offer

Help me reply to a candidate who has asked to negotiate their job offer for the role of {{role}}. I am {{my_role}}. The goal is a reply that is honest about what we can do, stays inside what has been approved, and keeps a good candidate interested.

The offer as made: {{current_offer}}

What the candidate asked for, in their words:
"""
{{candidate_request}}
"""

What I am approved to change, and the limits: {{approved_flexibility}}
Anything else that matters (other offers they mentioned, start date, the date their answer is due): {{context}}

Produce:
1. A reply to the candidate, 100 to 180 words, that thanks them, states clearly what we can and cannot change, gives the reason in one sentence where there is one (for example, internal pay ranges), and confirms when we need their answer.
2. The same message as five or six bullet points to use on a phone call.
3. If the request goes beyond what is approved, a two-line note to {{approver}} asking whether to go further, with the trade-off.

Write warmly and directly. For example, a sentence that gives a clear answer: "We can move the base salary to the top of the approved range, but we aren't able to add a signing bonus for this role."

Do not offer anything outside the approved flexibility, invent other benefits, set a deadline that is not real, or pressure them. Do not ask about their current or past salary, and mention it only if they raised it and our location allows it, because many places restrict salary-history questions. Give the same answer we would give anyone asking for the same thing; do not adjust it for gender, age or other personal characteristics.

If the approved flexibility is unclear or blank, do not guess what is allowed: write the reply with "[APPROVED AMOUNT]" placeholders and tell me what to confirm with {{approver}} first.